Noriega, Cornyn square off in Senate debate [1]

By W. Gardner Selby, Austin AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF, 10/10/08

HOUSTON — Democrat Rick Noriega accused Republican U.S. Sen. John Cornyn of consistently voting against the needs of Texas as the two sparred side-by-side for the first time in a debate Thursday night.

Cornyn, Noriega focus on economy in Houston debate [2]

By JANET ELLIOTT and JENNIFER LATSON, Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – Sen. John Cornyn defended his leadership on the economy as his Democratic challenger Rick Noriega asked Texans if they are better off now than they were six years ago during a wide-ranging debate Thursday night.

Texas Senate candidates Rick Noriega, John Cornyn clash over bailout at debate in Houston [3]

By ROBERT T. GARRETT, Dallas Morning News, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – Sen. John Cornyn and his Democratic challenger, state Rep. Rick Noriega, clashed over the financial industry bailout and health care in their first debate Thursday.

Democrat Noriega takes on Cornyn over bailout, immigration [4]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 October 2008

HOUSTON — Democratic Senate candidate Rick Noriega and Republican Sen. John Cornyn squared off right away over the $700 billion economic bailout in their debate Thursday night.

Jim Fish steps up to run against Cuellar for House [5]

By JULIAN AGUILAR, LAREDO MORNING TIMES, 10 October 2008

LAREDO – The monthly meeting of the Webb County Republican Women on Thursday featured the Air Force veteran and San Antonio health care consultant hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, during next month's general election.

Brimer, Davis exchange digs at candidates forum [6]

By ANTHONY SPANGLER, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 October 2008

BEDFORD — State Senate candidate Wendy Davis accused incumbent Kim Brimer of forcing schools to spend reserve funds, turning to toll roads to pay for new highways and leaving children in Texas with no healthcare.

Texas House candidate Joe Moody says online post criticizing military was a joke [7]

By Brandi Grissom, El Paso Times, 9 October 2008

AUSTIN – Democratic Texas House candidate Joe Moody said Thursday he was joking last year when he criticized the military as an agency that "recruits you to get killed immediately" in an online posting.

Ex-mayors endorse Craddick, citing experience, influence [8]

By Bob Campbell, Midland Reporter-Telegram, 10 October 2008

MIDLAND – Seeking re-election to his 20th two-year term, state Rep. Tom Craddick was endorsed Thursday by all six living former mayors of Midland, while his Democratic opponent, former City Councilman Bill Dingus, pointed to what he said are Craddick's "millions in special interest contributions."

Leo demands party loyalty from Democratic elected officials [9]

By Steve Taylor, Rio Grande Guardian, 9 October 2008

McALLEN – La Joya Mayor Billy Leo says any elected official in Hidalgo County who was elected as a Democrat and who does not publicly endorse the party’s slate of candidates should join the Republicans.

Record number of voters register [10]

By John Lowman, Brazosport Facts, 10 October 2008

ANGLETON — The total number of residents registered to vote in Brazoria County is the highest it has ever been, with more requests left to count.

The Libertarians Wild card on the right [11]

BY RICHARD WHITTAKER, Austin Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – Democrats and Libertarians in Texas don't agree on too many things, but they cheerfully share antagonism toward the GOP.

Davis Stays on the Ballot [12]

BY RICHARD WHITTAKER, Austin Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN –Third time was not the charm for Tarrant County's Republican Sen. Kim Brimer in his attempts to get Democrat Wendy Davis off the ballot after a court rejected his latest suit on Oct. 6.

Seven in Play [13]

BY RICHARD WHITTAKER, Austin Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – While Democrats would like a clean sweep this November (as would the Republicans), seven key seats around the state have emerged as battlegrounds for the fight to take back the House.

Changes needed on state's highest appellate courts [14]

Corpus Christi Caller-Times, 10 October 2008

CORPUS CHRISTI – If given an opportunity, voters in Texas should try to bring more ideological balance to the Texas Supreme Court.

Top criminal court [15]

Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – It has been an inglorious year for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the state.

RECOMMENDATION: House District 99 [16]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 October 2008

FORT WORTH – Regardless of the political machinations and turmoil embroiling the Texas Legislature, Charlie Geren always seems to have his head screwed on straight.

We recommend Johnson for U.S. House [17]

Dallas Morning News, 9 October 2008

DALLAS – These are the first two of seven recommendations in Dallas-area races for the U.S. House of Representatives.

The hurricane vote [18]

Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – With many of Galveston County's 187,000 registered voters forced by Hurricane Ike's ravages to seek temporary living arrangements far from home, participating in the upcoming national election will require as much attention as reassembling other facets of their daily lives.

Education boss warns that pizza parties break law [19]

Waco Tribune-Herald, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN — The state's education boss is warning school superintendents that pizza parties, field trips and other rewards for students who pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills may violate education privacy laws by inadvertently outing students who fail.

Texas issues different-looking driver's license for immigrants [20]

By EMILY RAMSHAW, Dallas Morning News, 9 October 2008

AUSTIN — Foreign nationals living in Texas must now prove they’re in the country legally before getting a state driver’s license or identification card – one that will look markedly different from those issued to U.S. citizens.

New driver's license rule upsets some immigrants [21]

By JAMES PINKERTON and CLAY ROBISON, Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – A little-noticed administrative change preventing illegal immigrants from obtaining a Texas driver's license has upset immigrant groups, lawmakers and Hispanic activists, who predict it will boost the number of unlicensed and uninsured drivers on Texas roads.

Cornyn seeking probe into Army recruiter suicides [22]

By LINDSAY WISE, Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

HOUSTON – The Army's rising suicide rate U.S. Sen. John Cornyn on Thursday called for an independent probe into a string of suicides among Houston-based Army recruiters, citing "very troubling" allegations that the chain of command interfered with official investigations in order to cover up a toxic leadership climate and low morale.

‘Tightfisted Aggie’ steps up to help UTMB [23]

By Laura Elder, Galveston County Daily News, 9 October 2008

GALVESTON — One of the main things that stood between 4,000 University of Texas Medical Branch employees and layoffs this week was a “tightfisted, conservative Aggie.”

Financial crisis could impact NASA projects [24]

Midland Reporter-Telegram, 10 October 2008

MIDLAND – As Mars' frigid artic winter begins, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander is in its last days of operability. When the sun goes below the Martian horizon, it will become so cold that the lander will cease to work and will probably not be reawakened next spring when the sun finally returns.

Texas offers $100 million to lure bio lab [25]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 October 2008

SAN ANTONIO – Texas officials are prepared to offer $100 million in incentives to the federal government to lure a new laboratory for dangerous diseases to San Antonio, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday.

UT suspends ban on signs in dorm windows [26]

By Patrick George, Jazmine Ulloa, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – Threatened with being banned from returning to class next semester unless they took their Obama for president sign off their dorm room window, University of Texas students Connor and Blake Kincaid decided Wednesday that it was worth the risk and kept the sign up.

Pair's poster successfully raises banner of free speech at UT [27]

By LISA SANDBERG, Houston Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN — Faced with the biggest freedom of speech issue to hit campus in a long time, the University of Texas at Austin backed down from a threat barring two students from classes next semester for failing to take down a political poster displayed on their dorm window.

UT reverses ban on political signs after dispute about free speech [28]

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN — Facing a free-speech uproar, the University of Texas backed down Thursday from punishing a sophomore from Mansfield and his cousin who refused to remove political signs from their dormitory window.

Getting a Ticket Beats Going to Jail [29]

BY JORDAN SMITH, Austin Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – After meeting last month with law enforcement representatives from Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo says his department is now ready to begin implementing the so-called cite-and-release law that allows officers to issue citations for low-level nonviolent misdemeanor crimes instead of taking offenders in for a night in jail.

No recusal in DeLay case, court says [30]

By Laylan Copelin, AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – The 3rd Court of Appeals, without explanation, has overruled a motion asking Justice Alan Waldrop to step aside in a money-laundering case involving two associates of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

Prosecutor's bid to force recusal of judge rejected [31]

By CLAY ROBISON, Houston Chronicle, 9 October 2008

AUSTIN — The Third Court of Appeals has denied a prosecutor's request to remove a judge who once had political ties to Tom DeLay from a criminal case involving two of DeLay's former associates.

Governors wager on OU-Texas game [32]

Waco Tribune-Herald, 10 October 2008

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Red River Rivalry is being waged in more places than the Cotton Bowl.

Postage problems snag absentee ballots for Nov. 4 election [33]

By BRANDON FORMBY, Dallas Morning News, 9 October 2008

DALLAS – Calvin Justice has a piece of advice for voters mailing in their ballots for the Nov. 4 election.

Former KISD student pleads not guilty to hacking Palin e-mail [34]

Killeen Daily Herald, 9 October 2008

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — David Christopher Kernell walked into federal court Wednesday morning in handcuffs, shackles and tennis shoes to plead not guilty to hacking Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s personal e-mail account.

Keller Immune to Justice [35]

BY JORDAN SMITH, Austin Chronicle, 10 October 2008

AUSTIN – According to federal district Judge Lee Yeakel's ruling last week, Court of Criminal Appeals presiding Judge Sharon Keller enjoys "judicial immunity," which insulates her from being sued for violating the civil rights of an executed inmate.