BG Reads | News You Need to Know (November 11, 2022)
[AUSTIN METRO]
Austin ISD’s interim superintendent is leaving for a school district in Houston (KUT)
Austin ISD's interim Superintendent Anthony Mays is leaving the district for a permanent position in the Houston area. The Alief ISD board of trustees has announced that Mays is the lone finalist to be the next superintendent of the district, which is located in Southwest Harris County.
Alief Board President Ann Williams said in a news release that trustees were excited about Mays joining the district.
“We are confident that he is the perfect candidate to serve as the district’s next leader,” Williams said. “He is a proven leader and advocate for public education."… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Austin Veterans Day parade canceled due to severe weather threat (KXAN)
The City of Austin’s 2022 67th annual Veterans Day parade has been canceled due to a threat of severe weather.
The parade was scheduled to happen downtown on Friday – Veterans Day – starting at 9 a.m. The city sent a notice Thursday afternoon that the parade is canceled but said there would be another update if it’s rescheduled.
A sharp cold front is expected to blow through the Austin area Friday, and with it comes a threat of severe weather, a 20-30 degree temperature drop, and winds possibly up to 30 mph. A large western storm will also interact with the cold front to produce widespread rain and thunderstorms Friday morning and afternoon… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Cedar Park creates tax increment reinvestment zone, paving way for super-regional destination center (Austin Business Journal)
Cedar Park City Council unanimously approved a tax increment reinvestment zone that will fund public infrastructure and other site improvements to support a future $400 million mixed-used development during its Nov. 10 meeting.
Called Project Northwest New Hope, the site will be a super-regional destination center that will include a convention center and hotel as well as a NFM retail store, according to the city. NFM has one other Texas store located in The Colony in North Texas.
CPM Development purchased the site and plans to build a 250-room full service hotel, a 30,000-square-foot city-owned convention center, a 500,000-square-foot NFM—formerly Nebraska Furniture Mart—store, a 700,000-square-foot warehouse space to support NFM and 250,000 square feet for high-quality commercial development, according to city documents… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
State agency proposes changes to power market aimed at averting mass blackouts (Texas Tribune)
After several months of hammering out how to make the Texas power market more reliable in the wake of the deadly 2021 winter storm, state officials have landed on what they say is a solution.
Under a new proposal unveiled Thursday, power providers would be required to buy “performance credits” from power generators — which are intended to guarantee that both have enough electricity to meet increased demand when power demand is high enough to stress the electrical grid. If providers don’t buy the credits or generators don’t meet their end of the bargain, both could face financial penalties.
If the idea is implemented, “this will be the first time … that the companies that sell power to households — who you send your check to when you pay your bill each month — this will be the first time they’re actually responsible for ensuring they can deliver that power,” said Peter Lake, chair of the Texas Public Utility Commission, the board that regulates the state’s power grid operators… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Hidalgo celebrates reelection with choice words for detractors, including some Dems (Houston Chronicle)
Fresh off a narrow reelection that was anything but assured, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Wednesday held a news conference to praise colleagues, thank supporters and call out some members of her own party for not backing her campaign. "There were some elected officials that weren't there because they didn't think it was convenient, those in my own party that wouldn't do an ad for me, that wouldn't have a fundraiser, that wouldn't help when it got tough," Hidalgo said. "And oh, I remember who they are." The Hidalgo campaign declined to specify which officials she was addressing. Hidalgo also addressed critics during the election cycle who accused the Democrats on Commissioners Court of defunding police, including what she called "unscrupulous politicians of both parties." She called out Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, a Democrat, without naming her directly… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Sakai and Nirenberg make history as the duo prepare to lead San Antonio and Bexar County (San Antonio Express-News)
When Bexar County judge-elect Peter Sakai takes office in January, he will make history for the Asian American community. Both the Bexar County Judge and the San Antonio mayor will be Asian American. Mayor Ron Nirenberg is part Filipino, and Sakai is Japanese American. After easily topping Republican Trish DeBerry with 57 percent of the votes, Sakai will be the first new county judge in more than 20 years. He’ll take over for Nelson Wolff, who will retire from politics when he steps down on Dec. 31 at the age of 82… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
A Texas judge blocks Biden's student loan-forgiveness plan Texas judge blocks Biden's student loan-forgiveness plan (NPR)
A U.S. judge in Texas on Thursday blocked President Joe Biden's plan to provide millions of borrowers with up to $20,000 apiece in federal student-loan forgiveness — a program that was already on hold as a federal appeals court in St. Louis considers a separate lawsuit by six states challenging it… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Musk's foreign investors in Twitter are 'worthy' of review, Biden says (Politico)
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he would support a U.S. government review of the foreign investors backing Elon Musk’s $44 billion Twitter purchase.
Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and his Kingdom Holding Company have become the second largest investor in Twitter since Musk officially bought the platform in late October. Alwaleed has had a large share in the social media site since 2011 and chose to roll over its ownership after Musk took over. And foreign investment in Twitter has led to a call from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) for a government review over potential national security concerns… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[HEARINGS/MEETINGS]
Tuesday, November 15
(1PM) Special Called Meeting of the Austin City Council Agenda: Link
[BG PODCAST]
Episode 170: 2022 Austin Council and Bond Election Night Recap
Bingham Group Associate Hannah Garcia and CEO A.J. recap and discuss the 2022 Austin City Council election night results.
Episode 169: Discussing the CHIPS Act with Larry Smith, Chairman, Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc.
Today's episode (169) features Larry Smith, Chairman of Austin-based Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc.
Part of an ongoing series on the CHIPS and Science Act passed in August, Larry and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss its impact on the Austin and Central Texas.
The bipartisan bill includes more than $50 billion in incentives for manufacturers of semiconductors, or chips, to build domestic semiconductor plants.
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