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☆ Six Flags plans a summer 'strollerpalooza' to get families back to its parks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Six Flags plans a "strollerpalooza" this summer to bring families back, The Wall Street Journal reported. Jeffrey Siebert of Six Flags Fiesta Texas said it had revamped designs and added kid-friendly rides. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Six Flags Fiesta Texas's president Jeffrey Siebert said the company was planning a "strollerpalooza" this summer, referring to plans to increase the numbers of families visiting its attractions. He also said he was trying to turn Six Flags customers from "the Kmart, Walmart to maybe the Target customers." Shares in Six Flags have fallen 62% over the past five years, leaving the company worth just over $2.2 billion.

Persons: Jeffrey Siebert of, —, Jeffrey Siebert, Siebert, Selim Bassoul Organizations: Street Journal, Service, Wall Street, Six Flags, Six, Kmart, Walmart Locations: Texas

Circuit Court of Appeals panel that will hear the Biden administration's appeal to keep the abortion pill mifepristone on the market are staunchly conservative, with a record of opposing abortion rights. - In 2019, she co-authored a majority opinion for the full 5th Circuit that upheld a Texas law that effectively banned the most common abortion procedure for terminating second-trimester pregnancies. - Also in 2019, she wrote a majority panel 5th Circuit opinion invalidating the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring individuals to purchase health insurance. - In 2019, he was part of a 5th Circuit panel that rejected Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban, but in a concurring opinion argued against the constitutional right to abortion. - In 2018, he voted to uphold a Texas law requiring burial or cremation of fetal remains.

Musk said Tesla aimed to finish construction of the factory next year and then reach full production about a year later. We need lithium," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at the ceremony. Musk has urged entrepreneurs to enter the lithium refining business, saying it is like "minting money." The refinery is the latest expansion by Tesla into Texas after the company moved its headquarters there from California in 2021. "We are proud that he calls Texas home," Abbott said, saying Tesla and Musk are "Texas's economic juggernauts."

May 8 (Reuters) - A case brought by anti-abortion groups seeking to ban the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide will be heard next week by a panel of three deeply conservative judges hostile to abortion rights, a federal appeals court revealed on Monday. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans on May 17 to overturn a court order that suspended the federal government's approval of mifepristone. The U.S. Supreme Court put that order on hold, meaning that mifepristone remains available while the case is appealed. In 2021, Ho was in the majority in a 2-1 ruling refusing to block Texas's six-week abortion ban. Wilson, another Trump appointee, as a state legislator voted to ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected, around six weeks.

☆ White House plans support for drugstores, pharma in abortion pill battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We are discussing ways to offer them legal support," one of the sources said of manufacturers and retail pharmacies. Major U.S. manufacturers of abortion pills include GenBioPro Inc and Danco Laboratories. Walgreens said in March it would not dispense abortion pills in the 20 states where it risked breaking the law. Discussions between the Biden administration and pill manufacturers and pharmacies over the issue have been ongoing for months, sources said, but Friday's decision brings fresh urgency. It is unclear whether the administration is considering following in California Governor Gavin Newsom's footsteps by withholding federal contracts from chains that suspend abortion pill sales.

Club holdings Caterpillar (CAT), Emerson Electric (EMR) and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) are in the news Monday. Emerson's decline is overblown EMR YTD mountain Emerson Electric (EMR) YTD performance The news: UBS upgraded its rating on American industrials giant Emerson Electric back to a buy but lowered its price target by $3-per-share to $97. We also agree that EMR stock has an attractive valuation. So, we were never contemplating any deal with Range Resources," Sheffield said. The Club continues to ponder whether to continue owning three different exploration and production companies: Pioneer, Coterra Energy (CTRA) and Devon Energy (DVN).

Austin has emerged as a hub for relocating tech talent during the pandemic. Investors in Austin closed 416 deals in 2022 worth $4.9 billion, according to PitchBook. For this list, we asked VCs from across the country about which Texas investors we need to know. To qualify, an investor needed to be a Texas resident, but their firms and portfolio companies could be anywhere. Check out Insider's list of 46 top investors in Texas.

☆ There will be an 'unprecedented spike' in maternal mortality if a Trump-appointed judge bans the abortion pill, Democratic attorneys general argue
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Banning mifepristone will result in more women dying in pregnancy, Democratic attorneys general argued this month. The argument comes as a judge in Texas is considering a ban on the abortion pill. Republican attorneys general who have weighed in on the case also maintain that its approval infringed on state rights. In her brief, James noted that carrying a pregnancy to term poses significantly greater health risks than an early abortion. As Slate's Christina Cautertucci notes, mifepristone is only one of the two drugs used in a typical medication abortion.

Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). It will be broadcast live on major U.S. broadcast television networks and online by the White House and the House of Representatives. The speech could deliver Biden his largest television audience of the year. The White House has also invited Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a gunman responsible for a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California. Republicans have picked Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary under Donald Trump, to deliver their response.

Following are some of the guests expected to attend:* Brandon Tsay: Tsay was called a hero by authorities for disarming a gunman who shot dead 11 people during a celebration of the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. The White House called it a "recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack." * The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The attack reportedly was politically motivated, with the intruder's alleged intent to harm and kidnap the former Speaker," the White House said. The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 after a 20-year war.

☆ The biggest universities in Texas are blocking students from accessing TikTok on campus WiFi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin have blocked TikTok from campus WiFi. Texas A&M University — thought to be the state's biggest university with close to 70,000 students — is blocking TikTok from its IT network under a directive by Governor Greg Abbott, local news outlets reported on Tuesday. Lamar University and the University of Texas at Dallas told students that TikTok would continue to work at its residence halls. Even then, access would only be granted on devices connected to cellular services, not to the university's WiFi or wired network. Do you study or work at a US university that has banned the use of TikTok on campus WiFi?

☆ Texas spent nearly $9 million busing migrants over the holidays, according to records obtained by Insider
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Texas spent just under $9 million busing migrants across the country over the holidays. In total, Texas has now spent roughly $29 million on the program since April 2022. According to public records obtained by Insider, Abbott's migrant bus program cost the Texas Division of Emergency Management $8.97 million over the November and December holidays. Many of those on these Texas buses are people seeking asylum — a legal right — fleeing poverty and political persecution in countries such as Nicaragua, Cuba, and Venezuela. In November, Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, argued that the millions spent busing migrants would have been better spent elsewhere, according to WFAA.

☆ I make up to $10,000 a month as a notary signing agent. I was able to quit my 9-to-5 and have more time with my kids — here's how I got started.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Amber Gist is a notary signing agent, a notary who specializes in property or loan documents. Becoming a notary signing agent gave her a flexible schedule and more time at home with her kids. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Amber Gist, a 39-year-old notary signing agent in Texas. A notary public and notary signing agent aren't the same thing: Every notary signing agent is a notary public, but not every notary public is a notary signing agent. I also spend about 4 hours a week teaching classes on how to become a notary signing agent and hold a webinar about every other month.

☆ Package theft is now a felony in 8 states and counting as lawmakers crack down on 'porch piracy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-14 | by ( Emma Cosgrove | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Package theft is a staple of the e-commerce age, and is more common in some states than others. And even if they had logged the theft with police, the crime of package theft is filed and charged differently depending on the location. Oklahoma — Package theft can be charged as a felony if the perpetrator is convicted of three instances within 60 days. There isn't much of a correlation between the states cracking down on package theft and the places that experience it. Only one of the top 10 metro areas experiencing the most package theft is in a state where porch piracy is a felony.

More than 1.5 million homes and businesses lost power, oil refineries in Texas cut gasoline and diesel production on equipment failures, and heating and power prices surged on the losses. Oil and gas output from North Dakota to Texas suffered freeze-ins, cutting supplies. Freeze-ins - in which ice crystals halt oil and gas production - this week trimmed production in North Dakota's oilfields by 300,000 to 350,000 barrels per day, or a third of normal. Power prices on Texas's grid also spiked to $3,700 per megawatt hour, prompting generators to add more power to the grid before prices fell back as thermal and solar supplies came online. That is the biggest drop in output since the February 2021 freeze knocked out power for millions in Texas.

☆ Elon Musk has donated more to Republicans than Democrats over the past 2 decades
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-13 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk has given $574,500 to Republicans and $542,000 to the Democrats, per OpenSecrets. He has given a total of $574,500 to Republicans and $542,000 to the Democrats in that period, according to the data. "Hardcore Democrats or Republicans never vote for the other side, so independent voters are the ones who actually decide who's in charge!" In 2015 the world's richest man only donated to Democrats, but the following year only gave to the GOP. Through SpaceX, he set up a PAC that donated just over half of its $30,000 to Democrats, with the remainder going to Republicans, per OpenSecrets.

Democrat Vicente Gonzalez is the winner of Texas's 34th Congressional District race in South Texas, defeating Republican Rep. Mayra Flores. The win is critical for Democrats who faced tougher than expected competition from Republicans in the traditionally Democratic and heavily Latino South Texas region. With 85% of the votes in, Gonzalez garnered 52.7% and Flores received 44.2%, according to the NBC News Decision Desk. Flores won the 34th District seat in a special election held after the incumbent, Filemon Vela, retired. Gonzalez jumped from the 15th District to run in the 34th after his district was redrawn to favor Republicans and his home was moved into the 34th District.

☆ U.S. oil production nears 12 mln barrels/day, at pre-pandemic high
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Arathy Somasekhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] The sun is seen behind a crude oil pump jack in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S., November 22, 2019. President Joe Biden has called on oil companies to boost production to reduce fuel prices. A little over two years after the pandemic wrecked havoc on demand and slashed profits, four of the five largest global oil companies brought in roughly $50 billion in net income in the most recent quarter. Crude production rose 0.9% to 11.98 million bpd in August, highest since March 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in monthly figures. In top oil producing states, monthly output rose 1.6% to 5.10 million bpd in Texas and 0.6% to a record 1.58 million bpd in New Mexico, but fell 0.5% to 1.06 million bpd in North Dakota.

☆ Ohio's new abortion law forces doctor to fight to protect her patient's life
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Elizabeth Cohen | Danielle Herman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

After careful consideration, Tara and Justin chose to terminate the pregnancy, both to protect Tara's life and to prevent Griffyn from suffering. But she says she consulted with a hospital lawyer, who said Tara couldn't get the abortion because of the new Ohio law. "I literally have never felt more helpless in my life," Justin added. In her email, Whitmarsh said that protections for the mother are "extremely clear" under Ohio law and that "the life of the mother is protected by the law undeniably." She explained that she then had "an abortion to save my life for a baby that had absolutely no chance."

☆ How abortion bans widen the gender pay gap and diminish women's economic power
▼ + stars: | 2022-02-26 | by ( Paul Constant | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

He recently spoke with economics professor Caitlin Myers about the impact of abortion bans. Myers said bans hurt women's economic agency, access to education, and careers. How abortion bans strip women of their economic agencyWhen lawmakers and judges outlaw abortion, they immediately erase a wide array of options for the estimated one in four women who have an abortion in their lifetimes. "Women's earnings are a lot closer to men's, and this is true in the United States and other developed countries." By diminishing women's economic power, abortion bans exclude women from fully participating in their lives and in the economy, keeping them politically and economically dependent on men for their survival.

☆ Insider Life: Red-hot housing market — MGM's Picasso auction — Austin's 'new normal'
▼ + stars: | 2021-08-13 | by ( Jordan Parker Erb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kingsley CarsKingsley Cars is a UK-based company that transforms old Range Rovers into $200,000 works of art. Plus, some say Stitch Fix doesn't have enough trendy clothes for clients looking for post-pandemic, "back-to-life" outfits. Hear more from Stitch Fix stylists. See some of the art going up for auction. Marianne Ayala/InsiderAustin's hot housing market has reached what brokers are calling a "new normal."

☆ One millionaire landlord was behind half of Milwaukee's evictions during Covid lockdowns last June. Here's the story of how corporate landlords helped drive the evictions crisis
▼ + stars: | 2021-03-26 | by ( Abigail Higgins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

Corporate landlords in cities like Milwaukee helped drive an evictions crisis during the pandemic. Corporate landlords, which own almost 50% of rental properties, are more likely to evict, advocates say. Before the 2008 recession, corporate landlords owned 20% of rental properties; today, it's nearing a whopping 50%. Since the Center for Disease Control's evictions moratorium took effect last September, evictions by corporate landlords have actually been steadily increasing. There is no national database of evictions, and evictions are only tracked at the level of the country's more than 3,000 counties.

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