Politics
Craddick ordered cash to go to Democrats, lawyer says
By Laylan Copelin, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 19 March 2008
AUSTIN – A lawyer for Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick reversed himself Tuesday, saying the Midland Republican specified that he wanted his $250,000 donation to a political committee to go to several House Democrats who supported him.
Obama wins Brazos caucus
By APRIL AVISON, Bryan-College Station Eagle, 19 March 2008
COLLEGE STATION – Two weeks after Brazos County's primary elections, local Democratic leaders named Sen. Barack Obama the winner of the local caucus, but they were still sorting out which delegates would attend the county convention later this month.
Cornyn Continuing Quest To Strengthen FOIA Power
Tyler Morning Telegraph, 18 March 2008
TYLER – A little sunshine in the spring is always welcome. And, so is the latest effort by open government advocate Sen. John Cornyn.
Government
City: No fence access
By Erica Molina Johnson, El Paso Times, 19 March 2008
EL PASO – The El Paso City Council on Tuesday unanimously opposed the installation of new border fencing sought by the Department of Homeland Security by denying access to a road by the Albuquerque District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
El Paso denies feds access to road for border fence
Houston Chronicle, 18 March 2008
EL PASO – The country's largest border city has decided to block efforts by federal authorities to use an access road that cuts across city property to work on existing border fencing.
Report: Texas public preschool program has quantity, not quality
By Lindsay Kastner, San Antonio Express-News, 18 March 2008
SAN ANTONIO – Texas' public preschool program serves more 4-year-olds than any state-funded program in the nation, but it has a long way to go when it comes to quality.
DWI markers: Signs memorialize victims
El Paso Times, 19 March 2008
EL PASO – A word-play turnaround - in sight, in mind. The Texas Department of Transportation's Memorial Sign Program for Victims of Impaired Driving is a great idea.
News
Texas electricity prices up more than 20 percent in 6 weeks
By JIM FUQUAY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 March 2008
FORT WORTH – Think you can get away from high energy prices by keeping the car in the garage and staying home? Not a chance.
Foes of S. Texas wind energy plan ask judge to halt work
By JOHN MACCORMACK, San Antonio Express-news, 18 March 2008
SAN ANTONIO – The legal battle over two large and controversial wind energy projects on the South Texas coast escalated Tuesday when the Coastal Habitat Alliance asked a federal judge in Austin to halt construction.
Podiatrists lose body-part turf battle
By Corrie MacLaggan, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 19 March 2008
AUSTIN – When is the ankle part of the foot?
FAA to check all U.S. airlines' inspections paperwork
Dallas Morning News, 18 March 2008
DALLAS – The Federal Aviation Administration, under fire for its handling of missed safety inspections at Southwest Airlines Co., said Tuesday it is ordering a check of maintenance records at all U.S. airlines.
A bit too close
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 March 2008
FORT WORTH – We're willing to take Southwest Airlines executives at their word when they say that passengers were never in danger when they flew on Southwest planes that were as much as 30 months overdue for required safety inspections.
People
Feds rule out sedating man in deportation case
Houston Chronicle, 18 March 2008
DALLAS – Immigration authorities asked a federal court on Tuesday to drop their request for now to be able to sedate an Albanian man before putting him on an airplane for deportation.
Perry reports for jury duty, but he's not selected
Dallas Morning News, 19 March 2008
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry reported for jury duty in municipal court Tuesday, but he wasn't selected for the panel in a traffic citation case.
Horn gets top award from TxDOT
By Dan X. McGraw, Denton Record-Chronicle, 19 March 2008
DENTON – County Judge Mary Horn was recognized Tuesday by the Texas Department of Transportation as the Texas Road Hand of the Year, the highest award the office bestows on state residents.
