The Midday Brief: May 4, 2010

Your afternoon reading.

“What kind of act of God could have caused the explosion? An undersea volcano? An as-yet undetected earthquake? No one has suggested that there is any cause for the oil spill rather than the obvious one — human negligence.” — Is the BP disaster an act of God?, Texas Monthly

“Monday's announcement of the United-Continental merger had industry analysts and other observers buzzing about whether Fort Worth-based American needs to find its own partner, and if so, who.” — Will United-Continental merger move American Airlines to pair up?, The Dallas Morning News

“David Sibley, considered in most circles to be the frontrunner in the four-way race featuring three Republicans and one Democrats, got a whopping $331,746.42 between March 30 and April 28 alone.” — SD 22 candidates file campaign finance reports, The Lone Star Report

“Randy Terrell Sylvester could have faced the death penalty if convicted at trial for murdering Randy Sylvester Jr., 7, and 3-year-old Denim Sylvester.” — Pasadena dad gets life for killing kids on Father's Day, Houston Chronicle

“In a letter to nurses dated April 19, Marie Weldon, director of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System, said officials will help the nurses apply for waivers so they won't have to pay the money back, but that there are no guarantees.” — Local VA nurses may be asked to give back years of raises, San Antonio Express-News

New in the Texas Tribune:

“This riff on Gov. Rick Perry's coyote tale — in Austin Sen. Kirk Watson's weekly email to constituents — is entertaining.” — TribBlog: Of Rats and Men

“It’s true that Berman is hoping to pass legislation similar to Arizona’s tough new immigration enforcement laws in the next session, but there are elements of the media's coverage of that fact that he'd like to correct.” — TribBlog: Berman: Perry Did Not Lie to Me