Monday, June 22, 2020

The Weekly Wrangle

The Texas Progressive Alliance does not speak in riddles when it brings you its weekly roundup of the best blog posts, Tweets, and lefty news from across the Great State.

Stories with the latest COVID 19 updates, Juneteenth celebrations, Black Lives Matter rallies, police and municipal government responses, and the disturbing backlash from the extremist right will be curated in a separate post appearing later.  This Wrangle brings developments on TXGOP foibles, the latest election news, environmental accounts, and some lighter-side items to help keep us sane in these trying times.

Governor Helen Wheels kicks us off.

 
Robert Rivard at his self-titled Report saluted Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff for calling Greg Abbott's bluff on face masks.  SocraticGadfly saw it (complete with quote-Photoshopping) as Gov. Strangeabbott having coronavirus blood on his hands.

Even the goons at EmpT thought Abbott lost his colostomy bag shit.


Abbott is taking his cues from Trump when it comes to dealing with the media.


Look for some live-Tweeting of this presser today (upper right-hand column) and an update as part of tomorrow's -- potentially third this week -- Wrangle.

Kuff enjoyed a bit of schadenfreude at the expense of the good folks at Empower Texans.  The Texas Signal, meanwhile, giggled at the spectacle of Ted Cruz whining about Sesame Street.


Texans (many Texans, that is) joined with all Americans -- well, most Americans -- in celebrating two significant Supreme Court decisions last week.


Continuing to mark Pride Month, Equality Texas introduces us to Elia Chinรณ, the founder of the Fundaciรณn Latinoamericana de Acciรณn Social, Inc. (FLAS).


DosCentavos put the SCOTUS DACA decision into perspective.  The Dallas Observer reported on the celebrations by immigration activists over the ruling.  And Texas Rising Leaders, a project of the Texas Freedom Network, expressed relief.

Early voting in Texas begins a week from today for the July runoff elections.


The Texas Tribune writes about Joe Biden's polling in the Lone Star State, speculating that even if he doesn't win, a close contest could reshape our politics for the next decade -- think: majority in the Texas House, redistricting, etc.  Bonddad Blog did an Electoral College map that reflected all the current state polls to predict an outcome.  By contrast, PDiddie at Brains and Eggs, in his weekly White House Update, is skeptical of the early surveys, and Biden's chances here.  But in a more positive take reflecting on the TexTrib's premise, Progressives Everywhere blogged about an under-reported Dallas-area race (HD108) where Joanna Cattanach is taking on Morgan Meyer.

The evolution of racial thought and consideration in the US and Texas seems to be favoring Royce West (and others) as he appears to build momentum in the US Senate runoff.


That's even as Texas Republicans prepare to go to war with each other.


Here's a few state ecological stories from last week.


More on that from Grist.  D Magazine picked up on an account via social media about a chemical spill in a tributary of White Rock Lake.  There is some good news: Houston is investing in nature-based infrastructure for some its bayous and waterways, according to Environment Texas.  And Save Buffalo Bayou is sponsoring an environmental forum between the two Harris County Commissioner Precinct 3 Democrats in the runoff.

Precinct 3 includes Buffalo Bayou west of Loop 610 and many tributaries, as well as other major streams like Cypress and Little Cypress creeks, part of Spring Creek and Brays Bayou, the federal flood-control reservoirs, Addicks and Barker; and much of the Katy Prairie. It also includes parts of Memorial, Spring Branch, Bellaire, West University, and more.

The west-northwest area of the county, once farm and ranch land, has been under heavy development pressure for many years, with resulting controversies over requirements for stormwater detention and preservation of the native prairie.

Nature-based approaches to reducing flood risk—prairie grasses and wetlands, trees, parks, ponds, and gardens—slow rain runoff and absorb stormwater before it even enters and overwhelms our natural (green) and built (gray) drainage systems.  Green flood management is the most practical, beneficial, and cost-effective method of reducing flood risk.

For these reasons, local environmental groups are sponsoring an online forum with the Democratic candidates vying to take the place of retiring Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack, a Republican who has represented Precinct 3 since 1989.

The forum, which takes place online June 24 from 7 to 8 p.m., will focus on environmental issues. Advance registration for this event is required. To sign up go here.

The Democratic candidates are Diana Alexander, an educator, and Michael Moore, former chief of staff under Houston Mayor Bill White. The runoff election is July 14, with early voting starting on Monday, June 29 and running through Friday, July 10.

The winner will face Republican candidate Tom Ramsey in the general election on Nov. 3.  Ramsey is a four-term mayor of tiny Spring Valley Village in west Houston, a civil engineer and until 2015, senior vice-president of Klotz and Associates, now RPS Group, a major contractor with Harris County and the Harris County Flood Control District.


Can you believe this is only half of what's been Wrangled from last week?  I've got coronavirus -- stories, that is -- and lots of racial justice/injustice news collated to post later (probably tomorrow, I'm guessing, but check back anyway for updates).

Here's some softer fare to close out.

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