Politics
Perry and White Vie for Hutchison Donors
By Ross Ramsey and Matt Stiles, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 3 August 2010
When U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison lost the Republican primary for governor last March, her biggest supporters — the people who gave more than $20 million to her campaign — became political orphans. But many of them have landed with either Republican incumbent Rick Perry or Democratic challenger Bill White, demonstrating a political or geographical or some other kind of affinity for the general election.
Perry tries raffle to locate supporters
By Christy Hoppe, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3 August 2010
The Perry campaign is offering supporters who submit 11 names of registered voters for the campaign to contact a chance to win prizes in a raffle. The gifts include a jogging lesson from RunTex founder Paul Carrozza and a shooting lesson from the paramilitary outfit LaRue Tactical.
Flores offers to pay for town hall event for Edwards, Obama during president's Texas visit
By Michael W. Shapiro, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 3 August 2010
President Barack Obama is coming to Texas next week, but you won’t see him in Rep. Chet Edwards’ congressional district, one of the most Republican-leaning districts represented by a Democrat in the country.
Government
The scores are in, and the Texas Projection Measure results are mixed
By Jeffrey Weiss, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 2 August 2010
For months, Texas education officials have been defending a controversial formula that predicts whether students who fail the TAKS tests are likely to pass in the future. Last week, the state released the results of its first real-life test of the formula.
'Flexible' pollution rules criticized
By Matthew Tresaugue, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 3 August 2010
At issue is the state's use of “flexible permitting,” which requires refineries, chemical plants and other facilities to meet an overall emissions cap but allows them to choose how to do so. But federal rules require plants to limit emissions of certain pollutants from each source within a facility.
UT admissions suit goes to appeal today
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 3 August 2010
An appeals court is scheduled to consider a lawsuit today that challenges the use of race and ethnicity in undergraduate admissions policies at the University of Texas at Austin.
Texas child support statistics vary
By Theodore Kim, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3 August 2010
Attorney General Greg Abbott likes to tout his office's child support enforcement as being the nation's best. Yet the full slate of numbers provides a more varied picture.
North Texas residents want to protect the economy as well as the air
By Mike Lee, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2 August 2010
Dozens of people called on the federal government Monday to help clean up air pollution tied to natural gas drilling in Texas, while others cautioned that the government should be careful not to overreach its authority or hurt the state's economy.
Abilene ISD outlines academic reform plan
By Emily A. Peters, ABILENE REPORTER NEWS, 2 August 2010
Struggling students in the Abilene Independent School District will have more opportunities to get help next year under parts of the district’s academic reform plan.
News
Spill estimate narrows as BP closes in on final fix
By Tom Fowler and Jennifer Dlouhy, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2 August 2010
BP was on track Monday to begin a long-awaited procedure to seal the blown-out undersea well that scientists now say poured more than 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Texas needs more minority teachers, experts say
By Terrence Stutz, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3 August 2010
Texas' minority student enrollment continues to surge, but the state's teacher corps isn't keeping pace.
Gulf fishermen question seafood safety, despite federal OK
By Jason Dearen and Greg Bluestein, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 2 August 2010
Seafood from some parts of the oil-fouled Gulf of Mexico has been declared safe to eat by the government, based in part on human smell tests. But even some Gulf fishermen are questioning whether the fish and shrimp are OK to feed to their families.
Valley health system leads way for electronic medical records
By Jared Janes, THE MONITOR, 3 August 2010
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, where Salazar often sends his patients, is asking its physicians to switch to electronic medical records as the federal government adopts guidelines to put all of the nation’s health care providers on computerized records by 2015.
Pipeline beneath Austin may start carrying crude oil
By Asher Price, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2 August 2010
A gasoline pipeline that cuts beneath a densely populated swath of South Austin could be converted to transport West Texas oil to Houston.
El Paso murders, crime rate overall fall
By Daniel Borunda, EL PASO TIMES, 3 August 2010
About 1,700 homicides have occurred in Juárez this year. El Paso has had one. Despite the rampant bloodshed in Mexico, the overall crime rate in El Paso has decreased slightly this year.
Poll: Hispanics want to blend into U.S. society while still maintaining their cultural identity
By Alan Fram, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 21 July 2010
Hispanics are eager to blend into American society while still maintaining their cultural identity, a paradox that reflects the complex beliefs of the nation’s fastest-growing minority. Yet there are limits to assimilation — most don’t expect the United States to elect a Latino president in the next 20 years.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon: Cartels show no 'limits or scruples'
By Eduardo Castillo, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 2 August 2010
President Felipe Calderon said Monday that Mexico is facing a new stage in its war with drug cartels as gangs escalate their attacks on the government and civilians, including journalists.