Politics
White's cloudy Senate campaign route
By JOE HOLLEY, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 19 November 2009
A sprinter's explosive burst or a marathoner's long, steady stride? After nearly a year on the campaign trail, Bill White still does not know for sure what kind of Senate race he is running.
Houston hair-care mogul Shami launches gov bid
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, 19 November 2009
AUSTIN — Houston hair-care millionaire Farouk Shami is launching his bid for the Texas Democratic gubernatorial nomination today as an example of the American dream: a poor immigrant who earned a fortune through hard work.
House committee not investigating complaint against U.S. Rep. Reyes
By Diana Washington Valdez, El Paso Times, 19 November 2009
EL PASO - The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has notified U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, that the committee is not investigating him.
Despite his millions, Shami faces steep climb to governor's office
By Corrie MacLaggan, Jason Embry, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 20 November 2008
HOUSTON — With hundreds of supporters watching, businessman Farouk Shami leapt into the Democratic gubernatorial primary field Thursday with plenty of hoopla and a promise to spend millions more than his opponents will likely raise, but he will face obstacles that even money may not allow him to overcome.
Businessman Dee Margo launches 3rd bid for state office
By Zahira Torres, El Paso Times, 20 November 2009
AUSTIN -- El Paso businessman Dee Margo announced Thursday that he would make a third run for the state Legislature.
Hutchison, Perry fire up TV ads in heated Texas governor's race
By WAYNE SLATER, The Dallas Morning News, 20 November 2009
LOST PINES, Texas – Rick Perry and Kay Bailey Hutchison launched the first television commercials of their fractious primary fight today, each side claiming the conservative high ground aimed at winning Republican voters.
Houston businessman Farouk Shami joins Democratic race for Texas governor
By ROBERT T. GARRETT, The Dallas Morning News, 20 November 2009
AUSTIN – Palestinian-born Houston businessman Farouk Shami jumped into the Democratic race for governor Thursday.
Government
Dallas, Fort Worth get short straw in highway spending plan OKd by state
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER, The Dallas Morning News, 19 November 2009
AUSTIN -- Texas transportation officials approved a $1.85 billion plan today to build or improve highways throughout Texas, rejecting protests from Dallas and Fort Worth that nearly all of the money will be spent in Houston and along Interstate 35 near Waco. Quickly brushing aside those complaints, the Texas Transportation Commission voted 5-0 to accept the spending plan that just one week ago had touched off a firestorm among members of the Regional Transportation Council in Arlington.
Investment firm stands by reports on gifts to State Board of Education official
By JEFF HORWITZ, The Dallas Morning News, 20 November 2009
State Board of Education member Rick Agosto has accused an investment company of incorrectly reporting that it gave him more than $1,000 in gifts before it sought a lucrative contract with the board. But the company has insisted that its disclosures are generally correct and said in letters to the Texas Education Agency that the disagreement may partially result from differences in accounting.
Did a group of city commissioners violate the Texas Open Meetings Act?
By EMMA PEREZ-TREVINO, The Brownsville Herald, 19 November 2009
Three Brownsville city commissioners who attended an early November meeting not opened to the public maintain that they did not violate the Texas Open Meetings Act.
TxDOT reveals plans to widen U.S. 190
By Hailey Persinger, Killeen Daily Herald, 20 November 2009
The Texas Department of Transportation is planning for an estimated $120 million worth of widening and other changes to U.S. Highway 190 to keep up with Killeen's growing population.
State faces H1N1 vaccine fight
Emily Mullin, San Angelo Standard-Times
SAN ANGELO, Texas — WASHINGTON — Texas is one of the states facing tremendous challenges delivering the H1N1 vaccine because of its geographical size and a shortage of doses.
Officials award almost $1.1 billion for I-35 expansion in Waco, Central Texas
By Michael Shapiro, Waco Tribune-Herald
AUSTIN — State transportation officials approved spending more than half of $2 billion worth of voter-approved bond money to widen six stretches of Interstate 35 in Central Texas.
Settlement delay costs HISD $82 million
By ERICKA MELLON, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 19 November 2009
Houston ISD schools have gone without at least $82 million for technology upgrades while the district is under federal investigation for questionable deals with computer equipment vendors.
News
Houston-area districts sue over grading policy
By ERICKA MELLON, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 19 November 2009
Six Houston-area school districts are suing the state education commissioner over his decision to forbid teachers from giving students report card grades they didn't earn.
Katrina affected drug habits
By CINDY GEORGE, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 19 November 2009
Hurricane Katrina offered a unique opportunity for University of Houston drug researchers to examine how disaster impacted the health of black substance abusers.
State high court weighing beach easement law
By MATTHEW TRESAUGUE, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 19 November 2009
Texas law allows anyone to place a blanket on the beach, right up to the vegetation line, even if it's an intrusion on the privacy of a seaside home.
Perry rejects clemency in death penalty case
By Mike Ward, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 20 November 2009
Rejecting a rare recommendation to commute a death sentence, Gov. Rick Perry refused Thursday to stop the execution of a man convicted of murder for his role in the 1996 shooting death of a Houston convenience store clerk.
Heritage Society opposes addition to Governor's Mansion
By Chuck Lindell, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 20 November 2009
The Heritage Society of Austin, a leading proponent for rebuilding the fire-gutted Governor's Mansion, will not support recently revealed plans for a two-story addition to the 153-year-old building.
Report: Nearly 10% of Texas home loans in arrears
By STEVE BROWN, The Dallas Morning News, 19 November 2009
Almost 10 percent of Texans were behind in their home loan payments during the third quarter.
Hospital War
by Emily Ramshaw, The Texas Tribune, 20 November 2009
DALLAS — The gleaming mahogany floors, elegant track lighting and high-speed wireless Internet at the Texas Institute for Surgery scream “upscale hotel,” not “demise of American health care.” But to many traditional hospitals and health care experts, the latter is exactly what physician-owned specialty hospitals like this one represent.
Man executed after Perry rejects parole board's clemency recommendation
By MICHAEL GRACZYK, The Associated Press, 20 November 2009
HUNTSVILLE — Forty-five minutes after Gov. Rick Perry rejected the state parole board’s recommendation that Robert Lee Thompson’s sentence be commuted to life in prison, Thompson was executed Thursday for his part in a fatal Houston store holdup.
People
Collin College professor named one of nation’s best
By Kim Nguyen, Plano Star Courier, 19 November 2009
Dr. Tracey McKenzie, sociology professor at Collin College’s Frisco campus, was honored in a luncheon and awards ceremony Thursday by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) as one of four U.S. Professors of the Year.