Daily Dispatch 5/1/24: Biggest Protests Yet At UT Expected Today, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

15 pro-Palestinian organizations have called for another protest today at UT Austin - could be the biggest crowd yet: https://youtu.be/9esCRGZWNJg?si=fxsazmgTnaDRgp6s

...Travis County DA Delia Garza pipes up that protest arrests are clogging the County's criminal justice system - and that the crackdowns are likely inviting more unrest: https://www.aol.com/news/ut-austin-palestine-protest-travis-182653693.html

The DEA is moving to reduce the criminality of marijuana - what's that mean in Texas? https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dea-to-reclassify-marijuana-what-it-means-for-dallas-texas-19254961

...Texas seems likely to move to keep pot as illegal as possible: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/texas-governor-condemns-local-marijuana-decriminalization-efforts-as-lubbock-voters-decide-on-reform-at-the-ballot/

ERCOT and the PUC are threatening energy reliability in Texas via their foot-dragging on infrastructure development: https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/editorials/2024/05/01/the-power-grid-puts-texas-growth-at-risk-again/

...All while battery tech costs are at an all-time low: https://www.techspot.com/news/102786-battery-cost-plunge-turbocharge-renewable-energy-shift-iea.html

Ken Paxton, rather than doing his job, has been hanging around Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/donald-trump-trial-ken-paxton-19430568.php

Ted Cruz's idea to provide unpopular politicians like himself taxpayer-funded airport security has been kicked to the curb: https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/4628183-cruz-amendmentfaa-reauthorization-special-security/

...And Ted's got a new idea: making it harder to get your money back from an airline after they've cancelled your flight: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/ted-cruz-airlines-automatic-refunds-faa-reauthorization-1235012248/

Owing to Texas' proliferation of guns, Houston ranks as the top American city for road rage deaths in the country, by a long shot: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/houston-road-rage-incidents-19428481.php

Mark your calendar for May 9 at 12 noon for our "Burning Issues" town hall on liquid natural gas (LNG) pollution in Texas: https://act.progresstexas.org/a/townhall_24

Also for your calendar: a public forum will be held on May 20 by the Texas Medical Board on proposed exceptions to Texas' near-total ban on abortion: https://x.com/hannahnorton89/status/1785054901661216800?s=12&t=Bt_w1MN2AlTfFkWGHJiOJg

Progress Texas could use your help in funding our trip to June's Texas Democratic Convention in El Paso - thanks in advance! https://progresstexas.org/donate

Early voting in the May 4 municipal elections ends today! https://progresstexas.org/blog/why-you-should-care-about-may-appraisal-district-elections

...And it will soon be time to vote in the May 28 primary runoffs! https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/26/texas-voting-2024-runoff-elections/

Progress Texas invites progressive candidates to share their views with us - which we'll then share with our statewide audience - via our Certified Progressive questionnaire: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-certified-progressives-2024-progressive-values-questionnaire

Instagram users: be sure to enable political content on that platform, which has begun opting users out: https://x.com/ProgressTX/status/1771276124498100667?s=20

Thanks for listening! Find our web store and other ways to support our important work this election year at https://progresstexas.org/.