Politics
Leave It To Weaver
By Paul Burka, Texas Monthly, 13 August 2008
The place where I was meeting John Weaver was all wrong—a nondescript office building on F Street in downtown Washington, near Ford’s Theatre, where Lincoln was shot.
Rivals for Texas U.S. Senate seat heading to North Texas to campaign
By Aman Betheja, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
FORT WORHT – Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Democratic challenger Rick Noriega are focusing their campaign efforts on North Texas this week.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce to endorse Lampson rival
By ALAN BERNSTEIN, Houston Chronicle, 13 August 2008
HOUSTON – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce agrees with Rep. Nick Lampson on energy policy and gave the Democratic congressman an award in April for being "an effective ally to the business community.
Gohmert: McCain is 'teachable'
By SANDRA CASON, Marshall News Messenger, 13 August 2008
MARSHALL — The answer to economic woes in the Unites States is to become energy efficient, U.S. Dist. 1 Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) said Tuesday.
Debate: Margo and Moody
By Sito Negron, Newspaper Tree, 13 August 2008
EL PASO – At lunch today, Joe Moody cornered the phrase "move forward," in various permutations, while Dee Margo made the most of his connections in Austin and said in politics, it's not what you know, "it's who you know."
Selby: Cornyn grandstanding on gas prices?
By W. Gardner Selby, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN – I may have exasperated an aide to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas the other day by asking if Cornyn did more than speak against senators taking a break.
Government
Texas Lottery Commission paid almost $100,000 to settle ex-worker's suit
By JOHN MORITZ, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN — The Texas Lottery Commission has paid nearly $100,000 to settle a 2-year-old federal lawsuit brought by a former employee who accused the agency of firing him for going public with his concerns that legislative leaders were being misled about a vital computer system that he said was inoperable.
Sherman bus crash points to oversight problem
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
DALLAS – Sprouting like mushrooms, rogue motorcoach operators come and go, often defying efforts to keep unsafe buses and drivers off the nation's highways.
Parents and students stymied on school transfers
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, 14 August 2008
HOUSTON – Some Texas parents will have to wait until Oct. 8 — more than six weeks after the first day of school — to find out whether their children are entitled to transfer to a higher-performing campus under No Child Left Behind.
Integrity Unit Members Hunker Down
BY JORDAN SMITH, Austin Chronicle, 15 August 2008
AUSTIN – Although the members of the new Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit met for the first time Aug. 6, Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara Hervey, who created the unit, says that members are already hard at work, looking at a myriad of issues that effect the quality of criminal justice in Texas.
Stronger bus regulations
Waco Tribune-Herald, 14 August 2008
WACO – Last week’s bus crash that killed 17 people near Sherman offers dramatic evidence that state and federal authorities must do a better job regulating bus companies.
News
Cox Enterprises to put Lufkin Daily News, other papers up for sale
Lufkin Daily News, 13 August 2008
LUFKIN – Cox Enterprises, Inc. has decided to put The Lufkin Daily News and all its Texas newspapers up for sale with a goal of closing a deal by the first quarter of 2009.
Cox to sell Austin American-Statesman
Waco Tribune-Herald, 13 August 2008
NEW YORK — Cox Enterprises Inc. plans to sell its Austin, Texas, newspaper and several other smaller papers, reducing the company's portfolio of advertising-supported media properties.
Firms paying $1.25 billion for 20 percent of Oncor
By JIM FUQUAY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
FORT WORTH – Two foreign investment firms will pay $1.25 billion for nearly 20 percent of Oncor Electric Delivery, the utility that delivers power to about 3 million customers in North Texas.
Green Mountain Energy gets a thumbs-up from consumers
By JIM FUQUAY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
FORT WORTH – Purchasers of electricity from renewable sources generally have rosy views of their "green" power plans even though they cost more, a new survey shows.
Austin crowd gathers to talk biomass deal
By KATIE HUMPHREY, Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel, 13 August 2008
AUSTIN — A public meeting to answer questions about a proposed wood-fueled biomass plant East Texas drew more than 100 people to Austin's City Hall Wednesday night.
Hutchison says production key to lower prices
By Erin McKeon, Brazosport Facts, 13 August 2008
BRAZOSPORT – America has the resources to overcome the current energy crunch, and putting them to use will help families lower their costs for food, electricity and fuel, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Tuesday during a pair of area stops on a 600-mile bus tour.
Defense Lawyers Try to Halt Execution
BY JORDAN SMITH, Austin Chronicle, 15 August 2008
AUSTIN – Death penalty opponents rally Tuesday outside the Capitol. Photo by Sandy Carson Since Texas reinstated the death penalty in 1976, only six people have been executed for a murder in which they did not directly participate, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
UT System regents run risk in abandoning ethics rule
Austin American-Statesman, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN – University of Texas System regents seem determined to get rid of an ethics rule that has served them well.
People
New evidence levels more bribery allegations in Dallas City Hall case
By JASON TRAHAN, Dallas Morning News, 13 August 2008
DALLAS – New evidence in the Dallas City Hall public corruption case levels further bribery allegations against former City Council members Don Hill and James Fantroy, and resurrects accusations against state Rep. Terri Hodge that she used her influence in exchange for political contributions.
Witness in Osteen lawsuit says there was no assault
By BRIAN ROGERS, Houston Chronicle, 13 August 2008
HOUSTON – To the shock of even the attorney who called her to the stand, a witness in the trial of Victoria Osteen said Wednesday the Lakewood Church co-pastor did not touch a Continental Airlines flight attendant who has accused her of assault during a confrontation over liquid spilled on a first-class seat.
Passengers say they didn't see or hear assault by Victoria Osteen
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
HOUSTON — Passengers and a pilot testified Wednesday that they didn’t see or hear anything that indicated that the co-pastor of a Houston megachurch assaulted a flight attendant before the start of a 2005 flight.
Third surgery successful for Rep. Paul's wife
By RUTH RENDON and RICHARD STEWART, Houston Chronicle, 13 August 2008
HOUSTON – Carol Paul, wife of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, remains in the intensive care unit of a Houston hospital this morning after having her third surgery in a week.
Ron Paul's wife in Houston ICU after 3rd surgery in a week
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 August 2008
HOUSTON — Carol Paul, the wife of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, remained in the intensive-care unit of a Houston hospital Wednesday after having her third surgery in a week, according to an aide to Ron Paul.
Ex-camp director gets $300,000 settlement from the state
By Claire Osborn, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN – The state agreed Wednesday to pay $300,000 to the former director of a now-closed outdoor camp for troubled boys in Bastrop County to settle her lawsuit against several state officials
