Good morning, Houston! ☀️ It'll be sunny with cooler temps today. High of 61; low of 40. 🎟️ Get 'em while you can: Houston Rodeo tickets are officially on sale, with some ticket prices starting at $25. Check out this year's lineup and ticket purchasing information here. TGIF! Here's Friday's headlines. |
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Roadblocks remain for I-45 rebuild |
Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle |
If you read one thing: Houston, Harris County and the Texas Department of Transportation have an agreed path forward for rebuilding Interstate 45, and a lot of steps to get there. Why rebuild I-45? The $10B I-45 widening project has the potential to improve access to downtown and revitalize sagging areas along the I-45 freeway corridor, according to the North Houston Association, a vocal supporter of the rebuild. However, to get those benefits officials first have to iron out technical issues that affect the project, the downtown freeway system and numerous other mobility projects that cross it. Construction, although slotted for 2024, may be moved to 2027. What's the catch? The once-in-a-generation freeway rebuild comes with the potential to displace hundreds of homes and businesses. TxDOT's approved project impacts includes 158 houses, 433 apartments or condos, 486 public housing units, 340 businesses, five churches and two schools. The enormity of those impacts led to criticism of the plan by community advocates and, eventually, city and county leaders. The new agreement announced last month, however, quelled concerns of city and county officials.
What is mentioned in the agreement? For TxDOT and the city, the agreement outlines commitments to reduce property condemnation, add funding for housing relocation and public housing aid, and improve some local flooding issues and street connections. For the county, TxDOT committed to building pedestrian and bike access along all frontage roads, monitoring air quality during and after construction and planning for how trails will cross the project and link neighborhoods to bayou trails.
Read the full story about the interstate widening project from Dug Begley here.
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Houston welcomes nearly 2K naturalized citizens, voters |
John Shapely / Houston Chronicle |
Nearly 2,000 Houston immigrants became the region's newest naturalized citizens during a ceremony in Aldine. As the center erupted in cheers and emotion, dozens of volunteers from the League of Women Voters of Houston scurried around the building doing what they do best — registering people to vote.
Read Jhair Romero's full story here.
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Phelan opens door for more casinos |
Kin Man Hui / San Antonio Express-News |
If you read one thing: Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan has opened the door to casino gambling and sports betting in Texas, echoing Gov. Greg Abbott, who voiced support last fall for expanded gambling options. What changed lawmakers' minds? In 1973, Texas lawmakers enacted one of the strictest gambling bans in the nation and attempts to legalize casinos since then have repeatedly failed. Now, however, support with some officials seems to be growing, with supporters typically arguing the change would be an economic boon to Texas, generating additional tax revenue. Phelan said revenue was not a part of his calculation and instead said it is a topic that voters want and he thinks voters would support. What would gambling in Texas look like? Although gambling already exists legally in the form of the Texas lottery, Phelan and Abbott want to expand gambling options. In expanding options, however, Phelan said he doesn't want to see slot machines in every convenience store. "I want to see destination-style casinos that are high-quality and that create jobs, and that improve the lifestyles of those communities," Phelan said. What's next? Although opposition to gambling in Texas appears to be softening, the proposal still faces major hurdles in the Senate. To amend the prohibition of most forms of gambling in the Texas Constitution, 2/3 of both chambers must agree to put the issue to a statewide vote — something Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick doesn't see happening. Patrick, who has overseen the Senate since 2015, said that doesn't mean things can't change during the 140-day legislative session.
Read the full story from Jasper Scherer here.
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
📝 New legislation: A bipartisan bill introduced by Texas Sen. John Cornyn aims to strengthen FBI investigations into child abuse following the agency's failures in investigating the Larry Nassar allegations. (from Anna Bauman) 🌡️ Global warming: Exxon Mobil's scientists were accurate in their predictions about global warming, even as the company made public statements that contradicted its own scientists' conclusions, a new study says. (from the Associated Press) 🎭 Tourism: Houston will award $11.5 million in grants to 57 local artists and 131 cultural organizations as tourism recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. (from Amber Elliott) 💲 Inflation: Despite prices for all items dropping 0.1 percent in December, according to new federal data, Houston residents have yet to see relief from cooling inflation. (from Erica Grieder)
🏫 HISD: After an outcry from community members, the Houston ISD board voted against terminating Tiffany Guillory, who had served as principal of Jack Yates High School before being relieved of her duties last month. (from Becca Carballo)
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Susan Barber / Houston Chronicle |
The Texas legislative session began this week. While it'll take a few weeks for things to really heat up, it's not too early to start learning about the issues lawmakers will be tackling in the capitol this year. Today we're talking to the authors of two of the Chronicle's politics newsletters, where you can find coverage and commentary on everything that happens in Austin this year. I asked each of them which issues they'll be watching during the legislative session. What Edward McKinley is watching: Everyone's eyes seem to be on the $33 billion pot of gold (AKA budget surplus) that lawmakers will be spending throughout this session, but another important issue I will be watching closely is the prospects for school voucher legislation. Both the governor and the lieutenant governor have announced support for such a policy, which would divert public tax dollars to private schools, but attempts to pass similar measures have died painful deaths in the House in years past. Pro-voucher folks seem to think something is different this time, but we'll see! Sign up for Texas Take, in which McKinley keeps you up-to-date on the politics and policy news you need to know. What Chris Tomlinson is watching: Lawmakers will generate a lot of headlines with culture war distractions, but energy is the most important issue. Will the Legislature endorse the Public Utility Commission's scheme to enrich fossil fuel companies? Will they bring transparency to the Texas natural gas market? Will conservatives firebomb clean energy? The fight is on.
Sign up for Tomlinson's takes on Texas politics, the economy and more here. What bills we're watching:
HB32: Limits the amount at which a taxing district can raise the appraised value of a home year over year.
SB124: Expands postpartum Medicaid coverage for 12 months after pregnancy, a top recommendation of the state's Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.
SB145: Would raise the age for purchasing a gun from 18 to 21, something Gov. Greg Abbott has claimed is unconstitutional, although the U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on the question.
See the other bills we're tracking during the session here. Feeling overwhelmed by all this Legislature news? Or wish you knew how to be involved? Sign up for our Texas Lege [Simplified] newsletter course. In four short emails, the Chronicle's politics reporters will walk you through who's who in Austin, how a law gets made and how you can be involved. Sign up here. |
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Enjoy your upcoming holiday weekend, Houston! Brady Stone Brady.stone@chron.com |
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