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Experts warn ERCOT pause in maintenance could mean more breakdowns during summer

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Experts warn ERCOT pause in maintenance could mean more breakdowns during summer


AUSTIN, Texas — The state’s energy operator, ERCOT, is asking some power plants to pause scheduled maintenance this week because of rising temperatures that are expected to increase demand for power. With higher temperatures this spring, experts say changes are needed to the grid to handle future extreme weather event. 

ERCOT expects a spike in temperatures Tuesday night, bringing the energy demand close to the supply. ERCOT did not ask Texans to conserve electricity. Instead, some plants are asked to stop planned maintenance and instead supply energy.

“This is not uncommon for ERCOT to call for a halt to maintenance activities but when they do this defers the maintenance on these power plants and we see more breakdowns during the summer,” said Ed Hirs, a University of Houston Energy Fellow. 

With hundreds of people moving to the state every day, some energy leaders want to see a shift from fixing the grid to investing in the future of it. 

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“Our companies continually invest in the infrastructure of the grid both in the transmission distribution space but also in the generation space. We just need more electrons on the grid to serve the people of Texas and the industries of Texas,” said Mike Bell, president of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas. 

Last fall voters approved the Texas Energy fund, and $5 billion was allocated from the state budget surplus to repair existing power plants and toward low-interest loans to develop new power plants. 

“If I were a big generation company with a bunch of units, I would not really be wanting to add or bring back three or four power plants because I would know that by doing so, I would only keep the price down,” said Hirs. “I would much rather see a squeeze and see the price go up like it’s forecast to do for this afternoon. And well make a significant profit at the expense of normal Texas.” 

Advocates for solar power want to see lawmakers invest in other energy sources to decrease the dependability on the grid. 

“Most solar homeowners use their own solar. They don’t use the grid while the sun is shining and so that is an automatic reduction in demand,” said Pete Parsons with the Texas Solar Energy Society. 

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ERCOT expects the power emergency to end Wednesday, but experts predict as temperatures rise this summer so will people’s energy bills.



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Is Matthew McConaughey Running For Governor? Why Campaign Signs Have Been Spotted In Austin, Texas | Whiskey Riff

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Is Matthew McConaughey Running For Governor? Why Campaign Signs Have Been Spotted In Austin, Texas | Whiskey Riff


Is Matthew McConaughey finally throwing his name into the hat of politics?

The Oscar-winning actor and author has been teasing a political run for years. Back in 2024, McConaughey really seemed to be entertaining a run for the governor of Texas. During the election year, the man known for such hit films as Interstellar and Dazed and Confused was asked about his interest again and again.

When he spoke with Forbes about the matter, he didn’t immediately shut the idea down. Rather, he thinks it’s something that he could enter into after he learns more about it:

“Yes. I have thought about running for office, getting into this category. I’m on a learning tour and have been for probably the last six years of understanding what this category means. Do I have instincts, intellect that it would be a good fit for me and I would be a good fit for it. That would be useful. I’m still on that learning tour, and, you know, days like this. I’m learning a lot.”

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So considering the fact that “McConaughey for Governor” campaign signs have been spotted in Texas recently, could his learning tour be over?

Lone Star State residents have been freaking out as signage for a Matthew McConaughey political run have popped up in North Texas. People have even reported seeing billboards and yard signs teasing the actor’s transition into politics. In addition, social media users have seen (and videoed) various campaign set ups, and even a large stage installation, on various occasions. As you might imagine, those have gone viral on social media.

Here’s a video of the aforementioned stage installation, which features Texas flags all over the place and “McConaughey for Governor” signs that have a tagline that harkens back to one of his most famous movie roles:

“Be Pretty Cool if You Voted.”

But here’s the deal… Matthew McConaughey is not running for governor of Texas, even though Texans would be alright, alright, alright with him doing so.

As the caption included in FOX4’s post describes, the sightings of “McConaughey for governor” signs are actually for an upcoming Apple TV+ show that will feature Matthew playing a fictionalized version of himself:

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“These highly realistic visuals are merely props for ‘Brothers,’ an upcoming Apple TV+ comedy series where McConaughey plays a fictionalized version of himself running for political office alongside his close friend, actor Woody Harrelson.”

So to be clear, anything and everything that Texas residents have seen about a potential McConaughey gubernatorial run are actually just realistic (and based on the internet’s response, confusing) set pieces. You can’t blame people for thinking that it might have been real with the Oscar winner publicly showing interest in running for governor in 2022, and teasing political runs in the years since.

While knowing that he isn’t running for office might be a let down, it’s fun to hear that he and Woody Harrelson will be working on a show together that will soon find a home on Apple TV+. And hey, this all might be for a TV series… but maybe they are also doing all of this to gauge how the public would respond to McConaughey running?

Sorry, I’ll take my tinfoil hat off…

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Texas Longhorn fans prepare to travel for showdown in Georgia

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Texas Longhorn fans prepare to travel for showdown in Georgia


Texas fans will make the stampede across the southeastern portion of the United States to Athens, Georgia, as the No. 10 Longhorns clash with the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs this upcoming Saturday.

Charlie Dunn, a dedicated Texas Longhorns fan and alumnus, is continuing a cherished tradition of attending road games with his father. “I tell people that I was brainwashed as a young child to go there,” Dunn said. This weekend, the father-son duo will travel to Athens to take in Saturday’s contest inside Sanford Stadium. “For the first time, we get to go, like, to their stadium, which I think is going to be awesome to see,” Dunn added.

They will be joined by thousands of fellow Longhorn fans, including 60 members of the Texas Exes organization. Margaret Williams, travel director for Texas Exes, expressed excitement about the new travel opportunities in the SEC. “It’s really fun now that we’re in the SEC because obviously there’s a lot of new sort of like, you know, travel destinations that we’ve never gone to before,” she said.

The Texas Exes Atlanta Chapter is preparing to welcome alumni and fans with open arms. “They’ll definitely have some warm Texas Longhorn arms to land in regardless of whether they’re in Athens or if they’re in Atlanta,” said Hunter Miranda, fundraising chair for the chapter.

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The group is holding a welcome party and happy hour on Friday at Botica, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

“For those of us living in Atlanta as Texas fans, we’ve been waiting for the Longhorns to be a part of the SEC,” said chapter vice president Ryan Esparza.

For those unable to attend the game, a watch party is planned. “A really large crew who maybe weren’t able to get tickets are going to be joining the watch party,” said Esparza, with Miranda mentioning that door prizes will be given out.

Despite the competitive atmosphere, Texas fans remain confident. “We’ve got a lot of Bulldogs around us, and they like to have their voices be heard when they’re better than us. So I would like to very much be able to quiet them,” Esparza said. Williams added, “I mostly wanna say Hook ’em Horns, let’s go get ’em.”

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Anyone interested in attending any of the events held by the Atlanta chapter of the Texas Exes is encouraged to contact the chapter.



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Woman dies after vehicle veers off road, hits her at East Austin bus stop

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Woman dies after vehicle veers off road, hits her at East Austin bus stop


A woman sitting at a bus stop in East Austin has died after being struck by a vehicle that veered off the road Wednesday night.

The Austin Police Department reported that the incident occurred on Riverside Drive, where the vehicle left the roadway, hitting the victim.

She was transported to the hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS, where she succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.

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All eastbound lanes of East Riverside Drive between Royal Crest and Burton Dr are closed.

The scene remains active as the investigation continues.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.



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