The Brief: Oct. 14, 2014

The Big Conversation

Gov. Rick Perry will have to spend part of his Halloween in an Austin courtroom. Perry was excused from a pre-trial hearing on Monday, as he is in Europe on an economic mission, but he must be at the next one, the presiding judge in the case determined.

These hearings are part of the run-up to a trial on felony charges brought against Perry in connection with his veto of funding for the Travis County DA's public integrity unit. Perry had attempted to use a veto threat to force the district attorney, Rosemary Lehmberg, to resign for her arrest and conviction for DWI.

"During a status conference with prosecutors and Perry's attorneys, visiting Judge Bert Richardson outlined plans to take up two matters raised by the governor's legal team on Oct. 31," the Tribune's Terri Langford wrote. "But because this next hearing involves more than scheduling, the judge has ruled that he wants Perry to be present."

The reason is that the Oct. 31 hearing is evidentiary, which the judge indicated at an earlier date would require Perry's presence. Another hearing on Nov. 7 will take up attempts by Perry's attorneys to have the indictments against the governor quashed.

The Day Ahead

•    GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott is in Houston for a 2:30 p.m. grassroots meet-and-greet.

•    Democratic candidate for state comptroller Mike Collier meets with the press in Austin at 10 a.m. to lay out his proposals to reform the comptroller's office.

•    The joint legislative panel on Education Policy for a Skilled Workforce meets at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Extension to take testimony on career and technical education. (agenda)

•    The Center for Public Policy Priorities kicks off its three-day Hobby Policy Summit in Austin. Speakers include former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, Sen. Kirk Watson, Rep. Harvey Hilderbran and Rep. Donna Howard.

Trib Must-Reads

Loss of Open Space Land in Texas, by Marcos Vanetta and Neena Satija

When Firms Missed Job Goals, Perry Relaxed Rules, by Aman Batheja

Analysis: The Margins of History in Top State Races, by Ross Ramsey

Explore 30-Day Campaign Finance Reports, by Ryan Murphy

Davis Says Controversial Ad About One Thing: Hypocrisy, by Bobby Blanchard

Elsewhere

Questions Rise on Preparations at Hospitals to Deal With Ebola, The New York Times

2nd Ebola infection prompts reassessment of procedures, Houston Chronicle

Texas Republican suggests delaying visas from countries with Ebola outbreak, The Hill

TWIA to pay $7.9 million to Brownsville school district in settlement, Austin American-Statesman

Paltry fundraising puts Craig Watkins under the gun in Dallas County DA race, The Dallas Morning News

John Cornyn to Ted Cruz: To win the White House, we must govern, Austin American-Statesman

Ted Cruz's Nice Face, OZY

Quote to Note

“The next one is in four years, and you have to build a base. I’m building a base right now.”

— Self-funded Democratic Senate candidate David Alameel, strongly hinting to The Dallas Morning News that he's looking to run again in 2018 should he lose to GOP incumbent John Cornyn

Today in TribTalk

Look beyond the wheelchairs, by Dennis Borel

Trib Events for the Calendar

•    A Conversation With Sam Houston, 2014 Democratic Nominee for Attorney General, on Oct. 16 at The Austin Club

•    A Conversation With state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and state Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches, on Oct. 22 at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches

•    A Conversation With Railroad Commission Candidates Steve Brown and Ryan Sitton, on Oct. 30 at The Austin Club in Austin

•    A One-Day Symposium on the Impact of the Shale Boom on Oct. 31 at the University of Texas San Antonio

•    A Live Post-Election TribCast, featuring Tribune editors and reporters on the election results, on Nov. 5 at The Austin Club

•    A Conversation With Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick on Nov. 6 at The Austin Club