June 13, 2024
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 | Yasmeen Khalifa, Audience Engagement Producer |
Best of the Bayou
Today we're talking about Texas promising armed guards in every school after Uvalde...
If you read one thing: After Uvalde, the Legislature pledged to harden schools. But most schools have opted out of a requirement to place an armed guard on every campus, saying the state funding fell short.
What is the requirement?
On the eve of sending a sweeping school safety bill to Gov. Greg Abbott last year, lawmakers said they'd learned powerful lessons from the school shooting at Robb Elementary and were committed to ensuring it didn't happen again.
The GOP-led Legislature rebuffed calls from victims' families for gun regulations and instead went with a plan to boost building security, mainly by requiring an armed officer at every public school in Texas.
Why haven't schools opted out?
Nine months after the law took effect, a Hearst Newspapers analysis found that out of 100 randomly selected school districts around the state, at least half adopted an exception built into the law to avoid complying with the armed guard requirement.
District leaders said they struggled to pay for the added security or couldn't find people to take the jobs. Graford ISD Superintendent Brandon Perry said his single-campus district west of Fort Worth received roughly $18,500 extra state dollars, but it would have taken $80,000 to hire an officer.
Read Edward McKinley's full story here.
Stay in the Loop
Photo by: Susan Barber
📰 Need to Know
- How Harris County controls the spread of mosquito-borne disease. Harris County's Mosquito and Vector Control Division aims to set 319 mosquito traps each week to catch mosquitoes and test them for diseases like West Nile virus.
- Houston council passed a $7.3B budget. Here's how it affects city services. Houston's $7.3 billion budget will include provisions to add police officers and start drainage projects in some of the city's most underserved neighborhoods.
- Landlord not fixing your A/C? Here's what Texas law says about it. Landlord-tenant laws in Houston don't require apartments to have air conditioning in housing units, but landlords could be required to fix them.
- A tropical development in the Gulf could bring downpours to Houston next week. A storm system dubbed Invest 90L has formed near Florida, and a second area to watch may develop over the weekend. Here's what it could mean for the upper Texas Gulf Coast.
- Houston politicians fear HISD is using storm damage as bond leverage. Some Houston politicians are questioning why it took nearly a month for Houston ISD to confirm that it is applying for federal assistance to help repair campuses damaged by the May 16 derecho storms.
💼 Business
- Whataburger is suing a North Carolina restaurant group over its name. Whataburger, the beloved San Antonio-based burger chain, is going to court to protect its name. The company on Tuesday filed suit in federal court against a North Carolina restaurant group, alleging trademark infringement.
- Sony purchased Texas-based movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse. The news follows on the heels of all of the chain's DFW theaters closing suddenly earlier this month.
- NRG: $925M in loans are needed to build gas-fired power plants. The Texas Energy Fund was approved by voters to mostly back low-interest loans for building new gas-fired power plants to connect to the ERCOT power grid.
🚗 Outside the Loop
- The Woodlands has one of the top 25 job markets in the country, a study says. The Woodlands has outranked its much larger southern counterpart, Houston, as one of the best job markets in the country, according to a SmartAsset report.
- A 'The Voice' winner will hold a concert for Montgomery County residents. With a goal of raising $100,000 in flood relief help for Montgomery County residents, 2016 "The Voice" winner Sundance Head will host a disaster relief concert for those affected by the May floods.
- Fort Bend ISD leaders made difficult cuts to balance a $829M budget. Fort Bend ISD's new $828.6 million budget is balanced thanks to two years of budget cuts, but a general salary increase for teachers and staff is not included.
Point of View
Photo by: Yasmeen Khalifa
Democrats saved Phelan in the GOP runoff? That's Texas Democracy.
If Texas Republicans have their way, the state's open primary system would be eliminated to ensure that Democrats have even less of a voice in the electoral process, writes the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board.
- Abbott aims to pass school vouchers. Let's add accountability. The governor is convinced he has the votes to pass school vouchers. If it happens, legislators must demand some guardrails, writes Houston resident Kelly Frels.
Houston vs. All Y'all
Photo by: Brett Coomer, Staff Photographer
Dynamic dozen: UH's top individual athletes in the first year of Big 12 membership.
Across a range of sports, the Cougars had no shortage of outstanding performances while competing in their new conference.
- Raised on the farm, Texans rookie TE Cade Stover brings unbridled toughness. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was thrilled when Houston drafted his former Ohio State teammate in this year's fourth round.
Get Out
Photo by: Jamaal Ellis/Contributor
Things to do in Houston this weekend: Tokyo X and Father's Day events.
Our top weekend picks also include UniverSoul Circus, Juneteenth events, the Houston Astros and more.
- 'Inside Out 2' and 'Tuesday' are the major films opening this week. "Face Off 7: One Wish," "Treasure," "The Grab" and "Chandu Champion" are also landing on our screens.
Events at the Chronicle
Photo by: Sharon Steinmann / Susan Barber
Fifth Ward students risk life and limb to get to school. What can be done?
The Editorial Board's recent video on Fifth Ward students stuck a chord with readers. Find out more and what can be done in a live virtual event with lawmakers and community leaders.
Ever wondered if you can get motion sickness in space? Health data collected from the first all-amateur spaceflight suggests that short missions aren't risky for civilian crews, according to a new study that included Houston researchers.
I'm convinced, let's go y'all!
Puzzle of the Day:
Poker meets solitaire: try your hand.
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