An historic record this week: the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States has never been higher. And it continues to rise. The previous record in 2008 was $4.11. As of this writing, we're at $4.25. Part of this is inflation. Part is more people getting out and about as a result of loosening COVID restrictions. But far and away, the biggest factor is Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the world's response to it. On Tuesday, President Biden announced that the US would suspend Russian oil imports: a big deal for those refineries you've seen down along the Texas Gulf Coast. (Russia's oil is a heavier sour crude, and US refineries are not designed to use only light sweet crude oil, USA Today notes.) Indeed, altogether, few if any states are likely to feel the impact of President Biden's ban on Russian oil and gas imports more than Texas. As the Standard continues to track the effects of the war in Ukraine, we're also watching culture wars here at home. The Biden Administration is said to be studying ways it can help Texans as a legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton has child welfare officials investigating families reported to be providing gender-affirming care for their transgender kids. One such family now under investigation hosted the Paxtons for dinner a few years back in hopes of showing the Attorney General the impact of laws aimed at curbing the rights of transgender people. We encourage you to listen to our conversation with Dallas mom Amber Briggle, and dig deeper into the rest of what's making news in Texas, in this week's newsletter. Until next week, we'll see you on the radio.

- David Brown

WNBA player and former Baylor star Brittney Griner detained in Russia: ‘It’s a tragedy’

A journalist who has followed Griner’s career believes she is now a political prisoner.

Searching for Sam Houston’s mysterious graveside birthday visitor

Patience pays off after a Texas Standard stakeout to find who’s behind the ritual.

Texans should watch their crepe myrtle trees for these destructive pests

Crepe myrtle scales are pretty new to Texas but they are quickly doing damage to many different types of trees.

How a video with a semi-nude candidate forced a runoff for Texas Railroad commissioner

Sarah Stogner posted a campaign video featuring herself, semi-nude, on a pump jack. She made the video to draw attention to her campaign – “and it clearly has worked.”

Lubbock LGBTQ community mourns one of their own as politicians target transgender Texans (Texas Tech Public Media)
Texas parks department adopts new prescribed burn standards after Bastrop State Park wildfire (KUT Austin)
President Biden visits Fort Worth, pledges help for veterans exposed to burn pits (KERA North Texas)
Harris County elections administrator announces her resignation after 2022 primary election problems (Houston Public Media)

In 2016, Amanda Briggle invited Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to dinner following his lawsuit over the Obama administration's guidelines allowing public school students to use the bathroom based on their gender identity. Paxton accepted the dinner invitation, but now, he’s working to classify gender-affirming care as child abuse – and the Briggles are targets of a state investigation. Amber Briggle joins us on today's show, and we're already hearing from plenty of folks about this story. Share your perspective with us via email, on Twitter, or through the Facebook post below.

Image of a Facebook post available at the link.

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