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Today’s Big Stories
1. Austin Energy announces 10-year grid improvement plan
With energy demand soaring among residents and large data centers, Austin Energy has launched a decade-long improvement plan totaling $735 million.
The Electric System Resiliency Plan (ESRP) aims to create a stronger, more reliable energy grid for the capital city, according to a release from the public utility company. Improvements and upgrades will help the grid withstand harsh weather, such as the historic 2021 freeze, and bounce back faster from outages.
2. Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate in Texas look to expand the electorate
Surrounded by 20 undecided Texas voters on the popular YouTube channel Jubilee, state Rep. James Talarico, D-Austin, debated parts of his campaign for U.S. Senate.
Talarico’s appearance on the video is critical as both he and his primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, want to turn out voters who sat at home in past elections, which former Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa thinks is possible within specific communities.
3. Health insurance premiums set to increase for millions of Texans
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not call for a vote extending premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act insurance plans. That means monthly health insurance costs could rise for millions of Americans.
These enhanced premium tax credits were created in 2021 and extended into 2022. They were always supposed to run out this year.
Notes for Tomorrow
Thursday, Dec. 18
TikTok hosts inaugural U.S. awards
U.S. Postal Service recommended deadline for Priority Mail service for Christmas delivery
In Case You Missed It Â
Muralists Michelle Wilson, left, and Allie Jenkins, right, work on an interactive mural at the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center ahead of the facility’s grand reopening in January in Waco, Texas. The artwork will incorporate augmented reality elements designed to engage visitors. (Spectrum News 1/Agustin Garfias)
Waco set to debut new high-tech STEAM community center in January
Muralists Michelle Wilson and Allie Jenkins are helping shape the first impressions visitors will have of Waco’s soon-to-open Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center. The two muralists are collaborating on artwork designed to welcome the community into the newly revamped center, which will open on Jan. 16.
The project transforms the more than 50-year-old Bledsoe-Miller Community Center into a city-run STEAM hub focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math.