The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 2, 2024

Starting point is 00:00:00 Howdy folks, today is Friday, August 2nd, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans reporter Cameron Abrams, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. Senator Ted Cruz and Representatives Troy Nels joined Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg and the family of Joycelyn Nagare at a Friday press conference in Houston to announce new legislation filed that would require federal authorities detain more illegal immigrants and more closely monitor those released into the country. The Justice for Joycelyn Act is named for Joycelyn Nagare, who was sexually assaulted and strangled to death near a Houston bayou in June. The two men charged with the crime are Venezuelan nationals who entered the country illegally

Starting point is 00:00:52 just months earlier. Although apprehended, each man was released with a GPS tracking ankle monitor, but the monitors were deactivated prior to Ngaray's murder. Under the bill, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would be required to detain illegal immigrants if there is detention space available. The law also stipulates those illegal aliens released must be subject to continuous GPS monitoring and must adhere to a curfew between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The law would also empower immigration officials to immediately deport aliens who violate the terms of release. Candidates for the late Congresswoman Sheila

Starting point is 00:01:31 Jackson Lee's seat in the Texas 18th Congressional District have begun to roll in, including former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, former City Council Member Amanda Edwards, current Council Member Leticia Plummer, and State Rep. Christina Morales. After the Congresswoman's passing in July, the Houston area seat she held for three decades was opened, leaving a blank space on the ballot for Texas Democrats. The 88 Democratic precinct chairs of the district will select a candidate to replace Lee on the ballot on Tuesday, August 13th at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church. The candidate chosen will run against Republican Lana Sentones in November,

Starting point is 00:02:12 a race the Democrats are expected to easily win. According to the Texans' Texas Partisan Index, Texas 18 maintains a D73% rating. While Carroll Independent School District won a preliminary injunction preventing the enforcement of new Title IX rules in its district, it did not secure a stay of the rule's effective date under a provision of the U.S. Code. Title IX was passed in 1972 to prohibit sex discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. The Department of Education's recent regulations, quote, clarify that sex discrimination includes discrimination on the basis of sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Starting point is 00:03:00 The oil and gas titan Chevron is packing its bags and making the move from California to Houston, CEO Mike Wirth announced Friday. Wirth told CNBC, quote, Houston is the epicenter of our industry. It's where our partners are, it's where suppliers are, it's where our key vendors are, and the universities we hire from. Houston is already home to some of the largest publicly traded oil and gas companies in the world, including ConocoPhillips and Citgo. Chevron Corporation is the second largest oil company and integrated energy company in the U.S. by revenue and size. A 20-year operating extension has been granted for the North Texas nuclear power plant located in Glen Rose, known as Comanche Peak. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission considered the extension after Vistra Corp applied for operating licensees renewal for its two units. They were set to

Starting point is 00:03:51 expire in 2030 and 2033. Public meetings were held by the agency to field public comment. The approval process went through 22 months of review per the typical line of procedure. In April 2022, construction began on a 300 megawatt data center in Granbury, and after a few months later, U.S. Bitcoin Corp. chose the Hood County site for operations. Noise complaints due to the loud sounds caused by fans running to keep the supercomputers cool prompted U.S. Bitcoin to erect a 24-foot high and almost 2,000-foot long soundproofing wall around the data center. But the noise complaints continued, and as recently as last month, local residents of Hood County continued to voice their concerns.

Starting point is 00:04:31 Helen Kerwin, this year's Republican candidate for the Texas House District 58, said she visited the facility in February, where she described the noise as, quote, constant hum resembling waves, causing health issues for many residents. She later mentioned her concern about the quote proximity of the mining bitcoin facility to locals in the area fort worth city manager david cook has announced that he will be retiring at the end of february 2025. cook will retire as the longest tenured city manager of fort worth having served over 10 years so far he started started in June 2014. Cook said

Starting point is 00:05:06 in a statement, quote, serving a city manager has been an incredible and fulfilling journey. Together, we have built and sustained an organization that is now the 12th largest city in the country, renowned for our exceptional customer service, neighborhood improvements, public-private partnerships, transparency, and commitment to inclusive prosperity. The city says it will announce a transition plan soon to, quote, ensure a smooth and orderly leadership change. Thanks for listening. To support The Texan, please be sure to visit thetexan.news and subscribe to get full access to all of our articles, newsletters, and podcasts.

The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - August 2, 2024

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