As we come to the end of another calendar I'll collect some listicles of noteworthy people and events from the past 12 months in a year-end Wrangle. Today I'm playing ketchup.
3 things to consider at the end of this horrible year:
— Zach Despart (@zachdespart) December 22, 2021
- COVID vaccines have been available to all adults since March
- Texas virus deaths are ⬆️ 35% over pre-vaccine 2020
- Our 75k deaths just shy of California, even though CA has 10 million more peoplehttps://t.co/YdHdvMXj8i
As Texas preps for omicron variant threat, Gov. Greg Abbott won’t ease stance against mask mandates https://t.co/Nul7HZTWqg
— Dallas Morning News (@dallasnews) December 22, 2021
Thanks to @GovAbbott & @TexasGOP, “more than 18% of Texans were without health insurance, the highest rate in the country” #txlege
— Señor Peña (@SenorPena) December 23, 2021
Texas has the highest share of uninsured residents in the nation. Another COVID-19 wave puts them at risk. https://t.co/xdSFTEv5gZ via @TexasTribune
As stated before, I favor mask requirements by public and private orgs but not vax mandates.
Facts aren't going to persuade the unvaccinated. Authorities should focus on the strategies that are effective — The incentive that works especially well is the employer vaccine mandate: "Get vaccinated or get fired” has shown to be an effective messagehttps://t.co/XtwIw0DSbq
— Alfons López Tena (@alfonslopeztena) December 21, 2021
Moving on to the political happenings before and after the Yule.
Nearly 60 candidates filed declarations of intent to run as independents for statewide, legislative and congressional offices. History suggests very few will complete the process – namely, obtaining signatures – to be on the ballot in November. https://t.co/SdJF4NRHiy
— Texas Election Source (@TXElects) December 16, 2021
It's nice to be recognized as a viable option for Texans. I appreciate the co endorsement and I hope we can work together soon! https://t.co/KcDGhXXFIS
— DelilahForTexas💚☮🌻🌎 (@DelilahforTexas) December 19, 2021
Ted Cruz doesn't just want to be the '24 GOP nominee, he expects to be.
I blogged about Ted Cruz's dream deferred, and the interview he gave a, uh, 15 year old, in which he referred to his failed 2016 campaign as his glory days. Keep track of Cruz with our Watch: https://t.co/8UErowQN4q
— Ben Rowen (@ben_c_rowen) December 23, 2021
We'll see what we can do about that.
Here's a few news items about Lone Star Republicans and Democrats who definitely made Santa's 'naughty' list.
Interesting. You can get a year in county jail for faking up the true origin of a text, email, ad or 'deep fake video' w/intent to injure a candidate or influence an election.
— Bob Garrett (@RobertTGarrett) December 23, 2021
Dem consultant faces such a charge for texts sent in Plano City Council race. https://t.co/k6lYAQvq56
#Dallas judge accused of asking staffer to impersonate her in online hearing draws 2 primary challengers@dallasnews #Texas
— ChickenFriedPolitics (@ChkFriPolitics) December 22, 2021
-Southern politics are on the menu at ChickenFriedPolitics.com-https://t.co/Ng3hIaclLx
Texas Republican officials have restarted a program to ask people on the voter rolls giving them 30 days to prove their citizenship. If they don't respond, they are cancelled, sparking alarm that thousands of voters could be wrongfully targetedhttps://t.co/zEZTf55OiU
— Alfons López Tena (@alfonslopeztena) December 22, 2021
Lots of unvaxxed people complained of being sick after attending a conspiracy conference in Dallas this month.
— David Gilbert (@daithaigilbert) December 22, 2021
But of course, it wasn't COVID. It was anthrax 🙄 https://t.co/ceFapKuu8Q
Dallas QAnon Cult Members Migrate From JFK Jr’s Living Corpse To Chugging Chloride Dioxide https://t.co/RJp60Ao1nD via @RANewsTX
— RA News (@RANewsTX) December 22, 2021
Alex Jones wife beats him up. Madison Cawthorn’s wife ditched him at Christmas. Jared Schmeck’s wife doxxes him on instagram. It’s a Republican Family Christmas. pic.twitter.com/T2sLRo3juI
— The Masked Blue Texan (@ProgressiveTex) December 26, 2021
And some on the 'nice' list.
Hurst Democrat @DrJamesWhit Whitfield, the principal supported by student protests before his departure from Colleyville Heritage, was a late filing for #SBOE in a Republican seat currently held by incumbent Republican Pat Hardy. #tx2022
— Bud Kennedy / #ReadLocal (@BudKennedy) December 21, 2021
The $100,000 donation is one of many philanthropic efforts benefiting evacuated Afghans in #Houston, many of whom aided the U.S. military during the 20-year conflict in #Afghanistan.
— Elizabeth Trovall (@elizTrovall) December 23, 2021
📸 @jonjshapley #hounews https://t.co/zArkx3VB9X
Which provides the segue to the social and criminal justice updates.
Four members of Texas’s National Guard have died by suicide in the last two months - and all by gun suicide - raising urgent questions about the way missions are organized and staffed through indefinite involuntary call-ups. #txlege https://t.co/MVvXmlbmYp
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) December 24, 2021
In the "Friendly City" of Woodsboro, a cellphone video captured two teens in Klan outfits tasing a Black classmate. As the teens face hate crime charges, the community is in anguish over the incident. https://t.co/1mISuhKgjo
— Texas Monthly (@TexasMonthly) December 22, 2021
A hearing is scheduled for Monday on whether the sentence for a Houston trucker is reduced from 110 years following a fiery crash that killed four people. https://t.co/DzGPNuEynY
— KVUE News (@KVUE) December 26, 2021
Background, ICYMI:
Ethan Couch killed 4 people while driving drunk; his BAC was 0.24. He fled the country. He was only given 10 years probation, & then 720 days in jail for violating his probation.
— Mexican Rug Dealer (@DealinRugs) December 17, 2021
Rogel Aguilera-Mederos was sentenced 110 years for an accident killing 4 because his brakes failed. pic.twitter.com/Qozv4BS19b
“The fish rots from the head,” public defender says as George Floyd pardon recommendation withdrawn, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott grants 8 others clemency, @lmcgaughy reports. #txlege #GregAbbott #GeorgeFloyd #Texas #txcrime #txjustice https://t.co/QkI4Eu0InA
— John Gravois (@Grav1) December 23, 2021
“You become anonymous.” Criminals using ‘ghost cars’ to cover their tracks continue to plague Texas roads. KXAN investigates what’s being done to stop this ballooning black market enterprise. https://t.co/8Q2LLcrdra
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) December 26, 2021
We should view this vote to designate a piece of the world's most valuable real estate in Austin, TX as "blight" to reward corporate real estate investors for exactly what it is:
— Julie Oliver (@JulieOliverTX) December 26, 2021
Morally bankrupt and nakedly corrupt.https://t.co/WLnJMCssBR
Return of buffalo to Texas’ Lipan Apache tribe symbolizes an era of healing. | via @TexasStandard https://t.co/sGKU6D2Wgp
— KUT Austin (@KUT) December 25, 2021
New: Nobody told Yaneli Ortiz’s family that the factory they lived near emitted ethylene oxide. Not when the EPA found it causes cancer. Not when she was diagnosed with leukemia. And not when Texas moved to allow polluters to emit more of the chemical. https://t.co/zP9c9Cvf5g
— ProPublica (@propublica) December 27, 2021
The other environmental headlines.
Decision looms on future of Spruce power plant, San Antonio’s biggest source of power — and pollution https://t.co/e0HmR66ig2
— MySA (@mySA) December 24, 2021
Third fire at this facility in three years. #txlege https://t.co/VAdWjVrkdj
— Doug Lewin (@douglewinenergy) December 23, 2021
But no @LaCongresista https://t.co/3stJZve4rI #HouNews
— Forever in debt to your priceless advice. (@PDiddie) December 22, 2021
Read #Progressive Forum founder Randall Morton’s op-ed in the Sunday Houston Chronicle, where he calls out Houston's #climate plans, which could “prolong our massive emissions instead of reducing them,” and provides alternatives. https://t.co/ziWLwsgeaW#houston #hounews
— Progressive Forum (@ProgressHouston) December 22, 2021
https://t.co/Ah0v3X3PBw @KatyTXActivists @codepink @HoustonCleanAir @htxclimstrike @SunriseMvmtHTX @airallianceHOU The Necessity Series is a two-part documentary. The first was excellent,
— XR Houston (@XR_HOUSTON) December 26, 2021
Influential Texans who departed us over the weekend.
Sarah Weddington was a key figure in the abortion rights movement in our country. Her fight at the Supreme Court secured our right to abortion with Roe v. Wade.
— Planned Parenthood Texas Votes (@PPTXVotes) December 26, 2021
We are fortunate for leaders like her, and will continue to honor her legacy in our fight for reproductive rights. pic.twitter.com/Kmwerkovgi
US Rep. Colin Allred:
Texas was home to Sarah Weddington who argued Roe, which no longer exists here. A Texan, LBJ, enshrined voting rights but we're now the hardest state in the country to vote. Our history provides hope for our future. We must keep fighting for a better Texas.
Bruce Todd was a public servant in the Austin-Travis County area for much of his early career. From 1987 to 1991, Todd served on the Travis County Commissioners Court before throwing his hat in the ring for mayor of Austin and winning.https://t.co/cl7iXj2s0N
— KXAN News (@KXAN_News) December 25, 2021
Wayne's world.... pic.twitter.com/YTPDLCY1Ny
— Ken Herman (@kherman) December 21, 2021
And the calm-me-downs to close today.
On this day in 1982, Houston Post readers were treated to a sunrise, as only Leon Hale could describe it. https://t.co/Q1PGl5B6dF
— BayouCityHistory (@BayouCtyHistory) December 21, 2021
Yo chill 😂😂 https://t.co/tzArAGHtym
— Malik Turner (@leekleek217) December 27, 2021
A 1901 portrait of Adelaida Cuellar & three of her children: Isabel, Manuel and Amos. Adelaida and her husband had a little farm in Kaufman County. A mother of 12, she started selling tamales and enchiladas, founded El Chico in 1940, and built a Tex-Mex empire based in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/R4ZnQtSkrj
— Traces of Texas (@TracesofTexas) December 26, 2021
