Politics
Democrats say GOP candidate copied Obama speech
By Gromer Jeffers Jr., THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 15 June 2010
A Texas House candidate has been accused of plagiarizing Barack Obama's famed 2004 keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention.
Cook wants 3rd term: Mayor, reps make no move to change city charter's term limits
By Marty Schladen, EL PASO TIMES, 15 June 2010
Mayor John Cook on Monday said he wants a third term. But he said he was not going to push to change the city charter's term-limit rule.
Government
Pollution fight going to court
By Peggy Fikac, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 14 June 2010
Texas filed a challenge in federal court Monday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's rejection of part of the state's air-quality program.
Texas asks court to review EPA's rejection of state regulatory rule
By Dave Montgomery, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 14 June 2010
Upping the stakes in a state-federal confrontation over clean-air standards, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott went to a federal court Monday in an attempt to overturn the Environmental Protection Agency's disapproval of a 15-year-old state program designed to streamline regulatory requirements for qualifying industrial plants.
State halts placements at 'fight club' children's facility
By Terri Langford and Emily Ramshaw, HOUSTON CHRONICLE and THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 15 June 2010
Texas officials have banned the placement of foster care children at a Houston-area residential treatment center and assigned a state monitor to oversee care following revelations of a staff-instigated "fight-club" incident in 2008 and recent allegations of sexual abuse.
Voter ID fight appears certain in Texas Legislature
By Gary Scharrer, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 14 June 2010
Both major political parties signaled Monday that neither side is ready to give an inch on the politically divisive voter ID issue expected to come before Texas legislators again when they reconvene in January.
Voter ID bill to re-emerge as a contentious issue in Legislature
By Dave Montgomery, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 14 June 2010
Partisan battle lines are re-emerging over the one of the most contentious issues left over from the 2009 Legislature -- voter identification legislation -- as Republicans rally behind it and Democrats and allied groups scramble to block it.
Appeals court declines to halt Powell execution
By Chuck Lindell and Tony Plohetski, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 June 2010
Texas' highest criminal court declined on Monday to hear David Lee Powell's final state appeal, and now only the U.S. Supreme Court stands between the convicted murderer and this evening's scheduled execution.
New Texas rule aims to reduce the pain of power outages
By Jack Z. Smith, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 14 June 2010
In a bid to curb massive power outages, the Texas Public Utility Commission has approved a new rule requiring electric utilities to file detailed plans for dealing with severe weather such as the record snowfall that blanketed the Dallas-Fort Worth area Feb. 12.
Food stamp delays frustrating for many
By Jeremy Roebuck, THE MONITOR, 14 June 2010
As Texas works to eliminate a record backlog of food stamp applications, new problems have emerged for those living on the edge of hunger.
Bastrop commissioners approve incentives for airport
By Suzannah Gonzales, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 June 2010
Bastrop County commissioners unanimously approved incentives Monday for a proposed $150 million private airport and business complex in the western part of the county.
$16 million boardwalk leads Austin bond proposal
By Ben Wear and Sarah Coppola, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 June 2010
Austin voters would be asked to approve $16 million for a boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake's south shore, closing a gap in the hike-and-bike trail, under the draft version of an $84.8 million transportation bond proposal for the November election.
EPISD's proposed tax increase in voters' hands
EL PASO TIMES, 15 June 2010
Voters will decide today whether to approve a tax increase for the El Paso Independent School District.
News
Big 12 revived: Horns, others to stay
By Randy Riggs, Ralph K.M. Haurwitz and Kirk Bohls, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 June 2010
Never mind. That pretty much sums up the announcements Monday by the University of Texas and Texas A&M University that their athletics programs will continue competing in the Big 12 Conference. Their decisions thus assured a future for a league that appeared mortally wounded as recently as Saturday.
Texas stays in Big 12, and league gets a new life after turnaround
By Chuck Carlton, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 15 June 2010
Given up as a lost cause just days ago, the Big 12 emerged Monday evening as a leaner, richer conference with 10 teams and its viability assured.
Big 12 remaining intact with 10 schools
By Brent Zwerneman, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 14 June 2010
The Big 12's impending breakup has turned into a stunning make-up. Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, linchpins in the Big 12's survival, all said Monday they intend to stick with the besieged league, down two members after Colorado and Nebraska left last week for the Pacific-10 and Big Ten, respectively.
Big 12 back in business as 10-team league
By Jimmy Burch, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 14 June 2010
After several days of speculation about westward movement for its athletics teams, Texas is staying put. And the Big 12 will remain together, albeit as a 10-team conference.
Baylor coaches, officials cherish news of Big 12 Conference remaining intact
By John Werner, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 15 June 2010
The Big 12 is alive, and the Baylor coaches felt like dancing on the Brazos on Monday night.
Waco politicians, city and business leaders celebrate big off-the-field win for Baylor
By Tim Woods and Bill Teeter, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 15 June 2010
Local politicians, city and business officials celebrated with Baylor University on Monday night after what appears to be one of the biggest victories of a year filled with big wins for Baylor athletics.
Juárez police to assist in border areas
By Daniel Borunda, EL PASO TIMES, 15 June 2010
U.S. Border Patrol agents will not work alone in trouble spots which also will be watched closer by Mexican police to prevent more violence after last week's fatal shooting of a Juárez teenager, authorities said Monday.
Pickens: Investigation can wait, let BP work
By April Castro, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 14 June 2010
Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens is urging investigators to leave BP alone for now while the oil company works to stop the spewing oil.
PEC board fires Juan Garza
By Patrick George, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 June 2010
In a surprise move Monday, the Pedernales Electric Cooperative's Board of Directors voted to fire Juan Garza, the general manager hired while the co-op was mired in scandal and lawsuits and who has made reforms throughout his two-year tenure.