TODAY IS THE LAST DAY that Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas will appear on this feed! If you've enjoyed it, please find its permanent home on the Progress Texas Podcasts feed on the platform of your choice.

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

The "Death Star" law, designed for state pre-emption of a wide range of local ordinances in Texas cities and set to take effect tomorrow, has been ruled unconsitutional by a judge in Austin: ⁠https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2023-08-30/texas-death-star-law-ruled-unconstitutional-two-days-before-taking-effect/⁠

New details of Ken Paxton's lavish lifestyle as Texas Attorney General come to light in advance of his impeachment: ⁠https://apnews.com/article/texas-ken-paxton-impeachment-perks-travel-cake-97f8ef6ab925785977ff54b796f6c4f9⁠

Dozens of migrants have been treated for razor wire injuries at the border in the last two months: ⁠https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/border-wire-injuries-18336354.php⁠

...While the Los Angeles City Council considers criminal charges against Governor Greg Abbott over continued busing of migrants into that city: ⁠https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-08-30/migrant-bus-abbott-city-council-motion⁠

Studies find that Black babies in Harris County are twice as likely to die before age 1 than those of other racial groups: ⁠https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/texas-maternal-mortality-black-women/⁠

ERCOT releases yet another public plea for conservation - and it wasn't even that hot yesterday: ⁠https://abc13.com/texas-power-grid-energy-saving-tips-houston-heat-weather/13719257/⁠

...While ERCOT officials consider measures that would make battery storage more expensive and less effective. What the hell? ⁠https://www.douglewin.com/p/is-ercot-attempting-to-eighty-six⁠

Almost 800 new laws will take effect in Texas tomorrow, and it was hard work isolating the three most ridiculous to pick on: ⁠https://progresstexas.org/nearly-800-laws-take-effect-sept-1-here-are-most-misguided⁠

Ted Cruz decries non-existent medical recommendations on beer consumption (though he might consider cutting back himself): ⁠https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-beer-awkward_n_64f00663e4b0ca54cc6be9d7⁠

And the Ru-Publicans billboard is up in Austin: ⁠https://www.statesman.com/story/news/politics/2023/08/30/drag-show-gov-greg-abbott-texas-law-austin-billboard-rupublicans-ai-republicans/70717759007/⁠

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our work at Progress Texas by taking part in our Summer Member Drive - find out more at ⁠https://progresstexas.org/donate⁠.

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas for a couple more days! As of Friday, it will be available only on the main Progress Texas Podcasts feed - if you haven't yet, please take a moment now to find that feed and subscribe!

A whistleblower report accuses intelligence officers with Operation Lone Star of conducting illegal spying operations: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-national-guard-whatsapp-spying-border-iraq-watchdog-2023-8

Texas Senators were at the Capitol yesterday in closed-door preparation for next week's impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/29/senate-prepping-for-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-impeachment-trial/

...While new details of Austin real estate developer Nate Paul's inappropriate access to the AG's office are revealed: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/ken-paxton-nate-paul-brandon-cammack-impeachment/

ERCOT pleads with Texas energy consumers to scale back out of desperation for a seventh time since mid-August: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/08/29/ercot-announcement-conserve-energy-texas-heat-wave-hot-weather-temperatures/70710636007/

...While new offshore wind power opportunities are passed over by potential lessees due to Texas' hostile political environment: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/

...And while the state will ask Texas voters to commit billions to the building of new fossil fuel-burning power plants: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/

Democratic members of the State Board of Education say PragerU materials are NOT approved for Texas classrooms....at least not yet: https://www.kut.org/education/2023-08-29/democrats-on-the-state-board-of-education-pledge-to-fight-efforts-to-introduce-prageru-in-texas

Legal challenges by Williamson County against the City of Austin's plans for a supportive housing project for the homeless are dismissed by a judge: https://communityimpact.com/austin/north-northwest-austin/government/2023/08/29/judge-rejects-williamson-county-challenge-over-austin-homeless-housing-project/

And, either due to pride or poverty, Texas remains the top state for retaining its native-born citizens: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/texas-native-born-stay/

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas, but for just a few more days! As of Friday, it can be found on the Progress Texas Podcasts feed - please take a moment to locate and subscribe there.

Governor Greg Abbott makes highly arguable statements about Texas' "sovereignty" in a national op-ed: https://nypost.com/2023/08/28/texas-gov-abbott-we-will-take-biden-to-supreme-court-to-protect-border/

...While an Operation Lone Star soldier shoots a man across the border on the other side of the Rio Grande in Juarez: https://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/ny-texas-national-guard-soldier-shot-man-juarez-from-el-paso-across-rio-grande-20230829-mu7rzysgrnf4xnnfmvzvcqkg54-story.html

...And a Christian group gains thousands of petition signatures protesting Abbott's family separation tactics at the border: https://www.newsweek.com/thousands-christians-condemn-greg-abbotts-migrant-mistreatment-1822635

Ken Paxton says he will not resign ahead of next week's impeachment proceedings: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/wrong-texas-republican-attorney-general-ken-paxton-says-he-wont-resign-ahead-of-impeachment-trial/3325333/

...While Lt. Governor Dan Patrick picks a second judge to be his assistant during the trial: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/28/ken-paxton-impeachment-presiding-officer-texas/

We apparently came closer to a serious statewide energy crisis last week than most of us thought: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/texas-narrowly-avoided-power-emergency-last-week-18334289.php

LGBTQ+ groups testified yesterday in a Houston courtroom against the new Texas drag ban law: https://abc13.com/drag-shows-senate-bill-12-show-ban-equality-texas/13713193/

Coffee City, in East Texas, has become "a magnet for troubled cops": https://www.khou.com/article/news/investigations/coffee-city-texas-police-officers/285-4220e73c-90d4-474e-b59e-2033270cd8e9

Officials in Anchorage, Alaska are taking cues from Houston on homelessness strategy: https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2023/08/29/seeking-shelterseeking-solutions-is-houston-texas-model-ending-homelessness-anchorage/

Thanks for listening! Please consider helping us continue our important work by joining our summer member drive - find out more at https://progresstexas.org/donate.