Austin fire officials said they’re investigating a Sunday incident that caused about $25,000 in damage as a potential arson.
James Pollard
James Pollard is a student at Northwestern University and a fall reporting fellow. James interned this summer on the NBC Owned Television Stations digital team. He has covered his hometown of St. Louis as an intern with the Riverfront Times and reported on President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial for Medill News Service. He has also been managing editor of The Daily Northwestern.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas sues the Biden administration over federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott have been at war with locals and federal officials over vaccinate mandates. Earlier this month, Abbott expanded an executive order to block the requirement for any entity in Texas, including health care facilities and private businesses.
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Economy
Texas Republicans want to make the state the center of the cryptocurrency universe
Texas Republicans have largely welcomed the blockchain technology industry with open arms. But skeptics are concerned about cryptocurrency mining’s impact on the environment and energy grid.
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Health care
Texas reaches $290 million settlement with Johnson & Johnson in nationwide opioid case
“We’re not done going after these other companies,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. Overdose deaths related to opioids increased by 30% nationally in 2020.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott signs dog tethering bill after vetoing similar proposal over the summer
Abbott criticized an earlier proposal as “micro-managing.” But advocates say the differences between the original bill and the new law won’t affect its impact.
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Texas Abortion Restrictions
U.S. Supreme Court considers taking up abortion providers’ challenge to Texas’ near-total ban on the procedure
Providers want the Supreme Court to take the case before an appeals court hears it. The high court gave defendants, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, until Thursday to respond to the providers’ request.
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Redistricting Texas
How a doughnut-shaped district breaks up voters of color near Fort Hood and helps House Republicans
The doughnut district would be in Bell County, a traditionally red area that has trended blue in recent years as the diverse community around the nation’s biggest military installation grows.
Posted inPolitics
After minor changes, advocates are confident a bill requiring adequate shelter for dogs can avoid another Gov. Greg Abbott veto
The new proposal, like its predecessor, would amend the health and safety code to make the unlawful restraint of a dog a criminal offense — and more clearly outline proper treatment.
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Redistricting Texas
Two Black Houston members of Congress decry redistricting map that pits them against each other as discriminatory
Despite the objections of U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, the Senate committee voted out the redrawn congressional map Monday without addressing the district overlap. The map heads next to the full Senate for a vote.
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Politics
Ted Cruz’s challenge to campaign finance reimbursement law reaches Supreme Court
Under a 2002 federal law, no more than $250,000 in contributions collected after an election may be used to repay a candidate’s loans to their campaign.