Five stories that have North Texas talking: Gov. Abbott disappointed with Harvey relief figure; DMA curator resigns; when will D-FW see its first freeze?; and more.
Gov. Greg Abbott is not satisfied with the White House’s request for $44 billion from Congress to assist with Harvey aftermath, calling it “completely inadequate.”
Abbott said the request "does not live up to what the president wants to achieve," even though it came from Trump's administration. The funding would also support recoveries from other recent hurricanes in Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Abbott asked for $61 billion for the state alone in a proposal last month.
The White House was quick to respond, suggesting that Texas pay more for its own recovery post-Harvey.
The Texas Tribune reported: “Texas has already spent or incurred over $1 billion in expenses related to Harvey, according to the governor’s office. Abbott has expressed openness to using Texas' $10 billion savings account, known as the Rainy Day Fund, during the 2019 legislative session to backfill Harvey-related costs at the state level.”
Abbott said the $44 billion is less than what was offered in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, which hit the East Coast in 2012.
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- From the art desk: Gavin Delahunty, a curator at the Dallas Museum of Art, has resigned citing “allegations of inappropriate behavior. [Art&Seek]
- Rest in peace: Mel Tillis, a prolific singer-songwriter and Country Music Hall of Fame member, has died. He was 85. Some Texans might remember him as the former pitchman for Whataburger in the mid-1980s. [GuideLive]
- Mo-bell office: A father and son from Kerrville travel around the country servicing and repairing American and European handbells. [Herald-Whig]
- First freeze: Don’t expect it to be on time.
Our average first freeze is November 22 and that is NOWHERE to be found looking ahead to the next 7-14 days. Temperatures are likely to remain well above normal for quite sometime. This record will get stronger in the weeks come. #wfaaweather pic.twitter.com/botwqaLtkj
— Pete Delkus (@wfaaweather) November 19, 2017
The High Five is KERA’s daily roundup of stories from Dallas-Fort Worth and across the state. Explore our archives here. And sign up for our weekly email for the North Texas news you need to know.
