A multi-million-dollar plan gone bust? That’s how our television partner in Houston, KHOU-TV, describes the governor’s virtual border watch program, which has cost $4 million but has netted only a handful of arrests.
Governor’s Office
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State Government
On the Records: A Cloudy Governor’s Race
What do “word clouds” tell us about the rhetoric in the governor’s race.
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Criminal Justice
Spies Like Us
Sign up for state agency e-mail alerts from, say, the Comptroller or TCEQ and they’ll let you know when meetings are being held and when proposed rules are ready for review. But click a link in those e-mails and they have the ability to see who looked at which rule and which web page and who didn’t look at all.
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Public Education
TribBlog: Drop-Out Throw-Down!
Bill White and Rick Perry fought over the hotly contested high school drop-out rate on Tuesday. Is it 30 percent (White)? 10 percent (Perry)? Or, more likely, somewhere in between?
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State Government
TEF = Texas Election Fund
Facebook is opening up a satellite office in Austin — the first one in Texas for the California-based social media giant. The move, which will create 200 jobs, was sealed with $1.4 million from Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund. The governor on Thursday also announced 100 new jobs for the small town of Cuero, thanks again to the TEF. Ben Philpott, who’s covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune and KUT News, reports on how the job-creating fund can be a pretty effective campaign tool as well.
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State Government
TribBlog: Texas Spends $1.4 Million to Friend Facebook (Updated)
The Texas Enterprise Fund will dole out money to the social networking site for new operations in Austin.
Posted inState Government
The Loyal Opposition
On Monday, I tagged along with GOP gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina on the campaign trail. Despite the controversy over 9/11 truthers that momentarily upended her momentum more than a week ago, her strongest supporters remain with her.
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State Government
Look Back in Anger
With only a week to go before the GOP primary for governor, Debra Medina is pressing forward with her insurgent candidacy — despite the controversy over 9/11 truthers that temporarily upended her campaign. Her core supporters remain strongly with her, unfazed by and miffed at the media’s scrutiny. How the whole thing ends is anyone’s guess. Ben Philpott, covering the 2010 elections for KUT News and the Tribune, spent Monday on the trail with Medina and her flock and filed this report.
Posted inState Government
No Knockout
At the second debate between the three Republicans running for governor, the incumbent was on the defense, while his challengers tried their best to score points without making mistakes. Ben Philpott, who’s covering the race for KUT News and the Tribune, reports on how the hour-long event could affect the final month of campaigning.
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State Government
The Brief: January 27, 2010
Kay and Rick both have some ’splaining to do.
