Texas Voter ID Law Blocked • Transgender Military Ban Memo • Potential Hurricane Harvey: Patch Morning Briefing

Good morning! It's Thursday, and the weekend is just around the corner. Here's what you need to know to start your day.

Federal Judge Tosses Out Texas Voter ID Law

Texas Republicans continue to defend the state's voter ID law after a federal judge tossed out the controversial legislation. The law requires residents to show a government-issued ID in order to cast their ballots. The judge deemed it unconstitutional and a violation of the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday. It's the latest blow for Republicans controlling the state government who've long fought for the restrictive measures placed as conditions on people wanting to exercise their right to vote. (Patch)

Transgender Military Ban Could Start In 6 Months: Report

The New York Times reports that a White House memo will give the Pentagon six months to implement the total ban on transgender people serving in the military. President Trump originally announced the decision last month on Twitter, which dumbfounded military leaders, according to multiple reports. The Pentagon said it would not enforce the tweet-based order until it was made official. (The New York Times)

Hurricane Harvey May Be On Its Way

A hurricane watch has been issued for part of the southern coast while storm surge "Harvey" has developed into a tropical depression in the Western Gulf of Mexico. The National Weather Service said Harvey may strengthen to a tropical storm or hurricane before landfall by Friday and that it may stall or meander for a few days, leading to a dangerous flood threat in parts of Texas and Louisiana. The NHC says that the center of the storm is located about 470 miles southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas, and is moving northwest at 9 mph. (Patch)

Quick Hits

Hooter’s Manager Helps Take Down 'Violent' Suspect: Video (Patch)

Watch Octopus Strut Its Stuff On SoCal Pier (Patch)

Florida Veterinarian Arrested On Animal Cruelty Charges (Patch)

Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Made My Skin Crawl During Presidential Debate (Patch)

UC Berkeley Professor Spells 'IMPEACH' In State Department Resignation Letter

The professor resigned his position as a Science Envoy for the U.S. State Department over President Donald Trump's response to the deadly "Unite the Right" rally earlier this month in Charlottesville. (Patch)

Dominatrix ‘Temptress Nirvana’ $10K Extortion Scheme Exposed: FBI

The FBI said in a criminal complaint in Detroit federal court that an Atlanta dominatrix used red underwear and threats to extort $10,000. (Patch)

As Nation Grapples Over Confederacy Symbols, Texas Fiercely Protects Theirs

Ambitiously sculpted monuments honoring Confederacy figures dot the Capitol grounds, and portraits inside rotunda lionize them further. (Patch)

Terror Threat Forces LA Folk Band Allah-Las To Cancel Netherlands Concert

Allah-Las, a Los Angeles folk band, was forced to cancel a concert in the Netherlands after authorities uncovered a terrorist threat. (Patch)

This Day In History

79 CE — Mount Vesuvius, one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes, erupts (date disputed)

1995 — The iconic operating system Windows 95 is released to the public

Famous Birthdays

1922 — Howard Zinn, a prominent socialist activist and historian, best known for authoring "A People's History of the United States"

1929 — Yasser Arafat, the first president of the Palestinian National Authority

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images