The Brief: November 17, 2009
Two unrelated notes for this Tuesday morning: The National Weather Service says that cool — even freezing — temperatures are expected throughout the state and former Vice President Dick Cheney is in town. Full Story
Two unrelated notes for this Tuesday morning: The National Weather Service says that cool — even freezing — temperatures are expected throughout the state and former Vice President Dick Cheney is in town. Full Story
What the Twitter contest between Rick Perry, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina tells us about their campaigns for governor. Full Story
"Barely adequate." "Haphazard at best." That's how investigators describe the quality of care at immigrant detention centers all over Texas. Full Story
Farouk Shami, a hair stylist turned hair products entrepreneur, will announce his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor this week. Full Story
A for-profit company hopes to get approval to start two charter schools in Texas. Thursday's SBOE meeting will set the precedent for dealing with this murkier side of the charter school system. Full Story
This is reform? No, it is insanity. It is certainly not the Texas way of doing business. These Democratic policies will greatly hurt the state of Texas. Full Story
Your afternoon reading. Full Story
Amid handwringing over child obesity, SBOE likely will eliminate health and physical education requirements at this week's meeting. Full Story
The full text from state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh's e-mail response to The Texas Tribune for the story "Shapleigh Ever After" is pretty illuminating. Here it is for your viewing pleasure. Full Story
It's as true in Texas' non-race for U.S. Senate as anywhere else: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Full Story
Lobbyists spent a record $15 million on advertising during the 2005 session and another $12 million in 2007 — but less than $1 million this year. What happened? Full Story
The longtime El Paso state senator, who said last month that he would not run for reelection, hasn’t revealed his statewide ambitions, but his public and private remarks leave little doubt that he's seriously considering a gubernatorial bid. Full Story
The physically disabled and suicidal detainee was put in an isolated cell without her crutches. She was strip-searched and denied feminine products. For days, she slid around on the floor, covering herself and the cell in menstrual blood. When inspectors came out to investigate, they found a facility poorly equipped to provide mental health treatment to its 1,500 detainees. Full Story
We live in an era of rudeness, in society in general, in the popular culture, and in our political life. Our culture today rewards incivility, crudeness, and cynicism. You can get on TV if you out-shout and offend the other guy. Everyone screams. No one listens. People don't just disagree; the challenge to the other is a battle to the death. What happened to us? Full Story
Americans are less concerned about the amount of money in politics than about where the dough comes from, according to a new survey done by researchers at UT-Austin. Full Story
Rep. Chuck Hopson, D-Jacksonville, will seek reelection, but as a Republican — a move that might save his neck while wrecking his former party's chances at winning a majority in the House. Full Story
Plano City Councilwoman Mabrie Griffith Jackson is telling supporters she will resign that city job as early as Monday to put her name into the race to replace Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, who has decided he won't seek an 11th term next year. Full Story
Brian McCall, a key member of House Speaker Joe Straus' leadership team, won't seek reelection next year Full Story
I must put what's best for my campaign aside and do what is best for Texas. That is why I must stay in the Senate while running for the Republican nomination for governor. I cannot walk away while this fight is being fought by our fellow Republicans. I must stay and fight with them. Full Story
KBH resigns herself to staying in the Senate, Grissom investigates the broken border, Ramshaw outs IT contractors who make gigabucks from state agencies, Hu gives Hutchison and Perry the Stump Interrupted treatment, the new head of the Foresenic Science Commission faces his critics, Stiles posts a searchable database of fines levied by the state ethics commission, and Hamilton discovers the consequences of party switching (none): The best of the best from November 9 to 13, 2009. Full Story