The Texan Podcast - Daily Rundown - October 28, 2024

Episode Date: October 28, 2024

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Howdy folks, today is Monday, October 28th, and you're listening to the Texans Daily Rundown. I'm the Texans Assistant Editor Rob Lausches, and here is the rundown of today's news in Texas politics. First up, three family members of death row inmate Robert Roberson have written and signed a letter to the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence urging the committee to allow him to be executed. Roberson was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 2003 in connection with the death of his two-year-old daughter, Mickey Curtis, in 2002. His case has come under increased scrutiny following the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee taking an interest in

the matter and successfully delaying his execution, claiming that his conviction was based on the so- called junk science of shaken baby syndrome. Nicky's brother, aunt, and grandfather offered their personal view of the ongoing saga. The letter states, quote, Let us be clear. We do not believe Mr. Roberson should be put to death simply because he is a bad man. We believe his death sentence should be carried out based on the facts of this case, which remain true today, as well as the overwhelming evidence that was presented at the trial that led to the jury's verdict. State Representative Cody Harris, who delivered the letter to the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, is part of the faction within the Texas House

that opposes the committee's efforts to prevent Roberson's execution. Next, Texas has faced an increase in the number of both special interest illegal aliens and unaccompanied children crossing the border, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS spokesperson Lieutenant Chris Olivares told the Texan, quote, we're seeing a high level of special interest immigrants coming from Africa, coming from the Middle East, and also unaccompanied children. The largest group that we had most recently was 57 unaccompanied children that came across the border in Eagle Pass. Eagle Pass and Maverick County has been the center of political maneuvering around the southern border. Olivares continued, quote, typically, every once in a while we would come across somebody from China or from the Middle

East, but nothing to the effect that we're now seeing, where it's just been constant every day. Governor Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021, deploying members of the Texas Military Department and DPS to the border in a multi-agency response to the rise in illegal immigration. On October 18th, Abbott shared that since the operation's launch, a total of 523,100 illegal aliens have been apprehended, more than 47,800 criminal arrests have been made, and over 551 million lethal doses of fentanyl have been seized. In other news, a group of Kima property business owners are anxiously awaiting a ruling from a Galveston County judge after they testified earlier this week about how the city's closure

of 6th Street has harmed businesses in the popular Entertainment Street district. Dimitri Koulamundras, who owns the Bacchus Taverna at the center of the closed section of Kima's 6th Street, said, quote, Our sales are down about 50%. I was very vocal about that and it kind of fell on deaf ears. During a hearing in Galveston on Wednesday, Kulamundras said his weekday business has dropped from about $1,000 per day to $200 to $300, forcing him to send his employees home. He added, quote, I have to do $3,000 a day average to break even, so when I do $700 like I

did yesterday all day, I'm in the hole and that adds up day after day, end quote. He testified that he now has had to borrow $60,000 to stay afloat. The Kima City Council unanimously approved closing the busiest portion of the street to all vehicular traffic, including bicycles and golf carts, earlier this year, and installed metal bollards blocking access to the street on July 29, 2024. Property and business owners say delivery trucks and service vehicles cannot access the venues and that they have lost parking rights purchased from the city that they had for. Property and business owners say delivery trucks and service vehicles cannot access the venues and that they have lost parking rights purchased from the city that they had paved at

their own expense. Last but not least, races to watch and more political insider information from Mackenzie DeLulo and Brad Johnson. This month, in the latest episode of Smoke-Filled Room, the team covers the actual unprecedented events of the Roberson case, the polling numbers from early voting results, and how they expect the general election to shake up the Texas House and Senate. Visit thetexan.news or wherever you get podcasts to listen to this episode of Smoke-Filled Room. 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.