Good Morning! On this day in 1943, songwriter Dennis Linde was born in Abilene. Rock and country artists recorded more than 250 of his songs, including Elvis Presley’s 1972 hit Burning Love and the Dixie Chicks’ single Goodbye Earl.
Security checkpoint wait times have tried the patience of airport travelers in recent weeks, and the issue led to a viral confrontation between two elected officials in Austin on Monday. Get the details in today’s Roundup.
Have your travels been affected by TSA staffing shortages? Hit reply to let us know.
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Cornyn, Casar Clash at Austin Airport
Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-Austin) got into a heated exchange Monday at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and TSA.
Cornyn had stopped by the airport to drop off Whataburger meals for TSA agents, who have worked without pay for more than a month due to a lapse in federal funding for DHS. Casar crashed Cornyn’s press conference, confronting him about a standalone bill to fund just TSA.
“Why don’t you tell the Democrats to vote to pay these poor people?” Cornyn challenged. “Let’s do it,” replied Casar. “No, you do it,” Cornyn said. “I’ve voted for it time and time again.”
Cornyn said a standalone TSA bill is “not acceptable,” arguing that fully funding DHS is essential in light of “all the terrorist attacks like we’ve seen down on Sixth Street.” As Cornyn walked away, Casar turned to the reporters and said, “Instead of bringing people burgers, he should bring them their paychecks.“
Following the altercation, Cornyn said that security checkpoint wait times at Austin’s airport have been caused by high travel volume, not TSA staffing issues. Meanwhile, 55% of TSA agents assigned to Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport didn’t show up for work on Saturday.
TEFA Application Deadline Extended
A federal judge ordered Texas to extend the application window for its new education savings account program to March 31, in response to two lawsuits that allege Islamic schools have been improperly excluded from participation. Yesterday was the initial deadline.
U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett also ordered Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock to ensure that Excellence Academy of McKinney and Katy’s Houston Qur’an Academy receive registration links to participate in the program within 24 hours. He authorized limited discovery and scheduled an injunction hearing for April 24.
In January, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion stating that the Comptroller’s Office could exclude “any educational institution violating laws barring it from providing material support to a designated terrorist organization.” Gov. Greg Abbott applied the designation to the Council on American-Islamic Relations in November.
Families have submitted applications for more than 200,000 students for a Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA) so far—more than double the number the new $1 billion school choice program could accommodate. Students with special needs and those from low-income families will be prioritized for participation.
Houston Rodeo Imposes Dress Code
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is implementing a new dress code after numerous complaints about “inappropriate attire.”
Effective immediately, guests aren’t allowed to wear clothing that “may be viewed as inappropriate for a family environment” or features “obscene language or graphics.” Face coverings aren’t allowed apart from “cultural or religious reasons or a medical condition.”
Displays of gang insignia, such as visible tattoos or clothing, are also prohibited. On Saturday, the carnival grounds shut down early after fights broke out.
“This is a family-friendly event. We want every guest, especially young people, to have a safe and memorable experience. We will not allow inappropriate attire or behavior to take away from that,” rodeo officials said in a statement.
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➤ Neither Sen. John Cornyn nor Attorney General Ken Paxton withdrew from the GOP runoff for U.S. Senate before yesterday’s 5 p.m. deadline to take their names off the May 26 ballot. After the March 3 primary, President Trump said he would endorse one of the candidates “soon” and expected the other to drop out. (More)
➤ Dallas: U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett defended her former security guard fatally shot by police last week. Police released body camera footage of their encounter with Diamon-Mazairre Robinson, who went by “Mike King” and was accused of posing as a federal agent. (More)
➤ Silsbee: The city council discussed a proposal to overhaul procedures at the city-run animal shelter on Monday after a former employee was arrested for improperly euthanizing several dogs. (More)
➤ Webb County: The death sentence of a man convicted of murdering his two children in 2012 was converted to life in prison without parole. Last year, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals determined the jury was provided flawed sentencing instructions during Demond Depree Bluntson’s initial trial. (See Details)
➤ Corpus Christi: Gov. Greg Abbott is waiving certain regulations to expedite temporary permits for groundwater projects as the city faces an imminent water emergency—when demand is projected to exceed supply within 180 days—which would trigger mandatory curtailment. (More)
➤ A lawsuit against Texas regarding its border with Oklahoma was dismissed on sovereign immunity grounds. An Oklahoma property owner claimed that changes to the course of the Red River had shifted the state boundary. (See Details)
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➤ Tramon Mark drained a game-winning buzzer beater against NC State last night to give the Texas Longhorns a 68-66 win and a spot in the NCAA tournament. Their first round opponent will be No. 6 seed Tennessee. (See Shot)
➤ SMU men’s basketball plays Miami-Ohio tonight for an 11-seed spot in the March Madness tournament. (More)
➤ Meanwhile,Stephen F. Austin plays Missouri State tonight for a chance at a 16-seed spot in the women’s tournament. (More)
➤ The Longhorns’ dual-sport athlete Jonah Williams will miss the remainder of the baseball season after re-aggravating the shoulder he hurt during football season. The former five-star safety is expected to be ready to play in time for the 2026 football season. (More)
➤ Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg threw down a powerful dunk against the Pelicans earlier this week. (See Highlight)
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➤ Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of the Texas Jobs Council on Monday. The advisory board will aim to identify executive actions to “reduce regulatory burdens and red tape surrounding workforce development” and present policy recommendations to help companies fill high-skilled jobs. (More)
➤ Taiwanese cat litter brand Lady N is opening a manufacturing plant in Dallas for its tofu-based litter, which it claims is better suited than clay or silica-based products for automatic litter boxes. (More)
➤ Dallas-based RREAF Holdings has begun construction on a 63-acre mixed-use development in Galveston’s East End that will include a resort with 278 single-family residences and a 10-story hotel with a lazy river and pickleball courts. Locals have expressed frustration with the developer’s lack of communication. (More)
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➤ The Kaufman County town of Crandall is ranked No. 2 in the latest MovingPlace report of the nation’s hottest ZIP codes, with 11.2 moves per 1,000 residents. March is the town’s third consecutive month in the top 10. (See Details)
➤ Travis Kalanick, the cofounder and former CEO of Uber, moved to Austin in December. The billionaire recently launched robotics startup Atoms. (More)
➤ The U.S. Navy announced the ships that will be participating in Houston’s first-ever Fleet Week next month. During the event, the public can tour the ships and interact with active service members. (See Details)
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Cornyn, Casar Clash at Austin Airport
