he Standard’s news roundup gives you a quick hit of interesting, sometimes irreverent, and breaking news stories from all over the state.
“In the eyes of a ranger, the unsuspecting stranger had better know the truth of wrong from right.”
You might recognize the words to the theme from the TV show “Walker, Texas Ranger.” But did you know that the roundhouse-kicking actor, Chuck Norris, isn’t a Texan? He’s actually from Oklahoma.
Yesterday the Texas Senate decided to rectify all that.
“And Chuck, we know you’re an honorary Texas Ranger but today we’re going to make you an honorary Texan – that’s the resolution,” said Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who also gifted the 77-year-old Norris with a gavel and a Texas flag that once flew over the Alamo.
Norris and his wife Gena were in Austin Tuesday to promote their long-time nonprofit karate program for students, called Kickstart Kids.
After making Chuck Norris an honorary Texan, state senators turned their attention to higher education – voting to approve a bill that would repeal a 2003 law that requires state universities to set aside 15 percent of all tuition increases for student financial aid. The vote on what’s known as ‘tuition set-asides’ fell along party lines – with all Republicans voting for repeal of the law and all Democrats voting against it.
Dallas Democrat Royce West spoke out against the bill.
“What we do if this particular bill passes is, again, muddy the water as relates to dollars that should go to financial aid,” he said.
The Texas Senate also approved a bill Tuesday that would freeze tuition and fees at public universities for the next two academic years.
Speculation has swirled for weeks about the future of Tony Romo. The veteran Dallas Cowboys quarterback announced Tuesday that he’s retiring from the NFL to pursue a career in broadcasting.
KERA’s Gus Contreras has more.
Tony Romo follows a long line of former Dallas Cowboys… who’ve traded a helmet for a headset. Like Darren Woodson, Michael Irvin and Troy Aikman. Romo will now be the number one analyst for CBS football broadcasts. Just a couple of weeks ago, media outlets were reporting that he would likely play for either the Houston Texans or Denver Broncos.
But a tweet revealed Romo’s plans. On Tuesday afternoon, he posted a picture on his Twitter account of him wearing a CBS blazer.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the story and says the decision is more than football.
“Ultimately in the end, this became a lifestyle choice, this became a situation where he felt like he was better off for he and his family going into TV rather than sticking at the quarterback position.”
Romo walks away from the Cowboys shattering most franchise records. Like throwing for the most yards of any Dallas quarterback.
Romo wasn’t even drafted in 2003 when he joined the team. He had a series of injuries and last year he lost his starting position to rookie Dak Prescott.
Romo might do more than just analyze football games for CBS – some think he could call golf for the network. Which is home of the Masters – the major golf tournament.
Romo spent his entire career in the NFL playing for the Dallas Cowboys.
