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- MRT 8/10-14/26 (free): SA Council to Discuss 2nd Spurs Arena Vote // Paxton Ignores TV Debate // Dallas Approves $443M Bond Package // Austin Approves Max Property Tax Hike
MRT 8/10-14/26 (free): SA Council to Discuss 2nd Spurs Arena Vote // Paxton Ignores TV Debate // Dallas Approves $443M Bond Package // Austin Approves Max Property Tax Hike
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
Matt Mackowiak
August 16, 2026
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MONDAY 8/10/2026 - FRIDAY 8/14/2026
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TOP NEWS
“Trump says Texas being against data centers is a mistake” via Dallas Morning News‘s Lana Ferguson – President Donald Trump has entered the Texas data center debate. In the same week that Gov. Greg Abbott called for state regulators to conduct a sweeping audit of data centers wanting to connect to Texas’ power grid — effectively putting those projects on hold — Trump called Texas’ opposition to data centers a mistake.
In a wide-ranging video interview published Friday, Trump discussed data centers and artificial intelligence on a national level but nodded to the drama playing out in communities across the Lone Star State. “What is going to be the political impact of data centers?” Jake Sherman asked. “I know you’ve taken action. Congress is going to try to take action. It’s going to be in the next 10 years, a big political issue.”
Trump began his answer focusing on artificial intelligence, saying “whoever wins AI just wins,” then turned to Texas. “I saw Texas the other day is sort of against data centers,” Trump said. “I think it’s a mistake.” Trump said he wasn’t taking a position, clarifying: “I just think it’s a mistake because there are communities that want it. When a community wants it, it means a lot of money is going to come into that community.” (DMN)
“Hours before deadline, City Council will debate whether to call second Spurs arena vote” via San Antonio Report‘s Andrea Drusch and Joey Palacios – San Antonio City Council is headed for another heated debate over its plans for a new downtown Spurs arena.
On Monday, just hours before the state’s deadline to add measures to the Nov. 3 ballot, the council will hold a special meeting to decide whether to seek voter support for a $489 million contribution to the overall $1.3 billion basketball arena.
The move isn’t legally required, and most council members considered the spending a done deal after voters approved Bexar County’s portion of the funding in Props A and B last November.
But Gina Ortiz Jones says the county vote was taken before taxpayers had a clear picture of the city’s tough financial straits, and put her call for a separate city vote on Monday’s agenda. (SA REPORT)
“Texas could owe $709M for food stamps. Food banks say the fallout would be ‘catastrophic.’” via KSAT‘s Hunter King – Food banks across Texas are raising the alarm over a federal policy change that could force the state to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for food assistance benefits or risk leaving millions of Texans without access to food.
Beginning in 2027, states with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error rates above 6% will be required to share in the cost of benefits under the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law in 2025. Texas recorded a 9% error rate in fiscal year 2025, meaning the state could face up to $709 million a year in additional costs, and potentially more than $1 billion if that rate climbs above 10%.
San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper said the stakes couldn’t be higher. “When you think about the San Antonio Food Bank, for every one meal we put out, SNAP provides nine,” Cooper said. “Should we see an increase in the number of families, we just won’t have the food supply to meet that need.”
Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks, said the error rate triggering these new costs is widely misunderstood. “The most important thing to know about the payment error rate is that it is not fraud,” Cole said. “It is a measure of accuracy.” (KSAT)
“How Texas is courting Wall Street with ‘Y’all Street’” via The Washington Post‘s Andrew Ackerman – Big banks are scaling up in Dallas while a new stock exchange opens for business in a state that has declared itself America’s finance capital.
Lenwood Brooks spent years in Washington, most recently as chief of staff at an agency that oversees credit unions. When he left in 2023, he found what many of his industry peers were also discovering: All the jobs were in Texas.
The Mississippi native landed first at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, then jumped to the fast-growing Dallas outpost of an investment bank. Eager to lean into Texas culture, he took his real estate agent’s advice and bought a $765 beaver-fur cowboy hat.
Brooks is a small part of a much larger shift. For years, financial firms and the people who staff them have been drifting toward the Lone Star State, drawn by low taxes, lighter-touch regulation and aggressive courting by political leaders. While the migration has been building for years, lately it has become impossible to miss — especially in Dallas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott already calls Texas the financial capital of America, and the numbers are hard to argue with: Finance jobs in Dallas have grown by 23.2 percent since February 2020 — far faster than New York City’s 6 percent increase — even as such jobs remain below pre-pandemic levels in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. (WAPO)
“US Attorney confirms no meth was found in van of Texas man shot by immigration officers” via Houston Chronicle – A federal prosecutor says tests on “a white crystal-like substance” found inside the van of a man shot to death by immigration officers in Houston last month showed the material was not methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz confirmed the tests were negative for meth in a statement to The Texas Tribune, the news organization reported Thursday.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, 52, was killed July 7 when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in unmarked vehicles chased his white work van through the streets of Houston, then shot him through the window. He had been driving his work crew, including his brother, to a construction site. (HOU CHRON)
“Why Houston’s bid for an NHL expansion team is different under Dan Friedkin” via Houston Chronicle‘s Greg Rajan – Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin, no stranger to pro sports with his European soccer teams, is pursuing an NHL expansion franchise in Texas. Houston and Austin are being considered, with a decision to come in December.
The man who could bring Houston the city’s long-awaited NHL franchise is staying mum for the moment. But as billionaire Dan Friedkin decides between Houston and Austin for the location of the NHL’s 33rd franchise, it’s becoming clear this effort is much further along than previous endeavors in the city’s decades-long quest for a team in hockey’s top league.
A spokesman for Pursuit Sports, Dan Friedkin’s company dedicated to the family’s sports properties, politely declined comment when asked how things are progressing nearly two months since NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the exploration of expansion in Texas. But deputy commissioner Bill Daly, the longtime right-hand man for Bettman, said Friedkin has brought a different dynamic than previous suitors.
Daly told the Houston Chronicle, “I think there’s always a variety of kind of environmental factors that can play into any particular situation, either positive or negative,” Daly said. “In Houston’s case in particular, (it’s) whether there’s a suitable venue in which the hockey team can play. And so one of the things that I think the Friedkin Group brings and probably could be the first group to bring to this equation is a willingness to find and establish a suitable facility for a hockey team. (HOU CHRON)
“Houston area toddler at center of fight over brain death testing has died” via The Texas Tribune‘s Katlyn Ma – Annelise Camp, a 2-year-old girl whose parents sued to stop Texas Children’s Hospital from testing if she’s brain dead, died Monday after her breathing tube was removed.
In social media posts, Annelise’s family confirmed her death, ending a months-long legal dispute over whether hospitals need a family’s consent to test a patient for brain death. The New York Times first reported her death.
“Annelise is now with Jesus,” wrote her parents, Johnston Camp and Joy Camp, on the family’s GoFundMe page. “We pray that her legacy continues to inspire compassion, encourage meaningful change, and bring hope to families for years to come.”
Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, who has been in contact with Annelise’s father, said the family just told Annelise’s two siblings of her death. “It’s been traumatic for the family,” said Steve Toth in an interview with the Texas Tribune. (TX TRIB)
“Two soldiers dead in Fort Hood military chopper crash” via KXAN – Authorities are responding to a Fort Hood military chopper crash in Bell County. This was a 1st Cavalry Division ‘Apache’; helicopter with two soldiers on board. Both have been pronounced dead.
The deceased service members will be transported to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, according to the Fort Hood Media Center. The crash happened around 1:30 p.m. in a private field, according to the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” said Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general. Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.
The crash has caused a rapid grass fire, leading to closures on FM-2843. Air units were seen responding to the fire sparked by the crash, which sent smoke billowing into the sky. Multiple fire units are responding. (KXAN)
“Trial lawyers, once a force for Democrats, reclaim political clout in Texas GOP’s MAGA wing” via The Texas Tribune‘s Eleanor Klibanoff – When Armin Mizani won the GOP primary for a north Texas House district in March, warning bells went off in certain Republican circles. It’s not his political ideology. Mizani is a die-hard conservative who, as mayor of Keller, proudly partnered with federal immigration officials, denounced Sharia law and slashed property taxes.
It’s his profession: Mizani is a personal injury lawyer, a career path once so closely intertwined with Democratic politics that both were pushed to the sidelines when Republicans gained control in Texas in the early 2000s. But now, a quarter century later, some trial lawyers are reclaiming their political relevance by aligning with Republicans.
The Texas Trial Lawyers Association, once the de facto war chest of the Texas Democratic Party, sponsored the state GOP convention. Wealthy personal injury lawyers are throwing cash behind conservative candidates, including Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Senate bid. And trial lawyers themselves are running as Republicans on their record representing “average Texans against powerful insurance companies,” as Mizani said at a candidate forum.
“America First Republicans care more about how policy impacts everyday Texans than about corporate profits and special interests,” Mizani added. Hidden from view of the average Texas voter, this realignment is the result of a complete upheaval of the power base within the Texas GOP. The traditional, business-first Republicans who rose to power by sharply restricting personal injury suits have been supplanted by a MAGA wing that scorns “corporate welfare,” crusades against Big Tech, and is open to the idea that Texas’ legal system has gotten too friendly to big business over the little guy. (TX TRIB)
2026
“Are Greg Abbott’s new data center restrictions enough to sway rural voters?” via Houston Chronicle‘s Benjamin Wermund – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has spent much of the summer working to quell a roiling backlash to data centers in rural parts of the state where Republicans need to maintain strong support in the upcoming midterms.
He’s called on lawmakers to strip their lucrative tax breaks next session, and ordered regulators to set new restrictions and conduct an audit before permitting any more projects to break ground.
But those efforts aren’t winning over all skeptics. Several rural Republicans say they don’t trust the governor whose biggest donors are increasingly invested in the data center boom and who praised Texas as the “epicenter of AI development” as recently as November.
“Rural Texas is not buying Abbott’s thing,” said Mason McAllister, a resident of a small town in Grayson County in North Texas. “The guys around here are fired up. ‘The king of bait and switch,’ is what they’re saying.” (HOU CHRON)
“Data center industry contributes thousands to Paxton campaign” via Houston Public Media‘s Adam Zuvanich – Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign received thousands in donations from the data center industry as Hood County awaits ruling from the AG on its data center moratorium.
The data center industry has donated thousands to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign as Hood County waits for a ruling from his office on a its authority to impose a moratorium.
Paxton’s political operation received at least $448,000 as of June from executives and political committees of data center companies, according to reporting from the Washington-based digital news outlet NOTUS , which covers government and politics.
James Talarico, Paxton’s Democratic opponent in the U.S. Senate race, called for regulating data centers at a rally in Arlington last week. (Houston Public Media)
“Senate candidates Ken Paxton and James Talarico propose different plans to help Texans with affordability” via CBS News‘s Jack Fink – With less than three months to go before the November election, Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico introduced their economic agendas while campaigning in North Texas last week.
It comes as the Texas Senate race remains tight, with various recent statewide polls showing Talarico with a small lead over Paxton. The RealClearPolitics average of polls between June 3 and July 30 shows James Talarico ahead by 1.6 percentage points.
Paxton supporters gathered in Allen as he discussed his plan, called “Protecting the Texas Promise.” He proposed an annual $25,000 deduction on federal taxes for all out-of-pocket medical expenses. He’s also called for a $50,000 tax deduction for first-time homebuyers and a subsequent $50,000 down payment deduction for people who move into a new primary residence. (CBS News)
“Are There Really Democrats for Paxton and Republicans for Talarico?” via Texas Monthly‘s Christopher Hooks – Casting ballots across party lines used to be pretty common in Texas: It was a behavior folks had to unlearn. It wasn’t until fairly recently in American life that there was a left-wing party and a right-wing party and voting patterns calcified. In 1952, Texas Republicans knew any gubernatorial candidate they put forward would lose to the conservative Democratic candidate and decided to give him their nomination too, so that the final result on Election Day was Allan Shivers versus Allan Shivers, 73 to 25. A decade later, in 1961, the first Republican to win statewide in Texas since Reconstruction, John Tower, won his Senate seat partly with the help of liberals, who hated his conservative Democratic opponent.
This produced a couple of decades in which Texas politics was unpredictable—in a way it wasn’t before and hasn’t been since. But the era of ticket switching came to an end around the turn of the century. In a time when people’s ideological affinities tend to be perfectly matched with their partisan affinities, it’s harder to pull them away from a straight-ticket ballot. For the past two decades, Democrats have hoped in each election that enough typically Republican-voting Texans would defect for one reason or another—business-minded moderates for Bill White in 2010, maybe, or pro-choice suburban women for Wendy Davis in 2014—and they haven’t. If Democrats are to win a race this year, they’re going to have to find a way.
Here’s a strange thing, then, one of many that make this year unusual. Of the seven nonjudicial statewide races in Texas this year, three feature Republican candidates whose GOP-primary opponents have given Republican voters either tacit or explicit permission to vote Democratic. Republican agricultural commissioner Sid Miller, who lost his primary bid for renomination, appeared at an anti–data center rally with Clayton Tucker, the Democratic candidate, near Matagorda Bay last month. He has called Republican nominee Nate Sheets a “pathological liar and grifter.” Hawk Dunlap, the fifth-place Republican candidate in the GOP primary for the oil-and-gas-regulating Railroad Commission of Texas, introduced the Democratic candidate at the state Democratic convention last month. (TX MONTHLY)
“Ken Paxton snubs debate invite from Hearst and NBC/Telemundo” via Austin American-Statesman‘s John C. Moritz – The prospect of a televised debate between U.S. Senate hopefuls Ken Paxton and James Talarico is looking a bit dimmer.
Both major party candidates have said they want to debate at least once before the Nov. 3 election, but the deadline to agree to the first proposed matchup, sponsored in part by Hearst Newspapers, passed on Wednesday without a commitment from Paxton.
Democrat James Talarico had agreed to the debate and has signed off on two other formal invitations to go one-on-one with his Republican opponent. (AAS)
“Tougher penalties for teacher misconduct proposed by Texas governor” via The Texas Tribune‘s Sneha Dey – Texas teachers who have inappropriate relationships with students would face a minimum of 10 years in prison under a proposal by Gov. Greg Abbott.
The governor pushed for stricter penalties for educators convicted of abusing students during a roundtable in Lubbock on Tuesday. Such teachers would have to register as a sex offender and face at least 10 years in prison with no parole, Greg Abbott said.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows backed the proposal, signaling it will be a priority for the lower chamber when state lawmakers convene next year.
More than 1,700 allegations of inappropriate romantic and sexual relationships or communications between teachers and students in Texas schools were reported in 2026, three times that of the previous year, according to state data on teacher misconduct. (TX TRIB)
“Dallas Approves $443 Million Public Safety Bond Package for Voter Approval in November” via The Texan‘s Kim Roberts – Residents of Dallas will again be asked to approve a $443 million public safety bond package in November, just two years after they approved a $1.25 billion bond package.
The city council was presented with a nearly $1 billion package by the city staff, but only the $443 million proposal for public safety passed by a vote of 11 to 4.
The package includes $82 million in additional funding for the new Dallas Police Academy, which is being added to the $50 million approved for the same purpose in 2024. Dallas City Manager Kimberly Tolbert told the city council that she couldn’t find any justification for the $50 million figure that was in the 2024 bond package, except, “that’s just all we could ask for.” (THE TEXAN)
STATE GOVERNMENT
“New secretary of state will continue to defend Texas’ open primaries against GOP lawsuit” via The Texas Tribune‘s Eleanor Klibanoff – Robert Howden, the new Texas secretary of state, said in a legal filing Monday that he would continue to defend the state’s open primary system, putting him at odds with the Texas GOP in the lawsuit filed by the party last year.
“The only thing that has changed in this case is the name of the defendant,” lawyers for the state agency wrote, emphasizing that the secretary would “gladly implement statutory changes” if passed by the Legislature.
Republicans in Texas, worried about the moderating influence of Democrats and independents crossing over to GOP races, want to require voters to register with a party before they’re allowed to participate in primaries. Last year, the Texas GOP sued to strike down the current open primary system, under which eligible Texans register to vote without declaring a party affiliation. Attorney General Ken Paxton sided with the party, leaving then-Secretary of State Jane Nelson to find her own legal representation for the agency. (The Texas Tribune)
“Schools persistently failing Texas standards risk state control” via The Texas Tribune‘s Sneha Dey and Jaden Edison – Texas schools receive their state report cards, providing families a glimpse of how well schools educate students. Those who consistently get low grades inch toward state takeovers.
This year’s ratings come as at least five school districts sit on the brink of state intervention — Austin, Waco, Greenville, Ector County and Ralls. Preliminary ratings released by Austin ISD officials showed two middle schools each failed state standards for a fifth consecutive year, while the district as a whole earned a B.
AISD Superintendent Matias Segura told the Austin Current he has not been in communication with state officials regarding the education commissioner’s plans for the district. “I understand there is an anxiousness and concern in the community,” Matias Segura told the Current. “We are going to be here tomorrow, the teachers are going to show up, we are going to do the work to ensure their student gets what they need, regardless of what that looks like for that specific family, for that specific school.
The letter grades campuses receive can shape community perceptions. Often, parents use the scores to pick a school for their kids. Businesses may also weigh the ratings when choosing which regions to invest in or move to, as they anticipate that schools labeled high-performing will graduate more students prepared for the workforce. (TX TRIB)
“Delta-8 among products banned as Texas THC suit continues” via The Texas Tribune‘s Stephen Simpson – A federal judge denied an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order sought by hemp businesses and consumers, allowing the Texas ban on THC products to continue until the case is resolved.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown of Galveston declined to lift the ban Sunday, saying the two hemp retailers and a distributor who filed the lawsuit hadn’t sufficiently demonstrated irreparable harm from the ban on interstate commerce. The request for preliminary injunction, which allows for fuller briefing and an evidentiary hearing, remains pending before the court.
“A temporary restraining order is emergency relief, held to one of the toughest standards in federal law,” Andrea Steel, lead counsel for the hemp industry in this case, said in a news release. “Being denied one at this stage does not decide our case. We expected a hard fight, and we remain confident in the law.”
State officials banned at the end of last month several hemp-derived THC cannabis products, including those containing delta-8 and delta-10 THC variants, with possible punishment including jail time and fines. However, delta-9 THC, the most commonly sold THC product in Texas, will remain legal. Ken Paxton and the Galveston County criminal district attorney and sheriff were sued by three members of the hemp industry, arguing that classifying hemp-derived substances as illegal violates the 2018 federal farm bill, which removed hemp from the federal Controlled Substances Act. Charles Perry has already confirmed he will again file a bill to ban consumable hemp products at the next legislative session. (The Texas Tribune)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Mayor Johnson says Dallas doesn’t “have a revenue problem”, AI is the way forward for efficiency and cost savings” via CBS News‘ Jack Fink – Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said AI will help the city reduce the number of employees it needs.
“Data center debate aside, we’ve got to get comfortable with the idea that AI is going to be something that is going to benefit the taxpayers of Dallas in the long run,” said Johnson. “We’re going to have to become more efficient with everything we do around here, and AI is going to be able to help us with that.”
He went on to say, “I do see city government getting smaller... in a personnel sense.” Johnson made the remarks in an exclusive interview with CBS News Texas on Thursday, one day before City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert released her proposed 2026-27 budget, which calls for eliminating nearly 300 positions to save more than $17 million.
Governor Greg Abbott has blamed spending by local governments for keeping property taxes higher than they should be. During campaign events, he has said he wants lawmakers to clamp down on local governments when the new legislative session begins in January. Mayor Johnson said he doesn’t like other forms of government telling city leaders how to do their jobs, but he said he understands why state leaders are saying that. (CBS News)
“Austin city council approves $6.6B budget for fiscal year 2026-27” via KXAN‘s Cora Neas – Austin City Council voted during its Wednesday budget meeting to approve a $6.6 billion budget, first proposed by City Manager T.C. Broadnax in June. The council made adjustments to that proposed budget over the past couple months before adopting.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Member Marc Duchen voted against the budget. “I did not vote for this budget. This budget bothers me. This budget goes back some of on the actions we’ve taken over the past year to strengthen city government and put affordability first,” Kirk Watson said in a statement. “This budget adds debt—and it increases the average Austinite’s property tax bill by over $400— that’s just the City’s portion.”
The approved budget is a 4.8% increase from the city’s $6 billion budget for the past year. Unlike that budget, which the city reworked after voters rejected Proposition Q, this budget won’t require a tax rate election. The budget would raise property taxes by 5.55 cents per $100 of valuation.
Around 100 people spoke their opinions on the budget during Wednesday’s council session. Many of those speakers expressed the desire for the city to restore cuts initially proposed to social service contracts. “I know that the last several months have required difficult decisions, balancing the need to invest in our community while also remaining mindful of the affordability challenges facing so many Austin families. I especially want to thank you for your commitment to restoring $4.7 million of the proposed reduction to social service contracts,” one of the speakers, Liz Schoenfeld, the CEO of LifeWorks, said. (KXAN)
“San Antonio pitches 3.9% property tax increase as budget woes worsen” via San Antonio Report‘s Andrea Drusch – San Antonio’s financial state has only worsened since city leaders first floated the idea of raising taxes earlier this year.
Rather than bumping up the tax rate as high as they can, however, city staff is now pitching bigger budget cuts and financial restructuring that will offer more wiggle room if the economy doesn’t turn around in the next few years.
Their budget proposal on Thursday called for a 3.9% increase to the city property tax rate — amounting to about $36 more per year for the average San Antonio home with a taxable value of $231,356.
“What we’re feeling is probably the same thing that other tax entities in Bexar County are feeling,” City Manager Erik Walsh told reporters in a media briefing Wednesday. “So we felt like we needed to be conservative.” (SA REPORT)
“Fort Worth to consider forcing data center developers to show state approval” via Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Harrison Mantas – The city of Fort Worth is considering an ordinance that would tie data center development to approval by a pair of Texas agencies.
Under the proposed ordinance, data center developers would have to prove they got all the necessary approvals from the state Public Utility Commission and Electric Reliability Council of Texas before getting approved for city development permits.
The move comes days after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Public Utility Commission and ERCOT to audit all data center projects working their way through the agencies’ approval process to connect to the state power grid.
In an email to the Star-Telegram, District 3 council member Michael Crain said he appreciated the governor’s move to pause approvals while the state agencies complete their audit. (FWST)
“Plano calls November tax election to help fund proposed Dallas Stars arena” via Dallas Morning News‘ Lilly Kersh – The Plano City Council voted unanimously Monday night to call the November election, which will ask voters to consider several potential taxes meant to collect money from visitors and event attendees.
If approved, the taxes could make it more expensive to rent a car and stay in a hotel in Plano, or add fees to parking and to the cost of attending an event at the proposed arena. It could also allow the city to tax sports teams who play there.
The NHL franchise announced in June it had signed a nonbinding letter of intent to build an arena and entertainment district at ailing shopping mall’s site in Plano. City officials then agreed to pitch in public funds for the project, including pursuing the fall election to add taxes.
Neighbors have spoken out against the project, concerned that the residential area around the mall is unfit for an arena and welcome fans on already crowded roads. Judith Walsh lives nearby and asked the council to pause the election efforts until the city can commit to “binding, enforceable neighborhood protection measures” like parking enforcement and traffic abatement. (DMN)
“Austin targets 900+ people caught in a costly cycle of crisis care” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Austin Sanders – Officials from more than a dozen local government agencies and nonprofit organizations are launching an effort to break a costly cycle of homelessness, psychiatric crises, emergency room visits and repeated arrests among some of Austin’s most vulnerable residents.
The initiative, called No Wrong Door, brings together 17 city, county, health care and nonprofit organizations to identify people who repeatedly cycle through jails, hospitals and homelessness services and develop individualized plans to connect them with treatment and support.
Data included in a city report released Aug. 4 show a relatively small population accounts for an outsized share of arrests and other costly interactions with public systems. From 2021 through 2025, 2% of people arrested by Austin police accounted for 17% of all arrests. Among the frequent users of those systems, 85% had experienced homelessness and 55% had behavioral health issues, an umbrella term that includes severe mental illness and other issues like substance abuse disorder. (AAS)
BUSINESS NEWS
“Mark Cuban withdraws petition against Mavericks, but dispute isn’t over” via Dallas Morning News‘ Brad Townsend – Mavericks minority shareholder Mark Cuban has withdrawn his Rule 202 Petition against team governor Patrick Dumont and the case has been dismissed without prejudice — but the dispute appears far from over.
Late Monday, Cuban’s attorneys filed to Texas Business Court a notice of nonsuit without prejudice. Judge Bill Whitehill subsequently dismissed the case and cancelled the arbitration hearing scheduled for Friday.
Cuban’s petition , originally filed in Dallas County’s 134th District Court on July 8 and moved to Texas Business Court on July 31, accused Dumont of “adversarial business practices” and sought a pre-suit deposition to glean more details about the Mavericks’ plans to build an arena and entertainment district.
Cuban’s legal team, led by John Zavitsanos of Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing PLLC, made it clear in Monday’s filing that he intends to make sure he’s kept in the loop on the Mavericks’ arena plans, using legal means if necessary. (DMN)
“What to know about Elon Musk’s potential $10B Tesla solar facility in Fort Bend” via Houston Chronicle‘s Erica Grieder – Tesla is considering placing a $10 billion solar cell facility in Fort Bend County, according to state records, as Elon Musk continues to expand his operations in the Houston region.
The electric automaker on Aug. 6th filed for school district property tax abatements related to the project, which it says would be located in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, a quickly growing district in the southwest of Houston.
The project represents a capital investment of $10.1 billion, Tesla said. Building the facility would also create 1,150 construction jobs over a three-year period, the filing said, with the plant launching operations in 2029. (HOU CHRON)
“What to know about SpaceX and Tesla’s $17B chip plant near College Station” via Houston Chronicle‘s Andrea Leinfelder – SpaceX and Tesla are building a 100-million-square foot chipmaking facility outside of College Station in Grimes County, the companies confirmed on Thursday.
The $16.8 billion facility, dubbed Terafab, will make chips for the companies’ self-driving vehicles, humanoid robots and space-based data centers. It’s expected to employ more than 3,000 people.
Terafab is a planned semiconductor manufacturing facility. It’s a joint project between SpaceX and Tesla, which are both based in Texas. Elon Musk, the CEO of both companies, unveiled Terafab in March, saying his future endeavors would require more chips than the global market could supply.
Elon Musk has previously said Terafab will create enough chips for a “terawatt of compute” each year. SpaceX is calling Terafab “epic in both its mission and in its sheer size.” Musk shared renderings in a futuristic video posted to X on Thursday. Terafab is expected to have more than 100 million square feet of manufacturing space. For comparison, Giga Texas, where Tesla makes the Model Y electric SUV and Cybertruck, has more than 10 million square feet of factory floor, according to Tesla. (HOU CHRON)
“Old EDS ‘God Pod’ to be imploded for AT&T’s new billion-dollar HQ” via Dallas Morning News‘ Nick Wooten – Sunday marks the end of an era and the start of something new in Plano. Additional portions of the old Electronic Data Systems campus, including the futuristic executive office building dubbed the “God Pod,” will be imploded Sunday morning. The demolition is no surprise. Telecommunications giant AT&T planned to demolish the entire slate of buildings and parking garages to build its new billion-dollar-plus global headquarters at 5400 Legacy Drive.
Plano officials told The Dallas Morning News “a planned controlled demolition” will take place on Parkwood Boulevard between Legacy Drive and Democracy Drive around 8 a.m. AT&T declined to comment on the demolition. KDC, the developer of AT&T’s campus, said construction is underway and demolition has begun at the site’s north end. The company declined to provide any additional details.
EDS’ move to Plano in the late 1980s was the first in a flurry of moves that helped establish the Collin County suburb as a headquarters hotspot. EDS founder Ross Perot purchased 2,700 acres in west Plano to establish the master-planned Legacy business park. For his son, real estate developer Ross Perot Jr., the site holds special memories. He learned to fly a helicopter there, and he remembers riding horses when the Plano parcels his father owned were just raw land. Perot Jr. said he toured the old EDS site a few months back with AT&T CEO John Stankey just before demolition began. Perot Jr. said he won’t attend Sunday’s implosion. (DMN)
“Pharmaceutical giant to bring $2.3B manufacturing plant, 500 jobs to Houston” via Houston Chronicle‘s Erica Grieder – Bristol Myers Squibb announced Monday that it will build a $2.3 billion advanced manufacturing facility in Houston’s Generation Park, a coup for the region’s growing biotech sector.
The new facility in northeast Houston will cover 600,000 square feet and create 500 jobs, according to the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical giant. Construction will begin next year and is expected to be completed by 2030, the company said, creating about 2,000 jobs during that three-year period.
The new facility “is designed to grow in scale, capability and workforce for decades to come,” Bristol Myers Squibb said in a statement. “BMS envisions this site growing in scale and capability well beyond its opening configuration.” (HOU CHRON)
TEXANS IN DC
“Cornyn Urges DHS to Hear Texas Concerns Before Big Bend Border Barrier Construction” via Texas Border Business – Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, has asked the Department of Homeland Security to meet with Texas stakeholders before proceeding with additional construction of physical border barriers in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Cornyn said Texas supports federal efforts to secure the U.S.-Mexico border while asking DHS to consider concerns specific to the Big Bend area.
“Texas has always worked cooperatively with the Department of Homeland Security (‘DHS’ or ‘Department’) on border security, and we fully support strong border security measures to stop the flow of illegal aliens, drugs, and potential terrorists into the United States,” Cornyn wrote.
According to Cornyn, stakeholders contend that the geography surrounding Big Bend already presents significant obstacles to unauthorized crossings, and he described concerns from people who live and work near the parks about the potential environmental, cultural and economic effects of constructing a physical wall and related infrastructure, in a letter to DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. (Texas Border Business)
“Ted Cruz’s college sports bill left in limbo as U.S. Senate takes August recess” via Texas Tribune’s Samanta Habashy – Sen. Ted Cruz’s bill that would place sweeping new regulations on college sports failed to reach the floor this week before the Senate gaveled out for recess, imperiling its chances to become law this year as the midterm elections approach.
The measure, coined the Protect College Sports Act, had gained a sudden burst of momentum with support from the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten, after spending weeks in limbo. It advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee, which Cruz chairs, before the chamber was scheduled to adjourn Friday. President Donald Trump urged senators to stay until they got through a pile-up of his legislative priorities, including the college sports bill.
But the bill never came up on the floor before the chamber gaveled out at 3:56 a.m. Senators could still pass the bill after their scheduled return to Capitol Hill after Labor Day. Last week, Cruz and other lawmakers, along with White House officials, negotiated a package of concessions with Big Ten and SEC leaders, who until then had refused to back the bill.
“Without this Bill, millions of young Athletes will be hurt, programs will be canceled, Women’s and Olympic Sports will go away, the fans will be robbed, and Universities will go broke,” Donald Trump posted on social media Friday afternoon, urging the Senate to stop “grandstanding” and pass it before leaving town. Cruz’s bill would place a host of new regulations on the free-for-all system that has emerged since the NCAA in 2021 allowed college athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness, followed by a settlement a few years later that required the NCAA and athletic conferences to share revenue with athletes. (ABC13 Houston)
QUICK LINKS
TX TRIB: “Paxton, Talarico tap contrary versions of God and Christianity in appeal to Texas voters” TX TRIB
HOU CHRON: “Would you share your contacts with Greg Abbott? His campaign wants you to.” HOU CHRON
DMN: “Texas Senate race puts data center growth in the spotlight” DMN
TX TRIB: “Longstanding limits on certain firearms, silencers lifted in Texas after judge’s order takes effect” TX TRIB
THE TEXAN: “Texas House to Study Women’s Hormonal Health Resources, Prenatal Nutrition in New Interim Charges” THE TEXAN
FWST: “Keller ISD board votes to call a $837M bond election for facility maintenance” FWST
KXAN: “Texas DPS confirms fatal shooting in Austin after pursuit of stolen Fort Worth ambulance” KXAN
SA REPORT: “City proposes ending Hiring our Heroes military spouse employment program” SA REPORT
HOU CHRON: “HISD moves to sell 12 properties, including 9 recently closed schools” HOU CHRON
DMN: “How one pile of dirt has led to 9 years of legal fighting across four Dallas courtrooms” DMN
FWST: “Tarrant County plans raises for employees. Here’s how much” FWST
DMN: “Crescent Real Estate makes major industrial play and other D-FW news” DMN
AAS: “Lake Travis football player Odin Hensley dies after cardiac arrest at practice” AAS
EXTRA POINTS
Recent Texas sports scores:
Sunday 8/9
> MLB: Baltimore 10, Texas 5
> MLB: San Diego 7, Houston 2
> WNBA: Minnesota 103, Dallas 90
Monday 8/10
> MLB: Texas 4, LA Angels 1
> MLB: Houston 6, San Francisco 3
Tuesday 8/11
> MLB: San Francisco 4, Houston 1
> MLB: LA Angels 3, Texas 2
Wednesday 8/12
> MLB: Houston 2, San Francisco 1
> MLB: LA Angels 5, Texas 2
> WNBA: Dallas 94, Toronto 88
Thursday 8/13
> MLB: LA Angels 7, Texas 0
Friday 8/14
> MLB: Houston 10, Seattle 7
> MLB: Las Vegas 8, Texas 3
> WNBA: Indiana 98, Dallas 87
Saturday 8/15
> MLB: Seattle 10, Houston 5
> MLB: Texas 5, Las Vegas 3
> MLS: Houston 1, LA Galaxy 0
Today / tonight’s Texas sports schedule:
> 3:05pm: MLB: Texas at Las Vegas
> 6:20pm: MLB: Seattle at Houston (NBC)
Tomorrow’s Texas sports schedule:
> 9pm: WNBA: Dallas at Golden State
TEXAS SPORTS HEADLINES / LINKS
DALLAS COWBOYS: “Dallas Cowboys, DT Quinnen Williams agree to massive three-year contract extension” DMN
EXAS FOOTBALL: “Can Texas football excel in 2026 amid rising expectations over season? AAS
AUSTIN FC: “Austin FC tops Club América in shootout to advance to League Cup quarterfinals” AAS
TEXAS RANGERS: “Neil Leibman exits Texas Rangers chairman role to pursue new business opportunities” AP News
TEXAS A&M VOLLEYBALL: “Why Texas A&M volleyball’s shot at a repeat title could be a bit harder” AAS