The Evening Brief: Sept. 5, 2013

New in The Texas Tribune

•    San Antonio Passes LGBT Nondiscrimination Ordinance: "Before a crowd of hundreds at City Hall, the San Antonio City Council adopted a controversial ordinance Thursday aimed at preventing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity."

•    Wendy Davis' Father, Jerry Russell, Dead at 77: "Jerry Russell, the father of state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, died Thursday, according to a message she posted on Facebook."

•    On the Border, Cruz Talks Obamacare, Immigration, Syria: "U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday continued his campaign against the White House’s health care plan during a tour of Fort Bliss. While local business leaders agreed with him on federal health reform, they were at odds over immigration."

•    The Polling Center: Inventing Abbott: "For all the advantages that have lent the feel of an unofficial coronation to his candidacy for governor, Attorney General Greg Abbott remains an undefined figure among many Texas voters, including as many as 40 percent of Republican primary voters."

•    Along the Canadian River, Concerns About Drought and Threatened Fish: "The storied Canadian River has been so badly pummeled by drought that the reservoirs along it are essentially dry. That's bad news for the thirsty cities of the Panhandle, not to mention a fish fighting for survival."

Culled

•    Wendy Davis closer to recouping money spent on redistricting fight (San Antonio Express-News): "Sen. Wendy Davis, the Fort Worth Democrat still considering a run for governor, is one step closer to getting reimbursed by the state for a legal battle with Attorney General Greg Abbott over redistricting. A three-judge federal panel in San Antonio on Wednesday officially handed Davis a victory against Abbott — the front runner to replace Gov. Rick Perry — and state Republican leaders who tried to retool her Tarrant County district two years ago."

•    Texas National Guard asks Greg Abbott if it should extend military same-sex benefits (The Dallas Morning News): "The Department of Defense, based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, has ordered certain benefits be extended to same-sex, legally married couples in the military. But the Texas Military Forces — aka TXFM and the Texas national guard — is a state agency and the Texas Constitution has a provision that same-sex marriages cannot be recognized. So the adjutant general’s office has asked the attorney general to help sort out whether this is a military chain-of-command order, or is a state office obligated to follow Texas law?"

•    Chris Christie's Texas trip to include Giants-Cowboys game (Newark Star-Ledger): "When Gov. Chris Christie heads to Texas this weekend to do some fundraising for the Republican National Committee, the jaunt will include attending the season opener of the Dallas Cowboys against the Giants at AT&T stadium, courtesy of Republican National Committee national finance chairman Ray Washburne."