Headlines / Quote of the Week
Fri., March 11, 2022
Texas Troops Europe-Bound: About 160 soldiers from Fort Hood deployed to Europe Tuesday, March 8, to join about 7,000 U.S. military personnel in the multinational NATO Response Force, which is on standby during the Ukraine/Russia war to protect neighboring NATO allies if needed.
Billionaire vs. Beto: Beto O'Rourke said Monday, March 7, that billionaire Kelcy Warren – a top donor to Gov. Greg Abbott – is suing O'Rourke for defamation. O'Rourke has roundly criticized Warren and his company Energy Transfer Partners for making enormous profits (with Abbott's help) selling natural gas to power generators during Winter Storm Uri.
Paxton Sues HHS: Wednesday, March 9, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding new guidance that would allow the federal government to withold funding from state entities that report gender-affirming medical care as abuse.
Fuel Tank Trouble: About 40 Southeast Austinites demanded that the city and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport move the site of a proposed airport jet fuel storage facility away from homes during a community meeting March 8. Attendees said previous fuel storage in the area led to medical issues, the Statesman reported.
Right to Read: The Texas Library Association launched a grassroots coalition in opposition to book-banning efforts Tuesday, March 8. The coalition, called Texans for the Right to Read, unites librarians, educators, parents, students, and others to combat efforts across the state to pull "controversial" and "pornographic" items (i.e., LGBTQIA friendly) from shelves.
Rental Assistance Overload: Travis County plans to close applications for its rental assistance programs after only one week due to high demand, Community Impact reported. Travis County staff told the Commissioners Court on Tuesday, March 8, that they expect more applicants than the county can fund.
Light at the End: Austin moved to Stage 2 of the area's COVID-19 Risk-Based Guidelines ahead of schedule Friday, March 4. Austin Public Health had announced earlier this month that Stage 2 might be appropriate after SXSW. The community transmission rate was down to 59 from well over 1,000 earlier in 2022.
Mapping SXSW: The Austin Public Transportation Department on March 8 released interactive and static maps for SXSW that include road closures, MetroBike stops, CapMetro stops, and other elements at austintexas.gov/springfestivalatx.
Quote of the Week
"If you are uncomfortable being in the dark with a bat, please remove yourself now."
– Employee at Moviehouse & Eatery, where a moviegoer released a live bat during a Batman showing
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