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Congress questions Texas officials about power grid failure

Congress is looking into the cause of the power blackouts across Texas last month. A House panel planned to hear Wednesday, March 24, 2021, from officials who oversee the state's energy industry and electric grid. (AP Photo/LM Otero File)DALLAS – Congress is looking into last month’s massive and deadly power outages across Texas and questioning officials who oversee the state’s energy industry and electric grid. After outages in February 2011, Robb’s group recommended that Texas power plants needed better protection against winter storms. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Texas grid was designed for peak summer heat, and policymakers wrongly believed that the 2011 severe winter storm was an anomaly.

Houston police Chief Art Acevedo lands top Miami job; mayor calls him the Tom Brady of police chiefs

“We went out and got what I feel is America's best chief," said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez standing alongside Acevedo at a news conference Monday after describing him to The Miami Herald as the Tom Brady or Michael Jordan of police chiefs. He is replacing Chief Jorge Colina, who retired in February, becoming Miami’s fifth chief the past decade. And Acevedo announced a few weeks after the raid that the police department would no longer use no-knock warrants. AdOn Monday, Acevedo acknowledged the problem with bad policing and said he thought he brings a new perspective to the Miami Police Department. "Do not confuse kindness for weakness," Acevedo said regarding his gestures over the past year to advocate for police reform.

Suit seeks to stop massive $7 billion highway project in Houston

A protester holds a sign during a July 23, 2019, news conference in Houston where community advocates called for a delay in plans to expand Interstate 45. HOUSTON – A federal lawsuit was filed Thursday to stop a massive $7 billion highway widening project in Houston that local officials and community advocates say won’t improve the area’s traffic congestion and will disproportionately impact minority residents who would be displaced by the proposed construction. The proposed 10-year construction project would improve 24 miles along Interstate 45 and several other roadways, with a major remaking of how these thoroughfares go through downtown Houston. This project displaces communities and the project is bad for our health,” Hidalgo said. “They are supposed to study and incorporate the feedback from the community before they bulldoze the community into a project that is not appropriate,” Hidalgo said.

Austin officials say they'll continue requiring masks in public — but it's unclear how they'll be able to enforce the rule

Austin Mayor Steve Adler says enforcement of the mask rule will be limited. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneAustin and Travis County public health leaders say that they will continue requiring residents to wear masks in public, even though Gov. Austin authorities acknowledged that city governments alone can't impose mask orders, but argued that public health authorities can. Escott is the appointed public health physician and expert to whom our community entrusts our public health," Adler said. In a video message posted to Facebook late Tuesday, Adler said it's a Class C misdemeanor to violate the public health order.

Join The Texas Tribune for an interview with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on the role that Texas cities play in combating climate change

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner joins The Texas Tribune for a live event on March 11Cities are key contributors to climate change, as transportation, buildings and power plants are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Join The Texas Tribune at noon Central March 11 for a live interview with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, chair of the Climate Mayors coalition. AdThey’ll discuss the role that cities play in combating climate change and preparing for climate emergencies, such as hurricanes and winter storms. Previously, Turner served in the Texas House, representing parts of Houston, for more than 20 years. Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite Texas Tribune events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.

Biden to visit storm-ravaged Texas Friday

President Joe Biden speaks about the 500,000 Americans that died from COVID-19, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Washington. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday on CBS' “Face the Nation” the state of Texas should bear those “exorbitant costs," rather than residents. Biden previously tweeted about Texas and the other affected states, received regular updates from his staff and declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Biden spoke to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. Biden said last week that he hoped to travel to Texas but he didn't want his presence and the accompanying presidential entourage to distract from the recovery.

In Texas, attention turns to storm repairs, political peril

Her kitchen appeared mostly undamaged, but the plumber that cut into Espinoza’s wall found water had been pouring in underneath the floor. Many residents are unsure when they'll be able to make permanent repairs, what they'll have to pay out of pocket or even when they'll be able to go home. Roberto Valerio, a plumber in North Texas, said the broken pipes and other problems caused by the storm had led to “big chaos.”“We can’t find what we need easily,” he said. His office encouraged out-of-state plumbers to come fix Texas pipes. A rushing sound could be heard in Espinoza’s kitchen Saturday night, when Valerio turned the water back on.

Full transcript of "Face the Nation" on February 21, 2021

Plus, a revealing interview with the COVID-19 point person on former President Trump's National Security Council, Matt Pottinger. But we want to turn to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. JAKE SULLIVAN (National Security Adviser/@jakesullivan): Good morning. It's-- it's been widely reported that you went into the Oval Office alongside National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and told President Trump at the end of January that this would be the greatest national security threat that he ever faced. Matt, I mean, as a national security risk, did you ever look and say who exposed him and figure out how that happened?

cbsnews.com

State of Texas should pay for enormous energy bills after power outages, Houston mayor says

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Sunday called on the state of Texas to pay for the enormous electric bills that scores of Texans reported after severe winter weather knocked out power and rose energy prices. Frigid conditions last week caused major grid failures and skyrocketing demand that left millions of people without heat and electricity. Now, as power resumes for most of Texas, some households face utility bills as high as $10,000. The high utility bills in Texas are due to the state's unregulated power grid that's nearly cut off from the rest of the country. "These systems need to be weatherized … we need to open up the Texas grid."

cnbc.com

Rockets-Pacers game postponed because of Texas storm

Houston Rockets' John Wall, bottom, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Philadelphia. All rights reservedHOUSTON – The game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night was postponed because of continued utility shortages in the area from this week’s winter storm. Friday’s game against Dallas was called off on Thursday. The team said the decision was made after discussions with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the NBA. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Southern cities hit hard by storms face new crisis: No water

About 260,000 homes and businesses in the Tennessee county that includes Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems. And water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all incoming and outgoing Friday flights. Paul Lee Davis got to the front of the line at a water station set up by city officials only to have the water run out. Water service was restored Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials still were bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were canceled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said. AdMore than 192,000 Louisiana residents -- some still struggling to recover from last August's Hurricane Laura -- had no water service Friday, according to the state health department.

‘A complete bungle’: Texas’ energy pride goes out with cold

But hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding 4 million customers. Forcing controlled outages was the only way to avert an even more dire blackout in Texas, Magness said. The outages are the widest Texas' grid has suffered but hardly a first in winter. A decade ago, another deep February freeze created power shortages in Texas the same week the Super Bowl was played in Arlington. A federal report later flagged failures in the system, including power plants that are unable to stand up to extreme cold.

Power outages linger for millions as another icy storm looms

Nearly 3.4 million customers around the U.S. were still without electricity, and some also lost water service. More than 100 million people live in areas covered by some type of winter weather warning, watch or advisory, the weather service said. Weather-related outages have been particularly stubborn in Oregon, where some customers have been without power for almost a week. At the peak of the storm, more than 350,000 customers in the Portland area were in the dark. In Oregon, authorities confirmed Tuesday that four people died in the Portland area of carbon monoxide poisoning.