Five stories that have North Texas talking: the earthquake tally continues to climb in the Dallas area; Texas abortion restrictions are in the spotlight today; will the cowboy hat become the official hat of Texas?; and more.
Today, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will hear arguments about tough new Texas abortion restrictions passed by Texas legislators. NPR reports “the measure mandates stricter building codes for clinics that perform the procedure, and Fifth Circuit judges in New Orleans will decide whether that poses an undue burden. The Texas law — HB2 — requires clinics that perform abortions to operate like ambulatory surgical centers. Think wider hallways and hospital-style equipment — upgrades that could cost millions. … Nearly two dozen states have passed laws similar to the provision being debated in Texas. No matter the outcome of Wednesday's hearing, many analysts believe an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court is likely.”
- At first, we just thought there was one earthquake. Then there were two. Then more … and more … and more. Now, we understand that nine earthquakes have rattled North Texas since Tuesday morning. No major damage or injuries have been reported. The area has seen a swarm of mild earthquakes recently, but USGS geophysicist Jana Pursley says Tuesday's quakes were the "largest since the earthquakes started happening there in the last year." The magnitudes ranged from 1.6 to 3.6, with three greater than 3.0. Geologists say earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest felt by humans. Researchers from Southern Methodist University installed a seismograph in Irving earlier this week to help study the rash of quakes. Read KERA’s earthquake coverage here. [KERA/Associated Press]
- Second Amendment advocates plan to manufacture guns at the Texas Capitol during an armed rally set for the opening day of the 2015 legislative session. The Texas Tribune reports: “Come and Take It Texas announced late Monday that it had purchased ‘the Ghost Gunner,’ a machine that uses 3-D technology to build firearms, for use at the Jan. 13 event, where participants had already planned to carry rifles and shotguns to protest the state’s gun laws. … The Ghost Gunner can manufacture the lower receiver of an AR-15, which still needs attached parts like a barrel and trigger to function but is legally considered a firearm. The machine, which produces designs in metal instead of plastic like a typical 3-D printer, was invented by Austin-based gun rights activist Cody Wilson.” [Texas Tribune]
- North Texas might be hosting the first College Football Playoff National Championship, but it isn’t driving ticket demand. The Dallas Morning News reports: “The novelty of the NCAA’s first playoff bracket doesn’t seem to be driving up ticket prices on the secondary market. ‘I’m surprised we are not seeing more of an impact of that because it is the first of its kind,’ said Ashley Kubiszyn, a spokeswoman for Austin-based TicketCity.com. … The average cost to get into the historic matchup between Oregon and Ohio State seems to be dropping by the day. And by kickoff Monday, the average cost on the secondary market could be the lowest for a college championship in five years.”
- A Texas lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to make the cowboy hat the official hat of the Lone Star State. The Houston Chronicle reports state Rep. Marsha Farney, a Republican from Burnet, filed the bill Monday. The proposed resolution cites the significance of the cowboy hat in Texas' history as one reason for naming it the state's official hat. The bill also cites its prevalence in modern Texas culture. The resolution says, "The cowboy hat symbolizes both the state's iconic western culture and the uniqueness of its residents, and it is indeed appropriate that this stylish and dignified apparel receive special legislative recognition." [Associated Press]
