Guest Pod: Progress Texas Daily Dispatch, August 30 2023

The Austin Daily Drop

We continue hosting Chris' new podcast for Progress Texas for a couple more days! As of Friday, it will be available only on the main Progress Texas Podcasts feed - if you haven't yet, please take a moment now to find that feed and subscribe!

A whistleblower report accuses intelligence officers with Operation Lone Star of conducting illegal spying operations: https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-national-guard-whatsapp-spying-border-iraq-watchdog-2023-8

Texas Senators were at the Capitol yesterday in closed-door preparation for next week's impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2023/08/29/senate-prepping-for-texas-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-impeachment-trial/

...While new details of Austin real estate developer Nate Paul's inappropriate access to the AG's office are revealed: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/ken-paxton-nate-paul-brandon-cammack-impeachment/

ERCOT pleads with Texas energy consumers to scale back out of desperation for a seventh time since mid-August: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/local/2023/08/29/ercot-announcement-conserve-energy-texas-heat-wave-hot-weather-temperatures/70710636007/

...While new offshore wind power opportunities are passed over by potential lessees due to Texas' hostile political environment: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/

...And while the state will ask Texas voters to commit billions to the building of new fossil fuel-burning power plants: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/lone-star-politics/after-blistering-summer-texas-voters-to-decide-if-billions-should-go-to-power-plants/3325604/

Democratic members of the State Board of Education say PragerU materials are NOT approved for Texas classrooms....at least not yet: https://www.kut.org/education/2023-08-29/democrats-on-the-state-board-of-education-pledge-to-fight-efforts-to-introduce-prageru-in-texas

Legal challenges by Williamson County against the City of Austin's plans for a supportive housing project for the homeless are dismissed by a judge: https://communityimpact.com/austin/north-northwest-austin/government/2023/08/29/judge-rejects-williamson-county-challenge-over-austin-homeless-housing-project/

And, either due to pride or poverty, Texas remains the top state for retaining its native-born citizens: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/08/29/texas-native-born-stay/