Politics
Cornyn sets sights on rising in Senate
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN — With a major financial advantage and a lead in the polls over his Democratic challenger, Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn is running as if his opponent is the national Democratic Party, not state Rep. Rick Noriega of Houston.
Former GOP state representative asks Libertarians to drop out of races
By Melissa Mixon, David C. Doolittle, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN – A former Republican state representative called three Libertarian Party candidates for the state House on Friday to request that they drop out of their races rather than take votes from their Republican opponents.
Democrats unity campaign hopes to revive fervor
By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 4 August 2008
AUSTIN – Bruises and stings are fading away among El Paso Democrats after the raucous presidential primary election in March.
Campaign and family business mix draws criticism
Waco Tribune-Herald, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN — It's been almost a year since the Legislature made it illegal for lawmakers to use political funds to rent property from themselves or their spouses, but some legislators have managed to still keep campaign business in the family.
Delisi resigns House seat
By Justin Cox, Killeen Daily Herald, 1 August 2008
KILLEEN – After 18 years in office, District 55 state Rep. Dianne White Delisi announced Thursday she will not finish out her ninth term in the Texas House of Representatives.
Pricey meal brings funds to Obama
By SHELBY HODGE, Houston Chronicle, 3 August 2008
HOUSTON – So what did the high rollers get for their money Thursday night after ponying up $28,500 each for dinner with Barack Obama?
Democrat Rick Noreiga lags behind rival Sen. John Cornyn in big ways
By ROBERT T. GARRETT, Dallas Morning News, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN – Democrat Rick Noriega needs huge help if he's going to pull off an upset this fall against Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican once thought to be vulnerable.
Trash Democrats' Texas two-step
Dallas Morning News, 4 August 2008
DALLAS – The confusion that reigned during the March 4 Democratic primary continues to reverberate across Texas.
These bedfellows are really quite strange
By Dave McNeely, Midland Reporter-Telegram, 1 August 2008
These bedfellows are really quite strange
Government
Texas legislators push deeper CPS background checks
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN — State lawmakers, irked that Child Protective Services doesn’t run regular criminal background checks on the vast majority of its employees, say they’ll file legislation requiring routine checks.
Texas newspapers win access to governor's travel records
By LISA SANDBERG, Houston Chronicle, August 2008
AUSTIN — The Houston Chronicle and two other Texas newspapers won access to Gov. Rick Perry's travel records Friday after a judge questioned the state's claim that releasing them would place Perry or others in imminent danger.
DPS is ordered to release Gov. Perry's travel details
By Kate Alexander, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – The Department of Public Safety must release travel information about Gov. Rick Perry's security detail that had been requested under the state's open records law, state District Judge Scott Jenkins ruled Friday.
Judge rules DPS must release travel information on Perry
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety must release to the public travel information about Gov. Rick Perry’s protective detail, a state district judge ruled Friday.
State's parks and wildlife commission joins list of border wall opponents
By Asher Price, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – Construction of a wall along Texas' border with Mexico for months has pit some landowners, local officials, immigrant advocates and conservation groups against the federal government.
State nixes fed offer on border fence land
El Paso Times, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission rejected a $105,000 donation from the federal government in a nixed deal that would have surrendered 2 1/2 acres of state-owned land for the border fence.
Despite calls for delay, Mexican citizen set for execution
By ALLAN TURNER, Houston Chronicle, 1 August 2008
HOUSTON – The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has dealt capital killer Jose Medellin a major setback in his bid to escape the executioner's needle, throwing out his bid for a post-conviction writ of habeas corpus and his motion for a stay.
A last-minute effort to stop an execution
By DAVE MONTGOMERY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 August 2008
WASHINGTON — As he awaits execution Tuesday for the brutal rape and murder of two Houston teenagers 15 years ago, Jose Ernesto Medellin remains at the center of a roiling treaty dispute that pits Texas against President Bush and much of the international diplomatic community.
World Court weighs in on execution set for Tuesday
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 August 2008
HOUSTON – The likely prospect of Texas carrying out the death penalty in one of Houston's most brutal murder cases in a generation is making the planned execution among the most contentious in the nation's busiest capital punishment state.
US warns of Mexico protests on execution
Waco Tribune-Herald, 3 August 2008
MEXICO CITY — The U.S. embassy in Mexico is warning Americans of possible protests next week when a Mexican man is scheduled to be executed in Texas.
Mexican citizen asks high court to block execution
Waco Tribune-Herald, 3 August 2008
HOUSTON — Texas officials remained adamant that a convicted killer in a gruesome gang rape-slaying in Houston should be executed next week despite an international court's ruling he should be entitled to additional legal reviews because he's a Mexican citizen.
Texas execution of Heliberto Chi to end anguish of family, friends
By DEBRA DENNIS, Dallas Morning News, 4 August 2008
DALLAS – Heliberto Chi was on the run for six weeks in 2001 after shooting his former colleagues at an Arlington clothing store.
Texans part of GOP revolt in Congress over energy legislation
By MARIA RECIO, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 August 2008
WASHINGTON – A rebellious group of House Republicans – including Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound, and four other Texans – staged a dramatic and unusual revolt Friday over House inaction on energy policy, refusing to leave the House floor for more than five hours after the chamber adjourned for the summer.
Texas bilingual education wakeup call
El Paso Times, 2 August 2008
EL PASO – In 1981, the Legislature passed the Bilingual and Special Education Programs Act, an effort to prevent expected court action to address discrimination in Texas schools.
Collection system for Texas tollways still has some kinks
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 August 2008
FORT WORTH – It’s easy to get on the Texas 121 tollway north of Grapevine.
Patterson offers no solutions for Christmas Mountains
Austin American-Statesman, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – The new proposal by Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson regarding the Christmas Mountains Ranch seems to be another stalling tactic to blunt an offer by the National Park Service and conservationists to add the land to nearby Big Bend National Park.
EPA should embrace Perry's ethanol request
Dallas Morning News, 3 August 2008
DALLAS – Washington may not have many ways to control food price increases at home and abroad.
Confront terrorists where they hide
By Michael McCaul and Henry Cuellar, Austin American-Statesman, 4 August 2008
An American soldier was tense and emotional as he described not only how three of his fellow soldiers were killed, but how terrorists mutilated one of their bodies.
News
More Texas schools get top ratings under state accountability system
By Molly Bloom, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – More Texas schools received top ratings under the state's school accountability system this year than last year, according to preliminary ratings released today.
Ratings rise on student gains, reprieve from tougher rules
By ERICKA MELLON, Houston Chronicle, 1 August 2008
HOUSTON – Higher test scores helped more Texas schools and districts earn top academic ratings this year, but hundreds were spared lower marks thanks to special breaks granted by the Texas Education Agency, according to data released Friday.
Improved TAKS scores, exceptions boost Texas schools
Waco Tribune-Herald, 1 August 2008
AUSTIN – More schools from North Texas and across the state improved their annual performance ratings this year – helped by higher student test scores – but dozens of districts and hundreds of campuses got special exceptions from the state that helped them avoid lower ratings.
Texas petroleum company denies it cheated consumers
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 August 2008
FORT WORTH – The petroleum company sued by the state Thursday has "adamantly denied" allegations that it deliberately overcharged consumers at the gas pumps.
Clashing stories, similar DNA hurt FLDS prosecution
By TERRI LANGFORD, Houston Chronicle, 3 August 2008
HOUSTON – Indicting members of a polygamist sect on child sexual assault is one thing.
VA investigators find some waste at UT-based project
By Marty Toohey, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN – A Department of Veterans Affairs investigation has partially substantiated allegations of waste and mismanagement in a VA brain-research program housed at the University of Texas.
Investment strategy shifting at UT
Austin American-Statesman, 3 August 2008
AUSTIN – University of Texas regents are setting a new course for the state's flagship school, a bolder approach more familiar to hard-charging investment firms than staid public university boards.
Texas offers custom license plates online
By David Shieh, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – Texans searching for yet another way to express themselves can now choose from a smorgasbord of customized license plate options — including plates in "Lone Star Pink" and designs bearing footballs and soccer balls.
People
Ex-students win federal lawsuit against TSU
By CINDY GEORGE, Houston Chronicle, 1 August 2008
HOUSTON – Texas Southern University officials kicked out three students and had them arrested in retaliation for their public criticism of administrators, a federal jury decided Friday.
Possible movement in grand jury examining Kent
By Sara McDonald, Galveston County Daily News, 2 August 2008
GALVESTON — There may be movement in the grand jury review of allegations against U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent, but it wasn’t clear Friday what exactly it might be.
Border sheriffs suggest El Paso man to head Texas DPS
By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 2 August 2008
AUSTIN – Some Texas border sheriffs said Friday that they've already made their pick for the next leader of the state's top law enforcement agency: El Pasoan Steve McCraw, Texas Homeland Security director.
Former manager of LCRA brought visionary ideas
By Melissa Mixon, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 4 August 2008
AUSTIN – Elof Soderberg, who started as a mail boy at the Lower Colorado River Authority and worked his way up to general manager in the early 1980s, died Sunday at 81.
Armstrong returns to ranch, to be buried Sat.
By Jaime Powell, Corpus Christi caller-Times, 1 August 2008
CORPUS CHRISTI – Former U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain Anne Armstrong was brought home to her beloved Armstrong Ranch for a farewell visitation service Friday.
Anne Armstrong lived a life of public service
Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 1 August 2008
CORPUS CHRISTI – Many legendary names have been associated with the sweeping brush country ranches of South Texas.
Congressman, coach made strong influence
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 3 August 2008
LUBBOCK – The 1984 election of Republican Larry Combest to the 19th Congressional District seat marked a sea change in West Texas politics.
