Local COVID stats continue dropping with our hospitalization rate now within five points of Stage 2 range - Austin and Travis County health officials have again dropped our official local precaution level from Stage 4 to Stage 3. Election results from the mid-term primary are mostly finalized, Governor Greg Abbott surpassed a field of right-wing challengers to secure nomination for re-election while Democrat Beto O'Rourke did the same on his side of the aisle. Other candidates progressing to November with no runoff include Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, former Austin City Council member Greg Casar in U.S. House District 35, sitting U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggett who moved from District 35 to the new Austin-centered District 37, incumbent Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller and Democratic challenger Susan Hays, and incumbent State Comptroller Glenn Hegar. There will be runoffs on both sides of the Texas Attorney General race, as controversial incumbent Ken Paxton, fell short of 50% and will face Republican challenger George P Bush in May, on the Democratic side of that race Rochelle Garza and Joe Jaworski will go again as well, lots more to cover in the podcast this morning. Chip Roy cruises to re-nomination for U.S. House District 21, just days after voting against a Federal anti-lynching bill. Today is Texas Independence Day, marking the 186th anniversary of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico on this date in 1836. Today also sees the beginning of Amplify Austin Day - hundreds of local charities and non-profits are hoping for your help as part of the annual day of giving that has grown into a multi-million dollar opportunity for Austinites doing good works, starts at 6 tonight and runs through 6pm on Thursday. An Austin man has been arrested in an investigation into his actions in Washington D.C. during the January 6 insurrection. Several Austin chefs and restaurants are conducting fundraisers for the resistance in Ukraine. Elon Musk's Boring Company sees a development snafu as officials in Bastrop have more questions about their plans. Austin-based YETI has begun pulling its products from large hardware retailers in a marketing strategy shift. The Hot Luck Festival announces its full chef lineup, and SXSW announces appearances by Dolly Parton, Beto O'Rourke, Japanese Breakfast aka Michelle Zauner and Pete Buttigieg. Austin is ranked among U.S. cities in which middle class residents can't afford housing. And more nice weather's on the way as a warming trend continues.
