Politics
Texas Senator's Voting, Residency Questioned
By Ross Ramsey, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 28 July 2010
The newest member of the Texas Senate, Brian Douglas Birdwell, voted in the November 2004 presidential election twice, choosing between George W. Bush and John Kerry in Tarrant County, Texas, and again in Prince William County, Virginia, according to election records in the two states.
Man who helped put Greens on Texas ballot was working at same time for Perry camp
By Wayne Slater, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 28 July 2010
A local Republican operative who helped put the Green Party on the Texas ballot was working at the time for Gov. Rick Perry's re-election campaign.
Perry says he awaits Obama response on border summit
By Gilbert Garcia, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 27 July 2010
Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that he's waiting for President Barack Obama to respond to his invitation for a sit-down meeting on border-security issues.
Both sides make cases at Lubbock rally against Arizona immigration law
By Alyssa Dizon, LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 28 July 2010
A Lubbock grassroots organization on Tuesday night hosted a candlelight vigil in protest of Arizona’s immigration law that will go in effect later this week.
Government
Congress fast-tracks drilling measure
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 27 July 2010
Lawmakers are moving swiftly this week to pass broad legislation that aims to prevent a repeat of the Deepwater Horizon disaster by stiffening well design standards, barring BP from drilling offshore and getting rid of limits on what energy companies must pay after oil spills.
With Texas budget crisis, odds may be in gambling's favor
By Christy Hoppe, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 27 July 2010
Horse racing backers have put their money on a different kind of race this season, betting millions on candidates with some hope of expanding gambling at Texas tracks.
Texas proceedings to extradite Jeffs
By Robert T. Garrett, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 28 July 2010
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Tuesday immediately began a new proceeding to extradite Warren Jeffs, a spokesman for Abbott said.
Travis County preliminary budget proposal unveiled
By Suzannah Gonzales, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 27 July 2010
Many Travis County tax bills would rise next year, but there would be no cuts to services under the county's preliminary 2011 budget presented to commissioners Tuesday.
Texas ranks in bottom third of states on children's well-being
AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 27 July 2010
Texas ranked 34th nationally in a new study of children's well-being, the 2010 Kids Count Data Book. That's the same ranking as last year but an improvement over the state's lowest rank, 39th in 2006.
Taking out trash new job for some state workers
By Laylan Copelin, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 27 July 2010
Come Monday, about 20,000 state employees will be asked to start taking out their own trash.
Organ donors turning out in force in Texas
By Cindy George, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 27 July 2010
Though Texas has the nation's lowest percentage of registered organ and tissue donors, several recent initiatives have more than doubled the state's donor rolls this year.
Fort Worth council considers eliminating guaranteed pension for newer workers
By Mike Lee, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 27 July 2010
City Council members are considering doing away with a guaranteed pension for newer employees as the council struggles to bring Fort Worth's spending in line with the drop in taxes.
City tries to cover sales tax shortage
By Karen Smith Welch, AMARILLO GLOBE-NEWS, 28 July 2010
Amarillo City Commissioners began working Tuesday on a 2010-11 city budget squeezed by sales tax revenues below expectations, aging infrastructure and growth.
Beaumont budget estimate shows $2.5 million deficit
By Mike D. Smith, BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE, 27 July 2010
Beaumont expects to earn about $102.8 million next year but spend about $105.3 million.
News
McCombs investing in Formula One track
By John Whisler, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 28 July 2010
San Antonio billionaire B.J. “Red” McCombs will be the primary financial backer for the new U.S. Grand Prix Formula One racetrack that will begin operations in 2012.
Back from Iraq, these Texas troops aren't home just yet
By Lindsay Wise, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 27 July 2010
Weary Texas Army National Guard troops filed off a Boeing 747 late one night last week and squinted in the glare of floodlights at Biggs Army Air Field in El Paso. A military marching band struck up the Rocky theme, and a five-man honor guard snapped to attention.
Layoff talk portends storm on Isle
By Harvey Rice, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 27 July 2010
A brawl over proposed police and firefighter layoffs is looming as Galveston officials wrestle with a projected $5 million budget shortfall while the city's recovery from Hurricane Ike is hampered by a national economic downturn.
E-textbooks more popular in Texas schools, but shift will take some getting used to
By Hilary Collins, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 27 July 2010
Such ambivalence is not uncommon among other students, who, while tech-savvy, aren't completely sold on e-textbooks. They, along with educators, say e-textbooks will have to overcome some of their weaknesses before they can truly become mainstream.
Many jobless worry about unemployment benefits lapsing, but most just want to find work
By Mike Copeland, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 28 July 2010
Millions of Americans who still were eligible for emergency unemployment benefits found themselves without a source of income when funding expired June 2.