The Midday Brief: December 17, 2009

Your afternoon reading:

• “The news coming out of dusty border city El Paso, Texas, is usually pretty grim.” — Cities Where Americans Are Getting Richer — Forbes

• “Public Insurance Counsel Deeia Beck has asked the state's insurance commissioner to end long-standing provisions in most health plans, called "discretionary" clauses, that give insurers the right to interpret their policies and decide what benefits must be paid.” — Texas consumer advocate wants ban on health insurers' blanket clauses — The Dallas Morning News

• “The estimated time when whites will no longer make up the majority of Americans has been pushed back eight years — to 2050 — because the recession and stricter immigration policies have slowed the flow of foreigners into the U.S.” — White Americans' majority to end by mid-century — Associated Press

• “There's a chance voters will need two elections to choose either Gov. Rick Perry or Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison as the Republican nominee for governor.” —Will GOP fringe voters force runoff in governor's race? — WFAA-TV

• “What was supposed to be a bright start and a new day turned out to be anything but for Roberto J. Flores.” — First day for Dem party’s new chief is rough — San Antonio Express-News

New in The Texas Tribune:

• “The report notes that, since 1998, Texas' child abuse and neglect death rate has been consistently higher than other states.” — TribBlog: CPPP on Child Abuse Deaths — The Texas Tribune

• “Among Texas school superintendents, Carrol Thomas of Beaumont ISD stands out in multiple ways.” — Super Salaries — The Texas Tribune