Abbott gets national boost from border fight

Plus: Migrant child dies en route to Chicago. HISD's book checkouts soared. Grand Parkway segment set for 2026.

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View in browser Summer Sale: ONLY 25¢! Dive into local news with Unlimited Digital Access. Subscribe Today. 🔍 Need to Know   Abbott gets national boost from border fight Despite condemnation from international humanitarian groups, Gov. Greg Abbott presses forward with border policies that are winning over Republicans in Texas and beyond.   Migrant child dies en route to Chicago Texas officials did not say when or where the child died or what the cause was, but outlined safety procedures they took before the incident.    HISD's book checkouts soared Statistics show students checked out 1.7 million library books last year. Now the new state-appointed administration is moving in the opposite direction.   Grand Parkway segment set for 2026 State Rep. Ed Thompson shows where the $656 million extension of Grand Parkway will reach Alvin. Work is to begin in slightly more than three years.   🗳️ Politics   Mayor's race could be in GOP's hands State Sen. John Whitmire is emerging as the de facto choice of Republican voters and donors, with the veteran Democrat as the most viable option they can stomach.   Texas Republicans vow to block funding Among other demands, House members want Texas reimbursed for Operation Lone Star as Congress faces a Sept. 30 government funding deadline.    💼 Business   Taylor: No-frills health care for all is the cure Adding cost controls and requiring basic coverage would make our system more fiscally sound and humane, Michael Taylor writes in The Smart Money.   Bedding store Boll & Branch opens A designer and retailer of luxury home textiles opened its first Texas store in Highland Village. See the latest sales, leasing and brokerage activity in the Houston area.   🖼️ Get Out   Fine arts events set the stage Here's the ultimate guide to what's coming to MFAH, Hobby Center, The Alley, The Wortham and other major area venues.   Preservation nominations sought Preservation Houston is now taking entries for its 2024 Good Brick Awards, honoring those who save old homes, commercial buildings and other landmarks.   🏀 Sports   First baseman's return is one for the ages Jon Singleton swatted two mammoth home runs in the Astros' 11-3 blowout of the Angels, underscoring his improbable return to Houston.    Solomon: Minute Maid Magic is real There is no Enron Curse when it comes to these Astros and the magical moments they keep producing, writes Jerome Solomon.   Finger: The next star won't have to hide If "Johnny Football" Manziel had been allowed to count his money out in the open, a lot of people would have been better off, writes Mike Finger.   Defensive end debuts with the Texans Will Anderson Jr. needs a new pregame routine. The tenacious Texans defensive end must learn to kill time.   📝 Opinion   County judge isn't alone When Lina Hidalgo checked herself in to an inpatient facility to get help for clinical depression, writer Sarah Smith recalled her own struggle.   Culture warriors have Texas A&M wrong A former College Republicans chairman says that Texas A&M is neither a "woke" commune nor an anti-woke surveillance state.    Change course on the Ship Channel Petrochemical companies told the Port of Houston they'd pay to dredge the Ship Channel, but the money hasn't come.    Stop freaking out, former HISD trustee urges Anna Eastman writes that the rhetoric surrounding Houston ISD's state-appointed superintendent is way out of hand.   HISD could learn from Massachusetts A state takeover of a school district there found a "third way" that improved results while building trust with teachers, the editorial board writes.    Letters: How has the GOP not quit Trump? Readers weigh in on what the Republican Party once stood for and what it has become today.                 ONLY 25¢! Dive into local news with our Summer Sale. Unlimited Digital Access Act Now NO COMMITMENT | Cancel Anytime Unsubscribe  |  Manage Preferences  |  Privacy Notice Houston Chronicle 4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027 © 2023 Hearst Communications