The Texas Capitol has been evacuated because of an early morning bomb threat. A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety says someone called 9-1-1 and said there is a bomb in the building. Everyone inside was ordered out and people showing up for work this morning are being turned away for now.
Austin
Posted inState Government
Perry: I Work 24/7
In the face of criticism from his opponent, Gov. Rick Perry said he works 24/7 — despite his official schedule showing he worked about seven hours a week in the first half of this year.
Posted in
Energy
Air Splitting
The battle over Texas’ environmental regulations came to a head as the Environmental Protection Agency shot down the state’s air-pollution permitting regime for large plants. It’s the latest episode in a larger cultural and political fracas pitting Texas against Washington — and business against government — that continues to take center stage in the race for governor.
Posted in
State Government
Sunset Grill
Physician fraud investigators inside the troubled Division of Workers’ Compensation say state examiners failed to uncover serious problems there — and then recommended changes that would take key decisions away from trained physicians and give them to bureaucrats.
Posted inState Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 35
In this week’s TribCast, Ethe gang discusses the Democratic Convention in Corpus Christi, Bill White calling out President Barack Obama, and Mike Toomey’s ties with the Green Party.
Posted in
Energy
TribBlog: EPA Shoots Down Texas Pollution Regulations
The Environmental Protection Agency has formally denounced the state’s air-pollution permitting system for some of its biggest industrial plants — and reactions are pouring in.
Posted in
Energy
TribBlog: Uribe to the Rescue
“I’m all for Texas turning blue, but not like this,” said Hector Uribe, Democratic candidate for land commissioner.
Posted in
Energy
EPA to TCEQ: Step Off
The Environmental Protection Agency doesn’t think Texas is doing enough to keep its air clean, so today the agency is expected to tell the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the feds will take over air quality permitting for about 39 plants. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
The Latest Gun Battle
Texans involved in the gun debate are reacting to a landmark ruling Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court. A slim 5-to-4 majority ruled that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments — putting the wheels in motion to overturn a handgun ban in Chicago, one of the strictest in the nation. As Nathan Bernier of KUT News reports, Texas activists on both sides of the issues are claiming victory.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Health Hacker?
The FBI is investigating whether a hacker broke into the state’s confidential cancer database, possibly accessing personal information and medical records. Health and Human Services Commissioner Tom Suehs says state health officials notified his office in early May that a hacker was holding the Texas Cancer Registry hostage and demanding a ransom. Suehs says preliminary investigation results from the FBI indicate the threat may be a hoax but that if private records were compromised, health officials will quickly notify the people listed in the registry.
