With the 89th Texas Legislature set to convene on January 14, political activity in Austin is beginning to increase. A variety of Senate and House Committees met earlier this week and more and more members of the legislature are showing up in Austin supper clubs and restaurants. In the midst of this climate is what appears to be a very active race for the Speaker of the House. Speaker Dade Phelan, fresh from a primary runoff win, is returning to the Texas House and he wants his old job as Speaker back. The primary contest was launched against him by his own party leadership as retribution for the House’s impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. 

In a continued display of Republican internecine warfare, five Republicans have filed to run against Phelan for the Speaker position. Republican candidates to date are:

Dade Phelan (R)                                                                                                                      Beaumont                                                                                                                                                                 Current Speaker  Member Since 2013  

Tom Oliverson (R)                                                                                                                                                        Cypress                                                                                                                                                                        Member since 2017                                                                                                                                                     Chair Insurance

Shelby Slawson  (R)                                                                                                                                                 Granbury                                                                                                                                                                  Member since 2021

David Cook (R)                                                                                                                                                         Mansfield                                                                                                                                                                    Member since 2021

James Frank (R)                                                                                                                                                        Wichita Falls                                                                                                                                                         Member since 2013                                                                                                                                                 Chair Human Services Committee

John Smithee (R)                                                                                                                                                 Amarillo                                                                                                                                                                       Member since 1985                                                                                                                                                        Not currently in leadership (best known as longtime chair of Insurance Committee)

One Democrat has filed but her chances do not look good.

Ana-Maria Ramos (D)                                                                                                                                                  Dallas                                                                                                                                                                         Member since 2019 

To make matters worse, a not-so-secret meeting was held earlier today with roughly 25 or so Republicans showing up for an Austin area meeting focused on coalescing behind a challenger to Speaker Phelan. Whether the intention was to support an existing challenger or a new challenger is not known at this time.

Phelan’s office released the following lengthy statement in response to the meeting:

A former long-time  state representative remarked in a phone conversation that, “There will be people who purport to know what is happening during this race but no one ever really seems to know.” As an established Austin lobbyist that has worked the Capitol since the 1980s said “This is a very fluid situation.” 

The meeting was allegedly orchestrated by the far right wing of the Republican party as almost all of  those in attendance were the same ones who signed a letter opposing Democratic Chairs in the Texas House.

Rumor around the Capitol is that some members are being threatened with primary opponents should they support Phelan. The quandary they are in with such a threat is that Phelan may stifle their legislation next session if they support one of his challengers.

Such intra party infighting has become all too common in state legislatures across the nation as they begin to mimic the U.S. Congress with purity tests and interpersonal vituperativeness.  Of course, the real losers are the taxpayers that these lawmakers represent.

Austin, TX — In Austin, Grandmaster Dawn Owens is transforming lives through Taekwondo, a passion she’s nurtured for over 45 years. Starting her journey in a YMCA in Illinois, Owens achieved her 1st Dan black belt in 1983 and has been a beacon of dedication ever since. Now an 8th Dan black belt, she’s one of only a few women globally to hold this rank, and the fourth American female to earn such an honor.

Owens, who has taught at the Northwest Austin YMCA for over 21 years, emphasizes that Taekwondo is more than just kicking and punching. “Teaching people is not just about martial arts but about making them better individuals—more confident, self-aware, and resilient,” Owens explains. Her classes range from young children to adults, embodying her belief that self-defense is crucial for everyone. “I think it’s very important that everybody learns a sense of self-defense. It gives them confidence and makes them more aware of their surroundings,” she adds.

Through her teaching, Owens has seen firsthand the positive impact of Taekwondo. “I’ve had students who’ve grown closer to their families through this sport and others who have turned their passion into careers,” she says. Her dedication extends beyond the dojo, with her achievements inspiring many and her community involvement deepening her connection to those she teaches.

She encourages anyone and everyone to sign up!

Learn more about the YMCA’s Martial Arts programs here.

Here is list of Taekwondo classes/events coming up:

>Dawn will run a Taekwondo activity at the Northwest Austin YMCA’s annual Halloween event on Saturday, October 26, 5:30-7:30 pm Spooktacular: The Mysterious Trick-or-Treat Trail.

>Ongoing classes at the Northwest Austin YMCA: All Levels: Ages 6 – Adult, Monday & Wednesday: 6:45; Sunday: Beginners 3:30 pm and Advanced 4:30 pm.

Register to attend 1 time, 2 times, or 3 times a week

>Kids Club: Ages 6-10, Monday & Wednesday, 4:15pm

>The next Self-Defense Workshop is Saturday Nov 16th from 2pm-4pm at the Northwest YMCA. Sign up here.

Learn more about the Greater Austin YMCA here. Right now you can sign up for a 7-day trial pass at all 8 locations: $0 join fee (up to $49 value) until 9/30.

Financial assistance is available. Greater Austin YMCA is a nonprofit organization.

AUSTIN, Texas – Illegal border crossings in south Texas are down, and the state is in the process of making some adjustments to Operation Lone Star. 

Details about the revamping came out Thursday during a hearing before members of the State Senate Committee on Border Security. The committee is gathering information to prepare for the regular session, which starts in January. 

Officials with the State National Guard revealed that two of the four operation base camps, one in Laredo and one north of Eagle Pass, will be shut down. A base camp near Del Rio is also being downsized. 

The change is because of the new and larger forward base camp that opened in Eagle Pass earlier this year. Morale among guard members reportedly has improved after mission assignments got better focus and facility upgrades were made by the state. 

Major Gen. Thomas Suelzer, the Adjutant General for the State of Texas, told the committee that 18 different states have sent National Guard members to Texas to help with Operation Lone Star.

“What we say to these states is, we will obviously accept all the help we can get. We will ask, we have these types of missions. Is there any type of mission you wouldn’t want to do, or you would like to do? Would you like to send an engineering set of personnel to do engineering and put up a barrier, or do you want to do security points? And then we go through kind of a negotiation process that goes through a state process that would occur during any state declared emergency and solidify that and then they come out. So, we’ve had states that have come out, agreed to come for a whole year, some that have agreed to come for just a few months,” said Suelzer.

MORE IMMIGRATION NEWS

The committee was also told that deployments of state troopers have also been reduced to seven-day rotations. Recent trooper academy graduations are helping to address a staffing shortage, which is now at 540 vacancies, and that has reduced longer deployments.

However, DPS Director Steve McCraw and others who testified said more resources are needed to address the stress related to the continued deployments.

“There was a time one of our operations, we called it Operation Strong Safety. And many members called it Operation Imminent Divorce. And that because it was a longer-term deployment at the time, and we had to send larger numbers, and we didn’t have the benefit of being able to enhance trooper positions in the area of operation. So, there’s no question that it’s very difficult to be, you know, all places at all times and maintain the level of intensity that need to be in and still have family life and be able to be, you know, so we can sustain our workforce,” said McCraw.

Operation Strong Safety took place in 2014 during a surge in migrants. The last time there was a force reduction on the border was back in 2022. The committee was told a larger scale back of personnel on the border is not advised because there is still the threat of another surge in illegal crossings and El Paso remains a hot zone, especially for a dangerous gang known as TDA.

“They’re still probing. They are still cutting fences. They are still trying to create the type of gaps we saw before, and rush hundreds in, and take that combative, riotous type of stance that they’ve done before. So, they have not gone away,” warned McCraw.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

During the hearing, McCraw noted there was a 56,000% increase in the number of Venezuelans apprehended in Texas between 2000 and 2023. According to McCraw, since February 2021, there have been over 93,000 arrests in Texas of individuals classified as criminal migrants. Several cases involve things like drunk driving, but 4,100 cases involved felonies like sexual assault and murder. Since 2021, about $11 billion has been allocated to Operation Lone Star. 

Immigration advocates who testified Thursday called it a wasteful program and a boondoggle. Jaime Puente, director of Economic Opportunity, claimed Operation Lone Star has not significantly affected the number of migrants apprehended compared to other border states like Arizona.

“State leadership continues to establish policy based on dehumanizing rhetoric and unverified claims of success. Texans deserve policies that harness the productive power of people seeking refuge and asylum in the United States, not the wasteful, destructive policies of Governor Abbott’s Operation Lone Star,” said Puente.