Politics
Palin to be in Dallas for two private events
By Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas Morning News, 1 October 2008
DALLAS – After a much-anticipated debate with Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is scheduled to make a day of it in Dallas.
Bush's Midland fundraiser 'delayed,' may take place Saturday
By Bob Campbell, Midland Reporter-Telegram, October 1, 2008
MIDLAND – With Wall Street's sub-prime mortgages crisis still swooping Washington like a screaming Bald Eagle, President George W. Bush on Tuesday postponed his Thursday fundraiser in Midland but hopes to have it Saturday or early next week, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway said Tuesday.
Bailout failure may have derailed Clinton visit
By Jeremy Roebuck, McAllen Monitor, 30 September 2008
McALLEN – Congress' failure earlier this week to approve a bill to bail out the financial industry may have derailed a Rio Grande Valley visit from U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Candidates for state House, Senate face off in debate
By ANTHONY SPANGLER, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 October 2008
ARLINGTON — Facing questions from prospective voters and debating issues was an unfamiliar battleground for state Sen. Kim Brimer and his Democratic challenger, former Fort Worth City Councilwoman Wendy Davis.
State Realtors group endorses Dee Margo
El Paso Times, 1 October 2008
AUSTIN – The Texas Association of Realtors last week endorsed Republican Texas House candidate Dee Margo.
Influx of new voters in Dallas County could sway tight races
By Gromer Jeffers Jr., Dallas Morning News, 1 October 2008
DALLAS – Dallas County election officials expect about 125,000 new voters will be added to the rolls this presidential year, with a net increase of 25,000 from the 2004 presidential elections.
RECOMMENDATION: House District 96 — Chris Turner
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 October 2008
FORT WORTH – It’s time for a change in Texas House District 96, which stretches south of Interstate 20 from southwest Arlington to Crowley.
State rep. candidates air views on property rights
Jacksonville Progress, 30 September 2008
Editor’s note: Each Monday the Daily Progress will publish a question-and-answer story featuring District 11 state representative hopefuls Chuck Hopson (Democrat incumbent) and Brian Walker (Republican challenger).
Government
Just one Texas Republican House member heeds Bush's call
By MARIA RECIO, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 September 2008
WASHINGTON — On the morning of the $700 billion bailout vote, President Bush spoke by telephone with Texas Republicans Joe Barton, Kenny Marchant, Randy Neugebauer, Mike Conaway and Kevin Brady to secure their votes.
Republicans in Texas listening to Main Street banks
By DAVE MICHAELS, Dallas Morning News, 1 October 2008
WASHINGTON – Hearing grim predictions about an economy ready to crumble, Rep. Michael Burgess picked up the phone last Friday and called several community bankers and credit unions in his North Texas district.
Thornberry turned down Bush plea
By Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News, September 30, 2008
WICHITA FALLS – Texas Thirteenth District Congressman Mac Thornberry got a lot of calls as the U.S. House of Representatives approached a vote on a $700 billion financial bailout.
Conaway discusses $700B bailout
BY CHRISTINE STANLEY, Odessa American, 30 September 2008
ODESSA – U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway urged Average Joes to keep cool in the face of Wall Street's meltdown and advocated a more free market approach to solving the nation's financial crisis that's starting to threaten the stability of global markets.
Conaway: Higher FDIC limits, incentives would encourage him to vote for financial rescue package
By Ruth Campbell, Midland Reporter-Telegram, October 1, 2008
MIDLAND – Less taxpayer exposure, raising Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. limits, giving the private sector incentives to buy mortgages and increasing confidence in the markets are things that would help U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway vote for any financial rescue package.
Big Country congressmen may support new bill
By Amanda Peterson and Astrid Munn, Abilene Reporter-News, 1 October 2008
WASHINGTON – Congressmen representing the Big Country said Tuesday they could support a modified financial bailout plan with less government intervention.
Perry: Federal government 'inept' at solving financial crisis, other problems
By ROBERT T. GARRETT, Dallas Morning News, 1 October 2008
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry on Tuesday blasted the federal government as "inept" at solving the financial crisis and other national problems.
Legislators will learn if 'no' on bailout has a price tag
By ANNA M. TINSLEY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 October 2008
FORT WORTH – The financial impact of Congress’ inability to pass a bailout bill was immediately felt in the stock market. The political fallout may not be known until November.
Perry slams Washington for bailout failure
Houston Chronicle, 30 September 2008
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry, saying he's "sick and tired" of the partisan gridlock in Washington, slammed the federal government on Tuesday for failing to agree on a rescue of the U.S. financial markets.
Texas counties file in bankruptcy court against WaMu holding company
By AMAN BATHEJA, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 October 2008
FORT WORTH – As big-name banks go under, Tarrant County and other local governments are keeping a close eye on the fallout.
Prosecutor named to look into U.S. attorneys' firings
Bryan-College Station Eagle, 1 October 2008
WASHINGTON – Attorney General Michael Mukasey named a prosecutor Monday to investigate whether former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, other Bush administration officials or Republicans in Congress should face criminal charges in the firings of nine U.S. attorneys.
Rick Perry seeks $134 million to increase security on border
By Brandi Grissom , El Paso Times, 1 October 2008
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry will ask lawmakers for another $110 million for border security operations and an additional $24 million to fight transnational gangs, he said Tuesday.
Perry wants $24 million to fight 'transnational gangs'
By PEGGY FIKAC, Houston Chronicle, 30 September 2008
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry wants Texas to increase its spending on border security by $24 million – to $134 million – to target "ruthless and powerful transnational gangs" that he said pose the greatest threat to state security.
Gov. Perry wants $24 million to fight border crime
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 September 2008
AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry, saying violent gangs are "spreading like a virus" along the southern border, said Tuesday Texas lawmakers need to spend millions more to beef up law enforcement and fight international smugglers.
Taxpayers don't buy necessity of bailout
San Angelo Standard-Times, 30 September 2008
SAN ANGELO – We may have witnessed the final implosion of the Bush administration with the rejection of the president's $700 billion bailout package.
Lawmakers heed constituents’ concerns, defeat bill
Wichita Falls Times Record News, September 30, 2008
WICHITA FALLS – President Bush spoke early Tuesday to a nation awaking from a financial and political nightmare, only to realize we didn’t dream this at all.
Congress fails to rescue nation from fiscal crisis
Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 1 October 2008
CORPUS CHRISTI – The 133 House Republicans and 95 Democrats, including Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz of Corpus Christi, who voted against the financial rescue bill Monday have decided to risk the unknown.
Area lawmakers bail on bailout
Amarillo Globe-News, 1 October 2008
AMARILLO – Even party affiliation could not sway the Tri-State area's congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives Monday.
Thornberry: Why I voted against federal bailout
Amarillo Globe-News, 1 October 2008
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rep. Mac Thornberry issued this statement Monday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, explaining why he voted against the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act.
Congress put politics ahead of country
By Yvonne Mintz, Brazosport Facts, October 1, 2008
BRAZOSPORT – If most members of Congress would have voted their conscience Monday in shooting down what has been underplayed as a Wall Street rescue plan, at least we could have respected that.
State has responsibility to its citizens to ensure community colleges are adequately funded
Lufkin Daily News, October 01, 2008
LUFKIN – This week's announcement that Citation will be selling or closing operations in Lufkin possibly ending 375 local jobs by March is eerily familiar.
NASA boost
Houston Chronicle, 30 September 2008
HOUSTON – Flying in the teeth of White House opposition, the space agency's congressional supporters have apparently guaranteed a 15 percent budget increase by appending the proposal to a spending measure necessary to keep the government running.
News
Residents who fled after Ike return to isle
By Sara Foley, Galveston Daily News, September 30, 2008
GALVESTON — This time, returning evacuees knew what they were coming back to.
Group urges no politics, religion in science curriculum
By GARY SCHARRER, Houston Chronicle, 30 September 2008
AUSTIN — A coalition of Texas scientists warned the State Board of Education Tuesday not to inject politics or religion into new science guidelines for public schools.
Texas scientists challenge proposal to teach weaknesses of evolutionary theory
By Laura Heinauer, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, October 01, 2008
AUSTIN – Armed with stacks of scientific journals, a group that says it represents more than 800 Texas scientists is challenging the idea that discussion of the weaknesses of evolutionary theory belongs in science classrooms.
Scientists say they're fighting religious teaching in schools
Bryan-College Station Eagle, 1 October 2008
AUSTIN – Scientists from Texas universities Tuesday denounced what they called supernatural and religious teaching in public-school science classrooms and voiced opposition to attempts to water down evolution instruction.
More in Texas speaking Spanish at home, U.S. Census Bureau report says
By IGNACIO LAGUARDA, Dallas Morning News, 1 October 2008
DALLAS – Immigration is not only changing the face of North Texas, but also its speech.
Nearly 1 in 3 Texans speaking Spanish at home
Bryan-College Station Eagle, 1 October 2008
DALLAS — Nearly one out of three Texans speak Spanish at home, a rise attributed to an increasing number of immigrants coming from Mexico, according to a report by the U.S. Census Bureau.
People
Hutchison tours Fort Hood housing, visits Warrior Transition Unit
By Amanda Kim Stairrett, Killeen Daily Herald, 1 October 2008
WEST FORT HOOD – Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison visited Fort Hood on Tuesday to tour post housing areas, barracks and meet with Warrior Transition Unit soldiers.
