Tough Texas ‘sanctuary cities’ bill moves closer to approval

A tough Texas anti-"sanctuary cities" bill that threatens to throw county sheriffs and small-town constables in jail if they refuse to help enforce federal immigration law looks to be on the fast-track toward passage in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. The proposal cleared a House committee 7-5 without debate Wednesday, setting up a floor vote soon.

Highlights from in and around the world of Texas politics

A tough Texas anti-"sanctuary cities" bill that threatens to throw county sheriffs and small-town constables in jail if they refuse to help enforce federal immigration law looks to be on the fast-track toward passage in the state's Republican-controlled Legislature. The proposal cleared a House committee 7-5 without debate Wednesday, setting up a floor vote soon.

XPONENTIAL Hosts Co-Located Events Focusing On Repair, Research, Safety, More

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International today announced the line-up of co-located events taking place at XPONENTIAL 2017, including the Wireless Repair Roundup, which is partnering with AUVSI for the first time to provide invaluable training to wireless repair professionals and business owners on the opportunity and potential in the growing drone market. XPONENTIAL takes place at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas from May 8 to 11, 2017.

Steeleworkers unite

So there I was perusing the Campaign Events section of the weekly HCDP email blast, when I spotted this Facebook event and damn near fell out of my chair. On Sunday, April 9, 2017, Dayna Steele and Jon Powell, two candidates who are exploring a run for US House District 36, will be in Cleveland to meet the city, share their visions for Cleveland, Liberty County, and District 36, as well as answer your questions and address your concerns.

What to watch: Texas isn’t alone in rainy day fund fight

The rainy day fund contains $10-plus billion at a time when slumping oil prices have left the state facing a potential $6 billion shortfall just to maintain current spending levels in the 2018-2019 budget the Legislature is now devising. Democrats and Republicans in the House want to spend some of that to forego widespread cuts.

Trump provides pipeline consent

President Donald Trump gave the go-ahead to the long-delayed Keystone XL pipeline on Friday, declaring it a "great day for American jobs" and siding with energy advocates over environmental groups in a heated debate over climate change. TransCanada CEO Russell Girling speaks with President Donald Trump in Washington.

Editorial: It’s time for a vote on Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is right to sue the federal government - and his old friend, new Energy Secretary Rick Perry - over the Energy Department's handling of the Yucca Mountain project. If we're serious about climate change and carbon emissions, then we're going to have to get serious about nuclear power .

AM markets: wheat falls anew, despite US crop deterioration

The proportion of the crop in Kansas, the top growing state, rated "good" or "excellent" fell by 2 points week on week to 36%, amid "dry, windy conditions", US Department of Agriculture data overnight showed. In Oklahoma, the rating dropped by 2 points to 40%, and in Texas, where "precipitation across the state was scarce", by 1 point to 34%.

Donald Trump Jr. Draws Protesters

Protesters gathered outside the Omni Dallas Hotel as Sen. Ted Cruz and Donald Trump Jr. spoke at a Dallas County Republicans event.Trump's son thanked those in attendance for their support during his father's historic campaign. President Donald Trump's eldest son and Sen. Ted Cruz rallied Dallas County Republicans on Saturday evening at a fundraiser held at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

Donald Trump Jr. says he misses campaign trail

Donald Trump Jr. made his first political public appearance since his father's inauguration, taking an election victory lap and growing nostalgic for the campaign trail. "I thought I was out of politics after election day," Trump said Saturday, speaking at the Dallas County Republican Party's Reagan Day Dinner, where he recalled his father's unpredictable path to the presidency.

Report: Missed opportunities led to 2016 Texas balloon crash

U.S. regulators ignored expert warnings that hot-air balloons like one that crashed in July in Texas, killing 16 people, have higher accident rates than other aircraft and similar fatality rates, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The newspaper relied on government documents and internal emails obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, as well as testimony given at a federal hearing on the hot air balloon crash near Lockhart.

Federal judges find Texas gerrymandered maps on racial lines

Federal judges found more problems in Texas' voting rights laws, ruling that Republicans racially gerrymandered some congressional districts to weaken the growing electoral power of minorities, who former President Barack Obama set out to protect at the ballot box before leaving office. The ruling late Friday by a three-judge panel in San Antonio gave Democrats hope of new, more favorably drawn maps that could turnover more seats in Congress in 2018.

President Trump turns on the charm to make allies of ex-rivals

FRIEND ME: President Trump, seen yesterday at a meeting with leaders of small community banks, is trying to forge alliances with former campaign opponents. President Trump has launched a charm offensive to rope in erstwhile rivals whose help he needs as he focuses on governing and passing legislation.

PM markets: grain prices trim gains as funds take a breather

Ideas of the Brazilian soybean and corn harvest got another boost, while crop reports from the US southern Plains showed little reason to start fretting over drought damage to winter wheat yet, and absent fund buying, grain markets trimmed their recent gains. The latest forecast for Brazilian soybeans from FC Stone came in at a hefty 109.07m tonnes, nearly 5m tonnes up from its February forecast, with favourable weather across most of the country's growing regions.