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Top Stories: Gov. Abbott Forms Commission To Aid Harvey Rebuilding Efforts

Don Geraci
/
Houston Public Media
Buffalo Bayou Park, near downtown Houston.

The top local stories this morning from KERA News: Gov. Greg Abbott this morning is expected to announce a new commission to help the Texas Gulf Coast rebuild after Hurricane Harvey.

John Sharp will lead the commission. The Texas A&M system chancellor formerly served as state comptroller, on the Railroad Commission and in both houses of the state legislature.

The Texas Tribune reports Sharp won't leave his job at A&M for the new position.

Rebuilding areas devastated by Harvey will be a monumental - and expensive task. The U.S. House yesterday approved $8 billion in disaster relief spending for Harvey. The Senate will soon vote on doubling that amount.

The federal cost to rebuild could run as much as $180 billion.

Other stories this morning:

  • The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee remains standing this morning at a park in Dallas, despite the city council's decision to remove it. Dallas resident Hiram Patterson and the Texas chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a temporary restraining order to halt the removal. A court hearing is scheduled for later today.
  • A U.S. bankruptcy court has approved Sempra Energy's bid to purchase Dallas-based Oncor for $9.45 billion. The electric utility giant's been seeking a buyer since its parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2014. Texas regulators now need to approve the deal.
  • Our Big Screen team previews the Venice Film Festival, where people are getting the first look at some of the most important films of 2017.

You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM. 

Former KERA staffer Krystina Martinez was an assistant producer. She produced local content for Morning Edition and KERANews.org. She also produced The Friday Conversation, a weekly series of conversations with North Texas newsmakers. Krystina was also the backup newscaster for the Texas Standard.