The Evening Brief: July 26, 2012
Your evening reading: Combs, Patrick endorse Dewhurst; Gohmert renews Muslim Brotherhood warnings; Yarbrough up with ad in U.S. Senate race Full Story
Your evening reading: Combs, Patrick endorse Dewhurst; Gohmert renews Muslim Brotherhood warnings; Yarbrough up with ad in U.S. Senate race Full Story
A young woman, who may never be able to live on her own after a traffic accident, was awarded nearly $9 million by a jury — but the verdict was overturned. And a new juvenile facility will focus on teenagers who got involved in drug smuggling. Full Story
There is no exact number for the number of drug-related murders in Mexico since the government started cracking down on cartels. Use our interactive, which uses two sets of statistics, to track such murders by month. Full Story
Priorities outlined by the Texas Association of Community Colleges — a list it called its "most comprehensive" ever — emphasize areas like transfer policies between schools and sufficiently funding community colleges. Full Story
A runoff for the state district court in Marshall, just east of Longview near the Louisiana border, has two Republicans slinging lawsuits and ethics complaints over provisions of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. Full Story
With election day quickly approaching, the U.S. Senate race appears poised to end in a flash of conservative star power. Full Story
In the final weeks of the Republican primary runoff for the U.S. Senate, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has turned to his time in the military and the CIA to draw a contrast between himself and former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Full Story
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is undergoing a review of all youths in its system to better assess security threats, but advocates worry it will become a tool to recommend more youths for imprisonment in adult facilities. Full Story
Thanks to a new rule in the federal Affordable Care Act, insured Texans could receive nearly $167 million in rebates from their health insurance companies this month. Full Story
Ben, Ross, Morgan and Evan raise the curtain on Tuesday's runoffs — with special attention to the U.S. Senate race — and the consider the disappearance of $300 million in public education funding. Full Story
Your evening reading: Palin, Santorum to campaign for Cruz; runoff turnout strong so far; House passes Paul's "Audit the Fed" bill Full Story
Several nationally known conservatives, including former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, are coming to Texas in the last days of the U.S. Senate campaign runoff to help former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Full Story
The state's lieutenant governor has clearly sided with and protected the Republicans in the Texas Senate, but has he presided as a conservative? That's in the eye of the beholder. Full Story
Though Gov. Rick Perry’s HPV vaccine mandate was overturned in 2007, the shots have been offered through a state vaccine program. In 2011, the state received parental approval to provide 308,680 doses to children. Full Story
A week out from election day, Gov. Rick Perry delivered perhaps his most forceful show of support yet for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Full Story
A little-watched board that operates out of the General Land Office cast a vote last week leaving public schools $300 million short — and the lawmakers who put that money into the 2012-13 budget scratching their heads. Full Story
Controversy over a professor's failure to disclose financial ties to a drilling company while leading an academic study has erupted at the University of Texas at Austin. The professor, Dr. Charles "Chip" Groat, has called the charges unfounded and overblown. Full Story
If preclearance for the state’s voter ID law is granted, the state has promised to issue free “election identification certificates," forms of photo ID for use only in voting. But some argue that Texas voters could have a tough time reaching the Department of Public Safety offices to get those IDs. Take a look for yourself at our map of the all the DPS driver's license offices in Texas. Full Story
Your evening reading: in final push for Dewhurst, Perry says Cruz has no record; mentally ill death row inmate denied competency hearing; UT professor who led fracking study facing scrutiny over financial ties Full Story
Speaking as "just another voter" at a news conference in Houston, Gov. Rick Perry urged Republican voters in Texas to vote for Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst over former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz. Full Story