No water, roads or emergency services: How climate change left a rural neighborhood nearly uninhabitable

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• Congress averts government shutdown with last-minute scramble

  by Tyler Pager, The Washington Post Sept. 30, 2023

  Lawmakers avoided closing the government for now, but funding for Ukraine — and Kevin McCarthy’s speakership — face further hurdles. Full Story 

• Body camera footage shows February drunk-driving arrest of Sen. Charles Schwertner

  by Patrick Svitek Sept. 30, 2023

  Newly released body camera footage shows state Sen. Charles Schwertner’s February arrest for suspicion of drunk driving. Travis County prosecutors dropped the charge in July. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott says special lawmaking session will begin on Oct. 9, likely on school vouchers

  by Brian Lopez and William Melhado Sept. 29, 2023

  The session comes as a rift between the Texas House and the Senate grew following Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial, raising questions about the chambers’ ability to compromise on education issues. The governor has threatened to call for more special sessions if lawmakers fail to pass a “school choice” proposal. Full Story 

• Federal judge throws out hiring discrimination lawsuit against Texas A&M

  by Kate McGee Sept. 29, 2023

  The judge tossed the suit after the university argued a new state law that will go into effect in January, Senate Bill 17, already prohibits preferential treatment in hiring at public universities. Full Story 

• 4 Texas Republicans join ultraconservatives to sink GOP attempt to keep federal government open

  by Matthew Choi Sept. 29, 2023

  The funding bill was a long shot, but far-right U.S. representatives said it didn’t go far enough in promoting their priorities, including border security and defunding investigations into Donald Trump. Full Story 

• Texas A&M System’s guidance on the state’s DEI ban shows compliance might be a hard needle to thread

  by Caroline Wilburn Updated: Sept. 29, 2023

  The guidance asks universities in the system to avoid using the acronym DEI on their websites and walk a fine line between organizing events that “support diversity in a general way” but don’t “promote preferential treatment of any particular group.” Full Story 

• Houston-area development has become a right-wing lightning rod on immigration

  by Patrick Svitek and Uriel J. García Sept. 29, 2023

  After conservative media portrayed the Colony Ridge development north of Houston as a haven for illegal immigrants, Gov. Greg Abbott said the upcoming special legislative session will look into the issue. Full Story 

• U.S. Supreme Court to rule on Texas law limiting social media content removal

  by Ann E. Marimow and Cat Zakrzewski, The Washington Post Sept. 29, 2023

  The high court previously blocked the state law from going into effect while the case plays out. It will also consider a similar Florida case that revolves around the First Amendment Full Story 

• Texas’ open records law is 50 years old — and routinely flouted

  by Sewell Chan Sept. 28, 2023

  At the annual conference of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, two Republican lawmakers described how government officials fail to meet transparency requirements. Full Story 

• Texas “Ike Dike” coastal barrier project could cost $57 billion with inflation, Army Corps says

  by Erin Douglas and Emily Foxhall Sept. 28, 2023

  The latest figure is 68% higher than an earlier estimate of $34 billion, and it’s unclear when — or whether — Congress will appropriate the money to build the massive system of gates intended to protect the Houston region from storm surge. Full Story 

• With no opposition in the room, a rural Texas county makes traveling for an abortion on its roads illegal

  by Jayme Lozano Carver Sept. 28, 2023

  Cochran County, which borders New Mexico, joins a small group of other rural Texas counties that have passed these ordinances. Abortion-rights supporters say the new policies are not legal. Full Story 

• U.S. Sen. John Cornyn accepts Paxton impeachment acquittal, notes pending legal issues

  by Patrick Svitek Sept. 28, 2023

  With the attorney general mentioned as a possible primary opponent, the senator says of his fellow Republican: “I don’t think the story is over yet.” Full Story 

• Texas A&M student president impeached, removed from office

  by Kate McGee Sept. 28, 2023

  The 35-15 vote by the student senate was based on accusations that Hudson Kraus changed a job description so his brother could qualify for a cabinet post. Full Story 

• Convicted murderer Scott Panetti isn’t sane enough to be executed, federal judge rules

  by Stephen Simpson Sept. 28, 2023

  Panetti murdered his in-laws in 1992. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2007 set new court precedent with his case, raising the bar on the constitutional restriction against executing the insane. Full Story 

• ‘An understaffed and broken system’: 900,000 Texans have lost Medicaid as others struggle to access SNAP benefits

  by Neelam Bohra Sept. 28, 2023

  Texas Democrats in Congress are urging the federal government to audit the state’s Medicaid eligibility system Full Story 

• In the shadow of James Byrd’s murder, city leaders can’t agree how to move this East Texas town forward

  by Pooja Salhotra Sept. 28, 2023

  Jasper’s second Black mayor wants to help residents pay their bills while a younger city council wants to invest in the city’s culture. Residents call their heated arguments at city council meetings “foolishness” and “embarrassing.” Full Story