Politics
21 Texas House Races to Watch
By Elise Hu, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 27 August 2010
Only 10 days out from Labor Day — the unofficial start of the campaign season — we bring you a scouting report on the 21 Texas House races to watch this fall. We based our picks on dozens of interviews with politicos and our own analysis of district voting patterns, campaign coffers, the relative strength of the candidates and issues that could turn each contest.
Newspapers, KLRU will host gubernatorial debate
By Jason Embry, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 27 August 2010
The Austin American-Statesman and the state's other major newspapers will host a gubernatorial debate event this fall, even if just one candidate shows up.
White urges state approval of insurance rates
By Gromer Jeffers Jr. and Terrence Stutz, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 27 August 2010
Addressing an issue that hits the pocketbooks of many Texas voters, Democratic candidate for governor Bill White said Thursday that insurers should be required to get approval from the state before raising rates for homeowner policies.
White to seek bill to regulate insurance hikes
By James Pinkerton, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 26 August 2010
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White, flanked by local homeowners, said Thursday he will push legislation requiring insurance companies to get state approval before hiking home insurance rates.
Bill White wants OK before insurers raise homeowner rates
By Jamie Stengle, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 27 August 2010
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White said Thursday that he wants Texas to require companies to get approval before they raise homeowners insurance rates.
Republicans challenge Dunnam's residency eligibility, deny it's retaliation for Birdwell challenge
By Michael W. Shapiro, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 27 August 2010
The Republican Party of Texas on Thursday blasted longtime state Rep. Jim Dunnam, claiming the lawmaker is living in a home in McGregor outside his House district.
Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins shifts stance on death penalty
By Jennifer Emily, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 27 August 2010
Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins, the state's first elected black district attorney, made national news after taking office in 2007 when he declared that he personally opposed the death penalty on moral and religious grounds. Now mired in a rough re-election race, the 42-year-old Democrat said he's changed his mind about the use of capital punishment.
Flores buys TV ad time in southern part of district, including Waco and Bryan-College Station
By Michael W. Shapiro, WACO TRIBUNE-HERALD, 27 August 2010
Bryan Republican Bill Flores hit the TV airwaves this week, unrolling a job-themed advertisement in the lower two-thirds of the House district represented by U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco.
Government
Texas will seek $830M in federal education aid
By Kate Alexander, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 26 August 2010
Top state officials said Thursday that it is unlikely Texas will be able to secure $830 million in emergency education aid from Washington without a legal fight.
TYC ombudsman resigns
By Mike Ward, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 26 August 2010
Amid a growing controversy about new allegations of abuse and security concerns at the Texas Youth Commission, the top official responsible for independently investigating mistreatment and monitoring conditions has resigned after less than six months on the job.
Texas quiet on border force
By Christopher Sherman, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 26 August 2010
While the Ranger Recon initiative has served as a strong rhetorical counterpoint when Gov. Rick Perry slams the federal government, details about what the taxpayer-funded teams actually accomplish remain a secret.
Will SCOTUS Opinions Affect TX Judicial Elections?
By Morgan Smith, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 27 August 2010
The Texas legal community feared that two recent U.S. Supreme Court opinions would have far-reaching effects on judicial elections here. But the state’s current campaign finance laws may adequately address the issues presented by both cases, according to witnesses at a joint meeting of the House judiciary and elections committees on Thursday.
Clean records got deportation orders dismissed
By Susan Carroll, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 26 August 2010
For the past month, the Department of Homeland Security has been systematically reviewing thousands of pending immigration cases in Houston and moving to dismiss those filed against suspected illegal immigrants who meet certain criteria, including living in the U.S. for more than two years and having no felony convictions. Immigration officials said on Thursday that they could not provide statistics on dismissals stemming from the review.
Senator John Cornyn announces anti-crime grant
By Diana Washington Valdez, EL PASO TIMES, 27 August 2010
The city of Socorro will receive a federal grant for $11,041 for crime prevention, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, announced.
New rules adequate to lift deep-water drilling ban, center says
By Jennifer A. Dlouhy, FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 26 August 2010
New equipment testing and environmental regulations imposed since the Deepwater Horizon disaster "provide an adequate margin of safety" to allow the Obama administration to lift its ban on deep-water drilling, a bipartisan think tank told investigators Thursday.
Campaign touting education as priority
By Gary Scharrer, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 27 August 2010
Texas school districts worried about the state of education are trying to enlist the public's help — even grabbing people at Friday night football games.
News
Coal disposal problems found at Fayette plant
By Asher Price, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 26 August 2010
Groundwater testing beneath a Central Texas power plant has revealed elevated levels of a handful of chemicals, according to a report released by environmental groups Thursday.
Bedford lesbian couple enrolls daughter elsewhere after church preschool's rejection
By Taryn Luna, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 25 August 2010
Less than one week before young Olivia's first day – and days after her teacher called to welcome her – the Harrisons learned that their lifestyle as a married lesbian couple made them a bad fit for St. Vincent's. Olivia was no longer welcome.
People
An Interview With Harris County DA Pat Lykos
By Brandi Grissom, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE, 27 August 2010
Pat Lykos believes in the rule of law. She loves ancient history — particularly Greek history, which she often references in conversation. She laughs easily and loudly. And since she became the first female district attorney of Harris County in 2009, she has brought about a sea change in what many considered the tough-on-crime capital of Texas.