Perry accuses White of racially charged statement [1]
By Tim Eaton, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 August 2010
GOP Gov. Rick Perry's campaign on Wednesday accused Democrat Bill White of making a racially charged statement, setting off a flurry of defensive reactions from White's supporters in the African American community.
Rick Perry calls on Bill White to apologize for master-servant remarks [2]
By Gromer Jeffers Jr., THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12 August 2010
Rick Perry is calling on Bill White to apologize for telling a black audience in Dallas that he wanted to be a "servant" leader, while the incumbent governor wanted to be "treated as master."
White challenges Perry through ethics reform plan [3]
By Joe Holley, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11 August 2010
Homing in on what he sees as a potential Rick Perry weakness, Bill White unveiled an ethics-reform package on Wednesday that he said would clean up the appointments process, place a two-year prohibition on lobbying by former government employees and increase financial disclosure from the governor and his senior staff.
Gubernatorial race: Demo candidate wants ethics reform [4]
By Caylor Ballinger, EL PASO TIMES, 12 August 2010
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White released an ethics reform proposal to bring "transparency and openness in government."
Flores responds to Edwards-backed jobs bill that brings $830 million to Texas' education coffers [5]
By Michael W. Shapiro, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 12 August 2010
Republican congressional candidate Bill Flores, of Bryan, has a problem with a Texas-specific provision in a recently passed education jobs bill: It favors urban over rural and suburban school districts.
Birdwell mum about tax returns [6]
By Michael W. Shapiro, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 12 August 2010
State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, could go part of the way toward answering questions about his eligibility by releasing or answering questions about tax returns that the bulk of Virginia workers must file.
Senators' desire to restrict birthright citizenship doesn't sit well with some in Valley [7]
By Neal Morton, THE MONITOR, 11 August 2010
Over the past couple weeks, the term "anchor babies" has echoed around the halls of Congress and on national talk shows as several Republicans have pushed for hearings on a possible repeal of the 14th Amendment.
Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk says he won't run for office ever again [8]
By Todd J. Gillman, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12 August 2010
Don't count on seeing Ron Kirk's name on a ballot ever again. The former Dallas mayor and Senate candidate – and the senior Texan in the Obama Cabinet – says that phase of his career is over.
State ag commissioner candidate visits Valley [9]
By Ana Ley, THE MONITOR, 11 August 2010
A candidate for Texas agriculture commissioner visited the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday to tout a plan that would bring a biofuel boon to South Texas.
Texas sues feds over Gulf drilling ban [10]
By Chuck Lindell, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 August 2010
Accusing the Obama administration of exceeding its authority and violating federal law, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed a lawsuit Wednesday seeking to end a moratorium on deep-water oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
Texas sues to block latest drilling ban [11]
By Tom Fowler and Monica Hatcher, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11 August 2010
The state of Texas filed suit Wednesday challenging the federal ban on offshore drilling, saying it violates a law requiring officials to consult with the states on such matters first.
Some in US push to change automatic citizenship by birth [12]
By Alex Hinojosa, EL PASO TIMES, 12 August 2010
Some elected officials are leading a push to change the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to people born in the United States. They want children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants to not receive automatic citizenship.
UT medical leaders raise concerns over health care reform [13]
By Todd Ackerman and Don Finley, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 12 August 2010
University of Texas medical leaders said Wednesday that federal health care reform legislation will present formidable challenges as increasing numbers of Medicaid patients and decreasing rates of reimbursement strain their schools' ability to teach new doctors and nurses and conduct research.
UT System presidents voice health law concerns [14]
By Mary Ann Roser, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 August 2010
The presidents of the University of Texas System's six health-related universities on Wednesday listed their worries about the prospect of millions of uninsured Texans becoming covered in 2014 under the country's sweeping new health care law: not enough doctors, too little money from government health care programs and fewer commercial insurers to cushion financial losses like they do now.
Criticism over delayed TYC sexual abuse trial [15]
By Mike Ward, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 August 2010
The advocacy group Texas Civil Rights Project on Wednesday called for a former Texas Youth Commission official to be brought to trial quickly, almost six years after he was accused of molesting at least four teenage boys in what became a statewide abuse scandal.
Dallas County jail system passes first inspection since 2003 [16]
By Kevin Krause, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 11 August 2010
After eight failed tries over seven years, Dallas County's once-troubled jail system finally passed inspection Wednesday and now meets state standards, state officials said.
Rep. Reyes: Economic security, border linked [17]
By Ramon Bracamontes, EL PASO TIMES, 12 August 2010
U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, himself a former Border Patrol sector commander, said Wednesday that the U.S. government may be pouring too much money into border security and not enough into port-of-entry crossings that are vital to the economy.
Voters' views on Congress sought by Conaway, GOP [18]
By Kimberly Gray, ABILENE REPORTER NEWS, 11 August 2010
Big Country Congressman Mike Conaway is taking part in the Republican Party’s latest effort in getting input from voters on how Congress can make the government better.
Sales tax revenue continues to rise in Texas, most Tarrant cities [19]
By Aman Batheja, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 11 August 2010
Sales tax collections are up for a fourth straight month statewide, with most Tarrant County cities seeing a bump in activity, according to figures released Wednesday by the Texas comptroller's office.
UT regents set to revise ethics rules for investment arm [20]
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 11 August 2010
Ten years ago, University of Texas System regents tightened an ethics rule for their investment arm after allegations of crony capitalism involving directors of that arm and influential Republican fundraisers. Eight years later, the regents concluded that the rule was too strict and decided to allow the University of Texas Investment Management Co. and members of its board of directors to put money into the same private equity funds and hedge funds, subject to certain limits. Now officials are poised to reinstate the tighter rule and bar such so-called co-investments. A regents' committee voted unanimously to do so Wednesday, and the full Board of Regents is expected to follow suit today. UTIMCO's board has already signed off on the change, but the regents get the final say.
Mexican president critical of low conviction rate [21]
By E. Eduardo Castillo, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 11 August 2010
President Felipe Calderon questioned prosecutors and judges Wednesday as to why so few people are caught and punished for violent crimes in Mexico.