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  • Into Thin Air

    by Matt Stiles

    Lobbyists spent a record $15 million on advertising during the 2005 session and another $12 million in 2007 — but less than $1 million this year. What happened? Full Story 

  • Shapleigh Ever After

    by Brandi Grissom

    The longtime El Paso state senator, who said last month that he would not run for reelection, hasn’t revealed his statewide ambitions, but his public and private remarks leave little doubt that he's seriously considering a gubernatorial bid. Full Story 

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    Credit: senate media services

  • 2010: Plano Dominoes

    by Ross Ramsey

    Plano City Councilwoman Mabrie Griffith Jackson is telling supporters she will resign that city job as early as Monday to put her name into the race to replace Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano, who has decided he won't seek an 11th term next year. Full Story 

    State Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano
    Credit: House photo

  • KBH to TFRW: A change in plans

    by Kay Bailey Hutchison

    I must put what's best for my campaign aside and do what is best for Texas. That is why I must stay in the Senate while running for the Republican nomination for governor. I cannot walk away while this fight is being fought by our fellow Republicans. I must stay and fight with them. Full Story 

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    by Evan Smith

    KBH resigns herself to staying in the Senate, Grissom investigates the broken border, Ramshaw outs IT contractors who make gigabucks from state agencies, Hu gives Hutchison and Perry the Stump Interrupted treatment, the new head of the Foresenic Science Commission faces his critics, Stiles posts a searchable database of fines levied by the state ethics commission, and Hamilton discovers the consequences of party switching (none): The best of the best from November 9 to 13, 2009. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich, Elise Hu

  • Fail-safe?

    by Abby Rapoport

    Districts prepare to go to court with the TEA over minimum grades policies, prompting the question: How much should schools emulate the real world? And how many second chances should students get? Full Story 

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  • Hire Power

    by Emily Ramshaw

    Typically, Texas Child Protective Services experiences sky-high employee and caseworker vacancy rates, but as unemployment has soared, staffing numbers have blossomed — stabilizing child abuse caseloads. Why the bad economy is good news for one state agency. Full Story 

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    Credit: Jacob Villanueva

  • Broken Border, Part Five: Safer?

    by Brandi Grissom

    In some places, the governor's border security efforts have led to a reduction in crime — in rural counties, for instance, where there aren't many people and there wasn't much crime to begin with. But in large urban counties like El Paso and Webb, it's a different story. Full Story 

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    Credit: Todd Wiseman

  • Party Hoppers

    by Reeve Hamilton

    "It’d be like someone standing at the Alamo going, ‘I’m not gonna survive this thing,’ and all of a sudden he jumps up and starts speaking Spanish!" says Rep. Mark Homer, D-Paris. Maybe so, but switching parties usually works out. Full Story 

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  • Robert's Rules

    by Abby Rapoport and Brian Thevenot

    State schools chief Robert Scott recently failed to get the Legislature to increase the cap on charter schools — then found a legal way to do it anyway, much to the dismay of state Democrats and teachers unions. Full Story 

    Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott
    Credit: Elise Hu

  • 2010: Hopson's BFF

    by Ross Ramsey

    Republican Brian Walker, who lost a close race to Democrat Chuck Hopson in 2008, endorsed Hopson's reelection bid next year — now that Hopson has switched to the GOP. Full Story 

    Photo of Chuck Hopson
    Credit: chuckhopson.com

  • Forensic Science Chairmen Face Off

    by Elise Hu

    John Bradley, the Williamson County District Attorney and the newly-appointed chairman of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, spent his morning answering a steady stream of questions from Texas lawmakers. At issue, if and when his panel will re-open the investigation into whether faulty science led to the arson conviction of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed by the state in 2004. Full Story