Daily Dispatch 9/27/23: Drag Ban Bites The Dust...For Now, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas:

A Houston-based federal judge has found SB-12, the new state law banning drag performances, unconstitutional: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/drag-shows-lawsuit-18390106.php

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar calls Ken Paxton's bluff on his demand for back pay from his impeachment suspension: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-comptroller-attorney-general-ken-paxton-cannot-receive-pay-back-from-suspension-time/

Latino lawmakers representing Texas call for Senator Bob Menendez to resign amidst bribery charges: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/26/menendez-democrats-congress-resignation/

Katy ISD's board votes to allow depictions of hineys in children's books in their libraries: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/katy-isd-books-banned-butt-18389450.php

A growing number of Texas school districts are considering stiffing the state on their "Robin Hood" payments: https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2023/09/with-a-special-session-ahead-two-north-texas-isds-delay-withholding-recapture-payments/

Angleton ISD pulls a congratulatory social media post for its homecoming king after hateful comments about his "feminine appearance": https://abc7.com/homecoming-king-eddy-wilson-angleton-texas-facebook/13831038/

...While Brazosport High bans last year's homecoming queen from crowning her successor because she wore a Mexican stole during May's graduation ceremony: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/26/us/texas-homecoming-queen-mexican-heritage/index.html

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of San Antonio warns thousands of his constituents that their paychecks may be in peril over the looming government shutdown: https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/government-shutdown-san-antonio-18389294.php

Dallas has been picked as one of three "hubs" for a new federal medical research effort: https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/26/dallas-arpha-h-national-hub/

A massive new carbon storage facility is planned for the Permian Basin: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/carbon-capture-sequestration-milestone-permian-18389596.php

Texas now leads the nation for energy-thirsty Bitcoin mining: https://decrypt.co/198889/texas-top-us-state-for-bitcoin-mining-foundry-cambridge

The total eclipse on October 14 may have a negative impact on the Texas power grid: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/solar-eclipse-ercot-18390051.php

A new outside depiction of Texas gun culture is a freaky read: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/09/26/texas-guns-open-concealed-carry-laws/

Texas' storied BBQ scene may be on the verge of hard times: https://www.texasmonthly.com/bbq/is-texas-bbq-bubble-ready-to-burst/

Dallas County Democratic Party Chair Kardal Coleman, featured on our most recent Progress Texas Happy Hour, is set to address the Dallas City Council - and freshly-defected Mayor Eric Johnson - personally this morning: https://dallascityhall.com/government/Pages/Live.aspx

Thanks for listening! Please consider supporting our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/, and be sure you're ready to vote this November at https://govotetexas.org/.