Nightly Brief

Your Wednesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News

Top CNS stories for today including three concerned citizens failing to stop President Donald Trump from testing out an emergency text alert that popped up on hundreds of millions of cellphones Wednesday afternoon; the White House is phasing out wildlife refuge managers, the people who police illegal hunting, fishing, trapping and pollution, among other stewardship duties; the Houston City Council revises city law to prevent a Canadian purveyor of sex robots that plans to open its first U.S. shop; a group representing descendants of Alamo defenders claims in court that the Texas General Land Office and the manager of the San Antonio mission’s day-to-day operations have unlawfully silenced its members who oppose a site redevelopment plan; an attorney for Michigan argues before a Sixth Circuit panel to overturn an injunction that prevents the state from suspending the licenses of drivers who don’t pay traffic fines; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fast food regularly feeds one out of three adults in the United States, and consumption tends to increase along with income, and more.

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National

1.) Three concerned citizens could not stop President Donald Trump from testing out an emergency text alert that popped up on hundreds of millions of cellphones Wednesday afternoon.

2.) Wildlife refuge managers, the people who police illegal hunting, fishing, trapping and pollution, among other stewardship duties, are being phased out, according to an internal memo obtained by a federal watchdog.

3.) Mike Pompeo’s week will end with a visit to North Korea where he hopes to improve relations with Pyongyang. But even as the secretary of state prepared for his goodwill mission, he issued a tough statement for another long-time U.S. antagonist: Iran.

Regional

4.) The Houston City Council on Wednesday revised city law to prevent a Canadian purveyor of sex robots that plans to open its first U.S. shop from offering customers, as one councilman put it, a “try-it-before-you-buy” option.

5.) A group representing descendants of Alamo defenders claims in court that the Texas General Land Office and the manager of the San Antonio mission’s day-to-day operations have unlawfully silenced its members who oppose a site redevelopment plan and blocked them from holding religious services inside the Alamo Chapel.

6.) A woman who was blinded from an accident with a retractable dog leash urged the Third Circuit on Wednesday to revive her claims against Amazon for marketing a defective product.

7.) An attorney for Michigan argued on Wednesday before a Sixth Circuit panel to overturn an injunction that prevents the state from suspending the licenses of drivers who don’t pay traffic fines.

8.) A Texas veterinarian claims in court that a state law prohibiting him from giving pet owners advice on the internet is unconstitutional, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the First Amendment.

Research & Polls

9.) Fast food fed one out of three adults in the United States, and consumption tended to increase along with income, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.

International

10.) It’s becoming almost routine: The leader of an Eastern European country is brought before EU lawmakers and harshly criticized for allegedly undermining the rule of law and democracy back home.

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