BG Reads | News You Need to Know (October 7, 2022)
[AUSTIN METRO]
District 5 Council candidates chat with the ‘Monitor’: Part II (Austin Monitor)
Texas teacher retirement system sells downtown Austin property (Austin American-Statesman)
The Teacher Retirement System of Texas has sold its longtime headquarters building on Red River Street in downtown Austin for $108 million.
The buyer was Austin Real Estate Acquisitions LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and subsidiary of a publicly traded real estate investment trust.
In a news release Wednesday, the retirement system — which manages nearly $185 billion in retirement assets for Texas teachers and school employees — said the purchase "completes an extensive competitive sale process to ensure the best value for the 3.8-acre property and buildings."
The state agency has been based at the Red River campus for nearly 50 years. The two-building complex is located at 1000 Red River and has 198,972 square feet of space… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Here's where candidates for Austin mayor stand on three big issues (KUT)
Six people are vying to be the next mayor of Austin. Candidates addressed priority issues such as transportation, housing and policing during a forum Wednesday night hosted by KUT and the Austin Monitor.
The candidates are Anthony Bradshaw, Phil Campero Brual, Celia Israel, Gary S. Spellman, Jennifer Virden and Kirk Watson. Per campaign finance reports filed in July, the current frontrunners are Israel, who's a former state House representative, and Watson, who's a former Austin mayor and state senator.
Here’s a look at how the candidates responded to three policy areas that they would likely address as mayor… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
Vice President Kamala Harris set to make 2 stops in Austin this weekend (KXAN)
Vice President Kamala Harris is adding a second stop during her trip to Austin this weekend, according to information sent out Thursday from her office.
Harris will take part in a conversation Saturday at the LBJ Presidential Library, where her office said she’ll discuss “the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to protecting reproductive rights.” She’ll join Mini Timmaraju, the president of abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America, during this event.
Additionally, Harris will speak Saturday night at the Johnson-Jordan Reception, a major midterm fundraiser for the Texas Democratic Party. The reception is named for former President Lyndon B. Johnson and Rep. Barbara Jordan and aims to fundraise to help with things like “vote-by-mail assistance, voter protection efforts, community organizing, direct voter contact, and more,” according to an earlier news release… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[TEXAS]
Biden is calling for marijuana possession pardons. But that doesn’t mean it’ll happen in Texas. (Texas Tribune)
Calling the criminalization of marijuana a “failed approach,” President Joe Biden announced a pardon of all federal marijuana possession charges Thursday — and urged governors to follow suit with state-level convictions for marijuana possession.
The federal pardon will affect about 6,500 people, The New York Times reported, but the vast majority of marijuana possession crimes are charged on the state level, not in a federal case.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office did not directly answer whether he would pursue pardons for Texas convictions… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
EPA will center climate change response in Texas on sea level rise, floods, drought and severe storms (Texas Tribune)
The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will roll out a suite of new actions and communication strategies to help Texans adapt to the impacts of climate change — particularly flooding, severe storms and drought.
The plan for EPA’s Region 6 — which includes Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana — found that Texas’ largest vulnerabilities to climate change are to the impacts of more severe droughts, sea level rise, more intense coastal flooding and increased intensity of storms — particularly stronger hurricanes, longer-lasting heat waves and extreme rainstorms.
EPA officials will take several proactive actions, including increasing inspections at industrial facilities along the Gulf Coast that are vulnerable to hurricanes; incorporating climate change adaptation measures into environmental permitting; and increasing enforcement on water systems that fail to comply with federal rules… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[NATION]
FT-Nikkei ranking of best US cities for foreign businesses (Financial Times)
The FT-Nikkei ranking measured cities across more than three dozen metrics. Explore the full list below with our interactive tool — you can change the weightings to produce a customised ranking that better reflects your priorities… (LINK TO FULL STORY)
[BG PODCAST]
Episode 167: Discussing the Austin Monitor with CEO Joel Gross
Today's episode (167)is an introduction to the Austin Monitor.
The Austin Monitor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization covering important issues and key decisions at the intersection between the local government and the community.
Joel and Bingham Group CEO A.J. discuss its history, present, and future.
NOTE: A.J. serves on the Austin Monitor board as Vice-Chair.
-> EPISODE LINK <-
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