Names and faces

• Prosecutors in Texas have dropped a drunken driving charge against conspiracy theorist and radio host Alex Jones, who was arrested in Austin earlier this year. The Travis County attorney’s office rejected prosecuting the misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated against Jones on Sept. 18, records show. A Travis County sheriff’s deputy pulled Jones over on March 10 for going 5 mph above the speed limit, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The deputy was responding to a call from the Infowars host’s then-wife, Kelly Morales, who reported they were in an argument that had been a physical fight earlier in the day, according to a court affidavit. She said Jones left the residence in a black Dodge Charger and that he was possibly drinking. Travis County sheriff’s office spokeswoman Kristen Dark said Jones had a “strong odor of alcohol” coming from him and that he was unable to complete field sobriety tests, losing his balance and failing to touch heel to toe. Jones’ blood-alcohol level was recorded at .076 and .079, according to court records. The legal blood alcohol limit is .08 in Texas. Under state law, impairment is possible regardless of a person’s blood alcohol level, meaning a jury in Texas could reasonably determine a driver was intoxicated even if they didn’t reach the 0.08 threshold. Morales, who had sought to have two of his children placed in her care after his arrest, said she was disappointed with the prosecutors’ decision.

• Thousands of schoolteachers will receive $500 grants from author James Patterson to help students build reading skills, especially as schools struggle to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. “Whether students are learning virtually at home or in the classroom, the importance of keeping them reading cannot be underscored enough,” Patterson said in a statement Tuesday. “Reading teaches kids empathy, gives them an escape when they most need it, helps them grapple with harsh realities, and perhaps most importantly, will remind them that they are not alone — even if they’re unable to see their teachers, classmates and friends in-person,” he said. The grant program is administered by Patterson and by Scholastic Book Clubs, which will provide teachers 500 club points to go with the $500 from Patterson. Out of more than 100,000 applicants, 5,000 teachers are expected to receive grants and club points. Tuesday’s announcement marks the sixth installment in the Patterson Partnership for building home and school libraries. Patterson, one of the world’s best-selling novelists, has given more than $11 million to teachers, along with millions he has given to bookstores, libraries and literacy organizations.

Patterson

Jones