Politics
Dems look down ballot
By Domenico Montanaro, MSNBC.com, 8 April 2008
Much of the political focus has been on the presidential race, particularly on the Clinton-Obama contest now that McCain is the presumptive Republican nominee. But no president can get his or her agenda accomplished without a friendly Congress.
Chris Cillizza's Politics Blog -- The Fix
Washington Post, 4/11/8
House Republicans, desperate for good news in an election cycle that appears to be going from bad to worse, won a rare victory earlier this week when Pete Olson, former chief of staff to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), crushed former Rep. Shelley Sekula Gibbs in a runoff election for the GOP nod in the 22nd District.
Editor taking aim at 'two-step'
By John MacCormack, San Antonio Express-News, 10 April 2008
NIXON – Home to a chicken processing plant and a large rusting refinery, this blue-collar Gonzales County town is an improbable base for a grassroots movement to reform the Democratic Party's controversial system of choosing national delegates.
Government
Christmas Mountains are opened to public
By R.A. DYER, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – For the first time in the nearly two decades that the state has owned the property, the controversy-dogged Christmas Mountains are being opened to the public.
Hikers and campers will have access to Christmas Mountains
By Kate Alexander, Asher Price, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – The Christmas Mountains wilderness in West Texas will now be open to hikers and campers through the Big Bend National Park, state Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said this week.
Christmas Mountains open to Big Bend visitors
By KAREN BROOKS, Dallas Morning News, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – Visitors to Big Bend National Park can now hike into the rugged Christmas Mountains, guns and all, while state officials continue to look for a federal agency to take over the property, Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson announced Thursday.
Christmas Mountains now open to hikers and camper
Waco Tribune-Herald, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – A rugged tract of state-owned land known as the Christmas Mountains is now open to hikers and campers visiting Big Bend National Park.
Wall Street leaders tout government-backed funds in Austin visit
By Robert Elder, Austin AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF, 4/11/8
Sovereign wealth funds received a strong but unsurprising vote of confidence from Wall Street leaders in Austin on Thursday. Morgan Stanley Chairman and CEO John Mack told the board of the Teacher Retirement System that government-backed investment funds have "the assets and resources to help us through some of the issues we have."
Tiguas charge state bias
By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – The Tiguas, in a legal response filed Wednesday to an injunction sought by the state against the tribe, argued that games at Speaking Rock are legal, that state investigators used subterfuge to try to prove the games were illegal and that state attorneys are unfairly targeting the tribe.
Combs, Cornyn Efforts Push Fed Transparency
Tyler Morning Telegraph, 11 April 2008
TYLER – Transparency in government in gaining traction in state agencies in Texas and an effort is under way to make it a strong movement at the federal level.
Perry should bypass pro-pollution lawsuit
Dallas Morning News, 11 April 2008
DALLAS – Texas has dirty air.
News
Investigators offer new details on Eldorado-area temple raid
By Matt Phinney, San Angelo Standard-Times, 11 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – A week after the raid at the YFZ Ranch began, the investigation is winding down, and new details are emerging about what happened inside the compound near Eldorado as authorities moved through it executing search warrants.
Authorities are finished at YFZ Ranch
By Matt Phinney, San Angelo Standard-Times, 10 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Some children at the YFZ ranch near Eldorado were shuffled from house to house as law enforcement agencies searched the compound, adding to the time it took to investigate the ranch, authorities said.
Housing sect members and children costing San Angelo $60,000 a day, mayor says
BY TRISH CHOATE, San Angelo Standard-Times, 11 April 2008
WASHINGTON – The city of San Angelo alone is paying $60,000 a day toward the care of 416 children taken in recent days from a polygamist compound in Eldorado and the 139 women who left with them.
Violence avoided, but search is called frustrating
By BILL HANNA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 April 2008
ELDORADO – On their knees and sobbing, followers of Warren Jeffs formed a perimeter around the massive temple on the grounds of the YFZ Ranch as law officers prepared to go inside Saturday night.
Sect leader's followers blocked officers' path into Eldorado temple
By BILL HANNA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – As authorities prepared to enter the temple of the YFZ Ranch Saturday night, the polygamous followers of Warren Jeffs lined themselves around the building's perimeter to block the path of officers.
Sheriff defends non-intervention at compound
By Lisa Sandberg, San Antonio Express-News, 10 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – The local sheriff Thursday defended his decision not to intervene sooner at a West Texas polygamist compound despite having a confidential informant who provided him with information over four long years.
Officials say members were peaceful, in prayer during search of polygamist temple
By EMILY RAMSHAW, Dallas Morning News, 11 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Law enforcement officials offered their most complete details yet Thursday on their search of the West Texas polygamist compound, describing how members of the religious sect living there prayed and sobbed as officers entered their massive temple.
El Pasoans help to cousel polygamist ranch children
By Erica Molina Johnson, El Paso Times, 10 April 2008
EL PASO – About 45 people from El Paso's office of Family and Protective Services are in Eldorado, Texas, this week helping care for and supervise 416 children removed in the past nine days from a polygamist compound.
Lufkin CPS workers helping with polygamy sect children
By JESSICA SAVAGE, Lufkin Daily News, 11 April 2008
LUFKIN – Three Lufkin Child Protective Services workers are helping interview and look after more than 400 children taken into state custody Saturday, stemming from allegations of child abuse within a West Texas polygamy sect compound, said a CPS spokeswoman Thursday.
What happens now for polygamist sect's children?
Austin American-Statesman, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – The removal of women and children from a polygamist sect's ranch outside Eldorado has raised a number of questions.
Past trailed sect to Texas, but its secrecy kept state officials at bay
Austin American-Statesman, 11 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – It was no secret that a polygamist sect that built a compound in the West Texas desert believed in marrying off underage girls to older men.
Texas authorities: Their hands were tied in polygamist sect case
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – For four frustrating years, an informant fed Sheriff David Doran information about the polygamist sect that built a compound in the West Texas desert not far from his office in Eldorado.
People
City inspectors order repairs on Vo-owned property
By MATT STILES, Houston Chronicle, 11 April 2008
HOUSTON – City inspectors on Thursday ordered structural and electrical repairs at an apartment complex owned by state Rep. Hubert Vo, the latest action against his properties in recent days.
Roles in collision
Houston Chronicle, 10 April 2008
HOUSTON – Last year Houston Mayor Bill White called on state Rep. Hubert Vo of Alief to serve as the liaison between his office and Thai Xuan Village, a dilapidated condo complex near Hobby Airport that the city was considering demolishing.
Three TxDOT employees accused of bribery
Waco Tribune-Herald, 11 April 2008
McALLEN – Three Texas Department of Transportation employees have been arrested on accusations of accepting bribes for contracts, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Southwest CEO's compensation nearly doubled last year
Waco Tribune-Herald, 11 April 2008
DALLAS – Southwest Airlines Co., which scaled back its growth last year but remained profitable in a troubled industry, nearly doubled the compensation for its chief executive in 2007 to $1.9 million, according to a regulatory filing Thursday.
Senate approves Texan for appeals court
Waco Tribune-Herald, 11 April 2008
WASHINGTON – The Senate has given Dallas lawyer Catharina Haynes its approval to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Senate approves Dallas lawyer for appeals court
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 April 2008
WASHINGTON – The Senate has given Dallas lawyer Catharina Haynes its approval to serve on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Laura Bush: She, president moving back to Dallas
By ERIC AASEN and ERIC AASEN, Dallas Morning News, 10 April 2008
DALLAS – Dallas County may be turning Democratic, but it's about to gain two prominent Republican residents: The Bushes are moving back to town.
First lady speaks to Dallas students about nature program
Waco Tribune-Herald, 11 April 2008
DALLAS – First lady Laura Bush visited with children at a Dallas charter school Thursday about a program that teaches kids about nature through planting and gardening projects.
Head of Texas Medical Board stepping down Aug. 28
By Mary Ann Roser, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10 April 2008
AUSTIN – Saying he loved the job but it was time to go, Dr. Donald Patrick announced today that he will retire as chief of the Texas Medical Board in August.
Austin man to chair state prison board
Austin American-Statesman, 11 April 2008
AUSITN – Oliver Bell, president of an Austin-based human resources consulting firm, has been appointed chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, the nine-member panel that oversees the Texas prison system.
Perry to host Muslim sect's spiritual leader
By W. Gardner Selby, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 April 2008
AUSTIN – Texas Gov. Rick Perry plans to host a private dinner followed by fireworks near Austin on Saturday to honor the Aga Khan, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad celebrating his 50th year as the spiritual leader of a Muslim sect.
Texas welcome for Imam
Austin American-Statesman, 10 April 2008
AUSTIN – Had you read or heard that the governor of Texas was to break bread with a Muslim Imam only 10 years ago, you might have thought it highly improbable. It’s a new Texas, however, and a new world.