State Democrats deny request from Clinton [1]

By LISA SANDBERG, Houston Chronicle, 17 March 2008

AUSTIN – Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton may want more time to examine the validity of results of the March 4 state Democratic precinct caucuses, but the chairman of the Texas Democratic Party is not budging.

Texas Democrats to stick with delegate-selection plans [2]

By W. Gardner Selby, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – About 260 regional gatherings likely to signal whether presidential candidate Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton won more Texas delegates in the March 4 Democratic contestwill proceed as scheduled later this month, the Texas Democratic Party said Monday.

State Dems to proceed with conventions [3]

By Justin Cox, Killeen Daily Herald, 18 March 2008

KILLEEN – Despite urging from Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign, the state Democratic Party instructed its county chairs to proceed with the March 29 conventions as planned, dismissing the notion that signatures from caucuses on election night need verification.

Texas Democratic Party rejects Clinton's caucus verification request [4]

Dallas Morning News, 17 March 2008

AUSTIN – The Texas Democratic Party said Monday it won't grant a request from Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign that it take extra steps to verify the signatures of election night caucus-goers before party conventions are held March 29.

Watchdog raises questions about Craddick expenses [5]

By EMILY RAMSHAW, Dallas Morning News, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – House Speaker Tom Craddick used campaign funds to charter a private plane in Aspen, Colo., and to bring his wife along to a conference in Lithuania, according to an ethics complaint being lodged against him this week.

Going West [6]

BY DAVID J. LEE, Odessa American, 17 March 2008

ODESSA – State Rep. Jim Pitts said Monday that though he personally opposed House Speaker Tom Craddick in the last legislative session, Buddy West's allegiance never wavered.

Debate or step down Lewis calls on West to meet in a forum [7]

BY DAVID J. LEE, Odessa American, 18 March 2008

ODESSA – Challenger Tryon Lewis said Monday if Buddy West won't debate him in the District 81 state representative runoff, the incumbent should step down.

Downstate reps back West at runoff rally [8]

By Bob Campbell, Midland Reporter-Telegram, 18 March 2008

ODESSA – Facing a tough runoff in three weeks, state Rep. G.E. "Buddy" West was joined at a Monday rally by four Texas House of Representatives colleagues, four grandchildren in orange and blue "Vote for Grand Buddy" T-shirts and 80 constituents who cheered his campaign for a ninth two-year term.

Former rival announces support for DA candidate Montford [9]

By Steven Kreytak, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – Former Travis County district attorney candidate Rick Reed, who finished fourth in the March 4 Democratic primary, on Monday endorsed Mindy Montford in the April runoff, saying she has the character and energy to best lead the office.

Judge plans to rule quickly on border fence brouhaha [10]

By Lynn Brezosky, San Antonio Express-News, 18 March 2008

McALLEN – A judge told lawyers for landowners resisting preparations for a border fence that eminent domain law was stacked against them and that he planned to rule as quickly as possible — even if it meant donning jeans and boots himself to resolve Congress's "wild card" of requiring federal consultation with the locals.

Judge hears border fence complaints [11]

By Jeremy Roebuck, McAllen Monitor, 17 March 2008

McALLEN – More than 25 Hidalgo and Starr county landowners aren't likely to find support from the courts to block border fence surveys on their properties.

Landowners say U.S. never negotiated on border fence [12]

Austin American Statesman, 18 March 2008

McALLEN – Several South Texas property owners testified in federal court Monday that government officials seeking access to land to survey for a border fence project did not try to negotiate before suing.

Environmentalists call on Hidalgo County leaders to scrap levee-wall combo plan [13]

By Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 17 March 2008

EDINBURG – Environmentalists have called on Hidalgo County commissioners to scrap their agreement with the Department of Homeland Security to build an 18-foot high concrete wall along 22 miles of the county’s levees.

Study: Damage from levee failure could hit $1.76 billion [14]

By Joey Gomez, Rio Grande Guardian, 17 March 2008

EDINBURG – The potential for overall loss as the result of levee failure, and impending flood impact in Hidalgo County is "substantial", according to economists who wrote the study.

Salinas: New levee study sends shivers down the spine [15]

By Joey Gomez and Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 17 March 2008

EDINBURG – Commenting for the first time on a new study that analyzes the economic cost of levee failure, Hidalgo County Judge J.D. Salinas said the document should send “shivers down the spine” of residents and elected officials.

U.S. wants Texas to postpone food stamp process [16]

By ROBERT T. GARRETT, Dallas Morning News, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – Federal officials, alarmed that a Texas computer system has been tardy in processing more than half the food stamp applications it was assigned in December, have asked the state to postpone rollout of the system to more of the state.

Supreme Court's inaction upholds city's sex-business ordinance [17]

By MATT STILES, Houston Chronicle, 17 March 2008

HOUSTON – The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal brought by some local strip clubs challenging the city's sexually oriented business ordinance.

Texas AG's office unveils Web site to combat identity theft [18]

By JANA WALLIS, Dallas Morning News, 17 March 2008

DALLAS – Have you been the victim of identity theft?

Road bloc: Anti-corridor groups apprise locals of ways to 'jut say no to TTC' [19]

By STEVEN ALFORD, Lufkin Daily News, 17 March 2008

LUFKIN – Plots by Communists to infiltrate America. The disintegration of borders and rural areas. Citizens mobilizing and rising up against government agencies and big business.

Jack Ruby gun fails to draw minimum bid at auction [20]

By DAVID FLICK, Dallas Morning News, 17 March 2008

DALLAS – The habit that Sally Field wore in The Flying Nun flew off the shelves.

Texas' coastal weather affects insurance rates statewide [21]

By TERRENCE STUTZ, Dallas Morning News, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – North Texas homeowners unhappy with their high insurance bills might want to look to the Texas coast to find out why the rate relief they were once promised has not been delivered.

Farmers Insurance wants new round of rate increases for homeowners [22]

By TERRENCE STUTZ , Dallas Morning News, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – Farmers Insurance proposed a new round of rate hikes in homeowners coverage for many of its customers in North Texas on Monday, filing for increases of up to 3.5 percent in Dallas County and an average of 7.9 percent increase statewide.

Couple giving $55 million to UT music school [23]

By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – Longtime Austin arts philanthropists Ernest and Sarah Butler have agreed to donate $55 million to what they consider the backbone of many local arts organizations: the University of Texas' School of Music.

GE to unveil plans for West Texas wind farm [24]

By ELIZABETH SOUDER, Dallas Morning News, 17 March 2008

DALLAS – General Electric Co. will announce today its 10th investment in a Texas wind farm. This one is in the West Texas town of McAdoo, and it comes with a crucial construction deadline.

Official backs radioactive dumping [25]

By JANET ELLIOTT, Houston Chronicle, 17 March 2008

AUSTIN – The executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is recommending approval of a Dallas company's license to dispose of radioactive uranium waste in Andrews County.

El Paso wants state to revoke smelter's permit [26]

Houston Chronicle, 17 March 2008

EL PASO – The city of El Paso wants the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to rethink its recent decision to give a copper company a new air quality permit for a shuttered smelter.

Texas in better shape than most states as U.S. economy sours [27]

Houston Chronicle, 17 March 2008

AUSTIN – The Texas economy has so far bucked the increasingly dire national downturn, largely because of the thriving oil and gas industry and healthy employment rates.

Legislators say education panel lacks Hispanic [28]

By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 18 March 2008

AUSTIN – A group of Mexican-American legislators said state education leaders made a short-sighted mistake in failing to select anyone with Hispanic expertise or anyone from West or South Texas to help update Texas English and reading standards.