The Evening Brief: Aug. 26, 2013
Your evening reading: DPS documents show no evidence of excrement at abortion debate; Abbott opposes San Antonio nondiscrimination ordinance; in Austin, Pelosi calls Davis "brilliant" and "courageous" Full Story
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Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
MALC Asks State to Pay Fees for Capitol Staffer
A legislative staffer is claiming the state owes him thousands of dollars in legal fees for his role in a redistricting lawsuit he worked on for up to 16 hours a day while still collecting a salary as a full-time state employee. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Documents Still Show No Evidence of Excrement at Abortion Debate
More than a month after the Texas Department of Public Safety announced that people during the July 12 abortion debate had attempted to bring urine and feces to the Capitol, official documents show no proof the items existed. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Video: Hilderbran Targets IRS in First Campaign Spot
In his first campaign video since launching his campaign for comptroller, state Rep. Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, says the comptroller's office should get more involved in addressing allegations that the IRS is targeting certain political groups. Full Story
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Options for Full-Time Online Instruction Expand in Texas
The number of full-time cyber schools serving public school students will double in the upcoming year despite a history of lackluster performance and a new law limiting how many online courses students can take at the state’s expense. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
New Laws Alter Health Care Policies in Texas
Lawmakers approved measures in the 83rd legislative session that will affect Texans' medical care. Use this interactive to take a look at 31 ways those new laws will change Texas health policy. This is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
State Supreme Court to Take Up Same-Sex Divorce
The Texas Supreme Court has announced that it will hear a pair of cases that could decide whether same-sex couples who were married in states where gay marriage is legal can seek a divorce in Texas. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
The Brief: Aug. 26, 2013
A fiery debate on Saturday laid bare the enduring fight over the CSCOPE curriculum system. Full Story
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![State Board of Education member Thomas Ratliff and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, debate CSCOPE at the University of Texas at Tyler on Aug. 24, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Video: Cruz Talks Citizenship, Obamacare on CNN
On Sunday's edition of CNN's State of the Union, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz talked about his dual citizenship, his uphill battle in defunding Obamacare, and more. Full Story
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In North Texas, Struggle to Conserve Water and Prepare for Growth
Building the reservoirs and pipelines to keep up with the Dallas-Fort Worth region's surging population growth will cost billions of dollars. But environmentalists say conservation must come first. Full Story
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Law Enforcement Can Sell Confiscated Guns
For decades, weapons confiscated by Texas police were supposed to be repurposed for law enforcement use or destroyed. Starting next month, some will be available for purchase. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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![Evidence Specialist, Richard Castro, shows a firearm held as evidence by APD. The Austin Police Department’s evidence and seized property storage facility contains thousands of firearms from handguns to assault rifles dating back as far as the 1970s.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Ratliff, Patrick Exchange Words Over CSCOPE Lessons
State Board of Education member Thomas Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant, and state Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, sparred for nearly two hours on Saturday over the controversial state curriculum system known as CSCOPE. Full Story
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![Sen. Dan Patrick speaks with Thomas Ratliff before a debate on CSCOPE at UT Tyler on August 24th, 2013]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
The Playlist: Call the Police
This week, a recording of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's call to the Allen Police Department inquiring about a relative's arrest was the talk of the state and the nation, so we start our playlist based on the week's news with Thin Lizzy's "Call the Police." Full Story
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![Lt. Governor David Dewhurst speaks on a cellphone at the dais during the Senate session on April 6, 2011.]()
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
A Seventh New Name for Texas State University
Texas State University-San Marcos will be officially renamed. The new moniker will be the school's seventh since its founding in 1903. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on the state's doctor shortage, Aguilar on the ongoing fight over voter ID, Batheja on the crowded race for comptroller, Hamilton on the perils of tweeting candidates, Murphy and M. Smith let you review and search more than 10,000 CSCOPE lessons, Root on Ted Cruz's citizenship, Root and Rocha on the Tea Party's view of Cruz's eligibility to be president, M. Smith on David Dewhurst's call to the Allen Police Department and Swicegood updates our prison inmates database: The best of our best content from August 19-23, 2013. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
The Evening Brief: Aug. 23, 2013
Your evening reading: Cruz won't endorse Cornyn for re-election; transparency committee hires Hardin for impeachment investigation; Texas Supreme Court takes same-sex divorce cases Full Story
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Transparency Committee Hires Hardin for Impeachment Probe
For help with its ongoing investigation of Regent Wallace Hall, the House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency Operations has turned to prominent Houston attorney Rusty Hardin, who'll serve as its special counsel. Full Story
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![Criminal defense attorney and former Houston assistant district attorney Rusty Hardin sits down with Evan Smith at The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 22, 2012.]()
Credit: Marjorie Cotera -
Exoneree, Still in Prison, Denied Compensation
UPDATED: The Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion Friday denying compensation to Michael Blair, who was exonerated of murder charges in 2008, but is still serving time in prison for child sexual assault convictions. Full Story
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Despite More Money, Fixing Shortage of Doctors Remains Difficult
Texas lawmakers invested millions of new dollars in the 2013 legislative session to address a looming physician shortage, but the medical community remains concerned that Texas has no long-term solution. Full Story
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![From left: Plastic surgery residents Dr. Kristi L. Hustak, and Dr. Surjit S. Rai check a patient's skin graft with Faculty Plastic Surgeon Dr. John Bauer at UTMB's John Sealy Hospital in Galveston on Aug. 19, 2013.]()
Credit: Michael Stravato for The Texas Tribune -
Cruz's Supporters Don't Question His Eligibility
Liberal critics say Republicans who questioned Barack Obama’s eligibility to be president are hypocritical now that one of their own, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, is facing questions about his. Partisanship may also be a factor. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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