Politics
Lawyers’ Ties Hint at Extent of Hiding Edwards’s Affair
By SERGE F. KOVALESKI and MIKE MCINTIRE, The New York Times, 8/15/8
As tabloid reports of a sex scandal threatened former Senator John Edwards’s presidential campaign last December on the eve of the Iowa caucuses, two lawyers surfaced with written statements that appeared to exonerate the candidate.
Kay Bailey Hutchison sidesteps questions about gubernatorial run during summer bus tour
By Wayne Slater, Dallas Morning News, 14 August 2008
GALVESTON – At the first stop of the day on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison's will-she-or-won't-she summer bus tour, somebody mentioned the elephant in the room.
Hutchison on gubernatorial run: 'I'm not undecided at all'
By GORDON DICKSON, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 August 2008
IRVING — U.S. Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison gave her strongest indication yet that she intends to run for governor when her Senate term ends in 2010.
Out of touch
Houston Chronicle, 14 August 2008
HOUSTON – When health care in Texas makes headlines, the issues raised by administrators and physicians are hardly rosy.
Government
New study shows Texas school property tax relief largely wiped out
By TERRENCE STUTZ, Dallas Morning News, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN – A big chunk of the school property tax relief approved by lawmakers two years ago has been wiped out by higher property appraisals and unprecedented tax hikes by cities and counties, according to a new study by a leading tax research foundation.
Texans saved with 2006 school tax change - really
By Kate Alexander, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 15 August 2008
AUSTIN – Texas taxpayers saved $7 billion in property taxes after the 2006 school tax cut, according to an analysis released Thursday.
Hutchison: Crash has stirred support in Congress for increased bus safety
By GORDON DICKSON, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 August 2008
IRVING — The crash of a charter bus that killed 17 people a week ago in Sherman has renewed support in Congress for a law requiring seat belts on buses, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison said Thursday.
For some legislators, seat belt law doesn't click
By PEGGY FIKAC and CLAY ROBISON, Houston Chronicle, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN — Although bus safety remains in the spotlight following last week's deadly charter bus crash in Sherman, some lawmakers said they may look at easing a law requiring safety belts in new school buses next year.
Hidalgo County is way ahead of Cameron in building of border wall
By Jackie Leatherman, McAllen Monitor, 15 August 2008
McALLEN – The two southernmost counties in Texas are supposed to have a border wall further separating them from Mexico by the end of this year.
Texas lawmaker pushes to criminalize hallucinogenic drug salvia
By IAN HAMILTON, Dallas Morning News, 14 August 2008
MESQUITE — A Republican lawmaker from Waco is driving a campaign to criminalize salvia, an herb that can be bought legally but used as a powerful hallucinogenic drug.
CHIP Plans: Cast wary eye on projections of slowed enrollment growth
Lufkin Daily News, 15 August 2008
LUFKIN – Pardon our cynicism, but our state's track record leaves us no choice but to doubt projections of almost no growth in the number of children enrolled in the Children's Health Insurance Program for the next three years.
We need a bus safety act
Victoria Advocate, 15 August 2008
VICTORIA – U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is showing quick reaction time and genuine caring for her constituency in the wake of the tragic bus accident near Sherman, Texas, a week ago in which 17 people died and many others were injured.
News
Small Texas school district lets teachers, staff pack pistols
By MARK AGEE, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 August 2008
FORT WORTH – When classes start Aug. 25 in the tiny Harrold school district, there will be one distinct difference from years prior: Some of the teachers may have guns.
Texas school district OKs pistols for staff
Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 August 2008
HARROLD – A tiny Texas school district may be the first in the nation to allow teachers and staff to pack guns for protection when classes begin later this month, a newspaper reported.
UT regents ease conflict-of-interest rules on investing
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, 14 August 2008
AUSTIN — The University of Texas board of regents today voted to relax conflict-of-interest rules to allow members of an oversight board to have co-investments with the state's university endowments.
Baptist General Convention of Texas sued for libel and slander
By SAM HODGES, Dallas Morning News, 14 August 2008
DALLAS – The Baptist General Convention of Texas has been sued for libel and slander by a pastor involved in starting churches in the Rio Grande Valley.
People
Armstrong tops list of city's largest water users
By Marty Toohey, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 15 August 2008
AUSTIN – Every minute, about five gallons of water passed through the sinks, sprinklers, fountain and pool at Lance Armstrong's house in June, making the retired professional cyclist Austin's biggest water-using individual that month.
Ousted adviser Phil Gramm appears at McCain campaign event
Dallas Morning News, 15 August 2008
ASPEN, Colo. – Phil Gramm is back from Belarus.
First member of 'Texas Seven' executed
By Kristin Edwards, Huntsville Item, 15 August 2008
HUNTSVILLE – Michael Rodriguez, the first of the infamous “Texas Seven” group to receive an execution date, was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead Thursday night at 6:20 p.m.
Houston jury rules in favor of pastor’s wife in flight attendant’s lawsuit
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 August 2008
HOUSTON — The wife of megachurch pastor Joel Osteen thanked and praised God after a civil jury unanimously ruled Thursday that she did not assault a flight attendant during an alleged angry tirade over a spill on her first-class seat.
Wanted: UT chancellor who's experienced administrator
By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 15 August 2008
AUSTIN – The next chancellor of the University of Texas System should have experience running a large organization, as well as stints in higher education and legislative relations, the chairman of the system's Board of Regents said Thursday.
Ron Paul’s wife improving
Victoria Advocate, 14 August 2008
VICTORIA – Carol Paul, wife of U.S. Congressman Ron Paul, continued to improve Thursday.
Eight years of presidential summer vacations later, much has changed in Central Texas
By J.B. Smith, Waco Tribune-Herald, 15 August 2008
WACO – The White House press corps groaned at the 100-degree heat and wrote unflattering stories about its monthlong exile in Central Texas.
