Texas Democrats call for party unity [1]
By GROMER JEFFERS JR., Dallas Morning News, 8 May 2008
DALLAS – Several prominent Texas supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama agreed Wednesday that the race for the Democratic nomination is over and that the unification of the party needs to begin at once.
Lawmaker purging 'ghost workers' had own [2]
By Mike Ward, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – The Texas House official pushing to clear lawmakers' payrolls of so-called ghost employees — those full-time, low-pay employees who are seldom seen at work — had at least one of his own.
Craddick foes see politics in probe of lawmakers’ employees [3]
By KAREN BROOKS, Dallas Morning News, 7 May 2008
AUSTIN – A skirmish over House members allegedly offering full-time benefits to part-time employees has become the latest partisan political battle in Rep. Tom Craddick’s efforts to remain speaker.
Candidate's employment questioned [4]
By Ryan Holeywell, McAllen Monitor, 7 May 2008
WESLACO – A school board candidate is accused of being a "ghost" employee for a state legislator, maintaining a full-time position on paper while accumulating insurance and pension benefits.
Is BATPAC Also a Highway Brat PAC? [5]
BY KATHERINE GREGOR, Austin Chronicle, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Listed as a major $1,000 contributor to the presumably left-wing Better Austin Today Political Action Committee, on its most recent campaign finance report, is none other than Jim Skaggs – a board member of the Travis Republican Advisory Council PAC.
Lawmakers must retire 'ghost' employees [6]
Beaumont Enterprise, 8 May 2008
BEAUMONT – In a state capital where lawmakers occasionally engage in "ghost voting," perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that they also have "ghost employees.
Austin 'ghosts': Lege has marvelous variety [7]
El Paso Times, 8 May 2008
EL PASO – You may recall that last year there was a dust-up in Austin about ghost voting, where Texas House members have other members cast votes for them if they're going to be absent.
Larcenous lawmakers [8]
Wichita Falls Times Record News, 8 May 2008
WICHITA FALLS – With most of us conscious of our finances these days, we’d expect the government to do the same.
Three reminders that politics shouldn't always be taken seriously [9]
By W. Gardner Selby, Austin American-Statesman, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Office-seekers do the darndest things.
Paul may have overlooked ethics in his effort to publicize his ideas [10]
Victoria Advocate, 7 May 2008
VICTORIA – U.S. Rep. Ron Paul is a rarity in politics.
Increase in anonymous opinions criticized in report [11]
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – More than half the opinions issued last year by the Texas Supreme Court were anonymously written, a practice that enables the elected body to operate in secrecy and without public accountability, according to a scathing report to be released today.
3 years after law, Texas will target uninsured drivers [12]
By TERRENCE STUTZ, Dallas Morning News, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Three years after the Legislature passed a law to crack down on uninsured motorists, the number of drivers caught without insurance coverage under the 2005 statute is exactly – zero.
Perry raises prospect of tax rebates [13]
By JOHN MORITZ, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – With top state officials forecasting a budget surplus as high as $15 billion next year, Gov. Rick Perry will likely call for a round of tax cuts that could include cash rebates to Texas residents, Perry's spokesman said Wednesday.
Lawmaker sets sights on transportation department [14]
By Gordon Dickson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2008
FORT WORTH – The Texas Department of Transportation has done more harm to the public's trust of state government than any other agency and needs to be overhauled, Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, R-Irving, said Wednesday.
Judge approves settlement in TYC civil rights case [15]
Waco Tribune-Herald, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – A federal judge has approved a settlement between the Texas Youth Commission and the Justice Department over inmate safety at the state's juvenile prison in Edinburg.
Why does the Lone Star State allow TxDOT's bureaucratic arrogance? [16]
By Ken Allard, San Antonio Express-News, 8 May 2008
SAN ANTONIO – The headlines might have read, “No Hope, No More,” but we have been on a collision course over the future of TxDOT ever since Gov. Perry's dismissal last week of interim commissioner Hope Andrade.
Voter impersonation is a phantom worry in Texas [17]
By STATE SEN. MARIO GALLEGOS and STATE SEN. RODNEY ELLIS TOOLS, Houston Chronicle, 7 May 2008
HOUSTON – We have a lot of problems in Texas.
Polygamists from Texas unwelcome in Mexico Mormon community [18]
By ALFREDO CORCHADO, Dallas Morning News, 8 May 2008
COLONIA LeBARON, Mexico – Nestled in the foothills of Chihuahua's Sierra Tarahumara, a community of breakaway Mormons is worried that polygamists from the sect in Eldorado, Texas, will seek refuge here — much as the founders did when they fled Utah beginning in the 1890s.
Attorney general to aid in possible prosecutions from Texas sect raid [19]
By Bill Hanna and John Moritz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2008
FORT WORTH – A San Angelo judge has appointed the Texas attorney general's office as a special prosecutor in anticipation of criminal charges stemming from the raid on the West Texas polygamist compound near Eldorado.
Impact of sect children is felt in Bexar [20]
By Nancy Martinez, San Antonio Express-News, 7 May 2008
SAN ANTONIO – In the days after more than 460 children were seized last month from a polygamist sect's ranch in West Texas, Child Protective Services officials assured the public that the system had the resources to care for the children and litigate their cases.
Polygamist sect work takes toll on social workers [21]
By Andrea Ball, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Terry Secrest lies awake at night, thinking about the women and children of Texas' now-famed polygamist sect.
Report gives Texas' energy outlook amid rapid growth [22]
By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 7 May 2008
AUSTIN – Texas can maintain its status as a national energy leader by increasing efficiency and taking advantage of diverse resources statewide, including oil, gas, coal, wind and the sun, state Comptroller Susan Combs said Tuesday.
Energy Dept. unveils retooled plans for clean coal plants [23]
Waco Tribune-Herald, 8 May 2008
ST. LOUIS – The Energy Department unveiled its blueprint Wednesday for spending up to $1.3 billion on multiple clean-coal power plants that would capture carbon emissions and permanently store them underground.
Landowners take stand against Exelon [24]
BY TARA BOZICK, Victoria Advocate, 7 May 2008
VICTORIA – Ranch owners won’t let Exelon survey their property.
Texas caught off guard as more seek handgun permits [25]
By JANET ELLIOTT, Houston Chronicle, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Demand for concealed handgun licenses has risen nearly 40 percent in Texas in a year, an increase being attributed to many factors, even presidential politics.
Court: BP victims were wronged [26]
By Mark Collette, Galveston County Daily News, 8 May 2008
TEXAS CITY – An appeals court ruled Wednesday that the U.S. government violated the rights of victims in the explosions at the BP America refinery in Texas City because the government reached a plea bargain with BP without consulting the victims.
Texas attorney general upholds ban on shipping horse meat across state [27]
By Christy Hoppe, Dallas Morning News, 8 May 2008
AUSTIN – Attorney General Greg Abbott said Wednesday that it's illegal to ship horse meat across Texas.
Kids Rule [28]
By Patrick Williams, Dallas Observer, 8 May 2008
DALLAS – Buzz was wondering when the Liberty Legal Institute, that Dallas-based network of lawyers who labor on behalf of religious freedom and parental rights, would weigh in on Texas authorities' raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints compound in West Texas.
Did Eldorado ruling violate the Constitution? [29]
By Ronald L. Trowbridge, Dallas Morning News, 8 May2 008
CONROE – The removal of 462 children from their parents at the polygamist compound in Eldorado, Texas, could very well be unconstitutional, despite the fact that District Judge Barbara Walther decreed it.
Pedernales settlement makes sense — on the whole [30]
Austin American-Statesman, 7 May 2008
AUSTIN – State District Judge John Dietz this week approved a settlement in the civil suit against Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. that should, on the whole, be regarded as a good one for the co-op’s 220,000 member-owners.
Texas state worker hits $21 million slot jackpot in Vegas [31]
Waco Tribune-Herald, 8 May 2008
LAS VEGAS – A 58-year-old Texas state employee has won a $21 million slot jackpot.
Beyond the family ranch, Texas town makes Bush wedding plans [32]
Waco Tribune-Herald, 8 May 2008
CRAWFORD – So you didn't get your invitation to Jenna Bush's wedding this weekend? No worries.
Choose SAWS boss with thorough care [33]
San Antonio Express-News, 7 May 2008
SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Water System board once again is looking for a CEO.