BG Reads | News You Need to Know (January 28, 2020)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW -> Episode 71: Carrie Simmons, Texas Lobbying Group (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin Green development takes 'first step' forward (Austin Business Journal)
A massive mixed-use proposal in far southeastern Austin is taking initial steps toward approval at City Hall — with more votes looming in the coming months.
Austin City Council voted Jan. 23 to adopt a consent agreement for a municipal utility district for the Austin Green mixed-use project.
With Austin in short supply of housing, GroundWork wants to build 12,000 residential units — from detached residential homes to high-density, urban apartments — on a 2,122-acre site straddling State Highway 130 from the Colorado River to FM 969. The site, in Austin's extraterritorial jurisdiction located three miles from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and eight miles from downtown, is currently an active sand and gravel quarry.
City documents indicate the proposed project would include 650,000 square feet of shopping center space, 600,000 square feet of office space, 300,000 square feet of light industrial space, 150,000 square feet of medical and dental office space and 708 acres of open space. The project's value at full build-out could top $6.6 billion.
GroundWork, Austin Green's lead developer, is an affiliate of Austin-based Momark Development LLC. Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc. is the project's engineer… (LINK TO STORY)
Meet the 6 Companies in the Army Capability Accelerator in Austin (Austin Inno)
The Army has put a ton of time and energy into solving what, from the outside, might seem like a simple problem: Helping startups work with the military, get their products integrated and deployed where they’re needed.
Much of the Army’s efforts have centered in Austin, which became home to the Army Futures Command more than a year ago. In addition to their internal growth, they’ve been constantly reaching out to the tech community in Austin and beyond to spread the word that the Army is now significantly more approachable for startups than ever before.
And now we have one of the most visible results of that work, with the Army picking six companies, including one from Austin, to be part of its Field Artillery Autonomous Resupply cohort, which is part of the Army Capability Accelerator in the Army Applications Laboratory. The companies will focus on how the Army stores, ships and loads munitions.
The companies were selected after a nationwide search for innovators focused on autonomous resupply capabilities. The companies each get $150,000 to complete the 12-week. It’s capped off by a pitch competition in April with potential investors… (LINK TO STORY)
Leander mayor sworn in as newest member of Captial Metro board (Community Impact)
Leander Mayor Troy Hill was sworn in as the newest member of the Capital Metro board of directors during its Jan. 27 meeting.
Hill also serves as a voting member of the CAMPO Transportation Policy Board.
The seat filled by Hill was previously held by former Manor Mayor Rita Jonse, who did not seek re-election last year.
The eight-member board is composed of three members appointed by the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, or CAMPO, including one elected official; one member representing smaller cities within the Capital Metro service area; one member appointed by each of the Travis County and Williamson County commissioners; and two members appointed by Austin City Council, including one elected official… (LINK TO STORY)
Atari Levels Up Into The Austin Hotel Game (KUT)
Atari plans to open a video game-themed hotel in Austin.
The company announced Monday it had partnered with Napoleon Smith III, the producer of the recent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movies, and GSD Group, a branding and strategy firm, to open theme hotels in eight cities.
The first hotel will break ground in Phoenix this year. Atari also plans to build in Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Texans are one step closer to being able to grow their own hemp (KXAN)
The United States government has approved guidelines submitted by the Texas Department of Agriculture to allow Texans to grow hemp in the state, agriculture commissioner Sid Miller said Monday.
The state submitted the rules to the United States Department of Agriculture in December.
Miller, who held a public meeting last week to take public questions on the budding industry, called the approval of the rules a “victory for Texas farmers.”
“With USDA approval of our Texas Hemp Plan, we are one step closer to giving our ag producers access to this exciting new crop opportunity,” Miller said.
Calling hemp a future cash crop, Miller reminded Texans it is still not legal to grow the plant.
“Don’t put those seeds in the ground just yet,” Miller wrote, adding the state needs to get a licensing program up and running.
“But the dominoes are dropping pretty quick,” Miller continued. “We’re almost there.”
House Bill 1325, signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June, allows farmers to grow industrial hemp. It also legalizes hemp-derived products like CBD oil… (LINK TO STORY)
RELATED:
BG Podcast Episode 62: Cree Crawford, Founder and President, Ionization Labs
BG Podcast Episode 63: The Future of Texas Hemp Farming with Robert Head, CEO, Blue Cord Farms
Largest Texas labor union backs progressive Cisneros over incumbent Rep. Henry Cuellar (San Antonio Express-News)
The Laredo immigration attorney challenging longtime U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar in the Democratic primary snagged the backing of the state's largest labor group over the weekend, the latest potential boost for her insurgent campaign, and one that comes three weeks before voting begins. The Texas AFL-CIO — which has some 240,000 members across the state — endorsed Jessica Cisneros, 26, saying “this district needs someone who is going to stand up for working people, stand up for poor people, and stand up for justice.”
The group in the past has declined to endorse Cuellar, a 15-year incumbent, even when he ran unopposed in primaries. His campaign spokesman said the congressman doesn’t seek the labor group’s endorsement and has instead focused on racking up endorsements from local officials and groups. It’s the latest big endorsement for Cisneros, who has raised over $1 million for her campaign and has drawn the backing of major progressive groups, including EMILY’s List. “They know we're running a campaign by and for the people, one that puts the needs and workers of our community ahead of the corporate interests that have bought out our communities for too long,” Cisneros said in a statement. “Together, we can make the United States and South Texas work for the people it strives to represent.”… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
McConnell struggles to maintain GOP unity post-Bolton (The Hill)
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is struggling to maintain control of President Trump’s impeachment trial following news of former national security adviser John Bolton’s bombshell manuscript.
McConnell on Monday deflected growing calls, including from fellow GOP senators, to allow testimony from Bolton and other potential witnesses, which could prolong the trial and deal a massive blow to Trump and Republicans.
Senate debate over whether to call additional witnesses was upended Sunday following a New York Times report revealing that Bolton claims in a draft of his forthcoming book that Trump told him directly he wanted to freeze U.S. assistance to Ukraine to spur an investigation of former Vice President Joe Biden… (LINK TO STORY)
2 New U.S. Cases Of Wuhan Coronavirus Confirmed In California (NPR)
Health officials in two California counties have reported over the weekend two new cases of Wuhan coronavirus in the state, bringing the total number of cases in the U.S. to four.
The Orange County Health Care Agency reported Saturday that a man in his 50s tested positive for the infectious disease and is currently being treated in isolation at a local hospital.
Meanwhile, officials from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported a second new case in California on Sunday. Both counties said the cases had been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to health officials in Orange and Los Angeles counties, both cases involved people traveling from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the infectious disease outbreak. Officials said both patients are receiving care at local hospitals, and that the risk of local transmission remains low… (LINK TO STORY)
The Bingham Group, LLC is an Austin-based full service lobbying firm representing and advising clients on municipal, legislative, and regulatory matters throughout Texas.
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