Politics
John McCain will skip real red Texas
By GROMER JEFFERS JR., Dallas Morning News, 5 October 2008
DALLAS – John McCain doesn't plan on spending a cent to carry Texas: No offices, no staffers, no television commercials and no campaign appearances.
Sarah Palin follows debate with Dallas visit
By GROMER JEFFERS Jr., Dallas Morning News, 3 October 2008
DALLAS – Fresh off a stronger-than-expected debate performance, Sarah Palin launched the final phase of the presidential campaign Friday in Dallas, touting John McCain's ideas and experience to satisfy the country's desire for change.
In Senate race, Cornyn has wide money lead over challenger Noriega
By ROBERT T. GARRETT, Dallas Morning News, 3 October 2008
AUSTIN — Sen. John Cornyn still enjoys a commanding money edge over challenger Rick Noriega – and may have increased it.
Cornyn raises more money than Noriega in Senate race
Houston Chronicle, 3 October 2008
AUSTIN — Republican Sen. John Cornyn's campaign said Friday it raised $1.86 million in the third quarter and that it had $7.23 million in cash on hand entering the final month before the November election.
Cornyn happy to be away from bailout frenzy during visit to Falls
By Lynn Walker, Wichita Falls Times Record News, 4 October 2008
WICHITA FALLS – Sen. John Cornyn said he “hated being in the middle of it,” referring to the frenzy on Capitol Hill that led to the passage of emergency legislation last week to spend up to $700 billion in taxpayer money to keep the nation’s financial system from flatlining.
Noriega: South Texas is the gateway to the U.S., not the doormat
By Steve Taylor and Joey Gomez, Rio Grande Guardian, 4 October 2008
McALLEN – U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega has told local business leaders that with change in Washington, D.C., South Texas can become the gateway to America rather than the doormat.
Cornyn, Noriega differ on economic issues
By Jason Embry, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 6 October 2008
WASHINGTON — This is the second of four articles examining key issues in the U.S. Senate race in Texas. Next up: energy and health care.
Ethics complaint says Brimer paid wife rent
Dallas Morning News, 3 October 2008
DALLAS – A Democratic group has filed a formal ethics complaint against state Sen. Kim Brimer, alleging that the Republican lawmaker from Fort Worth profited by renting an upscale Austin condominium from his wife.
Race is on for house speaker — even among Dems
By Clay Robison, Houston Chronicle, 6 October 2008
AUSTIN — Although not his top priority right now, mainly because hurricane recovery is consuming much of his attention, Rep. Craig Eiland, D-Galveston, says he is considering a race for speaker should Democrats regain a majority of the Texas House on Nov. 4.
2 Asian-American candidates aim to represent Richardson, Garland in Texas House
By IAN McCANN, Dallas Morning News, 4 October 2008
DALLAS – Barring an improbable third-party upset, an Asian-American will be the next state representative for parts of Richardson and Garland, areas known for a large Asian population.
Heflin-Castro race more relaxed than '06, gaining Austin interest
By Enrique Rangel, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, 5 October 2008
AUSTIN – What a difference a two-year election cycle makes.
New storm forming over Galveston vote
By HARVEY RICE, Houston Chronicle, 5 October 2008
GALVESTON — Hurricane Ike is gone, but the storm's effects will be felt by many of Galveston County's 187,000 registered voters when they attempt to vote Nov. 4 in a presidential election that is expected to attract a record turnout.
Voter registration surges in Tarrant County, statewide
By ANNA M. TINSLEY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 October 2008
FORT WORTH – Apathy doesn’t appear to be the problem it is in many campaigns, as Americans seem to be getting into presidential politics more fervently than they have in years.
The Winnebago Vote
By Forrest Wilder, Texas Observer, 3 October 2008
In a place called Rainbow’s End, amid towering East Texas pines and hulking Winnebagos, sits an unremarkable, gray-brick building that is home to the biggest and most influential voting bloc in Polk County. No one actually lives at 100 Rainbow Drive, but the building hosts 12,000 registered voters.
Counted Out?
By Geoff Rips, Texas Observer, 3 October 2008
Economic levees have burst.
RECOMMENDATION: House District 92
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 October 2008
FORT WORTH – State Rep. Todd Smith was absolutely right when, in the waning days of the 2007 legislative session, he defied the autocratic rule of Speaker Tom Craddick.
We recommend Crownover, Button for Texas House
Dallas Morning News, 3 October 2008
DALLAS – These are the last of 11 recommendations in Dallas-area races for the Texas House that appear on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Government
Bailout legislation boosts Texans' mental health coverage
By TODD ACKERMAN, Houston Chronicle, 4 October 2008
HOUSTON – Texans with mental health conditions will get insurance coverage in parity with people with other health conditions, thanks to a provision in the $700 billion financial bailout legislation passed and signed into law on Friday.
Hinojosa talks to constituents about Wall Street bailout bill
By Steve Taylor and Joey Gomez, Rio Grande Guardian, 3 October 2008
SAN JUAN – Today’s passage in the U.S. House of the historic $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill capped a stressful week for every member of Congress, not least U.S. Rep. Rubén Hinojosa.
South Texas congressmen explain their votes on Wall Street bailout bill
Rio Grande Guardian, 3 October 2008
BROWNSVILLE – Two of the four South Texas border congressmen changed their votes on the $700 billion Wall Street financial rescue package on Friday.
Yes and no
Wichita Falls Times Record News, 5 October 2008
WASHINGTON — Wichita Falls’ congressman will soon have to account for his yes vote Friday on the bailout package to constituents back home in the 13th Congressional District.
Legislators may be asked to address Texas pension-fund losses
By YAMIL BERARD, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 October 2008
FORT WORTH – The stock portfolios of some of the state’s largest investments funds — supporting government employees’ retirements and public education — have taken quite a beating this year.
Crisis on Wall Street affects our streets, too
By RAD SALLEE, Houston Chronicle, 5 October 2008
HOUSTON – Since the credit crisis came to a boil last week, Houston-area governments have taken notice.
State senators seem to be bending pay rules
By MATT STILES, Houston Chronicle, 5 October 2008
HOUSTON – State senators may be violating a Texas Constitution ban on using taxpayer money for bonuses to government workers by approving temporary end-of-year raises to give staffers thousands of dollars in extra pay.
Texas Senate staffers get thousands in extra pay
Waco Tribune-Herald, 5 October 2008
HOUSTON — Despite a constitutional ban on legislative bonus pay, state senators have paid out over $650,000 in temporary pay increases to top aides over the last two years.
House panel to review state and local government response to Hurricane Ike
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 October 2008
AUSTIN — Texas House Speaker Tom Craddick appointed a special committee Friday to review state and local government response to Hurricane Ike.
TYC Discord
By Jeremy Roebuck, McAllen Monitor, 5 October 2008
McALLEN – Hundreds of abuse reports at the state's troubled youth prisons were closed in the last year with no formal indication of whether or not they were ever investigated.
There's no beating the TollTag system
By DAVE LIEBER, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 October 2008
FORT WORTH – Monte Nodwell got into a fight with the North Texas Tollway Authority over what started as a $19 bill. He thought he paid it, but the authority said he didn’t.
TxDOT buys time with borrowed funds for Dallas-area projects
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER, Dallas Morning News, 5 October 2008
DALLAS – State transportation officials are poised to issue billions of dollars in debt to help speed road construction, a move that will keep Dallas-area projects on schedule for now but will do little to shore up the state's long-term road-funding crisis.
Texas lottery sales take a tumble
By LISA SANDBERG, Houston Chronicle, 6 October 2008
AUSTIN — Texas lottery revenues are slumping, but experts say the sluggish economy isn't to blame.
New Texas database to help catch car insurance scofflaws
By Erin Quinn, Waco Tribune-Herald, 6 October 2008
WACO – It just got harder for the more than 4 million drivers in Texas who either don’t have insurance or carry a phony insurance card to try to pull a fast one over law enforcement, state officials say.
Bible curriculum causes controversy in public schools
By Iuliana Petre, Killeen Daily Herald, 4 October 2008
KILLEEN – The Associated Press recently reported that several State Board of Education members are "promoting a Bible curriculum that has been criticized as favoring certain Christian views and has already landed some (school) districts in court."
Mister, you got a billion?
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 October 2008
FORT WORTH – Whether you’re for or against the massive government bailout of Wall Street banking and investment firms — and our letters to the editor indicate many of you oppose it — every American knowledgeable about the legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Friday afternoon must be holding his or her nose.
10 percent rule needs changes
Dallas Morning News, 3 October 2008
DALLAS – Want to know who holds the most vulnerable jobs in Texas?
News
Retrofitting Houston grid called a costly proposition
By R.G. RATCLIFFE, Houston Chronicle, 5 October 2008
AUSTIN — An ice catastrophe that hit Oklahoma during a three-day period in December 2007 knocked out power to 600,000 homes and businesses across the state and caused 29 deaths.
Panel to weigh future of power system
By CLAY ROBISON, Houston Chronicle, 3 October 2008
AUSTIN — The Legislature may need to consider tax breaks to encourage gasoline stations, grocery stores and pharmacies to purchase backup generators to use after hurricanes and other natural disasters, state Rep. Sylvester Turner said Friday.
Islanders struggle to collect unemployment
By Laura Elder, Glveston County Daily News, 5 October 2008
GALVESTON — Dennis Kizer’s life was fairly simple before Hurricane Ike.
Area ecological damage could have been worse
By Erin McKeon, Brazosport Facts, 6 October 2008
BRAZOSPORT – As residents all over the county recover from Hurricane Ike’s wrath, so, too, are animals and their habitats.
Dress rehearsal for disaster
By Tom Curtis, Texas Observer, 3 October 2008
GALVESTON – My high school chemistry teacher was right.
Ike's Wake
By Char Miller, Texas Observer, 3 October 2008
Galveston looks like a war zone.
Two bodies raise Hurricane Ike death toll to 35 in Texas
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 October 2008
GALVESTON — Two more bodies have been found close to where Hurricane Ike thundered ashore, bringing the Texas death toll to 35 and the national total to 70.
Ike resulted in at least 500,000 gallons of oil being spilled, analysis shows
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 October 2008
WASHINGTON — The environmental damage left by Hurricane Ike’s brutal winds and massive waves is only now becoming apparent:
First lady serves dinner at Houston Red Cross shelter
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 October 2008
HOUSTON — First lady Laura Bush served dinner and offered comfort Friday to people still not back in their homes three weeks after Hurricane Ike slammed into the Texas coast.
Where Ike hit, beaches once teeming with birds have gone silent
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 October 2008
GILCHRIST — One of North America’s renowned bird migration and bird watching areas is strangely silent.
Islanders who insisted on staying died in Ike
Austin American-Statesman, 5 October 2008
GALVESTON — The final hours brought the awful realization to victims of Hurricane Ike that they had waited too long, that this storm wasn't like the others that left nothing worse than a harrowing tale to tell.
Texas is good for doing business, tax group's index says
By ANDREA AHLES, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 October 2008
FORT WORTH – Texas is the seventh-best state in which to do business, according to a new index released today.
US company accused of fraud in Afghanistan
Waco Tribune-Herald, 5 October 2008
WASHINGTON — A Houston security company has been indicted on charges of defrauding the U.S. government for work done during the Afghanistan war and rebuilding efforts, federal officials said Friday.
Texas among top states for seat-belt use
By GORDON DICKSON, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 October 2008
FORT WORTH – Those radio and television Click It or Ticket ads may be annoying, but apparently they work.
Kennedy: Life on Earth has always been risky and dangerous
By BUD KENNEDY, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 October 2008
FORT WORTH – We know that thousands of Texans’ homes and dozens of lives washed away in Hurricane Ike.
People
Midland's presidential ties face challenge of history
By Kathleen Thurber, Midland Reporter-Telegram, 5 October 2008
MIDLAND – For those who haven't found reason to pass through the Tall City sitting amidst the West Texas desert, Midland probably means just one thing: Hometown of George W. and Laura Bush.
President raises money for Nov. 4 elections, visits boyhood home
By Bob Campbell, Midland Reporter-Telegram, 4 October 2008
MIDLAND – President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush returned to their hometown on the glistening blue and white Air Force One jetliner Saturday to see old friends at the northwest Midland home of Congressman Mike Conaway and his wife Suzanne and, somewhat surprisingly, to visit the president’s boyhood home near downtown.
Bush finally pays hometown a visit
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 October 2008
MIDLAND — President Bush almost made it through his two terms without visiting his boyhood hometown.
Gonzales not out of the spotlight yet
By Gary Martin, San Antonio Express-News, 4 October 2008
Things just keep getting worse for former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Palin e-mail hacker a former KISD student
By Bill Begley, Killeen Daily Herald, 4 October 2008
KILLEEN – When he heard the name connected to the story – the one about the college kid who allegedly "hacked" his way into a personal e-mail account for Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin – Tracey McDaniels was not surprised.
As Austin family shows, Latino vote is too diverse to pin down
By Juan Castillo, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 5 October 2008
AUSTIN – Like many Latinos, Hector DeLeon hears the buzz that the Hispanic vote looms as potentially pivotal in this year's presidential election.
Texas volunteers learn ropes at Camp Obama in Dallas
By GROMER JEFFERS JR., Dallas Morning News, 5 October 2008
DALLAS – Unemployed and angry but with a strong sense of purpose, Shannon Curtis joined Barack Obama's volunteer army.
Ink-Stained Kvetches
By Brad Tyer, Texas Observer, 3 October 2008
So these three editorial cartoonists walk into a bar ... Wait, hold on, let’s back this joke up.
