The Midday Brief: December 8, 2009
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Rick Perry attacked the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision yesterday to declare carbon dioxide a public danger, arguing that the ruling lacks scientific evidence. The EPA's move could propel the cost of carbon reduction onto the list of issues in play in the governor’s race. Full Story
The warm spirit of the holidays is not deterring the Rick and Kay campaigns from their latest bitter back-and-forth: competing "12 Days of Christmas" riffs. Full Story
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson hasn't drawn any opposition so far, and he's apparently lonely. Full Story
For a campaign that is all about creating jobs, Farouk Shami was very quick to end some. Full Story
It's not an accident that Democrats have been winning races in Republican-held urban and suburban districts, and narrowing statewide Republican margins. That Democrats are attracting A-team candidates like Mayor Bill White is testimony to years of hard work, not coincidental political evolution. Full Story
The Texas Ethics Commission wants candidates and elected officials to come clean about their spending, and it's adopted new rules that require them to do just that. Full Story
After his son and two others died in a horrific car wreck in 2004, former UT Regent Scott Caven Jr. set out to prove that his namesake, Scotty, wasn't to blame. He eventually persuaded the Texas Department of Public Safety to change its accident report — a rare feat: In the last five years, DPS has changed the final reports in fewer than 1 percent of fatal crash investigations. Full Story
When kids with disabilities transfer from children’s Medicaid to the adult program, they lose services, health care and medical expertise. A few committed doctors and social workers are stepping in to ease the transition. Full Story
The pro-charter National Center for Education Reform cites state's lack of financial support for facilities, a cap on the number of charters and a restrictive regulatory environment. Full Story
The Texas Departments of Family and Protective Services and State Health Services are launching a "Room to Breathe" campaign to educate parents about the dangers of co-sleeping, a controversial subject that they appear to be approaching with caution. Full Story
As she files to run as a Republican for Governor, Debra Medina's campaign says, “Texans are one step closer to freedom!” Full Story
Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Farouk Shami is counting on your votes to put him in office, but records show his own voting history is inconsistent. There's no evidence that he's ever voted in a Democratic primary — but he did vote in the Republican primary in 2000. Full Story
First Lady Anita Perry is speaking out against new breast cancer screening recommendations made by a federal task force last month. Full Story
What are state and local governments in Texas doing to make raw data available to the public? Not much. Full Story
Researcher finds social networking allows genuine, not idealized, personalities to shine through Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is in the governor's race, if you were still on pins and needles about that. She starts with promises of property tax reform, a leadership shake-up at the Texas Department of Transportation, and a list of other problems she'd like to address. Full Story
Sorry, Farouk. U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison called the Democratic gubernatorial primary for Houston Mayor Bill White . Full Story
If Thursday was Gov. Rick Perry’s day, and Friday belonged to Bill White, then today is a day for Kay Bailey Hutchison. Full Story