In response to shrinking budgets, there's a risk that lawmakers might feel compelled to scale back funding for treatment and diversion programming. Instead, it's time for the state to seriously consider closing one or more of the 112 prison units it currently operates. Full Story
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The next senator from SD-22 could be the incumbent, Sen. Kip Averitt, R-Waco, Republican challenger Darren Yancy, or a Republican or Democrat whose name is not on the ballot. Full Story
A big week, with the State Board of Education working on social studies textbooks — Thevenot was all over that this week, starting with a story that got national attention — and then the first debate between the GOP gubernatorial candidates, a story we tag-teamed with poll analysis, Hu's and Ramsey's live-blogging, Philpott's audio, and video. Our first TribLive event coaxed some news out of House Speaker Joe Straus, and E. Smith also interviewed Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson on beaches, politics, and, um, politics. We featured M. Smith on athletes in politics, Aguilar on the pack of Republicans chasing U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, Rapoport on women in campaigns, and Hamilton on candidates outside the spotlight. The best of our best from January 11 to January 15, 2010. Full Story
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On day three of the State Board of Education's social studies curriculum hearings, targets of the conservatives' ire included Marcus Garvey, Clarence Darrow, and Ted Kennedy. Full Story
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For the disgruntled ultraconservative, nullification may be the new secession. But as one prominent legal scholar puts it, “If you believe in nullification, you don’t believe in the constitution.” Full Story
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No surprise here, but still: State leaders want state agencies to cut five percent from their current budgets "due to the uncertainty of the state's short-term economic future, as well as potentially substantial long-term costs associated with the passage of federal legislation currently being debated in Washington, D.C." Full Story
It’s the end of the week. Productivity is down and the need for distraction is up. Luckily, a psychology professor has a tool that could easily fill a political junkie's afternoon. Full Story
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Your afternoon reading. Full Story
In the midst of the social studies curriculum revisions, the SBOE member and former chair kicks off a debate about, of all things, hip-hop. Full Story
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Kay Bailey Hutchison's latest campaign ad takes to the air today. They are calling it "Cha-Ching." Full Story
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Today the campaigns file reports itemizing their donations and expenditures. Full Story
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Note to self: don't bring gun to the grocery store. Even if you wish you could. Full Story
Meet the Democratic candidates for governor that no one's talking about. Full Story
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In the first debate of this political season, Rick Perry didn't fall on his face, and Kay Bailey Hutchison didn't either. For a politician with a reputation to protect, that's the description of a win. The third candidate in the race, Debra Medina, held her own. Full Story
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State Board of Education members played mostly nice with one another Thursday, as they added and subtracted historical figures to the social studies curriculum. In: the first Hispanic Texas Supreme Court justice, Tejanos who died at the Alamo, and W.E.B. Du Bois. Out: "Ma" Ferguson, Henry Cisneros, and Dolores Huerta. Full Story
Go behind-the-scenes at the first GOP gubernatorial debate. Full Story
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Just before the first GOP primary debate, Gov. Rick Perry's campaign released a new ad. Full Story
We'll have real time updates, photos and analysis from the Denton debate between GOP gubernatorial candidates Governor Rick Perry, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Debra Medina. Full Story
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Today marked ESPN analyst Craig James’ first public appearance since he announced his interest in a bid for Kay Bailey Hutchison’s senate seat. Full Story
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When the State Board of Education finally got to amending the social studies curriculum, members burrowed deeply into the weeds, holding extended debates over the parsing of seemingly innocuous phrases, like "citizens" vs. "good citizens." Full Story
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