MRT: First Human Case of Avian Flu Confirmed; Immigration Record at Heart of Phelan Primary Runoff; Tesla Doubles TX Employment
Here's What You Know in Texas Today.
MustReadTexas.com – @MustReadTexas
BY: @MattMackowiak
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TUESDAY – 04/02/24
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TOP NEWS
“Severe t-storm warning issued for southern Dallas County, NWS says,” Dallas Morning News' Hojun Choi and Tyler Davis -- “Multiple parts of North Texas were hit with severe and strong storms Monday evening, and a cold front expected to bring colder conditions to the region early this week, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth.
Storms developed west of the Interstate 35 corridor and impacted the Dallas-Fort Worth area in the early evening hours, said weather service meteorologist Steve Fano.
Shortly after 8:15 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southern Dallas County and southeastern Tarrant County through 9:15 p.m. Other parts of Tarrant County were included in an earlier warning." DMN
“First human case of avian flu in Texas raises alarm,” Politico's Adam Cancryn and David Lim -- “A Texas dairy worker has tested positive for the avian flu, marking the first identified human case of an illness in the U.S. that has sickened cattle across several states over the past few weeks.
The infection, only the second human case of H5N1 ever recorded in the country, is worrying public health experts who for decades have cautioned that avian flu could pose a serious threat.
The case is the only one state and federal officials have identified, and there is no evidence that it is being spread among humans. The illness is mild and the worker is expected to recover, said two people familiar with the matter, who were granted anonymity because the information has not yet been made public. While there have been confirmed avian flu fatalities in other parts of the world, the U.S. has only ever recorded a handful of mild cases, according to the CDC.
The new human case follows recent cow infections in Texas, Idaho, Michigan and New Mexico that have raised alarm among public health experts who worry the virus’ spread to mammals could make it easier for the virus to infect humans. …
The CDC, FDA and U.S. Department of Agriculture said the virus was found in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from herds in Texas. The USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories said the Michigan strain is very similar to the cow infections in Texas and Kansas, which appear to have come from wild birds." Politico
“DEA indicts Mexican cartel members on drug trafficking charges,” Houston Chronicle's John Wayne Ferguson -- “The charges are the first stemming from a DEA-led investigation into a drug smuggling operation run by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, an organization that the agency has called one of the "most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world."
The Justice Department on Monday announced 41 people had been indicted on 50 counts as a result of a five-year investigation dubbed "Operation: Rainmaker", according to a news release. Of those people, 23 were arrested from March 25 to March 27 during a joint operation in five states. In Texas, arrests were made in and around Houston, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and McAllen, according the justice department. Another three had already been arrested, and two are dead, officials said.
“Countless American lives have been lost because of the Jalisco and Sinaloa Cartels,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in the release. “Over the past three years, the Justice Department has zeroed in on these cartels, and with these arrests of dozens of Jalisco Cartel associates, we are taking yet another step in our fight to dismantle these deadly organizations.”
The operation was meant to dismantle the "highest-level criminal organizations."
The indictment accuses cartel members and their associates distributed drugs into the United States from Dec. 28, 2018, to April 22, 2020. The drugs were tracked to Houston, Galveston, New Orleans, Pensacola, Atlanta, Nashville and Chicago, according to the department.
The cartel's leader, Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, was among the people indicted. Zamudio-Mendoza was believed to be in Mexico." Houston Chronicle
SAEN: “Tesla doubles Texas employment as Elon Musk-led EV maker keeps growing” SAEN
WSJ: Mike Toth guest column: “Green shareholders try to sabotage America's energy industry” WSJ
AAS: “It has been a great honor': Uvalde Mayor Cody Smith abruptly resigns effective immediately” AAS
AAS: “Austin appoints airport CEO, ending yearlong period of temporary leadership” AAS
TX TRIB: “House Speaker Dade Phelan's immigration record central in bid to oust him” Texas Tribune
HOU CHRON: “Gov. Greg Abbott to fundraise in NYC amid border feud with mayor” Houston Chronicle
HOU CHRON: “Harris County 2022 election results are back on trial” Houston Chronicle
AAS: “Senate Education Committee is warning to comply with anti-DEI law. Here's why” AAS
HOU CHRON: “Texas state. Sen. Royce West to represent Chiefs' Rashee Rice” Houston Chronicle
EXTRA POINTS
Last night's Texas sports scores:
> MLB: Astros 10, Blue Jays 0 Houston Chronicle (no hitter)
> MLB: Rangers 9, Rays 3 DMN
Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 5:50pm: MLB: Rangers at Rays
> 7pm: NBA: Rockets at Timberwolves
> 7:10pm: MLB: Blue Jays at Astros
> 8pm: NBA: Spurs at Nuggets
> 9pm: NBA: Mavericks at Warriors (TNT)
TEXAS RANGERS: “Texas Rangers 3B Josh Jung suffers fractured wrist after being hit by pitch" DMN
SMU FOOTBALL: “How S.M.U., once the rogue of college sports, got back to the big time" New York Times
SMU MEN'S BASKETBALL: Sherrington: “Can Andy Enfield bring the buzz back to SMU basketball?" DMN
DALLAS COWBOYS: “Cowboys NFL draft needs: QB isn't high on Dallas' list" DMN
TEXAS SWIMMING: “Hall of Fame swim coach Bob Bowman will replace Eddie Reese at Texas" AAS