Politics
Medina a wild card in Texas governor's race
By Christy Hoppe, Dallas Morning News, 28 January 2010
Debra Medina has come out of far right field to add some fire and suspense to the GOP governor's primary, and many believe, tilt the outcome.
Old Guard Caught Off Guard
By LESLIE EATON, Wall Street Journal, 29 January 2010
DALLAS—An obscure candidate with backing from the "tea party" movement threatens to deny a decisive victory to either Texas Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison in the battle for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Texas.
Candidates spar over conservative credentials in Collin County judge race
By Ed Housewright, Dallas Morning News, 28 January 2010
John Muns is running for the top office in Collin County government, so don't call him a moderate.
Hutchison trying to balance Senate duties with campaign appearances
By Tom Benning, Dallas Morning News, 29 January 2010
One day after skipping the State of the Union address to campaign in Dallas, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison jetted back to Washington to oppose the reappointment of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Thursday
Democratic gubernatorial candidates Bill White, Farouk Shami to debate Feb. 8 in Fort Worth
By Robert T. Garrett, Dallas Morning News, 29 January 2010
Former Houston Mayor Bill White and Houston businessman Farouk Shami have agreed to a debate before their Democratic primary for governor.
GOP candidates to spar in final debate tonight
Austin American Statesman, January 29 2010
Tonight's debate will probably be the last before the March 2 primary. The first debate gave a boost to Medina, who was little-known to that point. Perry and Hutchison must decide whether to go after Medina, who polls show remains in third place, or focus on each other.
Bill White, Farouk Shami set for Feb. 8 debate
By R.G. Ratcliffe, Houston Chronicle, 29 January 2010
As the Republican candidates for governor prepare for what likely is their last debate tonight on statewide television, the first debate between Democrats Bill White and Farouk Shami has been set for Feb. 8 in Fort Worth.
Campaign manager defends Shami, blasts 'interrogation'
By Corrie MacLaggan, Austin American-Statesman, 29 January 2010
Farouk Shami couldn't name Texas' comptroller or attorney general when asked to do so during a meeting Thursday with the Austin American-Statesman editorial board.
GOP candidates for governor to hold last TV debate
By Jay Root, Associated Press, 29 January 2010
The three Republicans vying to become Texas governor will face off Friday in their final televised showdown before the primary elections.
Republicans seek momentum in Friday night's gubernatorial debate
By Dave Montgomery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 January 2010
The three Republican candidates for governor will square off tonight in their second and final debate before the March 2 primary, with Gov. Rick Perry and his leading challenger, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, hoping for a knockout that could propel them to victory.
Hutchison raps Perry on Enterprise Fund
By Kelley Shannon, Associated Press, 29 January 2010
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison took aim Thursday at Gov. Rick Perry's oversight of the Texas Enterprise Fund, saying he has kept the public in the dark about the fund's activities. She called for an immediate independent audit of the job-creation program
Government
Some university endowments, including UT's, lost a fourth of their value last year
By Holly K. Hacker, Dallas Morning News, 28 January 2010
Endowments at several Texas universities lost about a quarter of their value last year, a new study shows. But college officials say they're better off than those scary-looking endowment numbers suggest.
Mexico ships suspect in slaying of U.S. Border Patrol agent from El Paso
By Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, 29 January 2010
Two years of waiting in agony for Mexico to turn over a murder suspect in the slaying of a U.S. Border Patrol agent from El Paso ended Thursday for the victim's family.
Unemployment: Even college graduates find it tough to land steady jobs
By Adriana Gomez Licon, El Paso Times, 29 January 2010
In a time of layoffs and hiring freezes, hunting for a job becomes arduous for people who thought a bachelor's degree would be a ticket to a steady paycheck.
Verdict expected in first phase of CPS trial
By Tracy Idell Hamilton, San Antonio Express-News, 29 January 2010
The judge handling CPS Energy's lawsuit against Nuclear Innovation North America is expected to decide today whether the utility can stop putting money into a disputed nuclear project yet still retain a 50 percent ownership.
Castro shoots for 20,000 new S.A. jobs in 2010
By Gilbert Garcia, San Antonio Express-News
A day after President Barack Obama made jobs the thrust of his first State of the Union address, Mayor Julián Castro set an ambitious goal for local job creation in his inaugural State of the City speech — “to create 20,000 new net jobs” in 2010.
News
Judge scolds pair over gag order, delays ruling on Hill case
By Jason Trahan, Dallas Morning News, 29 January 2010
U.S. District Judge Barbara Lynn dished out the tongue-lashings Thursday but postponed her ruling on whether former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and his attorney Ray Jackson were in contempt of court when they sat for an interview days before jury selection in last year's corruption trial.
Scanners coming to Capitol?
By Mike Ward, Austin American-Statesman, 29 January 2010
One week after a man opened fire with a pistol outside the Texas Capitol's south entrance, legislative leaders took a possible first step toward beefing up security at the storied landmark with checkpoints and more surveillance cameras.
Tuesday's quake a West Texas rarit
By Garner Roberts, Abilene Reporter-News, 28 January 2010
Earthquakes like the one earlier this week in Scurry County occur infrequently in West Texas, according to a local geology professor, and the 2.9 magnitude tremor apparently caused no damage.
Some residents speak out against Cedar Park water park plans at council meeting
By Miguel Liscano, Austin American-Statesman, 29 January 2010
The City Council late Thursday unanimously approved two measures that will bring a $360 million water park resort to the fast-growing suburban community northwest of Austin.
LegalZoom eyes Austin
By Lori Hawkins and Kirk Landendorf, Austin American-Statesman, 28 January 2010
LegalZoom, a Los Angeles-based online legal services company, proposes creating a regional headquarters in Austin and 600 jobs over the next five years, according to City of Austin documents.
2 companies disqualified from winning recycling plant contract
By Sarah Coppola, Austin American-Statesman, 28 January 2010
Two companies that plan to compete for a potentially lucrative city contract to build or run a new recycling plant have violated the city's lobbying rules and been disqualified from consideration, city officials said.
Ike most costly insurance-wise in state history
Associated Press, 29 January 2010
Hurricane Ike was the costliest weather catastrophe in Texas history in terms of insurance coverage, leaving behind nearly $12 billion in insured damage, an industry group reported Thursday.
Texas soldier arrested in highway drug case
Associated Press, 28 January 2010
A 27-year-old Fort Bliss soldier has been arrested after border agents say they found nearly 200 pounds of marijuana in his car at a highway checkpoint.
Snow-maggedon arrives
By Joe Gramm, Amarillo Globe-News, 29 January 2010
The Panhandle was blanketed in ice and snow Thursday as a hazardous storm system passed through the region and caused whiteout conditions, the closure of Interstate 40 and other major routes, and led to the cancellation of commercial flights.
People
San Marcos man who loved being soldier is honored
By Jeremy Schwartz, Austin American-Statesman, 29 January 2010
Several hundred mourners, including top Army brass, childhood friends and residents who had read of his death, paid tribute Thursday night to Capt. Paul W. Peña, who was killed last week while on patrol in Afghanistan's Arghandab River Valley.