Social conservative faces tough battle for state ed board seat [1]
By Terrence Stutz, The Dallas Morning News, 22 February 2010
The battle for control of the State Board of Education will largely be determined by Republican primary voters in four key races – and nowhere is the competition more fierce than for the seat that represents part of Collin County and much of East Texas.
Texans turning out in big numbers for primaries [2]
By Wayne Slater, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
Texans are turning out in big numbers in this year's primaries, buoyed by a high-profile race for governor with candidates crisscrossing the state and spending millions on TV.
McNeil backer may have violated code [3]
By Gilbert Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, 23 February 2010
A Sheila McNeil supporter who runs a youth football program sent a text message last week urging parents to vote for the Commissioners Court hopeful in exchange for a $125 credit on their children's football enrollment fees, according to multiple sources.
Early ballots pile up [4]
By BJ Lewis, Denton Record-Chronicle, 22 February 2010
Early voting continues in Denton County for the March 2 primary election, and elections officials say numbers are on pace for a large increase over the last gubernatorial election.
Fort Worth council may dissolve crime tax board [5]
By Mike Lee, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 February 2010
The City Council is considering doing away with the independent board that has overseen the city's crime prevention sales tax for 15 years.
Election mailer from political action committee is criticized [6]
By Aman Batheja, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 February 2010
A group calling itself the Law Enforcement Professionals of Tarrant County is distributing a flier endorsing candidates that it says reflect its "tough-on-crime philosophy" and criticizing those whom the group doesn't support in the March 2 primary
Texas gubernatorial primaries drawing nearly twice the early voters as in 2006 [7]
By Anna M. Tinsley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 February 2010
Nearly twice as many Texans cast early ballots for the March 2 primary in the first six days of voting as did in the last gubernatorial race in 2006, state election records show.
Voter turnout increases [8]
By Zahira Torres, El Paso Times, 23 February 2010
A few high-profile races between Republicans could be responsible for an increase in the number of voters who have cast early ballots.
No candidate has unveiled budget cure-all [9]
By Peggy Fikac, The Houston Chronicle, 22 February 2010
Texas expects a shortfall of at least $12 billion when lawmakers meet to write the next budget, but major candidates for governor have few specifics on how they would exert their leadership to close the gap.
Texans turning out in big numbers for primaries [10]
By Wayne Slater, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
Texans are turning out in big numbers in this year's primaries, buoyed by a high-profile race for governor with candidates crisscrossing the state and spending millions on TV.
School board OKs plan to cut programs, jobs [11]
By Melissa B. Taboada and Laura Heinauer, Austin American-Statesman, 23 February 2010
The Austin school board met past midnight Monday with a packed agenda that included controversial proposals to redraw school boundaries in Southwest Austin, possibly turn failing schools over to outside management and possibly declare the district in a state of impending fiscal crisis, which would allow Superintendent Meria Carstarphen to cut more than 100 positions.
Bylaw changes fail to clear co-op board [12]
By Patrick George, Austin American-Statesman, 23 February 2010
In a contentious meeting Monday, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative board fell short of the number of votes needed to pass new bylaws touted as solidifying reforms the co-op has made over the past 18 months.
Texas panel aims to use education to prevent new Holocausts [13]
By Eric Aasen, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
Peter Berkowitz hopes he can help students across Texas learn lasting lessons from the Holocaust and more modern genocides – to choose right over wrong and good over evil.
'Tough times' as city faces revenue shortfall [14]
By Doug Myers, Abilene Reporter News, 22 February 2010
Reducing hours of operation for Abilene libraries is under consideration.
Federal official touts school grants [15]
By Jenny LaCoste-Caputo, San Antonio Express-News, 23 February 2010
Struggling public schools in Texas could be eligible for up to $338 million from the federal government to help implement ideas to boost student achievement and increase graduation rates.
SwRI working to make smart power grid safer [16]
By Elizabeth Allen, San Antonio Express-News, 23 February 2010
As the nation's power grid gets smarter, it also becomes more vulnerable.
CPS settlement deal on hold [17]
The San Antonio Express-News, 22 February 2010
On Monday, the CPS Energy Board of Trustees delayed approval of the settlement agreement between the city-owned utility and Nuclear Innovation North America until final details are hashed out.
State cuts to affect local schools [18]
By Christina Lane, Longview News-Journal, 23 February 2010
Local athletes won't be tested for steroids with state money, and several instructional programs will be eliminated as part the Texas Education Agency's plan to cut more than $135 million from its budget.
Commuter rail poised to open in March [19]
By Ben Wear, Austin American-Statesman, 22 February 2010
Capital Metro plans to resume full-speed commuter rail testing next week, in preparation for a March launch of the much-delayed Red Line, an agency official said Monday.
420,000 residents along with slew of businesses seek refuge from gunfire [20]
By Adriana Gómez Licón, El Paso Times, 23 February 2010
Hundreds of thousands of people from violence-torn Juárez are abandoning their homes, closing their businesses and moving elsewhere.
Supreme Court ruling means no Lake Fastrill reservoir for Dallas [21]
By Rudolph Bush, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
The ever-thirstier cities of North Texas will have to look somewhere other than the Neches River in East Texas for their future water supplies.
2 suspects, 10 fires, but 'no motive whatsoever' in East Texas church arsons [22]
By Lee Hancock, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
The two men suspected of setting a string of church fires in East Texas were childhood friends without any known criminal past. Their families attended church together.
Extremists laud pilot's IRS attack [23]
By Jeff Carlton and Ian MacDougall, The Associated Press, 23 February 2010
Flames were still shooting from the building when the suicide pilot who crashed his plane into the IRS office in Austin was being hailed in some corners as a hero who struck a courageous blow against the tyranny of the U.S. tax code.
Health authority choice expected [24]
By David Pittman, Amarillo Globe News, 23 February 2010
Officials tonight are expected to decide whether to nominate Texas Tech physician Roger Smalligan as the area's next health authority.
UPDATE: U.S. Supreme Court rejects Neches River refugue appeal [25]
The Beaumont Enterprise, 22 February 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court announced today that the Court will not hear the lawsuit brought by the City of Dallas and Texas Water Development Board against the Neches River National Wildlife Refuge. Dallas and TWDB had sought to block the refuge to keep the site available for a potential future reservoir.
Mexico's new passport law takes effect next month [26]
By Jared Tayloy, The Brownsville Herald, 22 February 2010
Foreign travelers will have to show a passport when traveling to Mexico’s interior beginning next month.
High court reverses ruling for new trial [27]
By Brian Rogers, The Houston Chronicle, 22 February 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reversed an appellate court's decision to grant a new trial for a Houston man convicted in the 1998 shooting of an off-duty police officer.
Houston teachers cram for revamped curriculum [28]
by Jennifer Radcliffe, The Houston Chronicle, 22 February 2010
Kindergarten science instruction will evolve beyond dinosaurs next August when Texas tots are introduced to chemistry, thermal dynamics and other tough topics under the state's new curriculum
Nursing forum divided on education standard [29]
By Cindy George, The Houston Chronicle, 22 February 2010
The long-running debate about whether registered nurses should be required to have more than an associate's degree punctuated the discussion in Houston on Monday during a national forum on the profession's future.
Justices let stand establishment of Neches refuge [30]
The Associated Press, 22 February 2010
The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that upholds creation of an east Texas national wildlife refuge along the Neches River.
Receiver wants political donations returned [31]
The Associated Press, 22 February 2010
The court-appointed receiver of R. Allen Stanford's empire is suing Democratic and Republican party organizations for a return of $1.6 million in Stanford political contributions.
Woman sues FLDS leader [32]
By Matthew Waller, San Angelo Standard-Times, 22 February 2010
A member of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Frederick Merril Jessop, owes about $170,000 in child support to a woman with whom he had eight children before she left the FLDS, the woman’s attorney said.
Perry will name new regents [33]
By Ann Work, Wichita Falls Times Record News
Wichita Falls is likely on Gov. Rick Perry’s mind this month as he prepares to appoint four new regents for Midwestern State University.
TWU provost stepping down [34]
By Britney Tabor, Denton Record-Chronicle
Kay Clayton, Texas Woman’s University’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, will step down effective March 1 because of health reasons.
McAllen man works to preserve Tejano history [35]
McAllen Monitor, 23 February 2010
An excerpt from Thomas Paine’s Age of Reason hit Dr. Cayetano Barrera one day and brought everything into perspective.