Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees immigration and border security at the federal level, criticized Texas’ efforts to challenge federal authority at the border, going as far as to call the state’s migrant busing initiative “unconscionable.” (KEYE-TV)
“Is it purely to wreak havoc and disorder in the receiving communities to make a political point? It is unconscionable to me from the point of view of governance and the interests of communities, as well as from a humanitarian perspective and the interests of those individuals.”
“This is the first time in my 20 to 22 years of government service that I see a state act in direct contravention of national interests.”
— Alejandro Mayorkas
During a one-on-one conversation Friday evening in Austin as part of the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival, Mayorkas spoke about federal immigration policy, Vice President Kamala Harris’ role in monitoring immigration reform, and Texas’ challenges.
Two Travis County public health entities are in an argument over who is in charge of the administration of the Austin city and county clinics. (Austin American-Statesman)
An advanced weapons detection system developed by an Austin-based company is helping one local school district add a new layer of security. (KEYE-TV)
The uncle of one of the children killed in the deadly school shooting in Uvalde joined others at a panel yesterday at the Texas Tribune Festival, which also included a man who led the SWAT team 25 years ago during the Columbine school shooting.
Authorities in Colorado are still investigating the death of a19-year-old U.S. Air Force Academy cadet from Williamson County.
Avery Koonce was a graduate of Thrall High School in Taylor and a member of the Air Force Class of 2028 as well as a member of the academy’s women’s track and field team.
“She was the epitome of our high school. She is what you would want in a well-rounded student. Our community is at kind of at a loss with our feelings. We are just kind of devastated.”
— Thrall school district Superintendent Tommy Hooker
The community of Taylor is mourning her passing. (Austin American-Statesman)
Part of State Highway 21 was closed in Cedar Creek early Saturday morning after a person died in an auto-pedestrian crash in the area. Texas DPS said a person was struck by a vehicle and died. (KXAN-TV)
Starting today, deputies with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office are ramping up traffic enforcement on U.S. 290 as they look to crack down on excessive speeding and stop light violations in an effort to make the roads safer. (KVUE-TV)
Two people died at the scene of a collision involving three vehicles in Mustang Ridge Friday evening. (KEYE-TV)
Austin firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned building Saturday morning.
Officials in Burnet County say a rabid fox was reportedly found in a northeast Marble Falls neighborhood. (Fox7 Austin)
Seven people, six of whom are from Texas, have been sentenced for the roles they played in a stolen identity tax refund scheme that defrauded the IRS of $30 million.
The Department of Justice identified the leader of the scheme as Abraham Yusuff, of Round Rock. (KXAN-TV)
The Kyle City Council has approved a license agreement with Google Fiber, which allows Google to install, maintain and operate a fiber optic network in the town.
Central Texans are rejoicing in the feel of cooler temperatures, especially morning lows in the 60s…below average for our area this time of year.
The trend will continue for a couple more days.
A potential development of a tropical system in the Bay of Campeche is expected to bring heavy rainfall to southeast Texas later this week. (CW39 Houston)
The second week of September is considered to be the peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic – so where are all the storms? (KXAN-TV)
Flooding at the beginning of September pushed Lake Travis to its highest level in nearly two years. But that is not nearly enough to ease concerns about water scarcity as Central Texas’ population grows.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is looking for an escaped inmate.
A Lyft driver in Texas is suing the rideshare company after a passenger choked him with his own seatbelt. (FOX News)
The search for a missing Texas woman ended tragically in Missouri Saturday.
Loved ones gathered Saturday to pay their final respects to former school teacher and rookie Dallas police officer Darron Burks who was shot and killed last week in the line of duty.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is receiving pushback for his lawsuit against Bexar County, after the Bexar County Commissioners approved a measure that would allow voter registration forms to be printed and mailed to residents.
U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, the Dallas Democrat challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz for his seat in Congress, defended Saturday his campaign’s focus on targeted advertisements and moderate policy. (Texas Tribune)
Spectators at the University of Michigan football game against Texas on Saturday saw aerial banners paid for by the Democratic National Committee. (CBS News)
Trump boat parades were held across Texas yesterday including here in Austin.
Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, defended former President Donald Trump’s immigration record during an appearance on NBC and pointed instead at the Biden-Harris administration’s record. (Austin American-Statesman)
A pair of polls shows the race for the White House getting tighter in Texas. What’s driving the numbers? And what do the polls have to say about the Texas’ high-profile race for Senate?
With just days to go before his first — and likely only — debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump posted a warning on his social media site threatening to jail those “involved in unscrupulous behavior” this election, which he said would be under intense scrutiny. (Associated Press)
Yesterday, Donald Trump spoke at a rally in Wisconsin while Kamala Harris was in Pittsburgh preparing for Tuesday’s debate.
Trump’s speech in Wisconsin was peppered with falsehoods. (Washington Post)
“This is who we are”
The Texas Longhorns made that statement and more Saturday in Ann Arbor after a 31-12 stomping of the Michigan Wolverines. (CBS Sports)
Four takeaways from the game. (Austin American-Statesman)
The Texas A&M Aggies were able to redeem their season-opening loss to Notre Dame with a statement 52-10 victory over the McNeese State Cowboys Saturday. (Sports Illustrated)
Today is the first Sunday of the 2024 NFL season. (NFL.com)
The Dallas Cowboys open on the road at Cleveland.
The Houston Texans will face division rival Indianapolis on the road.
In baseball, a win at home for the Houston Astros over the Arizona Diamondbacks, 11-5. (Yahoo! Sports)
The Texas Rangers kept their very slim wild card hopes alive with a 6-4 win at home against the Los Angeles Angels. (Yahoo! Sports)
No. 1 Texas Volleyball dropped a tough five-set match to Miami, 25-19, 25-17, 24-26, 18-25, 11-15, for the Longhorns second loss of the season on Saturday. (Texas Longhorns)
When the sun comes up on a sleepy little town
Down around San Antone
And the folks are risin’ for another day
‘Round about their homes
The people of the town are strange
And they’re proud of where they came
Well, you’re talkin’ ’bout China Grove
Oh, China Grove
Most fans of classic rock know that the Doobie Brothers hit “China Grove” was inspired by the Texas town just east of San Antonio.
Here’s the story behind the song…
