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Around Texas 

1. San Marcos man faces felony charge for illegally carrying a firearm at UT Austin pro-Palestinian protest

Police with the University of Texas at Austin have charged a San Marcos man with illegally carrying a firearm during a pro-Palestinian protest on April 29, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Michael David Maule is accused of not having a license to carry the weapon on campus. Officers searched Maule and found the gun in his waistband against his back, according to an affidavit. Maule also had two magazines in his pocket and a pocket knife.

2. Texas Tribune: Dade Phelan directs House leaders to revisit vouchers, property taxes in the next legislative session

House Speaker Dade Phelan directed his committee leaders to examine the use of school voucher-like programs in other states and consider new ways to further drive down property taxes for homeowners.

Released Wednesday, Phelan’s list of priorities includes a broad range of policy issues, from evaluating housing prices and the closures of rural pregnancy centers, to revisiting previous, contentious legislative debates over foreign ownership of Texas agriculture land and determining whether the state has “sufficient resources” at the U.S. Mexico border.

3. Sen. John Cornyn objects to expansion of federal gun background checks

A broad expansion of federal background checks for gun purchases is set to take effect in less than two weeks. Republican challenges to the law were expected, but one of those objections is turning heads. It is coming from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who helped to pass the bipartisan law that the Biden administration said made the new rule possible.

Two summers ago, President Joe Biden held a ceremony on the White House South Lawn shortly after signing into law sweeping gun safety legislation. The bipartisan law followed a mass shooting at a Uvalde, Texas, elementary school that left 19 children and two teachers dead.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, speaks to the media during a press conference on the border, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Around the Nation

1. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and running mate Nicole Shanahan appear at odds over abortion

2. Senate passes bill improving air safety and service for travelers, a day before FAA law expires

3. 'A terrible friend to Israel': Republicans rip Biden for threatening to withhold weapons over Rafah

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San Antonio cityscape skyline aerial view. (Getty Images)

San Antonio Asian Festival to return May 11

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, La Villita is hosting the San Antonio Asian Festival on May 11.