Politics
Democratic Gubernatorial Debate: Liveblog, Video, Audio
Bby Ross Ramsey, The Texas Tribune, 2/9/10
In their first and probably only televised debate, Bill White sounded experienced, as you'd expect of a three-term mayor of Houston, while wealthy hair care magnate Farouk Shami was more passionate, more animated, and much more prone to political mistakes.
White, Shami try to win votes in only scheduled debate
By Corrie MacLaggan and Jason Embry, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, Feb. 8, 2010
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White largely bypassed opponent Farouk Shami in a televised debate Monday night, instead attacking Gov. Rick Perry and seeking to appeal beyond his party to independents and Republicans.
White, Shami spar on death penalty, gas tax in Texas Democratic governor debate
By ROBERT T. GARRETT, The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 8, 2010
The two main Democratic candidates for governor clashed on the death penalty, increasing the gasoline tax and halting Barnett Shale energy production Monday night in their only statewide televised debate.
Gromer Jeffers Jr.: Shami's big promises still lacking in details
By GROMER JEFFERS JR., The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 8, 2010
The leading Democratic contenders for governor were in near lock step on most issues facing Texas, particularly support for abortion rights, disdain for a voter identification law, and the need to grow the economy.
A fact check of the Democratic governor debate
The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 8, 2010
There is no definitive evidence yet that any person executed in Texas in the modern era was innocent.
Dems debate jobs and justice
By MICHAEL GRACZYK Associated Press, Feb. 8, 2010
Democratic hair care businessman Farouk Shami guaranteed Monday that he would create 100,000 jobs available to everyone, offer free electricity and an enact a moratorium on the death penalty if elected governor of Texas.
In debate with Shami, White directs his attention at Perry
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 8, 2010
Former Houston Mayor Bill White largely ignored his main Democratic gubernatorial opponent in a statewide debate Monday to frame himself as the politically experienced candidate who can take on Republican Gov. Rick Perry in the general election.
Texas Governor Race: Democratic debate centers on job creation, budget
By Zahira Torres, El Paso Times, Feb. 9, 2010
Former Houston Mayor Bill White and hair-care magnate Farouk Shami squared off in a debate Monday in Fort Worth that focused on job creation, balancing the state's budget, renewable energy and border issues.
White, Shami disagree on death penalty moratorium, border security in Democratic debate
By ANNA M. TINSLEY and MIKE LEE, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Feb. 8, 2010
One of the few things on which the state's two top Democratic candidates for governor agreed Monday, during their first and likely only debate, is that it's time for change in Texas.
White skips primary talk and guns straight for Perry
By BUD KENNEDY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Feb. 8, 2010
Houston Democrat Bill White launched his campaign against Gov. Rick Perry on Monday night.
Debating point: Is White racist?
By RICK CASEY, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, Feb. 7, 2010
Because of the hair care magnate, and only because of him, White will get an hour of free television exposure throughout the state tonight.
Democrats throw support to Johnson after Hodge's guilty plea
By GROMER JEFFERS JR., The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 9, 2010
An array of prominent Democrats on Monday endorsed lawyer Eric Johnson for state representative in District 100, an area of southern Dallas that for 14 years has been represented by Terri Hodge.
Usually unopposed GOP congressmen draw challengers
By Tim Eaton, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, Feb. 8, 2010
Conservative discontent has spurred a challenger to a Republican congressman representing Central Texas who has not had a primary opponent in 16 years.
Two Kyle council members vie to be mayor
By Patrick George, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, Feb. 8, 2010
The two Kyle City Council members running for mayor in Saturday's special election have different visions on how the future of Kyle the fifth fastest-growing city in Texas should take shape.
Elections office may need more staff
By Candace Cooksey Fulton, Brownwood Bulletin, Feb. 9, 2010
Brown County Judge Ray West’s “random” survey of the staffing and operations of least eight other counties’ elections offices has led him to believe Brown County will likely require a larger staff for its elections office than it has “especially in the busy time leading up to and immediately after an election.”
Hutchison calls education a priority
By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo, San Antonio Express-News Feb. 9, 2010
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison visited San Antonio's KIPP Aspire Academy Monday along with former first lady Barbara Bush and former Congressman Henry Bonilla to talk about what she calls her No. 1 issue in her campaign for governor: education.
Upshur County Republican candidates seek end to county fighting
By Christina Lane, Longview News-Journal, Feb. 7, 2010
Upshur County Republican candidates on Saturday said they want to stop the fighting within the county.
San Angelo Dems support White
By Kiah Collier, San Angelo Standard-Times
A small group of local Democratic leaders gathered Monday night to watch the two relatively unknown Democratic front runners for governor introduce themselves to voters.
Government
Accidents Will Happen
by Brandi Grissom, The Texas Tribune, 2/9/10
State troopers turned in hundreds of error-riddled crash reports in 2007 and 2008, according to an internal audit by the Department of Public Safety.
This Might Hurt
by Abby Rapoport, The Texas Tribune, 2/9/10
Advocates for vaccination records say a complete registry of shots would help the state navigate major health crises. Opponents say it would jeopardize patient privacy. Lawmakers like the potential cost savings, but they still aren’t sure where they stand.
Abstinence-only sex education works, study finds, but lessons murky
By JEFFREY WEISS, The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 8, 2010
Dramatic new evidence that abstinence-only sex education can succeed in public schools ought to be good news for Texas, right? After all, state law requires an emphasis on abstinence, and most school districts stop there.
Gov. Rick Perry calls for tighter border security measures
By DIANNE SOLIS, The Dallas Morning News, Feb. 9, 2010
Gov. Rick Perry tried to shore up his border security credentials Monday as he campaigned for re-election by calling for a Predator drone at the Texas-Mexico border and highlighting a transnational gang initiative.
Women few on boards, councils
By Sarah Kleiner Varble, Abilene Reporter News, Feb. 8, 2010
The dearth of women on Abilene’s elected councils and boards may be even more noticeable in the coming months.
JSC chief 'anxious' about facility's future
By ERIC BERGER, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 8, 2010
The director of Johnson Space Center said Monday he is “very anxious” about the future of his sprawling facility in the Clear Lake area.
Taking action: Juárez violence, marijuana resolution on agenda
By David Burge, El Paso Times, Feb. 9, 2010
A resolution sponsored by city Reps. Steve Ortega and Beto O'Rourke would condemn the drug-related violence in Juárez and request that both the U.S. and Mexican governments take stronger action to end it.
Federal agencies failing to ease colonias' water needs, new study says
By Gustavo Reveles Acosta, El Paso Times, Feb. 9, 2010
About $1.4 billion in taxpayers' money has been sent to the border for water and sewage projects in the last eight years, but little has been achieved in making low-income neighborhoods more livable, a new federal study says.
Panel to begin gathering input on state's redistricting
By Enrique Rangel, Lubbock Avalanche Journal, Feb. 9, 2010
Redrawing the state's congressional and Texas Legislature districts is still a year away. But as early as this week, a panel that will recommend to the lawmakers how to redraw the maps may get a preview of what can be expected.
Local officials fighting request by HUD to divert $100 million in hurricane funds from Deep East Texas to Galveston
By ASHLEY COOK, The Lufkin Daily News, Feb. 8, 2010
Angelina County Commissioners on Monday adopted a resolution that they hope will level the playing field for disaster recovery and preparedness.
Immigration prosecutions straining court system
By Jeremy Roebuck The McAllen Monitor, Feb. 8, 2010
Outside a small courtroom on the eighth floor of McAllen’s federal courthouse, Thomas Lindenmuth steels himself for what he dryly refers to as “la cosecha del fin de semana” – the catch of the weekend.
News
Cost of an ambulance ride could be going up
By BRADLEY OLSON, Houston Chronicle, Feb. 8, 2010,
Mayor Annise Parker's administration is weighing a plan to more than double the cost of ambulance transport in the city, a move that already has met with a chilly reception from City Council members.
Denton ISD may end driver’s ed
By Britney Tabor, Denton Record-Chronicle, Feb. 9, 2010
Increased costs are turning a green light to red as Denton school district officials consider dropping driver’s education.
MTV reality show puts Burleson on national stage, but some call its depiction inaccurate
By EVA-MARIE AYALA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Feb. 8, 2010
Phrases such as a "horribly close-minded abyss of lameness" and "white-bread town" are not what some residents would use to describe Burleson, which straddles Interstate 35W south of Fort Worth.
Tech payroll glitch affects thousands
By Matthew Mcgowan, LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, Feb. 9, 2010
More than 5,000 Texas Tech employees have received incorrect W-2 tax statements from the university this year.
6 dead after Reynosa shootout
Jared Taylor, The McAllen Monitor, Feb. 8, 2010
At least six people were killed amid a barrage of grenade blasts and gunfire in a residential neighborhood on the city’s southwest fringe early Monday morning, officials said.
Border Patrol responds to rocks, bottles with gunfire
Jared Taylor, The McAllen Monitor, Feb. 8, 2010
U.S. Border Patrol agents opened fire on an undisclosed number of people throwing beer bottles at one of the agency’s boats Monday morning.
People
Toll road agency lawyer resigns after bar suspension
By Ben Wear, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF, Feb. 8, 2010
Tom Nielson, a former Round Rock City Council member and general counsel of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority since 2006, quietly left the toll road agency several weeks ago after the State Bar of Texas suspended his law license.
Pa. Dem Murtha remembered as military advocate
By PETER JACKSON, Associated Press Writer, Feb. 9, 2010
Rep. John Murtha, who said the Bush administration's handling of the war in Iraq was based on "flawed policy wrapped in illusion" and called for a withdrawal of U.S. troops there, is being remembered as an advocate on Capitol Hill for those serving in military uniform.
Long run ends: DeLeon ending political career after 24 years
By Elliott Blackburn, LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, Feb. 9, 2010
It was time to encourage new, younger candidates to bring their own vision for the predominantly Hispanic and industrial city district, she said in a short emotional address in council chambers Monday morning.