Daily Dispatch 1/11/24: ERCOT Boss Differs With Governor As Winter Blast Approaches, and More

Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The incoming winter weather should fall short of "historic" measure: https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/weather/forecasts/canadian-deep-freeze-steaming-towards-texas-is-it-historical ...While ERCOT issues a fresh weather watch: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/ercot-issues-weather-watch-ahead-of-arctic-blast/3430486/ ...Homeowners are advised to prepare pipes, plants and pets: https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-winter-weather-homeowners-plan ...And we're all reminded of the signs of hypothermia: https://www.newswest9.com/article/sports/outdoors/texas-outdoors/with-temperatures-expected-to-drop-in-west-texas-hypothermia-could-be-a-real-concern/513-76565658-b8bd-4f2c-9607-91c7de96b104 ...And in an epic case of bad timing, ERCOT's former CEO testifies that Governor Abbott ordered that energy prices remain at the maximum during Winter Storm Uri in 2021: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/former-ercot-ceo-following-gov-abbott-order-prices-at-max-cap-feb-2021-winter-storm/269-fe79947a-8ed2-4817-b4d5-037b72c46443 A heartbreaking story of a young Luling woman who died in the midst of a difficult pregnancy - possibly exacerbated by Texas' abortion care restrictions: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/01/15/abortion-high-risk-pregnancy-yeni-glick Special education programs at Texas public schools brace for a sudden $300 million denial of federal funding: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/special-education-funding-cut-18598018.php Texas lawmakers in D.C. are leading the impeachment effort against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/01/10/texas-republicans-mayorkas-impeachment/ Ken Paxton is pleading with the Texas Supreme Court to block a lower court's order for him to testify in that ongoing whistleblower lawsuit: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/paxton-asks-texas-supreme-court-to-block-sworn-testimony-in-whistleblower-case/ ...While the Texas Supreme Court declines to intervene on the behalf of a Texas secessionist group: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2024-01-10/texas-supreme-court-wont-take-up-secessionist-groups-push-to-get-texit-measure-on-gop-ball Texas A&M president Mark Welsh addresses a crank theory that A&M has sold out its nuclear weapons research to Qatar: https://www.kagstv.com/article/news/local/texas-am-president-clears-up-misinformation/499-66e2100d-e813-45c8-a727-6a124d0950e2 Progress Texas will help host a debate between Democratic candidates for U.S. House District 32 next week: https://www.mobilize.us/richardsonareademocrats/event/597311/ Thanks for listening! Please check out the several ways in which you can help support our ongoing work at https://progresstexas.org/.