Axios

A local nonprofit is racing to save a nearly 80-year-old Houston theater from demolition, with plans to turn it into a neighborhood arts hub.

Why it matters: The Garden Oaks Theater could become another loss in a city with a track record of tearing down its historic buildings, Ian Druke, the assistant director at Arthouse Houston, tells Axios.

Public resistance to data centers isn't driven as much by electricity prices as conventional wisdom suggests — it's more about how the giant projects might alter their communities, a new Harvard/MIT poll shows.

Why it matters: The poll could shape how developers engage with communities as they try to build more data centers to meet AI's massive electricity demands, said Harvard researcher Stephen Ansolabehere, who oversaw the poll.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's approval rating in New York has cleared 40% just once during the last six months, according to polling from Siena University.

• His approval was at 53% at the same point in President Trump's first term, according to Siena.

Why it matters: Schumer is obsessed with his hometown polls. He's up for reelection in 2028 and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is eyeing his seat.

Todd Blanche has been appointed as acting attorney general after President Trump announced Thursday that Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving the Department of Justice.

The big picture: An administration official told Axios that Blanche is among those Trump is considering nominating as Bondi's replacement, and the president praised his former defense attorney on Truth Social as "a very talented and respected Legal Mind."

Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving the Department of Justice, President Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday.

The big picture: Bondi led the unsuccessful attempts to prosecute Trump's political foes and oversaw the release of files about deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which has been a political liability for the president.

President Trump's ballroom project won design approval on Thursday, even though an ongoing legal case has halted construction on the site.

Why it matters: The National Capital Planning Commission's sign-off won't restart construction, but it clears a final procedural hurdle for Trump's fast-tracked, $400 million plans for transforming the White House.

Members of the House Oversight Committee said Thursday they will still fight to enforce their panel's subpoena of Pam Bondi after her removal as attorney general.

Why it matters: Bondi has been a target of congressional investigators in both parties over how she has handled the release of the Justice Department's files on convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Pam Bondi was ousted as attorney general on Thursday, closing the book on her year-plus tenure as the Department of Justice's leading official.

The big picture: While the hype over the Epstein files saga largely defined Bondi's time as attorney general, it was far from the moment that propelled her into the national spotlight.

President Trump said Thursday he would "soon sign an order" to pay all Department of Homeland Security employees.

Why it matters: The president's announcement marks the second time in a week he's moved to circumvent Congress to pay federal workers amid the record-long DHS shutdown.

The Senate on Thursday morning sent its plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security — excluding ICE and CBP— back to the House for consideration.

Why it matters: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is now on board with the proposal, illuminating a path to ending the record-long DHS shutdown.