It’s like a variation on a famous advertisement about energy: “If you don’t have an oil well, get one!” But a new Austin venture is about the more prosaic business of government, and about how to get policy ideas in front of lawmakers.
Austin
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Video: Program Unites Veterans Serving Time
They served their country, then ended up on the wrong side of the law. But many of Texas’ veterans serving time behind bars are getting the guidance to stay out of the legal system upon their release, thanks to a new Texas Department of Criminal Justice program.
Posted inState Government
Newsreel: Debates, Voter ID, Tweets
This week in the Newsreel: it’s official — two gubernatorial debates this fall, a federal judge knocks down some of Texas’ abortion restrictions and Rick Perry said he does not condone a tweet tweaking Rosemary Lehmberg.
Posted in
Higher Education
DA’s Office Will Bring Wallace Hall Case Before Grand Jury Soon
UT System Regent Wallace Hall said Thursday that he was “comfortable” with his actions being investigated by the Travis County district attorney’s office, which has confirmed that it will put the case before a grand jury soon.
Posted inDemographics
New in TribTalk: Ellen Sweets on Austin’s “Black Problem”
Writer Ellen Sweets says Austin’s “black problem” — the fact that it’s the only fast-growing large city in the U.S. that’s losing African-American residents — is rooted not in race but in the dissipation of a working class.
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: School Finance Case Gives Candidates Something to Talk About
As candidates in the general election focus on making themselves known to voters, the latest school finance ruling provides their clearest marching orders yet.
Posted in
Higher Education
UT-Austin: Mission Accomplished for $3 Billion Campaign
University of Texas at Austin officials are claiming victory after an eight-year capital campaign, which ended Aug. 31, raised more than its $3 billion goal.
Posted inState Government
Video: “The Daily Show” Recaps Perry’s Indictment
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart had a little fun on Thursday with Gov. Rick Perry’s recent indictment and the trip to New Hampshire days after his booking, calling it a “priceless rebrand from ‘forgetful doof’ to ‘possible felon.'”
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Analysis: Crime, Politics and Travis County
Accusations about criminalizing politics go hand in hand with indictments of political figures. But prosecutors in Travis County have fumbled enough big cases to give the officeholders they chase some room for argument.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Video: Perry’s Week in Review
From the charges to a post-booking ice cream stop, we recap the headlines since a Travis County grand jury handed down an indictment against Gov. Rick Perry related to his threat to veto funding for the state’s public integrity unit.
