The State of Texas: March 4, 2016

Controversy of the Day

It seems like every week Texas has a new race issue making the news. The latest incident, in Austin, has been fodder for the local TV news and angry Internet saber-rattlers. In the end, the IHOP server who wrote the description below about the recipients of a to-go order has quit.

Server who printed "BLACK PPL" on receipt speaks out https://t.co/bkkiNLUnEc pic.twitter.com/xh4Emd2IhA

— FOX 7 Austin (@fox7austin) March 4, 2016

Daily Roundup

Cruzin’ — So how did the Texas senator do in Thursday night’s Republican debate? Not bad, if you consider that Cruz spent most of his time trying to deal with the great Trump problem he never thought he’d have. “As he has done since the beginning of Trump’s insurgent campaign, Cruz said he understands the voter frustration fueling the billionaire’s rise. But on Thursday night, Cruz delivered a much more forceful message to voters inclined to back Trump,” writes the Texas Tribune. “The debate … at the Fox Theatre saw Cruz exclusively focusing on Trump after a number of debates in which he clashed with both the billionaire and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. There were nonetheless plenty of fireworks Thursday night, leading Cruz to ask at one point how the debate would look in a general election. Cruz’s campaign later proclaimed him the “adult in the room.” Not that there weren’t some hiccups, subtle or otherwise. Cruz, weirdly, lambasted Trump with what amounted to his standard mad-libs attack against, well, anyone, saying “for 40 years, Donald has been part of the corruption in Washington that you’re angry about.” Which, no? Then there was the issue with that weird white thing on Cruz’s lip, which no one can really explain. In related news, it looks like Cruz has received his greatest endorsement yet. “I like Ted Cruz,” Caitlyn Jenner said during an interview that’s begun to make the rounds. “I think he’s very conservative, and a great constitutionalist, and a very articulate man,” she said. “I haven’t endorsed him or anything like that. But I also think, he’s an evangelical Christian, and probably one of the worst ones when it comes to trans issues.” So while he hasn’t been able to completely convince Trump supporters to come to his side, at least Cruz has one person in his corner.

Rowdy Rodeo — At least someone is keeping the tradition of old school rodeoing alive, even if death comes with it. The Dallas Morning News has a fascinating (and interactive!) look at local, Mexican-style rodeos, a.k.a. coleaderos, that are both the heart of local culture and more than a little dangerous. “Rodeos like these have operated in West Dallas and open land of southern Dallas County for decades. They attract dozens, if not hundreds, of participants and spectators. They sometimes cause traffic to back up on dark, narrow country roads of the county’s unincorporated areas,” explains the story. But, “in the last three years, Wilmer police, who respond to emergencies in nearby unincorporated areas, have been called out numerous times to the Mars Road site where [two performers] died. Those calls have included complaints about horses running into cars, people falling off horses and fights breaking out between participants. In one 911 recording, a caller told police that people were using saddles, whips and charging horses as weapons.” Despite the dangers and concerns by local law enforcement, the coleaderos appear to be going strong. It’s really only a matter of time before local authorities begin cracking down on this community tradition, but before they do, be sure to read the piece.

Grab’em All — If you’ve been runnin’ from the law, you better stay hidden as law enforcement is about to conduct the Great Texas Warrant Roundup starting this weekend. “More than 300 law enforcement departments will arrest people who have outstanding warrants such as delinquent traffic, Class-C misdemeanor citations or delinquent parking citations,” writes NBC-DFW. In case you think it’s about keeping the streets safe from dangerous criminals, the wording in the story suggests otherwise. “In Dallas County alone there are about 265,000 outstanding warrants, according to the county Sheriff’s Department, which equals about $76 million in unpaid fines and fees.” ABC13 mentions something similar when it lists “unpaid traffic tickets” first in a list of reasons for why “you could be on the list.” The fact is, you’re not likely to get a knock at the door if you have a minor traffic ticket, and going to jail or paying the fine are not the only two options, as the ACLU kindly reminds people.