The Midday Brief: April 26, 2010

Your afternoon reading.

“The Dallas suburb plans to appeal a court ruling against its ordinance, which would prevent landlords from renting houses or apartments to illegal immigrants -- and it hopes to serve as an example to other communities trying to deal with illegal immigration.” — Farmers Branch keeps up illegal immigration fight — Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Interior Secretary Fernandez Gomez-Mont said at a news conference that two back-to-back, bloody ambushes of government convoys—both blamed on cartels—represent a new tactic.” — Mexico says cartels turning attacks on authorities —The Associated Press

“At the top of local Democrats' wish list is seizing control of the Dallas County Commissioners Court. And they greedily eye local Texas House races that could solidify statewide advances the party made in 2008, when a ticket topped by Barack Obama gave the party its most lopsided victories in a generation.” — Dallas County Democrats cling to District Attorney Watkins' coattails — The Dallas Morning News

“But the polarizing issue is fraught with peril for both parties — so much so that, when asked about the politics of it all, former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie paraphrases the words of Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: “When immigration is an issue, nobody wins.” — ‘Nobody wins’ on immigration reform — Politico

“The book, titled "Decision Points," will focus on 14 "critical and historic" decisions the former president has made throughout his life and in the White House, said Tina Constable, the Vice President of Crown Publishers – a division of Random House.” — TRENDING: Details of Bush memoir revealed — CNN

“The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a 4.0 magnitude earthquake hit an area near Alice, about 50 miles west of Corpus Christi, around 9:10 p.m. Saturday.” — Small earthquake rattles Alice — The Monitor

New in the Texas Tribune:

"Conversations about uniting Big Bend with the territory in Mexico have been reignited every decade or so since the land deed was signed in 1944, but ultimately have been squashed by politics." — Peace Bend?

"So now, the group’s rankings — including the ones we’re publishing today, for most public schools in Texas — lay out the worst schools along with the best and every gradation in between." — Data App: 5,800+ Schools Ranked