White competitive in Texas gov. poll [1]

By Jessica Taylor, Politico, 10 February 2010

Houston Mayor Bill White trails all three potential GOP candidates for governor of Texas, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey, but he has a competitive shot at claiming the governor's mansion for the Democrats for the first time in 16 years.

Kinky Friedman campaigns for agriculture post [2]

By Daniel Borunda El Paso Times, 10 February 2010

Cigar-chomping humorist Kinky Friedman fired one-liners like a gunslinger Tuesday in a visit to El Paso as part of his campaign for Texas agriculture commissioner.

Farouk Shami says what Texas needs is a businessman to solve its problems [3]

By JOE HOLLEY, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 10 February 2010

Now that Farouk Shami has tamed the tangled hair of women around the world with his wildly popular CHI hot-iron hair straightener, he's eager to untangle the twisted politics of Texas.

Sessions says recent GOP victories aided fundraising for party [4]

By Todd J. Gillman, The Dallas Morning News, 10 February 2010

After a year of lackluster fundraising, House Republicans are bouncing back, Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions said Wednesday, thanks to several mood-lifting wins for the party.

Plan to suspend new drilling in Barnett Shale becomes campaign topic [5]

By Dave Montgomery, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 February 2010

The energy-rich Barnett Shale is becoming enmeshed in election-year politics as the leading Democratic candidates for governor take opposing directions over a proposed moratorium on new permits for natural gas production amid concerns about benzene emissions.

House District 92 race centers on voter ID bill, party leader's role [6]

By Aman Bathea, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 February 2010

The Republican primary race between state Rep. Todd Smith of Euless and former Bedford Councilman Jeff Cason has turned into a statewide argument over one issue: Smith's failed effort to pass a voter ID bill last year.

Dancing in the halls of justice becomes an issue in GOP primary race for 322nd District Court [7]

By BILL HANNA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 February 2010

Lisa Hoppes doesn't dance around it: She doesn't like what's going on in state District Judge Nancy Berger's court.

Perry blasts immigration policy [8]

By Guillermo X. Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, 10 February 2010

Contending the federal government has failed to control the U.S.-Mexico border, Gov. Rick Perry said Wednesday he'll begin billing the government the $13.5 million a month that he says it costs the state to incarcerate undocumented people being held on criminal charges.

More bad polling news for Hutchison [9]

By R.G. Ratcliffe, 10 February 2010

Collin County was No. 5 in Republican turnout in the 2008 primaries, and it's in the backyard of U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who has lived in Dallas for the past three decades. But a new survey of Collin County voters shows Hutchison in a dead heat with activist Debra Medina.

Obama would take bill that's not all he wants [10]

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and CHARLES BABINGTON, Associated Press, 11 February 2010

Signaling he'd meet critics part way on health care, President Barack Obama said Tuesday he's willing to sign a bill even if it doesn't deliver everything he pursued through a year of grinding effort at risk of going down as a dismal failure.

Dallas City Council renames downtown street for Cesar Chavez, votes to curb parking-boot companies [11]

By Rudolph Bush, The Dallas Morning News, 10 February 2010

The Dallas City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to rename a short stretch of a downtown street for civil rights hero and farm labor champion Cesar Chavez.

City sales tax revenue in Texas mixed in December [12]

By Theodore Kim, The Dallas Morning News, 11 February 2010

Municipal sales tax collections fell more than 6 percent in December, despite forecasts that the holiday shopping season might improve from a dismal 2008.

Texas health care providers could see Medicaid fees reduced [13]

By Robert T. Garret, The Dallas Morning News, 11 February 2010

Doctors, dentists and hospitals would see their Medicaid fees trimmed by at least 1 percent under possible budget reductions offered Wednesday by state Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs.

Republican wants Toyota exec to testify on Hill [14]

By Ken Thomas, Associated Press, 10 February 2010

A top Republican on a House panel investigating Toyota's massive recalls called Wednesday for the company's president to testify before Congress later this month, seeking an "open exchange" before the American public.

Obama report: 95,000 jobs to come each month [15]

By PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press, 10 February 2010

The United States is likely to average 95,000 more jobs each month this year, while personal savings will remain high as credit remains tight, according to a White House report released Thursday.

Bipartisan jobs bill short on making jobs [16]

By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press, 11 February 2010

There's a problem with the bipartisan jobs bill emerging in the Senate: It won't create many jobs.

Off the Bus [17]

By Brandi Grisson, Texas Tribune, 11 February 2010

The U.S. Border Patrol has stopped a controversial program that shipped illegal immigrants back to Mexico through the tiny Texas border town of Presidio ó for now.

Political clout shaky for region as redistricting looms [18]

By Enrique Rangel, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 11 February 2010

Texas is expected to gain at least three congressional districts next year, but the political strength of the Panhandle/South Plains region looks shaky because more than a dozen counties have had massive population losses in the past decade, members of the Texas House Redistricting Committee learned Wednesday.

New federal climate change agency forming [19]

By RANDOLPH E. SCHMID, Associated Press, 11 February 2011

The Obama administration on Monday proposed a new agency to study and report on the changing climate.

'Lynxes,' Azteca formed hit squad: Birthday party attack directed by cartel, gang [Array]

By Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, 10 February 2010

A hit team described as the shock troops of the Ju·rez drug cartel and Azteca gangsters are suspected of being involved in the recent massacre of students in Ju·rez,

Texas man, girlfriend sentenced to 9 years for baby trafficking [20]

By Mark Walsh, Associated Press, 10 February 2010

A Texas man and his girlfriend were sentenced to nine years in prison for recruiting Mexican women to give birth in the U.S. and sell their babies to couples there, a judge said Wednesday.

NASA studying 2 new space shuttle problems [21]

By MARCIA DUNN, Associated Press, 10 February 2010

NASA was assessing a cracked thermal tile and protruding ceramic ring Wednesday on the space shuttle Endeavour ó two new problems that don't appear serious but warrant extra attention.

400 teachers may face firing over test scores [22]

By Ericka mellon, Houston Chronicle, 11 February 2010

More than 400 teachers in the Houston school district have performed so poorly that their students have lost ground, according to HISD, and those educators' jobs could be on the line if they don't improve.

University of North Texas President Gretchen Bataille says she'll resign at the end of the month [23]

By CANDACE CARLISLE, Denton Record-Chronicle, 11 February 2010

Bataille, 65, the first female president in the university's 119-year history, did not explain her departure in a news release announcing her decision.

Supporters want to expand University of Texas at Dallas' college-prep program [24]

HOLLY K. HACKER, The Dallas Morning News, 11 February 2010

The program is so successful that participants graduate at a higher rate than their peers at UTD and other Texas public universities.

Inmate kills self in cell at Bexar jail [25]

By Eva Ruth Moravec, San Antonio Express-News, 10 February 2010

A Bexar County Jail inmate hanged himself in his cell Tuesday night, the first jail suicide of 2010 following a year in which an unusually high number of inmates killed themselves, authorities said.

Chilling aerial photos of 9/11 attack released [26]

By ULA ILNYTZKY and COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press, 10 February 2010

A trove of aerial photographs of the collapsing World Trade Center was widely released this week, offering a rare and chilling view from the heavens of the burning twin towers.

Framed by Jesus: 30 pounds of pot [27]

By Daniel Borunda, El Paso Times, 10 February 2010

Not even Jesus could save her.A 22-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday afternoon in a failed smuggling attempt after more than 30 pounds of marijuana was found hidden in framed pictures of Jesus Christ at the Bridge of the Americas.

Good-Time Charlie Wilson [28]

By Karen Tumulty, Time, 11 February 2010

If you measured Charlie Wilson's life in years, it came to only 76. But if you looked at the number of miles the former Texas Congressman put on his odometer, well, that added up to more than most men could manage in three lifetimes.

Wilson and Murtha, Together in Arms [29]

By Carl Hulse, The New York Times, 11 February 2010

The death of former Representative Charlie Wilson of Texas is the loss of the second legendary member of the House Appropriations Committee in a week.

Marian Cole: Dallas high school art teacher found expression via students [30]

By JOE SIMNACHER, The Dallas Morning News, 10 February 2010

Her hands finally betrayed her, rheumatoid arthritis robbing her of the ability to paint and sculpt. But Marian Cole didn't give up on her art. She just found a new medium: her students.