Austin, TX
Houston power politics, big changes in 2024 race: This Week in Texas Politics
Houston power outages; Kamala Harris campaign
FOX 7 Austin chief political reporter Rudy Koski and his panel of experts speak on this edition of This Week in Texas Politics
AUSTIN, Texas – This week saw big changes in the 2024 presidential race with President Joe Biden dropping out and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as the continued impact on the Houston area from Hurricane Beryl.
FOX 7 Austin’s Chief Political Reporter Rudy Koski and our panel of analysts take a look at This Week in Texas Politics.
RUDY KOSKI: This week in Texas politics, got presidential and also kind of got into the dirt, literally. Let’s get the headlines from our panel and we’ll start first with Brad Johnson with the Texan News. Brad, what’s your headline for the week?
BRAD JOHNSON/ TEXAN NEWS: How many more game changing events are on the horizon?
RUDY KOSKI: Annie Spielman with MainStreet Relations. What’s your headline?
ANNIE SPILEMAN/ MAINSTREET RELATIONS: Austin’s DECA announces historic $1 million small business loan fund.
RUDY KOSKI: Patrick Svitek with the Washington Post. What’s your headline?
PATRICK SVITEK/ WASHINGTON POST: Democrats have a likely new presidential nominee.
RUDY KOSKI: Top officials with CenterPoint went before the PUC Thursday and issued an apology. More hearings are promised. So do you think that this crisis remains an issue when the session starts?
ANNIE SPILEMAN/ MAINSTREET RELATIONS: I want to note two things here. You know, I don’t just think that the power companies will be front and center at the chopping block. We’re going to see leaders bring in the property and casualty insurance companies, front and center as well. Secondarily, I want to mention in 2021, the business community worked with the Texas Legislature to create a program that would create a temporary emergency loan program for small business owners. But the problem is, is that program was never funded.
RUDY KOSKI: A statehouse hearing was held this week on how to prevent hostile nations from buying Texas land. Brad, this was supposed to be more of a reboot of legislation that failed to pass in the past session. Then all of a sudden, it kind of morphed into a much broader issue on cyberattacks.
BRAD JOHNSON/ TEXAN NEWS: These issues all meld into one. It starts with the land purchases. It’s not surprising at all that it’s going to take that route. The biggest thing for me, though, is it’s this question of, on the land front, competing interests between national security and private property rights, the ability to sell your property to whom you want for how much you want. How do you find that balance? I really don’t know. That’s going to be a tough task for lawmakers.
VP Kamala Harris visits Houston
Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop in Houston at the American Federation of Teachers convention.
RUDY KOSKI: Vice President Harris brought her presidential campaign to Texas, speaking to a teacher union group there in Houston. But just before [her] going on and speaking, on Capitol Hill, House members passed a resolution condemning her work dealing with legal immigration. Regardless of how you know, you want to describe it, was she a border czar or not? And Patrick, even a few Democrats voted for that resolution, Henry Cuellar among them.
PATRICK SVITEK/ WASHINGTON POST: No, I wasn’t surprised to see some Democratic crossover support for that resolution. That issue is no doubt going to be one of Kamala Harris’s biggest political liabilities as she takes over the Democratic presidential ticket.
RUDY KOSKI: Earlier in the week, Texas Democrats, who are delegates to the party’s convention, that’s going to happen, later on in August, up in Chicago, jumped on the Harris bandwagon. And was it what does the business community want to hear when the DNC starts up?
ANNIE SPILEMAN/ MAINSTREET RELATIONS: You know, business owners want to hear if anything has or will change in regard to her talking points from 2020, when she ran for president and during her time in the Senate in regard to economic politics. Will she be Biden 2.0 or make her way economically?
How does Biden’s exit change the race?
So much has happened so fast since President Biden announced he would not seek reelection just days ago. In that time, Vice President Kamala Harris has catapulted to the front as the presumptive Democratic nominee
RUDY KOSKI: Brad, Texas Democrats think that maybe, just maybe, all this energy that Harris is generating could help them flip some statehouse seats and be a defense against school choice. What are you hearing?
BRAD JOHNSON/ TEXAN NEWS: I heard Republicans say yesterday, they think it’s possible they lose three seats in the House. That’ll be a problem for Republicans on the school choice front. Probably not the death knell, but it would be a difficulty. Also, that would significantly impact the Speaker’s race.
RUDY KOSKI: As for school choice, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick accused House Speaker Dade Phelan of not listing that topic as a top priority in a budget document leading up to the session. Feeling on Friday swung back, claiming there are hearings on education, have already begun. Annie, clearly, what we’re seeing, there’s not going to be a cooldown in August regarding this issue, right?
ANNIE SPILEMAN/ MAINSTREET RELATIONS: This is all kind of new territory. And I think this goes to show that when we go into next session, you know, it’s going to be really hard for, for groups to be trying to move their legislation forward.
Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee dies
U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who was known by many in Houston for her hard work and public service, passed away at the age of 74.
RUDY KOSKI: Now, a congressional seat is up for grabs. One that was held by, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, who recently passed away. Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is among the names being tossed around right now as a possible successor. Patrick, what are you hearing up on Capitol Hill as who’s going to throw their hat in the ring on this one?
PATRICK SVITEK/ WASHINGTON POST: What’s fascinating here is it’s going to be, you know, the way that this election is going to be handled is is rather unique. We’ve seen it happen before in Texas, but it doesn’t happen all the time. But what’s going to happen is that the Democratic Party Precinct Chairs in Harris County are going to meet, likely in mid August, and select a replacement nominee. The governor does have the power to call a special election. But why give the Democrats won more seats that they currently now don’t have.
RUDY KOSKI: You can catch our longer discussion on the Fox7 YouTube page, but let’s wrap things up right now with one word, and we’ll start with Annie. What’s your one word for the week?
ANNIE SPILEMAN/ MAINSTREET RELATIONS: Deluge?
PATRICK SVITEK/ WASHINGTON POST: Kamala.
BRAD JOHNSON/ TEXAN NEWS: Patrick stole mine. I was gonna say Kamala, too. I’ll go with Feuding.
RUDY KOSKI: And that is This Week in Texas Politics.
SXSW 2026 continued its run with another exciting day of live music across Austin, Texas, as Day Four brought together a mix of rising artists and standout performances. From packed venues to intimate showcases, the festival once again delivered a dynamic range of sounds and styles.
Photographer Kirk Stauffer captures the energy of Day Four through a collection of live performance moments that highlight the diversity and creativity of SXSW. From high-energy sets to more intimate performances, these images reflect another memorable day at one of the world’s premier music festivals.
Take a look at some of our favorite moments from Day Four of SXSW 2026.
TTSSFU SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Mohawk
TTSSFU returned to the stage at Mohawk during SXSW 2026 with another electrifying performance. Known for a bold sound and commanding presence, their set brought high energy and intensity to one of Austin’s most iconic venues.
Panic Shack SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Mohawk
Panic Shack brought a fun, high-energy punk performance to Mohawk during SXSW 2026. With infectious energy and a playful stage presence, their set kept the crowd engaged and added to the electric atmosphere of the venue.
Saige Davis SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Antone’s
Saige Davis delivered a soulful and engaging performance at Antone’s during SXSW 2026. With expressive vocals and a strong stage presence, her set created a memorable moment in one of Austin’s most historic music venues.
Better Joy SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Marlow
Better Joy performed at Marlow during SXSW 2026, delivering an engaging set that blended indie sensibilities with an upbeat and vibrant sound. Their performance added to the diverse lineup of artists showcased throughout the festival.
Zoe Tan SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Las Perlas
Zoe Tan took the stage at Las Perlas during SXSW 2026 with a performance that blended style and substance. With a strong presence and engaging sound, her set contributed to the vibrant energy of the venue.
Hana Lili SXSW 2026 Photos – Live at Swan Dive
Hana Lili delivered a captivating performance at Swan Dive during SXSW 2026, blending indie pop melodies with heartfelt songwriting. Her set created an intimate connection with the audience and highlighted her growing presence as an emerging artist.
Stay tuned for Day 5 SXSW 2026 coverage from Guitar Girl Magazine, including additional photo galleries and artist spotlights from Austin.
Austin, TX
Austin music leaders rethink the idea of ‘selling out’ as business support becomes a necessity
More than 60 years after Willie Nelson brought the hippies and the rednecks together at the Armadillo World Headquarters and helped forge Austin’s identity as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” the city continues to enjoy an outsized influence on the global music scene.
Maggie Phillips, music supervisor for Deep Cut Music, attributes this in part to Austin’s isolation, both geographically and economically, from the music industry hubs in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville.
“We don’t have the business influencing bands as much as we do on the coasts,” she said Saturday during a panel at the inaugural KUT Fest. “And because of that, I feel like the art, the music, that people make here is art for art’s sake and music for music’s sake, and it has a very DIY, punk attitude toward creating.”
As rising costs and massive growth change the city’s demographics, how Austin can continue to be a welcoming place for musicians — and keep them here — are becoming increasingly important questions for city leaders and people in the industry.
“I think our city is going through a bit of an identity crisis,” musician Alejandro Rose-Garcia, who goes by Shakey Graves, said, pointing to parallels in changes in the city and the music business. “All the arts are going through a bit of an identity crisis. When I was growing up, ‘selling out’ was a hill to die on. Now, that’s changed. The reality of the situation is that musicians can’t just sit back and play music all the time; you have to be a self-marketing machine.”
Isak Kotecki for KUT News
Preserving that rich history of creative freedom while navigating the new realities of making a living in the arts here is the mission of the city’s new Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment Department. Director Angela Means said she wants the city to be a conduit for artists to connect with the new businesses and industry moving to Austin.
To have an environment where creatives thrive, she said, there needs to be support systems for artists as well as collaboration with all of the parties who want to call Austin home.
While nobody in attendance was thrilled with the idea of a Tesla Stage at The Continental Club, the panelists all recognized the need for financial support for music to remain a fixture in Austin. Longtime Austin City Limits Executive Producer Terry Lickona tried to imagine ways these partnerships could work.
“I wouldn’t complain, say, if a local Austin-based startup tech company that was successful wanted to give back in a way by supporting the music scene by putting their name on a stage without messing with the creative side of things,” he said, “or taking away from the history or legacy of what was there to begin with.”
Means said the city recognizes the difficulty in managing corporate influence in creative spaces, but still believes it’s one of the best ways to protect the artists and venues that make Austin so unique.
“Where is that fine line, and is there a model that will work for Austin, Texas?” she asked. “It will absolutely have to include partnering with our business community to be sustainable.”
The Dell Technologies logo is prominently displayed at the company’s pavilion during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on March 5, 2026.
ROUND ROCK, Texas – Dell Technologies is looking to make some changes.
Its Board of Directors unanimously approved Monday to change the legal home of Dell Technologies from Delaware to Texas. The change is pending a vote by stockholders later this year.
What they’re saying:
According to a release, the redomestication would align Dell Technologies’ state of incorporation with its roots and long-standing center of operations.
The company was founded in Austin in 1984 and its global headquarters, chairman and chief executive officer, and the largest concentration of its U.S. workforce are all based in Texas.
“From my dorm room at the University of Texas in 1984 to our headquarters today in Round Rock, Texas has given Dell what every great company needs to grow — extraordinary talent, world-class research universities, and a business environment that lets us build for the long term,” said chairman and CEO Michael Dell in a release. “Texas is where Dell has innovated, expanded, and invested for more than four decades, and bringing our legal home to Texas reflects what we’ve been building here all along.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott celebrated the news on social media, saying: “Welcome home, @Dell. For over 40 years, Texas has been where @MichaelDell built and innovated. Now, Dell Technologies is bringing its legal home to Texas. This is what happens when job creators and innovators are welcomed, not punished. More businesses are sure to follow.”
What’s next:
The change, if approved by stockholders, will not affect business operations, management, strategy, assets or employee locations.
Stockholders will have a chance to vote on the redomestication at the 2026 annual meeting on June 25.
Dig deeper:
This move comes after Michael and Susan Dell became UT Austin’s first-ever billion-dollar supporters.
The Dells announced a new investment in the university in late April, which represents one of the largest-ever philanthropic commitments to any U.S. university.
The Source: Information in this report comes from Dell Technologies and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office.
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