Texas House race starting to get ugly in Plano [1]
By Theodore Kim, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
Politically genteel Plano is witnessing a testier brand of politics this year.
In Fort Worth, Hutchison rips Perry on taxes, spending during his tenure [2]
By Gromer Jeffers Jr., The Dallas Morning News, 24 February 2010
With one week to go before the Republican primary for governor, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison cast herself Tuesday as the only true conservative candidate able to move Texas forward.
What spiked Hardin County's GOP vote [3]
By BLAIR DEDRICK ORTMANN, The Beaumont Enterprise, 23 February 2010
With high unemployment nationwide and a struggling economy in which billions of tax dollars have bailed out corporations, anger and disappointment might mean more votes for Republicans - and early voting numbers appear to support that theory in some areas.
Paul facing unrest at home [4]
By Meredith Simons, The Houston Chronicle, 23 February 2010
n D.C. political circles, Texas Rep. Ron Paul is the quirky icon of libertarian conservatism, a cult figure on American college campuses with a national following large enough to help him capture the presidential poll at the nation's pre-eminent conservative action conference last weekend.
Edwards, Miles rekindle old rivalry [5]
By Joe Holley, Houston Chronicle, 23 February 2010
In the 4000 block of Old Spanish Trail, an old theater juts like a ship's prow above the aging strip centers, empty lots and fast-food joints along the busy thoroughfare that slices across south Houston
Segment of GOP primary voters a 'wild card' [6]
By Scott Stroud, San Antonio Express-News, 24 February 2010
One of the wonders at Wonderland of the Americas on Tuesday was that Kenneth Platt voted Republican for the first time in his life.
Hutchison visits Denton [7]
By BJ Lewis, Denton Record-Chronicle, 23 February 2010
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison kicked off a daylong tour of North Texas on Tuesday morning with a stop at Ruby’s Diner on the Square.
State House speaker visits East Texas [8]
By Angela Ward, Longview News-Journal, 23 February 2010
Texas is in better shape economically than most of the nation, but officials still need to look at cost-cutting measures to keep the budget balanced, Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, said Monday.
Challenger's allegations rebuted [9]
By Adriana M. Chaves, El Paso Times, 24 February 2010
The race for the 171st District Court judgeship is getting heated after the challenger published an ad in the El Paso Times to lodge allegations against incumbent Bonnie Rangel.
Campaign finance: Commissioners, county attorney races get donors [10]
By Zahira Torres, The El Paso Times, 24 February 2010
Donors this month gave more than $112,000 to candidates running for the El Paso County Commissioners Court and for county attorney, campaign finance reports show.
District 76 candidates raise $100,000 [11]
By Zahira Torres, The El Paso Times, 24 February 2010
State Rep. Norma Chávez and her main challenger have raised more than $100,000 each for their House District 76 Democratic primary race.
Medina's campaign loses some ground after 9-11 comments, polls show [12]
By DAVE MONTGOMERY and ANNA M. TINSLEY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 February 2010
After rising from obscurity to become a significant factor in the three-way Republican race for governor, candidate Debra Medina appears to be losing ground after her remarks in a national radio interview about the 9-11 terrorist attacks, according to two public opinion surveys released Tuesday.
Tarrant County district attorney's race takes a trip down memory lane [13]
By Aman Batheja, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 February 2010
The district attorney's race took a trip back in time to 1977 this week as challenger Kirk Claunch mailed a campaign flier criticizing incumbent Joe Shannon for not securing a conviction in the Cullen Davis murder trial.
All eyes on race for top Texan [14]
By Kaih Collier, San Angelo Standard-Times, 23 February 2010
Tom Green County Republican Party Chairman Russ Duerstine and his co-chairwoman, Lou Brown, have no problem admitting they are supporting different candidates for governor, although they are not allowed to make official party endorsements.
Republican candidate's ad taken off electronic billboard [15]
By Michael W. Shapiro, Waco Tribune-Herald, 24 February 2010
sAn electronic billboard in Bellmead intermittently beamed an advertisement for Republican Dave McIntyre’s congressional campaign for about a week before transportation officials told the billboard’s owner to pull the plug on the ad.
PEC scores low on trustworthiness [16]
By Patrick George, Austin American-Statesman, 24 February 2010
sA survey of Pedernales Electric Cooperative members and employees reveals that although about three-quarters of the co-op's members are satisfied with their electrical service, many co-op employees remain critical of management's openness, leadership and treatment of personnel.
Health plan crisis for state workers? [17]
By Kate Alexander, Austin American-Statesman, 23 February 2010
As Texas leaders call for more discipline in state spending, one area of the budget has been stubbornly resistant to their demands.
Texas could feel impact of Obama's proposal to review health insurance premiums [18]
By Dave Michaels, The Dallas Morning News, 24 February 2010
The Obama administration's proposal to regulate health insurance premiums would add new supervision to a market in Texas that has largely been free from vigorous oversight.
Texas orders treatment, not just release, of mentally ill young offenders [19]
By Danny Robbins, The Associated Press, 24 February 2010
Mentally ill juvenile offenders released because they can't be treated in custody will now receive court-ordered psychiatric treatment under an emergency measure adopted by the Texas Youth Commission.
State to reject hearing on air permit at LyondellBasell refinery [20]
By Matthew Tesaugue, The Houston Chronicle, 23 February 2010
Texas' environmental agency is set to renew the air pollution permit of Houston's largest refinery for 10 years despite the city's plea that regulators hold a public hearing first.
With cemetery filling up, Harris County considers cremations [21]
By Chris Moran, The Houston Chronicle, 23 February 2010
Harris County is running out of room for paupers' graves, so it will start cremating the dead and destitute if Commissioners Court approves of the plan next month.
Harris County may look to reserves for Sheriff's Office [22]
By Chris Moran, The Houston Chronicle, 24 February 2010
Members of Commissioners Court said Tuesday that the county may need to exempt the Sheriff's Office from a hiring freeze and dip into reserve funds to increase the number of deputies, even as the court cuts millions in spending from other departments.
More than 20 immigrants held in NW Harris County [23]
By Mike Glenn, The Houston Chronicle, 23 February 2010
Nearly two-dozen illegal immigrants were taken into custody Tuesday after an anonymous tip led authorities to a house in northwest Harris County where they were being held.
Texas agency takes emergency steps on discharges [24]
By Danny Robbins, Associated Press, 23 February 2010
The Texas Youth Commission is seeking to ensure better care and supervision for mentally ill juvenile offenders it must release under a state law.
Texas agency tightens discharge rules for juvies [25]
By Danny Robbins, Associated Press, 23 February 2010
Mentally ill juvenile offenders released because they can't be treated in custody will now receive court-ordered psychiatric treatment under an emergency measure adopted by the Texas Youth Commission.
New Texas task force will tackle human trafficking [26]
By Alex Branch, The Fort Wroth Star-Telegram, 23 February 2010
A new state task force will take an aggressive stand against human traffickers, who have turned Texas into a hub for international and domestic forced labor and prostitution rings, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said Tuesday in Dallas
U.S. attorney defends immigration prosecutions [27]
By Steven Kreytak, Austin American-Statesman, 24 February 2010
U.S. Attorney John Murphy fired back Tuesday against Austin federal Judge Sam Sparks' recent accusations that seeking criminal convictions against some illegal immigrants is a waste of taxpayer money.
Poll: More than half of Hispanics identify as conservative [28]
By Robert T. Garrett, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
A bent to conservatism and family makes Hispanics a promising pool of votes for Republicans, but the party's targeting of illegal immigrants has withered its attraction.
Atheist books, guns found at home of suspect in East Texas church fires [29]
By Lee Hancock, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
One of two East Texas church arson suspects kept books on demon possession and atheism as well as assault rifles and guns, and may have left graffiti offering inside information about one of the attacks in a local store bathroom, according to court records.
Task force urges education on homeless housing in Dallas [30]
By Kim Horner, The Dallas Morning News, 23 February 2010
A Dallas task force recommended Tuesday that the city launch a major campaign to educate the public about housing that officials want to build for the chronically homeless.
Wyoming lawmakers eye ‘cowboy ethics’ code [31]
The Associated Press, 23 February 2010
Some members of the Wyoming Legislature want to instill “cowboy ethics” in state law, lest lawmakers and citizens forget the state’s western roots.
Justices let stand establishment of Neches refuge [32]
The Associated Press, 24 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.
Coal-state Democrats oppose global-warming rules [33]
By Matthew Daly, The Associated Press, 24 February 2010
Eight Democratic senators from industrial states want Congress — not the Environmental Protection Agency — to regulate pollution blamed for global warming, saying the issue has big implications for thousands of U.S. jobs and businesses.
El Paso won't join suit challenging open-meetings law [34]
By Gustavo Reveles Acosta, The El Paso Times, 24 February 2010
The city will not join a lawsuit that hopes to alter the state's open-meetings law.
New U.S. magistrate judge for Northern District is a history-maker [35]
By Melody McDonald, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 February 2010
Barring any last-minute hiccups, longtime federal prosecutor Renee Harris Toliver will soon become the first African-American to sit on the federal magistrate bench in the Northern District of Texas.