Child Protective Services officials got an earful on Wednesday at a Senate hearing on improving the caseworker retention rates in rural communities. And they got a minor scolding from Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville.
East Texas
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Gets a D+ in Public Integrity Study
Texas has scored a 68 out of 100, placing 27th in a national state integrity study. The state got high marks for auditing and for monitoring pension funds, but not as high for accountability of the governor and legislators.
Posted in
Energy
Urban Water Use Climbs Despite Restrictions
In 2011, residents of some large Texas cities increased their water usage — despite the widespread adoption of restrictions on lawn-watering.
Posted in
Health care
Planned Parenthood Laments Expected Demise of Women’s Health Program
A crowd gathered Friday at the Planned Parenthood Health Center in Austin to express concerns over the expected demise of the Women’s Health Program.
Posted in
State Government
Billionaire’s PAC Admits Contribution Error, Seeks Refunds
The political action committee of Dallas billionaire waste magnate Harold Simmons is asking 18 lawmakers to return about $65,000 in contributions after admitting that an oversight led to illegal campaign contributions.
Posted in
State Government
Group Aims to Bring God Into Politics
God and Country, a new Texas-based organization, will hold a rally Saturday at a Tyler church to “draw a line in the sand and aggressively and publicly defend those certain unalienable rights endowed by our creator.”
Posted in
Energy
With Little Help From Austin, Texas’ Solar Use Grows — Slowly
Renewable energy companies are looking to this big, sunny state as the next frontier for solar power. But solar is expensive, and once again the Legislature did not pass a statewide solar incentive. Some companies and communities are forging ahead nonetheless.
Posted in
Demographics
2010 Census Data for Texas Released
New U.S. census data shows the Hispanic population in Texas increased by 42 percent since 2000 and makes up 38 percent of the population. The state’s total population increased by 4,293,741 since 2000.
Posted in
Demographics
TribBlog: Proposed Immigration Laws Create Unlikely Alliances
Proposing state enforcement of immigration laws can produce strange bedfellows. “Who would imagine that after 28 years of law enforcement the ACLU would be talking so nicely about me,” Sheriff Richard Wiles joked after being introduced as a common-sense sheriff by ACLU of Texas Executive Director Terri Burke for his opposition to proposed legislation patterned on Arizona’s.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Triggering a Debate
Should Texas gun sellers be required to notify the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when they sell two or more semi-automatic rifles to one person within a five-day period? The feds, desperate to stem the flow of weapons into Mexico, say yes. Gun rights advocates like Gov. Rick Perry say such a policy would be misguided.
