June 18, 2024
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 | Yasmeen Khalifa, Audience Engagement Producer |
Best of the Bayou
Today we're talking about Trump's crypto allegiance irritating some in the Texas GOP...
If you read one thing: The tension among Texas Republicans around crypto mining's impact on the Texas power grid is ramping up after former President Donald Trump pledged his allegiance to bitcoin.
What did Trump say about crypto?
In a post on his social media site Truth Social last week, Trump reversed positions on his earlier skepticism around cryptocurrency and wrote, "Bitcoin mining may be our last line of defense against a CBDC" — an acronym for a digital currency controlled by a nation's central bank.
Why is the Texas GOP split on crypto?
Texas Republicans have been divided on the virtues of crypto mining, which, while raising revenue for the state, also increases demand on the power grid at a time the Electric Reliability Council of Texas warns it is becoming increasingly vulnerable.
The day after Trump's post, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a Republican, cautioned that a surge in new power demand, driven in large part by crypto miners and data centers, threatens to nearly double the load on the state's power grid by 2030.
Read James Osborne's full story here.
Stay in the Loop
Photo by: Susan Barber
📰 Need to Know
- Building in Houston? Here's how to navigate the city's permitting department. Houston offers hundreds of types of permits to do all sorts of construction, from adding on to your home to installing a sprinkler system or shed. Here's how to obtain a residential permit to build.
- A ramp now open means the end of major 69-610 interchange work. Seven years and many closings later, Houston area drivers have full use of a rebuilt Loop 610 and Interstate 69 interchange near Uptown.
- Here's what to stock your pantry with ahead of Houston storms. Here's a list of what Houston area officials and long-time residents recommend having in your home during hurricane season.
- An El Paso migrant shelter says Paxton's lawsuit threatens religious liberty. Annunciation House, an El Paso nonprofit, says Attorney General Ken Paxton's effort to shut it down threatens religious freedom across Texas.
💼 Business
- Why Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom and a litmus test for Americans. Juneteenth is a federal holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States, but it remains a litmus test for Americans and employers in former slave states like Texas, writes business columnist Chris Tomlinson.
🚗 Outside the Loop
- Trill Burgers won't confirm a report that it will open in Missouri City this year. Bun B has expressed interest in expanding Trill Burgers, which began as a pop-up in 2021.
- An author says his book was banned. Conroe ISD says students weren't reading it. Poet Ocean Vuong is offering to send copies of his book "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous" to anyone in Conroe after he claims Conroe ISD banned the book from school libraries.
- Friendswood ISD teachers will get raises as the district faces a budget deficit. Friendswood ISD leaders said they want teacher pay to remain competitive with other school districts in the Houston region.
Point of View
Photo by: Yasmeen Khalifa
Lawmakers failed Uvalde families. Their lawsuits are a last resort.
What else can they do? Lawmakers failed Uvalde families and other victims of mass shootings. They've resorted to lawsuits against companies from FedEx to video game creators to get accountability, writes the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board.
Houston vs. All Y'all
Photo by: Steph Chambers, Getty Images
MLB-worst White Sox offer the Astros a potential 3-game tonic.
Even though Chicago has lost 20 of its last 24 games, 6-foot-6 Garrett Crochet represents a tall challenge for Houston's hitters.
- Do the Rockets have a place for top draft prospect Zaccharie Risacher? Zaccharie Risacher has impressed with his range shooting and defense, but how would he fit among a crowded collection of wings on the Rockets' roster? Here's what to know.
Get Out
Photo by: Courtesy
Megan Thee Stallion sold out 2 shows and had the most Houston weekend ever.
Rap legends, a block party and several uniquely Houston surprises. Here's how it all went down.
- San Francisco's Punch Line comedy club is set to open in Houston. The club that became an important stepping stone for the likes of Wanda Sykes and Robin Williams is coming to Houston.
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?
HAPPENING TODAY: The Editorial Board's recent video on Fifth Ward students' train woes stuck a chord with readers. Find out more and what can be done in a live virtual event with lawmakers and community leaders today.
Juneteenth is tomorrow! The holiday marks the day — June 19, 1865 — Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce freedom to more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas. Multiple businesses and government agencies will close in observance of the holiday. Take a look at Juneteenth celebrations in the Houston area so far here. And here are events still to come.
Puzzle of the Day:
Poker meets solitaire: try your hand.
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