The Midday Brief: June 23, 2010
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
The federal government's roundup of dentists for medicaid fraud in South Texas has claimed its latest casualty: outgoing state Rep. Tara Rios Ybarra. Full Story
Outgoing state Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, says he fully intends to retire and will withdraw his name from Senate District 22's November ballot. Full Story
Three months after his retirement, it might be back to work for Kip Averitt. Full Story
A decisive victory for political novice Brian Birdwell over Capitol veteran David Sibley in a Senate special election reflects a no-compromise attitude among GOP voters — but may not be the final word on who represents District 22 come January. Full Story
Revenue from Texas red-light cameras soared in 2009, with cities collecting more than $62 million from motorists, newly released state records show. We've taken that revenue data to create an interactive visualization that shows how the traffic camera revenue, expenses and profits vary from city to city, along with the proportion of the money that goes to the state. Full Story
Republican Brian Birdwell has beaten David Sibley, a former Republican state senator, in the special runoff election in Senate District 22. Full Story
On its website, the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research promises an education that is "Biblical. Accurate. Certain." But there's one thing they can't promise: a master's degree in science education. Full Story
Kip Averitt does not want to return to the Texas Senate — but depending on how tonight’s special-election runoff to replace him goes, the recently retired Republican Waco state senator says “it’s a remote chance.” Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Texans for Public Justice, a nonprofit watchdog group, filed a complaint today urging the Texas Ethics Commission to require Gov. Rick Perry to provide detailed reports of campaign expenditures on the Governor's Mansion. Full Story
Speaker's race 2011: Oh, yeah, it's on. Full Story
According to a new poll released by Public Policy Polling, Democratic challenger Bill White is running neck and neck with incumbent Republican Gov. Rick Perry. Full Story
It's official: A speaker's race is a go. Full Story
Two little words — “I apologize,” uttered by U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis, to Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP — have upgraded the status of David Cozad’s campaign from Sure Loser to Longer-Than-Longshot. Full Story
Are Texas medical schools missing a social conscience? Many fare poorly in a new study that ranks them based on their contributions to meeting the nation’s health care needs. Full Story
The Environmental Protection Agency's campaign against Texas' air pollution permitting process is well-known, but federal regulators are also working to tighten a number of other rules relating to power plant waste, ozone and greenhouse gas emissions. Texas businesses fear that the new regulations will dent the state's fragile economic recovery. Environmentalists are, predictably, delighted. Full Story
Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, is expected to challenge House Speaker Joe Straus for his job, according to Capitol sources. Asked Monday whether he would seek Straus' post, Berman told the Tribune: "I can't say anything until tomorrow." Full Story
There is a lot that Texans probably don't know about newly elected GOP party chairman Steve Munisteri — and a lot in his official biography that they probably never wanted to. Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story