This is TPR's roundup of the latest headlines and news developments. It provides a succinct and clear summary of the stories TPR is following.
Today's weather: Expect a high today of 80 and a low of 56. Warmer temperatures return next week.
The tropics: The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor two weak systems — one off Nicaragua's Caribbean coast and the other over the Atlantic Ocean. Neither is expected to intensify into dangerous systems in the coming days. The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.
Election 2024: Early voting in the November election begins on Oct. 21 and ends on Nov. 1. The ballot includes the presidential ticket as well as several statewide and local races. There will be nearly 50 polling locations open across Bexar County, including libraries, community centers, and universities. Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours will vary over the weekend. View a sample ballot here.
No clemency for Roberson; execution scheduled for tonight
The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied death row inmate Robert Roberson clemency in a “shaken baby syndrome" case from 2002. He is set to be executed at 6.pm. tonight.
The 57-year-old man has spent more than 20 years on death row and maintains his innocence. He was convicted for the death of his 2-year-old daughter who was thought to have died from being violently shaken. But she was sick with a fever and undiagnosed pneumonia at the time of her death.
Robert Dunham, director of the Death Penalty Policy Project, said the evidence against Roberson was inadequate.“The law is pretty clear that if the evidence is flawed," he explained, "and that without the flawed evidence the jury would've found the defendant not guilty, then the conviction or death sentence should be overturned.”
Roberson’s execution would make him the first person in the United States to be executed over the shaken baby syndrome.
City likely won't fund out-of-state abortion travel through Reproductive Justice Fund
Only two of the 10 organizations that applied for money through the fund said they would use it to pay for that travel, and Metro Health did not recommend them to receive funding.
The San Antonio City Council approved the $500,000 fund last year.
One of the desires for some of the funding from a majority of the council was that it be used for transportation for out-of-state abortions. District 6 Councilmember Melissa Cabello Havrda expressed her frustration with the apparent outcome facing the council. “We have a chance to really help women," she said, "and we’re choosing a safe, unsubstantial recommendation.”
Several council members left open the possibility that the council could ignore staff recommendations and approve funding for one of the organizations that did propose paying for out-of-state abortion travel.
Council committee discusses water service disconnects
A San Antonio council committee heard a proposal Wednesday that aims to address water service disconnections in apartment complexes.
Councilmembers Marina Alderete Gavito and Jalen McKee Rodriguez filed the Council Consideration Request (CCR) earlier this year after the San Antonio Water System shut off water to apartment complexes that were overdue on payments.
It proposes penalizing landlords directly when they continuously fail to pay the bills.
The Governance Committee voted to send the CCR to the Municipal Utilities Committee for further consideration.
FAA gives tentative OK to direct flights between San Antonio and Washington D.C.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to grant San Antonio International Airport one of the 10 new round-trip direct flights from Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan National Airport. The announcement of tentative approval was made on Wednesday.
San Antonio's local elected leaders and the entire congressional delegation battled for years to make such flights possible between the two cities, often pointing to the need to better connect "Military City USA" with the Pentagon in the nation's capital.
“Today marks a significant milestone for San Antonio as we get one step closer to securing a nonstop flight between SAT and DCA,” said San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg in a statement.
Democratic San Antonio Congressman Joaquin Castro was among the legislators who worked to secure the additional direct flights as part of the FAA Authorization Act of 2024. He said the flights will also benefit others outside of the military community.
Startup Week focuses on women and business
San Antonio Startup Week continues today at Geekdom’s downtown headquarters.
Wednesday’s theme was “Invest in Women,” and it brought in Cristal Glangchai, the founder of VentureLab, a non-profit that encourages young girls to embrace entrepreneurial thinking.
She explained that Venturelab has values to help young women grow their entrepreneurial mindset. "We always say entrepreneurship isn't just about starting a business. It's really a mindset and a way of thinking. And so for us, mindsets were always important -- whether it's opportunity, seeking, courage, resiliency, and I think a big one is failure."
San Antonio Startup Week continues through Friday. Learn more at SASW.co.
Masculinity dominates election season
Political watchers are noticing that the issue of masculinity is playing a large role in the presidential election.
Ronald Levant is author of the new book The Problem with Men. He said that Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance offer a version of masculinity that is focused on bullying, which Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz provide a type of masculinity that provides protection and nurturing.
“The Trump Vance campaign has lost most women," he explained to TPR's "The Source," "[and] the question is whether Harris and Walz can make up their gains with men, and they’re clearly trying with white men without college degrees by going to rural areas; they’re trying with Black and Latinx men by going to barbershops.”
The November election is less than three weeks away, and both parties are feeling the pressure to appeal to diverse Americans.
