Legislature kicks off session with new leaders, challenges

News and updates from Austin's news in your inbox Email not displaying correctly? [View Online]( [Statesman]( MORNING HEADLINES Start your day with a fresh roundup of news, features and commentary. Wednesday's Top Story [Legislature kicks off session with new leaders, challenges]( [Legislature kicks off session with new leaders, challenges]( The 86th session of the Legislature launched Tuesday with the House gaining a new leader, the GOP-controlled Senate electing an Austin Democrat to a leadership position, and Gov. [Read More »]( Local News [ Serial rock thrower arrested in San Marcos, police say]( [‘Serial rock thrower’ arrested in San Marcos, police say]( San Marcos police have arrested a man suspected of throwing rocks at several downtown business from late December to early January. [Read More »]( [Public viewing hours set for Friday for WWII vet Overton]( [Public viewing hours set for Friday for WWII vet Overton]( The hours for public viewing for Richard Overton, who was the country's oldest World War II veteran and its oldest man when he died last month at 112, have been set for noon to 7 p.m. Friday at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, his cousin Volma Overton Jr. said. [Read More »]( [Sex crimes investigators seeking victims of unlicensed chiropractor]( [Sex crimes investigators seeking victims of unlicensed chiropractor]( Travis County sheriff's investigators are asking anyone who might have been sexually abused or unlawfully treated by unlicensed chiropractor Stephen Berman to contact them. [Read More »]( [Police: Smithville substitute teacher charged with assault after slapping students]( [Police: Smithville substitute teacher charged with assault after slapping students]( A Smithville school district substitute teacher has been charged with assault after slapping three students in a sixth grade classroom last month, according to a police report. [Read More »]( [Herman: Opening day at Your Texas Legislature]( [Herman: Opening day at Your Texas Legislature]( The more cynical among you saw meteorological mysticism in the fog that enshrouded the Texas Capitol dome Tuesday morning as our lawmakers arrived for opening day of the 86th Legislature. [Read More »]( Business [Austin web service Hostway merging with Denver s Hosting.com]( [Austin web service Hostway merging with Denver’s Hosting.com]( Hostway, an Austin-based website hosting company, said Tuesday that it will merge with Denver-based Hosting.com, another cloud-based service. [Read More »]( Sports [Austin FC expected to be officially recognized as 27th MLS team at celebration]( [Austin FC expected to be officially recognized as 27th MLS team at celebration]( The confetti is locked and the champagne loaded. [Read More »]( [Bohls: Clemson dynasty set in place; but will Saban ever win another title?]( [Bohls: Clemson dynasty set in place; but will Saban ever win another title?]( While I got ya, here are nine things and one crazy prediction:1. [Read More »]( [Austin Spurs drop third straight contest]( [Austin Spurs drop third straight contest]( Drew Eubanks led all scorers with 26 points, but it wasn't enough as the Austin Spurs fell to the Oklahoma City Blue 104-92 in Oklahoma City Tuesday night. [Read More »]( [Texans look to bright future with Watson after playoff exit]( [Texans look to bright future with Watson after playoff exit]( HOUSTON — Houston's impressive turnaround after a 0-3 start ended in disappointment with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the wild-card round. [Read More »]( [Cowboys turn season from bust to playoff boom, trip to LA]( [Cowboys turn season from bust to playoff boom, trip to LA]( FRISCO — Before he knew the next opponent, owner Jerry Jones likened the recovery of his Dallas Cowboys from 3-5 to their first playoff win in four years to a boom-or-bust wagon train headed to California. [Read More »]( Opinion [Letters to the editor: Jan. 9, 2019]( [Letters to the editor: Jan. 9, 2019]( Sens. Cruz and Cornyn, you can end this shutdown and more. [Read More »]( [Commentary: Texas must stop the cycle that feeds child sex trafficking]( [Commentary: Texas must stop the cycle that feeds child sex trafficking]( Though often hidden from view, or thought of as something that happens outside of the developed first world, child sex trafficking is a sobering reality throughout the United States, including here in Texas. [Read More »]( [Commentary: Stricter work rules for SNAP recipients won t accomplish goal]( [Commentary: Stricter work rules for SNAP recipients won’t accomplish goal]( The Trump administration recently announced new rules that will tighten restrictions on who can receive SNAP benefits, or food stamps. [Read More »]( Nation [Manafort accused of sharing 2016 election data with Russians]( [Manafort accused of sharing 2016 election data with Russians]( WASHINGTON (AP) " Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared polling data during the 2016 presidential campaign with a business associate accused of having ties to Russian intelligence, and prosecutors say he lied to them about it, according to a court filing .The allegation marks the first time prosecutors with special counsel Robert Mueller's office have accused Trump's chief campaign aide of sharing election-related information with his Russian contacts. [Read More »]( [Trump pleads on TV for wall money; Dems say he stokes fear ]( [Trump pleads on TV for wall money; Dems say he ‘stokes fear’]( WASHINGTON (AP) " In a somber televised plea, President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night, blaming illegal immigration for what he called a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and framing the debate over the partial government shutdown in stark terms. "This is a choice between right and wrong," he declared. [Read More »]( [Los Angeles teachers are ready for first strike in 30 years]( [Los Angeles teachers are ready for first strike in 30 years]( LOS ANGELES (AP) " Teachers in Los Angeles, whose 640,000 students make it the nation's second-largest school district, are ready to strike Thursday over a contract dispute that follows teacher walkouts in other states that emboldened organized labor after a critical defeat at the U.S. Supreme Court. [Read More »]( World [US, China extend talks on trade battle for 3rd day]( [US, China extend talks on trade battle for 3rd day]( BEIJING (AP) " U.S. and Chinese envoys extended trade talks into a third day Wednesday after President Donald Trump said negotiations aimed at ending a tariff war were "going very well!"The two sides announced no details, but Asian stock markets rose on news of the decision to extend negotiations that originally were planned for two days. [Read More »]( [UK leader brings her ailing Brexit deal back to Parliament]( [UK leader brings her ailing Brexit deal back to Parliament]( LONDON (AP) " The British government is bringing its little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat. [Read More »]( [Australia considering resettlement for runaway Saudi woman]( [Australia considering resettlement for runaway Saudi woman]( BANGKOK (AP) " Australia will assess runaway Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun for settlement after the United Nations on Wednesday deemed her a refugee. [Read More »]( Austin360 [Season for Caring raises more than $900,000; donations continue through January]( [Season for Caring raises more than $900,000; donations continue through January]( In the six weeks since the Statesman launched its 20th Season for Caring on Nov. 25, we have been able to really change the lives of many of our 12 featured families. [Read More »]( [Beer-to-go sales at Texas breweries get another round in state legislature]( [Beer-to-go sales at Texas breweries get another round in state legislature]( Filed on the first day of Texas' 86th legislative session, two bipartisan bills would allow Texas breweries to sell beer-to-go directly from their taprooms - something they fought unsuccessfully for in the session two years ago. [Read More »]( [Which Bonnaroo and Coachella artists will play ACL Fest? Cardi B? Gambino? Phish?]( [Which Bonnaroo and Coachella artists will play ACL Fest? Cardi B? Gambino? Phish?]( The lineup for the Austin City Limits Music Festival won’t drop until May, but with the roster releases for Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California and the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee, we’re starting to get a sense of the artists working the mega fest circuit this year. 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