Politics
Macias staffer on possible 'twice-voter' list
From staff reports, The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung, 4/15/8
State Rep. Nathan Macias’ chief of staff is listed as a possible double-voter in the legislator’s own lawsuit to contest the results of the March 4 primary election.
District convention results challenged
By AMAN BATHEJA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 April 2008
FORT WORTH – Local Hillary Clinton supporters have filed more than 35 written challenges to the results of the Senate district conventions that chose presidential delegates March 29.
El Paso Democrats questioned
By Ramon Bracamontes, El Paso Times, 15 April 2008
EL PASO – An El Paso lawyer who is also a supporter of Sen. Barack Obama's presidential run is challenging the way the El Paso County Democratic Party selected its delegates, and is asking the state party to order El Paso Democrats to reconvene or not be allowed to participate in the Texas convention in June.
Texas Democrat's campaign champions NASA, might be far-flung hope for Kennedy Space Center jobs
By Mark K. Matthews, Orlando Sentinel, 15 April 2008
WASHINGTON – A Texas congressman trying to keep his job could be the best hope for Kennedy Space Center workers trying to keep theirs.
Flores: Tell me what sort of lawmaker you want me to be
By Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 14 April 2008
McALLEN – Since his narrow re-election victory in the March 4 primary, state Rep. Kino Flores has been reaching out to those individuals and groups who did not back him.
Government
Texas raising the mark for 'acceptable' schools
By TERRENCE STUTZ, Dallas Morning News, 14 April 2008
AUSTIN – Benchmarks for Texas schools to earn acceptable performance ratings from the state are being raised this year in reading, math and science.
Texas legislators looking at revamping school ratings
Houston Chronicle, 15 April 2008
AUSTIN – Rating public schools based on the strides students make on standardized tests, and not simply whether they pass or fail, is among the changes some state lawmakers want considered next year to how school performance is graded.
Fight over border fence environmental waivers could reach Supreme Court
By DAVID McLEMORE, Dallas Morning News, 14 April 2008
DALLAS – The U.S. Supreme Court may get a chance to join the fractious debate over building fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.
County inches closer to border wall construction
By Jackie Leatherman, McAllen Monitor, 15 April 2008
EDINBURG – Hidalgo County is closer to beginning construction of a border wall along 22 miles of its levee.
Congressional hearing in Brownsville will discuss impact of border wall
By Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 14 April 2008
BROWNSVILLE – Two congressional subcommittees will hold a joint field hearing in Brownsville later this month to look at the potential impact a border wall will have on border communities and the natural environment.
TBC meeting will focus on legislative agenda, not just border wall
By Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 14 April 2008
McALLEN – While most of the media’s focus on the Texas Border Coalition over the past year has been about its strong opposition to the border fence, the group is also concerned about healthcare, workforce training and transportation.
Changes Inside TYC Don't Bode Well For Smith County
By ROY MAYNARD, Tyler Morning Telegraph, 15 April 2008
TYLER – Changes within the troubled Texas Youth Commission and Texas Juvenile Probation Commission don't bode well for Smith County, Juvenile Services Director Nelson Downing told Smith County commissioners on Monday.
Legislation will ease mortgage woes
By Kay Bailey Hutchison, San Antonio Express-News, 15 April 2008
SAN ANTONIO – Falling home prices can be unnerving to all homeowners, even those whose mortgages are not in danger of foreclosure.
One lawmaker, one vote
Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 April 2008
WACO – One of the first orders of business when the 81st Texas Legislature convenes at noon on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009 should be a commitment to one lawmaker, one vote.
News
Women, taken from children: 'We were deceived.'
By Paul A. Anthony, San Angelo Standard-Times, 15 April 2008
ELDORADO – Directly contradicting state authorities about the nature of the raid on and removal of children from a religious compound, a group of angry, tearful women lashed out at Child Protective Services and demanded the return of their children.
Counties cooperate to handle flood of sect cases
By Paul A. Anthony, San Angelo Standard-Times, 15 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – As in so many cases, numbers tell the story of the flood that has engulfed the Tom Green County Courthouse in the last seven days:
Former member praises actions taken by Texas
By Matt Phinney, San Angelo Standard-Times, 15 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Flora Jessop, a former member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ, says she is proud of Texas.
Official: Sect kids are 'healthy, robust'
By Matt Phinney, San Angelo Standard-Times, 15 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – The children from the YFZ Ranch came to San Angelo a "healthy and robust" group of people and remain that way, said a state health department official.
FLDS women removed for San Angelo shelters
By Paul A. Anthony, San Angelo Standard-Times, 14 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – A spokesman for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said this afternoon that the Texas Department of Family and Child Protective Services moved the 139 women who had been in San Angelo back to the YFZ compound near Eldorado.
Attorneys raise concerns about FLDS child-custody cases
By Paul A. Anthony, San Angelo Standard-Times, 14 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Attorneys unleashed a litany of concerns this morning about how 51st District court will handle what is likely the most challenging case its ever received.
Judge considered well-suited for Texas polygamy sect case
By ANNA M. TINSLEY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 April 2008
FORT WORTH – As the storm continues swirling around the polygamist sect whose compound near Eldorado was raided, Barbara Lane Walther is trying to make some sense of it.
Sect's kids are taken to new location
By Terri Langford, Houston Chronicle, 15 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Texas Child Protective Services moved 416 children Monday from a West Texas historical park to two other locations — separating some from their mothers — in preparation of a hearing that could decide if the youths should be put in foster homes across the state.
Women from polygamist compound separated from children
Dallas Morning News, 14 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – Texas officials who took 416 children from a polygamist retreat into state custody sent many of their mothers away Monday, as a judge and lawyers struggled with a legal and logistical morass in one of the biggest child-custody cases in U.S. history.
Custody hearing set for children seized from polygamist sect
Dallas Morning News, 14 April 2008
SAN ANGELO – A court began laying the groundwork Monday to sort out the custody arrangements for hundreds of young children seized from a polygamist sect, with nearly four dozen lawyers seeking to represent the children in attendance.
SOS repayment plan rejected by bankruptcy judge
By Asher Price, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 15 April 2008
AUSTIN – A plan by an Austin environmental group to pull itself out of bankruptcy has been rejected by a federal judge.
Fundamental
Lufkin Daily News, 14 April 2008
LUFKIN – Freedom to worship as one chooses without government interference is a fundamental tenet of the U.S. Constitution.
People
State Rep. Miles indicted on deadly conduct charges
By BRIAN ROGERS and MATT STILES, Houston Chronicle, 14 April 2008
HOUSTON – State Rep. Borris Miles was indicted Monday on two counts of deadly conduct stemming from complaints he brandished a pistol and made threats at a pair of parties last December.
Texas legislator Miles indicted on charges of deadly conduct
By KAREN BROOKS, Dallas Morning News, 14 April 2008
AUSTIN – Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston, was indicted Monday on two counts of misdemeanor deadly conduct in Harris County.
Rep. Vo, you should know better
By LISA FALKENBERG, Houston Chronicle, 14 April 2008
HOUSTON – Hubert Vo is an American success story if there ever was one.