Texas food producers do NOT have to report contaminated food

Eat up. This is how deregulation and the free market work.

First, producers provide food that makes you sick and die. Then, you don't eat the food, either because you're dead or don't want to be dead. Then the producers make their food edible. Except, new producers come along and provide deadly food. Then, the clean producers go out of business because people won't eat the kind of food, say peanut butter, that killed people.

No law in Texas requires food producers to disclose to state regulators instances of food contamination at their facilities, giving the industry wide leeway in policing itself.

Finally, clean producers get tired of the lax producers and beg for regulation.

Ineos Nitriles' Green Lake facility leaked toxin into Victoria Barge Canal

Ineos Nitriles' Green Lake facility, a producer of acetone cyanohydrin for plastic and resin products, leaked about two gallons of the substance into the Victoria Barge Canal, Lisa Wheeler, spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said.

"We're very concerned with protecting our environment," E.J. "Skip" Sockell, site director, said. "This is very frustrating for us. We have very few leaks and emissions."

Bexar County Sheriff's union in fight over added jail beds

Depending on who you ask, officials from the Deputy Sheriff's Association of Bexar County either walked out of arbitration negotiations on Friday or dutifully tried to reach an agreement with county negotiators over the use of additional beds in the jail.

But the upshot from either version is the same: Starting Monday, it's going to cost taxpayers $5,000 a day, “or as much as $1.8 million annually,” the county points out, to house 50 inmates in the Guadalupe County Jail.

Bad headline of the day

'Palm tree shooter charged with murder' If it's against the law to harm a palm tree, I may be in trouble. I have a lovely palm which is struggling in my back yard.

A 25-year-old arborist was charged with murder Friday after a man he accused of theft died from injuries sustained in an attack earlier this week.

I'm thinking 'Arborist charged with murder' maybe the better lead.

22K purged from Hidalgo voter rolls

Now, local leaders are encouraging them to re-register by April 9 if they wish to cast ballots in the upcoming spring elections.

"We want to be proactive to find a way to let them know they have been cancelled," said Hidalgo County Elections Administrator Yvonne Ramón.

Those affected by the cancellations are voters who have spent two to four years on the voter "suspense list."

Giving checks to Fort Bend Sheriff's deputies seemed like a good idea at the time

The Sheriff won't say who gave him $220K to hand out. If that someone lives in Fort Bend, that's against the law. Besides that, the Sheriff is supposed to go to the Commissioners before money is handed out to his department.

Fort Bend County Sheriff Milton Wright summoned 220 patrol deputies and detectives to a surprise meeting at his department’s headquarters in Richmond Thursday afternoon and handed each person a white envelope. Inside were cashier’s checks from an anonymous donor for $1,000.

...

Twenty-four hours later, the officers’ initial elation had given way to a torrent of legal and ethical questions about the mysterious donor’s unusual gift, which totalled nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

At issue is whether the checks violate the Texas Penal Code. Section 36.08 states that a public servant commits an offense if he solicits or accepts any benefit from a person the public servant knows to be under his jurisdiction.

Bay Area Houston has a lot to say on this subject. The Sheriff is not seeking re-election.

Chief Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig Brady says he’s going to run for sheriff, once Milton Wright steps down at the end of his current term.

For his part, Sheriff Wright confirmed he won’t seek re-election when his term is finished in four years.

Nueces County holding cells now in complaince

Holding cells adjacent to courtrooms at the Nueces County Courthouse passed a state jail inspection Friday to determine if recent improvements brought the cells up to state standards.

Corpus Christi police captain suspended over case that got police chief demoted

The city has suspended the Corpus Christi Police Department captain whose recordings of former Chief Bryan Smith led to Smith's reassignment as a commander.

The investigation found Capt. Wayne Tisdale, who has been suspended for a month without pay, violated department rules by contradicting himself in several statements.

See previous posts.

Moving tyc to probation agency is not the solution to bad governance

If it's broke, fix it! Republicans yell, 'if it ain't broke, break it. If is it broke, throw it away.' That's their method of reducing government to a size that can be drowned in a bathtub.

The move still requires legislative approval but would put both agencies under the helm of the new Juvenile Justice Department overseen by an 11-member board appointed by the governor, according to a report issued this month by the Sunset Advisory Commission.

Administrators from both agencies, however, argue the proposed merger would delay needed reforms at the TYC and dwarf the focus on probation, which is widely seen by juvenile justice experts to have better rehabilitative results than institutionalized lockup.

"I do not believe the report is an accurate portrayal of the Youth Commission today," TYC Executive Commissioner Cherie Townsend said in a prepared statement. "I'm afraid the recommendations are not only outdated, but, if adopted, will be counterproductive to our reform efforts."

Instead of fixing TYC, they want to break the juvenile probation agency. Nice going.

AAS thinks KBH's vote is more controversial than Cornyn's

How else do you explain this headline 'How will Hutchison’s CHIP vote play?'? She voted for it and Cornyn voted against it. Is it okay to kill puppies, too? What perspective do you have to have to see healthcare for children as a problem?

Sure, Perry is running to win the Republican primary. That, apparently, means you have to be batsh*t crazy. YaGottaLoveIt thinks KBH could pull a Carole 4-names, 3-parties and run as an independent, if Perry prevails. If batsh*t crazy is Perry's platform, Texas will turn blue faster. Thanks.

Texas Parks and Wildlife protects company that spilled acetone cyanohydrin

Thousands of dead fish in the Victoria Barge Canal led to the investigation of a chemical spill.

Around midnight on Jan. 21, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was notified of a spill of about two gallons of acetone cyanohydrin, spokesperson Lisa Wheeler said, citing preliminary reports.

...

Texas Parks and Wildlife did not release the name of the company.

You wouldn't want to embarrass them, now would you?

MALDEF files suit against Perry's driver's license rule

“We believe that when the (Department of Public Safety) issued new rules covering who could get a license, what the license could look like and the documents that you need to bring to get a driver's license that they exceeded their authority,” said Luis Figueroa, a legislative attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Former Hidalgo election official gets a pass for taking $18K

Although sheriff's investigators found "credible evidence" that Teresa Navarro and some of her former employees spent more than $18,000 in state money on themselves, authorities decided the 12 criminal counts of theft, document tampering and organized criminal activity she already faces are more severe than any additional charges she might receive, Assistant District Attorney Murray Moore said.

"There was misuse of these funds," she said. "However, given the amount misused compared to the other cases, we've chosen ... not to indict."

You know you're in trouble when stealing $18K from the state is too small potatoes.

What will the US do about the increased violence in Juarez?

The Dallas Morning News, citing anonymous sources, reported that if the bloodbath escalates, U.S. officials are contemplating the possibility of an enhanced U.S. role in battling Mexican drug cartels, including joint operations with Mexican forces and the involvement of U.S. contractors, military and intelligence personnel.

Laredo wants help, too.

"When we talk about homeland security they understand the issues of transnational gang activity, car thefts and organized crime," said Salinas. "It's very, very important. It's important to the State of Texas but it's important to the rest of the country.

A stupid wall isn't going to solve this problem.

Former Montague County Sheriff pleads guilty to sexaul assault

Apparently, it's illegal for men in power to rape anyone they want to. Who knew? Not Montague Sheriff Bill Keating. Seems like there is a lot of confusion on this subject: TYC, Sheriff Ratcliff, Texas Mormon sect, Poteet's Mayor, County Judge Barnhart and Judge Kent

New Texas House rules aim to prevent another Tom Craddick leadership

In adopting rules they'll operate under for this year's session, members on Wednesday reflected damage from six years of acrimony in their chamber.

Representatives wrangled over how to limit a speaker's power over bills and how to protect against overreach by a favored few.

...

One last-minute addition by Rep. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, would let House members appeal if the speaker would not recognize someone wanting to remove the speaker.

The Texas Border Coalition opposes police state environment

“I think that we should have (in place) a resolution that the federal government should pass an aggressive immigration reform bill … because this has created a police state and it is scary,” said TBC member and Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada, referring to a list of proposed immigration bills compiled by some House members and currently being tracked by The Garcia Group, an Austin-based consulting firm working with the TBC.

At the national level Republicans have decided to be dicks all day all the time. Their strategy is to ignore problems that might be solved in favor of throwing tantrums. Want proof? After Obama asked them personally for their ideas and getting the House Democrats to comply, not one Republican house member voted for the stimulus bill. Not one. Why would any Democrat even ask next time, if they're not interested in solving our problems?

TCEQ scientist says Citgo tank fumes hurt Corpus Christi residents

Two uncovered tanks at Citgo's property caused short-term health effects in the Oak Park and Hillcrest neighborhoods, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's chief toxicologist says in a federal court affidavit filed this week.

Those tanks, which held huge amounts of oil at Citgo's refinery, form the basis for the government's claim that the plant violated the Clean Air Act by leaving them uncovered and allowing volatile chemicals to evaporate. Citgo was convicted in 2007 of violating air pollution laws.

I see a small fine in Citgo's future.

Brownsville citizens get involved in ISD fight

Who's playing games? Who's too cozy with cronies? 4 out of 7 ISD board members have been busy. They suspended the Superintendent and lawyered up.

A petition drive is taking shape to convince the Texas Education Agency to investigate the BISD Board of Trustees, its four-member majority and their investigation of Superintendent Hector Gonzales.

A pox on all their houses.

See previous posts.

Judson ISD now in DA's crosshairs over WOAI report

Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed has asked the Judson Independent School District to turn over an audit of district construction practices and said she is prepared to seek a court order for the document.

She said she has not yet read the report — which has been available for a week on the Web sites for both the Express-News and WOAI — because it is labeled attorney-client privileged.

The report is here.

Feds go after Laredo oncologist

Is there a real crime here or just the mean, misguided, left over hate of 1960's hippies? Can't take the chance that somebody might get 'high' while they have terminal cancer. Much better to promote soul jarring agony than take that chance.

Federal agents executed a search warrant at the offices of a Laredo oncologist Tuesday, possibly involving the alleged importation of non-narcotic, nausea treatment drugs for cancer patients.

Attorney Oscar O. Peña spoke for the oncologist.

"The investigation has more to do with the protection of U.S. markets for U.S.-based pharmaceutical companies who are getting rich off of sick people.

Just let them puke. I've got an idea where you can aim.

NOW American Airlines decides to match raft capabilities to the number of passengers on a plane

What!!! You mean that before today, passengers on downed planes would have had to play musical chairs to get on a raft? Did AA expect that the rest would be dead? Or, did the number drowned correspond to their death benefits payout fund?

American Airlines is limiting the number of passengers on some planes while it orders additional life rafts needed in case of a water landing like the one made this month on the Hudson River by a US Airways jet.

American will allow no more than 228 people including passengers and crew on its Boeing 767-300 aircraft, which normally holds 236 people including a crew of 11, spokesman Tim Wagner said today.

The planes are mostly used on flights over the Atlantic to Europe,

Too bad for the other 12 people!

Tuition freeze MUST be accompanied with added state funding

Freezing the amount of money our public universities get means our universities will decline. The math is the math.

Gov. Rick Perry called for a freeze on tuition rates at public universities Tuesday during his fifth state of the state address.

Affordable, quality education means more state support.

Will the Cameron County DA seek an indictment against Brownsville Mayor Ahumada over $26K check?

Mayor Ahumada was recognized depositing a $26K check meant for a city . Was it a simple accident?

The Brownsville Police Department last week turned over its investigation into the check's trek to District Attorney Armando Villalobos, whose office would decide whether or not to present the case to a grand jury.

Villalobos declined to comment. A grand jury is slated to meet today.

We all wait the DA and grand jury's decision.

See previous posts.

Brownsville ISD itching to waste money in today's economy

What could be more important than educating our children? Having squabbles over who gets the good contracts.

The Brownsville Independent School District formally hired two law firms Tuesday night, one to conduct an investigation of Superintendent Hector Gonzales, the other to represent the district in a grievance filed by Special Services Administrator Art Rendon.

The school board is divided 4 to 3. The Superintendent is suspended.

See previous posts.

If everyone knows that an innocent man is on death row, would anyone care?

If evidence shows Larry Ray Swearingen is innocent, but there’s no court that will hear it, does actual innocence even matter?

That seems to be the question posed Monday by one lone judge, Jacques L. Wiener Jr., on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.

A three-judge panel granted Swearingen a stay of execution one day before he was scheduled to die by lethal injection for the 1998 murder of 19-year-old Montgomery College student Melissa Trotter.

Texas Republicans like their macho, swaggering death machine image soooo much. Justice is just such a picky detail.

More here.

El Paso is justifiably concerned about violence in Juárez

Maybe now the Feds will be, too.

City Council on Tuesday will once again vote on a resolution condemning the violence that has led to the killings of more than 1,600 people in Juárez, but this time, no debate on the legalization of drugs will be discussed.

Earlier this month, the council received national attention when South-West city Rep. Beto O'Rourke amended the Juárez resolution to include language that asked the federal government to debate the merits of decriminalizing narcotics.

Why can't legalizing drugs be part of the discussion?

Judge requires extra hoops for a Spohn kickback trial

A federal judge has dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit against Christus Spohn Health System that alleged the hospital gave doctors discounted rents in exchange for referral.

U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey wrote in his ruling that the complaint, by the system's former property manager Danny Lynn Smart, did not provide enough detail to allege a specific violation of the law.

...

"I thought a six-inch pleading was definite enough," [Tony Pletcher, Smart's attorney] said. "I'll give them everything they want. I guess they want me to connect all the dots, as if they don't know what they are."

Poor Joe McComb's plan to raze Memorial Coliseum falls short for now.

The petition that would force a citywide vote on whether to raze Memorial Coliseum was short by more than 2,700 signatures Monday, the deadline for the first round of signatures.

Joe McComb, the former city councilman who led the petition drive, said he would continue to collect signatures during a 10-day period he'll be given to make up the difference.

Since he needs over 7500 and some he already has are invalid, it doesn't sound too promising.

Former Texas sheriff admits sexual assault

The former sheriff of Montague County has admitted sexually assaulting a woman after promising her he wouldn't arrest her when deputies found drug paraphernalia in her house.

Bill Keating, whose four-year term as sheriff ended Jan.1, agreed Friday to plead guilty to a federal charge of deprivation of civil rights under color of law after he confessed to authorities that he had forced the woman to give him oral sex after a drug raid Nov. 14.

Yeah. He's a Republican.

Anyone interested in the Stonewall Democrats convention?

Check out what's planned for the convention - here.

It's time for the TPA roundup!

It is Monday (the first Monday of the new Obama Administration, in fact) and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance Weekly Round-Up.

Would you like a Cheeseburger in Paradise made from Texas Black Angus raised on drilling waste? Get yours at Bluedaze: Drilling Reform for Texas. Served up by TXsharon.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders why John Cornyn is dropping poo in our collective punch bowl. Why be reasonable when you can be a Republican?

WhosPlayin was glued to the TV all day Tuesday, popping the cork on champagne at 11 AM. But ultimately there were more important things.

jobsanger thinks it was wrong for federal and state representatives to threaten the El Paso city council with cutting off state and federal funds if they passed a resolution asking the government to reconsider the failed "war on drugs" in Legislators Threaten El Paso Council.

At McBlogger, we're all about things that make your taco go POP!

Off the Kuff commented on the actions of the State Board of Education in which efforts by religious conservatives to weaken science education were (mostly) thwarted.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston has posted how much money Bob Perry has donated in 2008.

Gay divorce comes to Texas once again, forcing the hand of the judicial system to do what is right in civil law. The Texas Cloverleaf examines the case in Dallas.

Neil at Texas Liberal inquires about Barack Obama's urban policy.

The Texas Congressional GOP delegation is still voting to deny poor children their health insurance, and John Cornyn continues acting like a massive bleeding hemorrhoid. It's just a gambit to establish himself as the conservative foil to President Obama, and perhaps presage a White House bid of his own in 2012. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the bloody details.

BossKitty at TruthHugger illustrates how Homeland Security can justify any risk. All euphemisms aside, taking the most lethal pathogens in the US arsenal into America's heartland and breadbasket seems suicidal. Plum Island to Manhattan - Pathogens On The Move. Instead of taking researchers to the lethal experiment, they are placing the experiment among us.

Burnt Orange Report formalizes and announces its Right to Respond Policy.

Though the Three Wise Men have been as critical of Isreal's actions in Gaza as anyone, we're as quick to point out-as historian Mark LeVine makes clear-that Hamas' embrace of violence hasn't exactly helped the cause of Palestinian self-determination either.

Vince from Capitol Annex takes a look at Houston Mayor Bill White's campaign finance reports and notes that White is spending money from his municipal campaign account on his race for U.S. Senate.

On average, each Texas legislator and staff received 40K in benes from lobbyists

The Houston Chronicle poured over the data covering 4 years. If somebody spent 10K a year giving you good times, would you be more apt to help them out in your job?

Lobbyists have spent millions of dollars in the past four years in efforts to influence Texas lawmakers and other state workers, including meals, golf excursions and trips to a Ritz-Carlton lodge in Georgia and a resort in British Columbia.

Texas Ethics Commission records reviewed by the Houston Chronicle show that lobbyists spent at least $12.5 million over the past four years, with more than $3.5 million spent directly on state senators and representatives and an additional $3.8 million on lawmakers' staffs.

Just look at the results. Texas is for cronies.

Border cam operation is slow going

Border sheriffs, who Perry gave $2 million to line the Texas-Mexico border with hundreds of Web cameras, installed only about a dozen and made just a handful of apprehensions as a result of tips from online viewers.

Reports obtained by the El Paso Times under the Texas Public Information Act show that the cameras produced a fraction of the objectives Perry outlined.

Actually, I'm surprised that any apprehensions resulted at this point. It takes time to get people watching. Also, they haven't gotten very far in the installation. These are Republicans in charge, so you can't dismiss the idea just because there is incompetence in execution.

San Antonio Catholic and Episcopalian parochial schools provide separate classes for science and religion

Rob Friedrich, co-chairman of the science department at TMI — The Episcopal School of Texas, said it's not that hard.

“One of the wonderful things about TMI is we don't have any problem with teaching science in science classes and religion in religion classes,” said Friedrich, who is a member of the National Center for Science Education, which defends the teaching of evolution in public schools.

The theory of evolution is “the cornerstone of teaching biology,” he said. Without it, it would be “like teaching chemistry without teaching atomic theory.”

...

[Pat Cunningham, the principal of Central Catholic High School] said students are taught that empirical DNA and fossil evidence supports the evolutionary theory that a species changes over time.

The religious fanatics on the Texas State Board of Education are not promoting every religious view - just theirs.

Eagle Pass judge gets slap on wrist for taking cash

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct did not go far enough in disciplining five-term state District Judge Amado Abascal III of Eagle Pass.

The commission recently gave Abascal a public reprimand for accepting large cash donations and misrepresenting them, the Express-News revealed.

The commission could and should have recommended Abascal's removal from the bench instead of just chastising him.

As the commission noted in its public reprimand, “Judge Abascal's indictments and his subsequent plea agreement cast public discredit upon the judiciary and the administration of justice, in violation of …the Texas Constitution.”

The handling of Abascal's case shows just how bankrupt our Texas judicial system is. The shame belongs to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

CPS criticized for taking either too many or too few children

CPS can't ever win. They can just try to make sure our children are safe.

The number of Texas children removed from their families by Child Protective Services declined by more than 18 percent between 2006 and 2008. And by at least one measure, removals in Bexar County fell 52 percent. But some fear the change doesn’t signal a decrease in child abuse.

Instead, they worry that more children are being left in danger.

Maybe they we too busy with the Mormon children.

Former Webb County Judge finds out you shouldn't loan money to friends

Former County Judge Louis Bruni has filed a lawsuit against Precinct 1 Commissioner Frank Sciaraffa alleging Sciaraffa owes him almost $60,000 in outstanding loans and interest.

Bruni loaned Sciaraffa $19,500 in 2005 and more than $37,000 in 2008, according to court documents.

Republicans led by 'the Texas senator not named KBH' have decided to be d*cks

Sure, that will help with the fundraising, but what about your belligerent, ignorant, 'partisanship at all costs' image? Oh, I see. That's what you're going for.

With his new job and with Bush gone, Cornyn has become a GOP guard dog tasked with shredding the Democrats' election ambitions while raising money for 2010 candidates. Taking a poke at Clinton could draw contributors.

Other Senate Republicans will join him in the effort. But Cornyn is the one responsible for making sure the GOP message resounds with his party's donors, and he believes he's found the right tone.

This will help our country to get back on track?

Texas Sen. John Cornyn is leading an early charge against President Barack Obama, seeking to blunt the new administration’s momentum in Congress while lighting the way for a GOP comeback in the next election.

But, but the senator 'who should not be named' has a softer side, doesn't he? Returning medals and worrying about Houston military recruiters. Pretending to care for the troops is a time dishonored Republican tradition.

Republicans decry stimulus plan that they're likely to accept

Speeding up the process of being against something before they're for it, Republicans decide to be both at once.

Still, Republican leaders are unlikely to reject the federal money, which includes money for local and state governments and green energy projects and would cut business and personal taxes. The House package will probably be approved next week, while the legislation could be passed by early February.

Texas would get more than $5 billion for Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor and elderly, which is mired in red ink. The Dallas Independent School District would get as much as $201 million, some of which it could use to reduce class sizes and pay bonuses to attract better teachers to low-performing schools. The city of Dallas could receive up to $7 million to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed properties.

Will credible evidence of innocence save man on Texas death row?

This is Texas where cronies get special judicial treatment and people on death row are as good as gone.

Four forensic pathologists agree that Larry Swearingen, set to be executed Tuesday, could not have committed the 1998 murder that sent him to death row.

The four include the medical examiner whose testimony helped secure Swearingen's guilty verdict. That medical examiner now says college student Melissa Trotter's curiously preserved body could not have lain in the East Texas woods for more than 14 days — and probably was there for a much shorter time.

The results mean Swearingen was in jail when the 19-year-old's body was left behind, the pathologists say.

Perry is up for re-election. Can afford to be seen as sane?

Goliad County Commissioner required English for phone messages

The previous recording sparked some controversy in Goliad. In the recording, [Ted] Long, who represents Precinct 4, asked callers to leave a message if they spoke English, but to refrain from doing so if they spoke Swahili. The recording requested Swahili speakers call back when they spoke English.

What a public servant!

Bexar County jail fails inspection. Again.

The Bexar County Jail failed its annual inspection for the sixth time in eight years — for reasons ranging from overcrowding to low water pressure and broken intercoms.

The Texas Commission on Jail Standards, the state agency charged with overseeing detention centers, noted seven “areas of non-compliance” in its report, which was released Friday after a three-day inspection.

Houston EXECUTIVES charged in hiring undocumented workers

Executives? Being charged? Wow. I'll bet there's a new guy in charge at the top.

Seven executives and managers at IFCO, a Houston-based pallet company, were charged Friday with conspiring between 2003 and 2006 to harbor illegal immigrants.

SBOE provides a way to teach creationism

Texas schools won’t have to teach the weaknesses of evolution theories anymore, but the State Board of Education ushered in other proposed changes Friday that some scientists say still undermine evolution instruction and subject the state to ridicule.

The new proposals came just one day after the board — in a move celebrated by many scientists — narrowly agreed to delete a provision in current curriculum standards that requires teachers to instruct students in weaknesses and strengths of evolution theory.

Valley tour includes Straus and 50 other legislators

Rep. Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, said he was "stunned" when Straus told him he would join the biennial tour, particularly because it fell only a week and a half into Straus's first legislative session as speaker.

"It makes an enormous difference to see firsthand the projects and facilities that are state supported, or need to be state supported," Straus said.

Joe Straus visited a colonia. Harlingen asks for a medical school.

Perry proposes landowner protection.

Perry feels KBH's breath on his back. [That's not a pretty visual. Sorry.]

Gov. Rick Perry moved Thursday to quiet grumblings that he isn't protecting private property rights, suggesting that the state constitution forbid the acquisition of land for nonpublic uses through condemnation proceedings.

His support of the amendment lets Perry play offense on the issue of eminent domain, but for some, it doesn't go far enough. The constitutional amendment would not address key tenets of 2007 eminent-domain legislation that Perry vetoed over the objections of the Texas Farm Bureau and some others who have previously supported him.

What about his precious Texas Trans Corridor project give away to his cronies?

IBWC looking for some of Obama' s infrastructure money

Deficiencies in some key flood control structures on the Rio Grande could potentially pose a risk to residents and infrastructure in South Texas, according to the International Boundary Water Commission.

The IBWC’s technical advisors have issued a report on the safety of four key dams on the Rio Grande - Amistad, located upstream from Del Rio; Falcon, located 80 miles south of Laredo; Anzalduas, located in Hidalgo; and Retamal, located near Donna - with designations ranging from the “marginally safe” to “potentially unsafe.”

Lets hope they get it.

The Texas senator not named KBH is looking for a theme

Should he be the traditional Republican dick head? Today he's trying on compassion with crocodile tears.

U.S. Sen John Cornyn today formally requested congressional hearings to examine a recent rash of suicides among Houston-based Army recruiters, saying he believes the deaths demonstrate the enormous strain recruiters endure to sustain the country's all-volunteer force.

Could it be that the Republican over use of the military along with stop loss and repeated multi year tours for the guard discourages enlistment? What about the appalling treatment of the troops? Inadequate armor. Poor food and water. Electrical hazards.

Note: Rachel Maddow thought the Texas senator not named Kay Bailey Hutchison was just looking for attention so she started to call him 'the Texas senator not named Kay Bailey Hutchison'. I think she is on to something.

Judge Berry's DWI blood test results thrown out

Apparently, if you're a judge, you can get your DWI blood test thrown out.

After a three-hour hearing Thursday, retired Senior Judge Robert Dohoney ruled that the facts cited by the officer who arrested Berry were not sufficient to support a search warrant granted by a judge to obtain her blood.

Dohoney said the arresting officer left too many critical details out of his report. He said there was not enough probable cause to draw her blood.

Driving 92 in a 65 mph zone doesn't count? Some animals are more equal than others.

Will some Gitmo detainees endup in El Paso?

I was thinking that the pig farm in Crawford might be vacant.

While it is unknown where the 245 Guantanamo Bay prison camp inmates will be held when it shuts down in a year, it is possible some may end up one immigration detention center in El Paso and one just outside the city limits.

Texas A&M Corpus Christi about to get a mechanical engineering program

Good job!

A proposed mechanical engineering bachelor's degree program at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has one more hurdle to clear before students can enroll.

Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on Thursday unanimously approved a program that would enroll 25 students next fall.

40 Texas Legislators visit the Valley

Who knew that Cameron County isn't a mirror image of Ector County.

Rep. Tara Rios-Ybarra, D-South Padre Island, was one of the legislators on tour.

"What I'm really excited about is all these legislators. It's Republicans and Democrats really seeing what the Valley is about," Rios-Ybarra said. "I hope some of the myths about border communities and our culture will be dispelled."

One theocratic education window temporarily closed

A 20-year-old Texas tradition allowing public schools to teach “both the strengths and weaknesses” of evolution succumbed to science Thursday when the State Board of Education voted to abolish the wording from its curriculum standards.

The tentative vote removing the controversial wording came after a seven-member bloc of social conservatives on the board failed in its efforts to leave the provision in place.

The Texas Freedom Network tells us not to be complacent. How could anyone be complacent when

• for 20 years, the SBOE provided theocrats a way to teach our kids creationism
  
• 7 SBOE members voted to keep that theocratic entry
• Cynthia Dunbar is a member of that board

Don't ever forget that the Republican dream of making the United States into a third world country like pre-invasion Taliban-run Afghanistan requires an uneducated, superstitious citizenry.

DA Hissy Fit's brother is now Willacy County Judge

Lets hope brother Juan got all of the goofy genes.

Willacy County commissioners have decided to keep with tradition and voted to make Commissioner Aurelio Guerra the county judge.

"It's the way things were done in the past," Guerra said of the process. "That's all there is to it."

Guerra, brother of former District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra and the most senior commissioner, was elected in 2006. Newly elected commissioners Fred Serrato and Eliberto Guerra, who is not related to Aurelio Guerra, began their terms this month.

Great American Insurance Company is an ass

An insurance company with a potential $25 million liability from a fatal 2007 Houston office fire announced Wednesday that it will drop its legal argument that the victims’ families aren’t entitled to a payout because the deaths were caused by smoke pollution, not the fire’s flames.

Saying the victims died from smoke pollution is just about as low as you can go. Great American indeed.

The Texas State Board of Education should promote the scientific method

If they are truly worried about students evaluating what they are taught in class, they would be all over the scientific method which has been practiced for over a thousand years. Why get into the minutia of the theory of evolution when the scientific method applies to all that is done in the name of science?

Why? Because the theocrats on the board want to shove their version of religion down the throat of each and every student in Texas.

Some who testified [at the Texas State Board of Education hearing] said that not allowing alternative theories to evolution in the classroom would violate religious students' right of conscience.

In other words, if your religion insists that the world is flat, then the world must be flat regardless of data to the contrary.

Today the board is voting. Lets see who thinks the world is flat, if their god says so.

Science and religion collide today when the State Board of Education takes a preliminary vote on curriculum standards that could affect the teaching of evolution in Texas public schools for the next decade.

The argument hinges on a single word: weaknesses.

A panel of science experts has recommended that teachers no longer be required to present the “strengths and weaknesses” of various theories, including evolution.

Texas House Republicans want to legalize Perry's immigrant-bashing driver's license gambit

Republicans don't want you to forget that they're the party of Dick: Dick Cheney and just all around dickishness.

Texas House lawmakers are spoiling for a fight over controversial new driver's licenses that single out legal U.S. residents who are not citizens.

The leader of a group of conservative lawmakers said Wednesday they plan to file a bill that would make permanent a driver's license policy critics call discriminatory and are working to undo.

"What this does is foster more of the immigrant bashing," said state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston.

Immigrant bashing? That is the point.

Fence's environmental damage cannot be fixed with $50M

Psst, President Obama. I know you're kinda busy but ...

The federal government allocated $50 million last week to minimize the adverse environmental impact of the border fence - a measure that came just two weeks after the government sued one of Brownsville's largest nature preserves in order to begin work on the barrier.

Environmentalists in South Texas and beyond call the government's attempt at mitigation inadequate, pointing out that it might not aid fragile habitats outside of federal jurisdiction.

You could save $50M AND the cost of that d*mn fence!

The No Border Wall group has hand-delivered a request to stop that d*amn fence to Janet Napolitano's office.

On the day Barack Obama was sworn into office as the 44th president of the United States, the No Border Wall coalition hand-delivered a letter to the Department of Homeland Security.

South Texas educator resigns amid plagiarism investigation

A voice for South Texas education is lost, because of an 1974 Doctoral Thesis.

Blandina “Bambi” Cárdenas, president of the University of Texas-Pan American in Edinburg, announced Tuesday that she is stepping down Jan. 30.

Cárdenas, 64, cited health reasons for the retirement. In recent months, she has been dogged by allegations that she plagiarized sizable chunks of her 1974 doctoral dissertation in education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Why should South Texas students pay for the sins of others?

DA Hissy Fit walks to Edinburg to protest court decision

Now that Juan Angel Guerra is no longer DA, I think he should go into some type of show business. Maybe the circus.

Former District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra will continue his march to Edinburg's 13th District Court of Appeals today in a fight against what he's calling "judicial injustice."

Blow after blow to Community Action Council of South Texas

County Judge Eloy Vera and Commissioner Roy Peña were among two of the six representatives of Starr County on the board of the Community Action Council of South Texas, a multi-county agency which at one point provided "womb to tomb" services for mostly indigent clients.

The agency was embroiled in legal and financial turmoil in late 2006 and early 2007, and has since struggled to right itself, pay off its substantial debts and maintain the medical clinics that had been its core service.

Vera said an attorney for the county recommended he and Peña resign. However, the attorney, Antonio Villeda of McAllen, said the resignations were for "personal reasons," declining to elaborate or to confirm that he had recommended they resign.

Cornyn drops Republican poo into the inauguration punch bowl

John Cornyn, not wanting the world to forget what d*cks Texas Republicans are, decided to put a temporary stop to Hillary Clinton's confirmation. Apparently, world diplomatic problems are not important when you can make a petty point.

The confirmation of Hillary Rodham Clinton to be secretary of state will be held up for at least a day due to the objection of a single senator.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is blocking a unanimous vote on Clinton for Tuesday because he is not satisfied with Clinton's responses to concerns over foreign donations to her husband Bill Clinton's foundation, his office said.

Thanks for making the difference between Democrats and Republicans crystal clear. Again.

State rep Oliveira gets involved with Brownsville ISD slug fest

A bare majority of the Brownsville ISD board is fighting with the superintendent and the rest of the board over BISD's investigation of its Special Services Department.

State Rep. Rene Oliveira on Tuesday asked the Texas Education Agency and the Texas State Auditor's Office to get involved in BISD's investigation of its Special Services Department.

On Friday, the Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees suspended Superintendent Hector Gonzales for 60 days pending the outcome of an investigation of BISD's Special Services Department, which is responsible for educating the district's more than 5,000 special education students.

The investigation comes amid allegations involving the amount of money spent on special education consultant fees, which reportedly tripled between 2006 and 2008, and other issues in the department.

Sounds like a good idea.

Today our long national nightmare is over. Let the sanity begin.

The 2000 election was a loud slap of a wake up call for me. Call me naive, I had no idea how biased, lazy and corrupt major media players could be. I had no idea how wacko, batsh*t crazy Bush and Cheney were. I had no idea how bad things could get. The election was stolen in Florida with (I believe) deliberate butterfly ballot design, deliberately bad punch ballot paper, purged voter rolls and the ultimate betrayal of our Supreme Court. Bush wanted to be the anti-Clinton and he was. Gone were peace, prosperity, budget surpluses, and our place of respect in the world.

Today we welcome a new president who thinks, consults others and wishes to solve our problems. Let the sanity begin.

Bush gives racists a parting gift. It's ok to shoot Mexicans and obstruct justice.

Nutville is singing now.

In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.

Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.

See previous posts.

Get your Christian bibles ready. The Texas Board of Education is set to vote on evolution instruction.

Just like civil liberties, the majority should vote on what scientific principles are in effect in our universe. We could repeal the law of gravity. Or, change it. We could solve the obesity problem just by reducing gravity! Republicans are soooo delusional.

The State Board of Education will meet this week to vote on how to teach evolution in the classroom and take up other changes to the Texas public school science curriculum that have been recommended by a panel of experts.

Squabbling in Bayou Vista

The mayor thinks he's Tom Craddick?

The council agenda for Bayou Vista will go from city hall to the courthouse this week after two of the city’s aldermen filed a lawsuit against the mayor and city secretary accusing the pair of ignoring their requests that items be put on the agenda.

...

For months, Alderman Chris Gimenez has led the charge to get items he insists need to be discussed in a public forum on the agenda. He has, for the most part, been thwarted by unilateral decisions by Flanagan and parliamentary point of order objections from the mayor’s ally Alderman Larry Jones to have the items heard.

Chente Quintanilla is a hypocrite

Chente was for Tom Craddick before he was against him. Before, Chente said:

Only one El Paso lawmaker, state Rep. Chente Quintanilla, said he would consider voting for Craddick.

After:

Local legislators described Craddick's six years at the House helm as bruising and difficult, a time when funding for the [El Paso's] top priority, a four-year medical school, was held hostage as leverage for votes.

"I came in with a terrible feeling (in 2003) that everything was going to be terrible, and it was," said state Rep. Chente Quintanilla, D-El Paso. "Then it got worse."

Sure. Now you notice.

What if the Mexican government collapses?

Blind racism and dedicated thuggery have their consequences. The Bush administration exalted in its 'us vs them' mythology. Racism, homophobia, Christian fanaticism and distorted patriotism flourished. Problems were solved by two methods: money or force. Everything is made 'whole' with PR and symbolism. How did that work out for us? Not so good.

Growing drug cartel violence in Mexico could pose a homeland security problem of "immense proportions" for the United States, according to a U.S. military report published late last year.

The Norfolk, Va.-based U.S. Joint Forces Command, in its 2008 Joint Operating Environment, warns that in a worst-case scenario the Mexican government could face a "rapid and sudden collapse." The document is an annual evaluation of future national security trends issued each November.

The El Paso city council, sans the mayor, thought legalizing drugs may be part of the answer until Silvestre Reyes scuttled that thought. Sponsor, Beto O'Rourke, says 70% of the city council is back on board with his legalization resolution.

Hillary we have a problem.

TPA blogger roundup

While you're waiting for the nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue, i. e. the Bush administration, to end, please read the best postings from the Texas Progressive Alliance.

Easter Lemming Liberal News is pondering the future of newspapers with net marketing guru Seth Godin and the Dean of the Columbia School of Journalism.

John Coby at Bay Area Houston is counting down till the end of an error

The Texas Cloverleaf looks at an outgoing Denton County Commissioner becoming a TxDOT spokesperson.

Off the Kuff takes a look at the early campaign finance reports for KBH and Rick Perry.

CouldBeTrue at South Texas Chisme notes that while the house plays nice with Straus, the senate went all Craddick/DeLay/Rove batsh*t crazy. Many think that Republican bully partisanship will continue to bite them at the polls.

Neil at Texas Liberal contuines to wonder how Houston Democratic Councilman James Rodriguez, and others, can support a Republican for citywide office. This post also includes a happy picture of dancing from Singing In The Rain.

McBlogger gets some answers from Sen. Carona (well, from Steve Polunsky who was channeling Sen. Carona) about why Sen. Carona is still keeping CDA's on the table. It'll come as a HUGE shock that McBlogger is still not buying it.

jobsanger takes on a couple of the Panhandle's worst legislators. He notes that while the Panhandle is a natural for renewable wind energy, Sen. Kel Seliger is pushing coal energy in Has Seliger Flipped Out Or Sold Out? and points out that Rep. Warren Chisum is the Panhandle's Biggest Embarrassment.

As Kay Bailey Hutchison starts her semi-annual tease about running for Governor, Texas Kaos diarist Libby Shaw notes that Fat Cats (are) Emptying Pockets for Senator-Will-She-or-Wont-She. Some folks never learn. At least with this week's Quorum Report analysis about Henry Cisneros as a potential candidate there will be something else to talk about for 2010...

After Twittering his experiences in the Capitol on the first two days of the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature, Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at why Lt. Governor David Dewhurst has adopted the personality of former House Speaker Tom Craddick.

refinish69 continues his harrowing journey through the homeless situation. Part 6 of the series leaves more questions than answers but gives some insight into his situation. While not having access to Doing My Part For The Left, he does appreciate Texas Kaos and other blogs for allowing him to post his story.

Burnt Orange Report compiles all the information from the first campaign finance reports for candidate seeking to join the Austin City Council or become the city's Mayor.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson takes a look at Diana Maldonado's first day in the Texas Legislature.

Big Oil is just exactly like Big Tobacco so even though the Texas Railroad Commission recommended legal action against Braden Exploration for illegally dumping drilling waste in Wise County, TXsharon won't be surprised if nothing much happens. We just keep trying over at Bluedaze: Drilling Reform for Texas (DRTX).

There was some contentiousness in the blogosphere last week, as a dinner with John Sharp and and a photograph of James Rodriguez created a little friction among kindred spirits and fellow travelers. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs rounded that up.

Chuy Hinojosa says Republicans will rue the day the ditched 2/3 rule

“I am very disappointed we wasted so much time on a partisan issue. The November elections showed us that the people of Texas want us to focus on bread and butter issues like education, health care, economic development and jobs,” Hinojosa said.

“The Republicans have not learned their lesson. They are more interested in divisive issues than taking care of the needs of Texans. We were joking that the Texas House of Representatives finally got their act together and got rid of Tom Craddick-style politics and now we are infested with Craddick-style politics on this side of the rotunda. It is very unfortunate.”

Jaime Castillo agrees with Hinojosa.

Apparently unaware that average folk are tired of brazen power plays and politicians who don't get it that it's about the economy, every Senate Republican except Dallas' John Carona circumvented long-standing legislative protocol to address a bill that solves no crisis.

The Republican majority — in its first act of the session — suspended the rule requiring the acquiescence of two-thirds of the body to bring a bill to the floor in order to ensure passage of a so-called voter ID law.

The proposed law would require Texans to show a photo ID before being allowed to vote.

Republicans, who used to run circles around Democrats in the political message department, took this issue up before addressing job creation, cash-strapped public schools and soaring higher education costs.

And for what? There is no evidence that unauthorized immigrants are voting even in a trickle in Texas.

What for? Voter suppression so that they can stay in power a little longer.

Believe it or not, they're still looking for bodies in Galveston

The search for human remains in debris piles two stories high could conclude this month on Bolivar Peninsula and Goat Island, but recovery teams have found only one victim of Hurricane Ike since Dec. 3.

The daily search for nine people still missing is a dangerous and costly endeavor, as dog teams trek though a sea of splintered homes, staircases and patios that have rusting nails pointing skyward.

The tragedy continues.

Ruben Bonilla argues if doctors can harm people, then his actions can too

That's how I understand the Corpus Christi Port chair's argument for a bay energy project that might hurt children with pollution.

During Wednesday's State of the City luncheon, Port of Corpus Christi Chairman Ruben Bonilla let his feelings be known about the Nueces County Medical Society's opposition to Las Brisas. Bonilla has been a staunch supporter of the proposed power plant.

"I think when doctors remove the caps on damages for victims of malpractice then we can all talk on the same level about the quality of life," Bonilla told a reporter. "It seems physicians want it both ways. As an attorney, I see patients who are maimed or mangled by doctors who don't care about their quality of life."

Aransas Pass wants to annex high end developments

At stake are neighborhoods including City by the Sea, Buena Vida and Bahia Bay with millions in taxable value -- some 400 properties that Aransas Pass wants to pull into its taxing jurisdiction. Some are opposed to the move. The city intends to annex anyway, said City Councilman Frank Hametner.

H-E-B lie about condom effectiveness corrected in new school curriculum

Since 2001, the district’s eighth-grade science curriculum has taught that if used correctly, latex condoms are 80 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. But the success rate of condoms when used correctly is 97 percent to 98 percent, according to most experts and manufacturers.

The district began using the 80 percent figure in 2001 in eighth-grade science and high school health classes.

Officials could not say where that number came from but said all the facts and figures in the curriculum came from written texts.

I can guess where that number can from.

Dewhurst talks about adding more flagship universities

Even though they're faced with a tight budget this year, state lawmakers should be able to start working on the addition of one or two new flagship universities to the state's higher-education system, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Friday.

Don't change the 10% rule. Add more flagship universities.

Public Citizen challenges Texas Senate's private meetings

"The people's business needs to be conducted in front of the people," said Andy Wilson, who works on ethics and government reform for Public Citizen, a nonprofit advocacy group that promotes government transparency.

Good point!

A state holiday for Hector P. Garcia

Area lawmakers want Texans to keep civil rights legend Dr. Hector P. Garcia's contributions in mind with a permanent remembrance day in September.

State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, and Reps. Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, Solomon Ortiz Jr., D-Corpus Christi, and Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, filed bills in the Senate and House respectively to create an annual state holiday in honor of Garcia.

Congrats to UTB-TSC students for finding their own pulsar!

Anthony Ford and Jesus Rivera have spent hundreds of hours holed up in the Arecibo Remote Control Center, sifting through the minute reverberations of the universe with goals few people on Earth comprehend.

Ford and Rivera aren't professional scientists. In fact, they're just midway through their first year at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.

But already, these two brains can lay partial claim to the discovery of a previously undetected pulsar hovering above the Milky Way's galactic plane.

Well done!

Fight at Brownsville ISD escalates - superintendent suspended

By a predictable 4-3 vote, the BISD school board suspended Superintendent Hector Gonzales Friday night pending a 60-day investigation of the district's Special Services Department.

The vote came at the conclusion of a three-hour special meeting of the Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees that had every appearance of being scripted. Every vote on every substantive issue was decided by the same 4-3 split: board President Rolando Aguilar and Trustees Ruben Cortez Jr., Joe Colunga and Rick Zayas on one side, with Trustees Dr. Enrique Escobedo, Catalina Presas-Garcia and Minerva Peña on the other.

See previous posts.

Former Bexar County Housing Authority member pleads guilty to public corruption

A former Bexar County Housing Authority member [Carlos Madrid Jr.] pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal charge that he used his position to funnel more than $100,000 in contracts to his construction services company and went out of his way to hide his conflict of interest from the public.

Eddie Lucio Jr. says we shouldn't be mad at Dewhurst

Great. Now I'm mad at Lucio, too.

“One of the concerns I have as a senator from the Valley and South Texas is, I don’t want to have this particular issue of Voter ID damage any relationships we have established with some of our Republican brothers and sisters who I have invited to come to the Valley, but more importantly, the Lieutenant Governor, who has accepted the invitation already,” Lucio said, referring to the Valley Partnership’s Legislators’ Tour.

Note to Lucio: The Voter ID issue is a means to suppress the votes of the poor and the elderly. You may be ok with that, but those who cherish civil rights should not be. Dewhurst's effort trashed senate good will and tradition to pass a blatantly partisan rule. You may be ok with that, but those who think that senators should work on solving problems for everyone in Texas should not be.

2 Evins Regional Juvenile Center employees to be layed off

Just two employees at the Evins Regional Juvenile Center will lose their jobs in March following the Texas Youth Commission's announcement Thursday that it will shed close to 100 employees.

While the agency's detention population has fallen by nearly 2,600 inmates since 2007, the number of inmates at the Edinburg facility has remained constant, TYC spokesman Jim Hurley said. As of Thursday afternoon the facility had 173 inmates.

United Independent School District police chief resigns after investigation

UISD Police Chief Dennis Garcia submitted his letter of resignation Thursday.

...

Although, according to [United Independent School District Superintendent Roberto] Santos, the investigation found only procedural hiccups, the district still thought it was necessary to put Garcia on administrative leave in December and start looking for a new chief of police by publicly posting the job the same day.

See previous post.

Sending poor, ill patients to Houston from Galveston

How's that going to work? If you're poor, can you afford to travel? If you're sick, should you be on public transport?

Galveston County officials have proposed a contract with the Harris County Hospital District to provide care for the more than 300 people enrolled in Galveston County’s indigent care program.

The hospital district is reviewing the proposal, said Stephen Gauen, a consultant for Galveston County on indigent care matters.

GOP Senate ploy - the irony

Dan Patrick's move to use the number of Republicans in the senate to determine how many votes are needed to bring a bill forward may come back to bite the GOP.

Despite criticism, Sen. Dan Patrick, a conservative Houston Republican who supported the [two-thirds rule] change, said he considered it good that the Senate thoughtfully considered the two-thirds rule, which he has campaigned to replace with a three-fifths rule. Partly because of Wednesday's fight, he said he expects that more senators might now support his view.

Suspending the Senate's 2/3 rule for GOP hot partisan causes isn't a good long term idea. One Senate Republican agreed.

Sen. John Carona of Dallas was the lone Republican to join Democrats in opposing the measure, even as he acknowledged that it may hurt him politically if GOP leaders view it as a betrayal. Although he supports voter-ID legislation, he said he opposed suspending a Senate rule with a long tradition.

Carona argued that voters who favored bipartisan-minded leaders in the recent election will not react well to such a blatantly partisan effort. "This all flies in the face of logic to me . . . because it seems so contrary to the very message the public gave us such a short time ago: Stop the partisan gamesmanship," he said.

The Austin American Statesman notes that the GOP's actions sets a sharp, reverberating partisan tone.

Forget the $9.1 billion drop in projected state revenues and the state's slowing economy.

Never mind the scandals in the Texas Youth Commission and state schools for Texans with mental retardation. Or that the Texas Department of Transportation made a $1 billion budget error, and not in the state's favor.

No, for Republicans in the Texas Senate, the most important crisis facing the State of Texas is: voter fraud. That's the first issue the Senate GOP majority addressed Wednesday — the second day of the 81st legislative session.

Demographic trends and a rapidly deteriorating Republican brand strongly suggests that Republicans may be in the minority soon. How will they like Democrats ramming through legislation they don't like?

What to do? Suppress the vote. Voter ID is just the latest voter suppression technique used by a demographically challenged and morally bankrupt Republican party. Republicans would like to go back to the time when only land owning, white males are allowed to vote. That isn't going to happen. Voter suppression and redistricting are just last chance power plays that will come back to bite them hard.

Meanwhile, Burka warns the Texas House not to get caught up in the bitter unfairness raging in the Senate. That's good advice.

Texas Civil Rights Project sues over onerous new driver's license rule for immigrants

Civil rights advocates sued the Texas Department of Public Safety on Wednesday, contending new driver's license requirements for immigrants discriminate against legal U.S. residents.

You've got to see this from Rick Perry's perspective. He's looking to beat KB in the Republican primary for governor. That means he's got to look as disgustingly racist as he can. The most recent targets for Republicans - immigrants. Viola! Ooops. That would be a foreign word.

Houston judge working to decriminalize possession of small amounts of drug

As the Texas Legislature begins its session, a Houston judge is again arguing to end jail time for criminals caught with small amounts of cocaine and crack, but this time he has the support of 15 colleagues.

State District Judge Michael McSpadden on Wednesday sent a letter to the state’s top officials and Houston’s senators and representatives asking for a change in what he called “draconian” laws.

During the last session, McSpadden stood alone when he asked that charges for possession of a controlled substance of less than 1 gram be reduced from a state jail felony to a misdemeanor. Two years later, judges from both major political parties are joining the Republican who has been on the bench for more than 20 years.

Good on him. McSpadden sounds like a man interested in the greater good.

An inmate on suicide watch found dead in Brooks County Detention Center

Ok. I'll bite. What good is suicide watch?

An inmate awaiting sentencing on charges of rigging bids on federal contracts was found dead Monday at the Brooks County Detention Center in Falfurrias, and Texas Rangers are investigating how the death occurred.

Former Rio Grande City-Camargo International Bridge port director confesses to murder

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection port director [Joseph Mongiello III,] has confessed to shooting his wife [Lindsay Tall] to death, police said Wednesday morning.

Cameron County DA to get case about Brownsville's mayor

The Cameron County DA will have to sort out why Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada cashed a 26K check made out to someone else.

The Cameron County District Attorney's Office early next week will receive the case file involving Brownsville Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. and the mysterious $26,139 check, police said.

Brownsville Police Chief Carlos Garcia said investigators have completed their probe and on Monday will turn over the details of the investigation to the DA's Office.

See previous posts.

DHS shoot the finger to Cameron County. Issues order to build that d*mn fence.

Hope Park? Destroy it. Crony golf course? Build around it.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a notice to proceed with the construction of the border fence that includes Hope Park near the downtown area.

Local officials were notified Tuesday that a notice to proceed with the border fence project had been issued.

Silvestre Reyes scuttles sane talk on drug war

El Paso city council voted unanimously to support a resolution legalizing drugs in an effort to stop drug cartel violence. El Paso Mayor John Cook vetoed the resolution and Silvestre Reyes put the final nail in its coffin.

"If we would have voted yesterday on this item, I would have voted to override because I feel that there needs to be a serious discussion on what is working and what is not working in the war on drugs," East-Central city Rep. Emma Acosta said. "But when (U.S. Rep. Silvestre) Reyes sends a letter telling us that federal funding is going to be cut if we continued, then I had to step back and do what is right for El Paso at this point."

How could a resolution stop Federal funding? Why doesn't Reyes want to have this discussion? Lets have it anyway.

Does Bush have some Texas pardons up his ... sleeve?

Lower wing nuttia would like Bush to pardon the border patrol agents who shot a drug smuggler in the back and then obstructed the investigation. Apparently, it's a good idea to shoot people on the border. Especially, if they have brown skin.

Recently re-elected Texas Senator John Cornyn is leading the 'shoot Mexicans first' parade by asking for Bush pardons.

Corpus Christi's FOIA request policy may get a make over

The City Council wants to rewrite a citywide Public Information Act policy to ensure prompt turnover of documents and remove roadblocks that have delayed or discouraged the public's receipt of documents.

It's not clear when the policy, less than a year old, would be replaced.

The Caller Times has exposed the problem of slooooooow city response to FOIA requests.

Don't get rid of the 10% rule.

The diversity of obtained by taking the top 10% goes beyond race. Rural schools have a shot. Poor schools have a shot. Students from every county in Texas have a shot. Children of non-crony families have a shot.

The only argument I've heard to reverse it? UT wants the power to control its admissions, because ... because they want the power to control admissions.

The 10 Percent Rule, which ensures the admission of the top 10 percent of students from each graduating class at state high schools to public universities, has come under fire as the University of Texas at Austin reported that 81 percent of its freshman class was admitted under the provision.

"We would like to have a 50-percent cap on the number of students admitted," said Don Hale, a spokesman for the University of Texas at Austin Office of Public Affairs. "We're the one school in the state where the majority of students are admitted under that law."

Lets solve the real problem. Not limit access to higher education.

[Rep. Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville] and state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, say there's another reason for the number crunch.

"Constraints in capacity are actually symptoms of a larger issue: the fact that in spite of its size, Texas only has two flagship universities, the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University," said the senator. "One solution would be for the state to invest in strengthening our higher education system to provide more first-rate institutions for students to attend."

Brownsville ISD fight continues.

BISD Superintendent Hector Gonzales expressed shock Tuesday afternoon after learning Board of Trustees President Rolando Aguilar had posted a special called meeting to have him suspended and investigated.

See Bloggin' All Things Brownsville for a letter in response to ISD board action from Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada.

See previous posts.

Joe Straus is Speaker of the House

[I've lost my connection to the house feed during the nominations. Here's hoping nothing strange occurs.]

Well done! Lets hope I don't have to eat those words.

PS: Joe Straus asked a Bexar County Democratic rep, Jose Menendez, introduce him. Senfronia Thompson,another Dem, did the first seconding speech. John Smithee, the Craddick stalking horse, did the second seconding speech.

Update: I got my connection back. It's official. See KVUE for minute by minute details.

Zinn says Texas is violating medicaid court order. Again. Still.

Susan Zinn, who represents Texas children on Medicaid, said the court requires that the money be spent in the 2008 and 2009 budget years, but the state plans to spend less than a third of that during that period.

"They're obliged under the court's order to spend all of that this biennium, and they seem to be violating that order," Zinn said. "That money is not just money — it's supposed to result in improved access to health care."

Republicans don't think poor kids deserve health care. It's really that simple.

Harlingen VA Health Clinic to open in 2010

A new 120,000-square-foot veterans clinic will open here by 2010, expanding the services of the existing clinic, federal officials said Monday.

The expanded facility will eliminate 95 percent of veterans' visits to San Antonio for medical care, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs officials said.

Now, what about that VA hospital for the Valley?

God, Frank Corte is a whiner!

That's whiner, now winner. Apparently, Frank has his panties in a twist over Jaime Castillo's swipe at him - 'Count S.A.'s Corte among losers of the House speaker's race'.

See if you can make sense of his incoherent rambling.

When Straus announced he had the required votes — the majority of them Democratic — Tom pulled out of the race and released his pledges. At the time, many Republicans were justifiably concerned about that precedent. Many good Republicans — while harboring no grudge against Straus — thought a second Republican candidate might emerge, and until the election actually happens, pledge cards signed by legislators are often no more binding than those signed by college football recruits. The possibility of an intra-party fight was still strong.

As chairman of the House Republican Caucus, that was the last thing I wanted, but a circumstance in which I felt I would have to remain neutral. ...

The precedent of each legislator having a vote for speaker? You were neutral?

Border officials upset over Bush's border surge plan

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has a contingency plan to send federal agents and military personnel to the border if Mexican drug violence spills into the United States.

However, local law enforcement officials say they were never informed of DHS' plan before details were leaked to The New York Times last week.

"They should have come to talk to us," said Sheriff Omar Lucio. "None of these people know the border like we do."

What do you expect? These are the people that brought us that d*mn fence.

Bush makes a fool of himself in final press conference

Oh, I know. He couldn't possibly look more foolish. Can he?

On another issue destined to figure prominently in his legacy, Bush said he has "thought long and hard about Katrina — you know could I have done something differently, like land Air Force One either in New Orleans or Baton Rouge." Bush was criticized for flying over the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and waiting until four days after it hit to visit the scene.

Ever the PR president, isn't he? Wouldn't it have been more helpful if Bush had planned before Katrina hit? Couldn't people have been evacuated better? Could supplies and other aid have been made ready? Noooo. Bush is focused on whether or not he should have flown over NO or landed. Should he have worn the blue shirt or the white one?

TPA blogger roundup!

It's Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's weekly blog round up. Each week's round-up is compiled based on submissions made by member bloggers.

refinish69 is still having problems with connecting to Doing My Part For The Left but continues his series- Homeless in Austin-An Insider's View Part 5.

Off the Kuff enjoys a little schadefreude over the resolution of the Speaker's race.

Gary at Easter Lemming Liberal News is back with another graphical map look at the election results in SR-144.

Why did the 5th Judicial Circuit give Judge Kent a vacation and a slap on the wrist while a grand jury decided several felony counts for sexual assault and obstruction of justice was more appropriate? CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wants to know if the 5th Judicial Court has any shame at all.

BossKitty at TruthHugger sees our only option is to communicate with current senators, like them or not. Even though John Cornyn is Republican of questionable contribution to Texas, he sits in the position to help or hinder America's recovery. I encourage everyone to write to Cornyn and remind him he must represent ALL his constituants, regardless of party affiliation. Fill his inbox with your comments. This is my Letter to John Cornyn.

WhosPlayin was dismayed by TxSharon's discovery of apparent oil and gas waste dumping into a creek, and spent some time on the Google Earth figuring out where it was, and whether there could possibly be any legitimate excuse.

Look what TXsharon found in Wise County: The hose stretches from toxic drilling waste, downhill to the creek. On Bluedaze.

Stace at DosCentavos opines on theproblem with the anti-immigant bills that have been submitted for the 81st Lege. Some say that "Joe the Speaker" won't allow them to progress, but the hateful rhetoric will still be there.

McBlogger takes a moment this week to review one of the candidates for Austin Mayor. I'm sure it'll come as a shock that he found Brewster McCracken, well, lacking.

The Texas Cloverleaf, and the nation, reminds Obama to end DOMA, among other things that were promised.

Californians passed Proposition 8 in the last election, denying equal rights to some citizens. jobsanger reviews the court fight over Prop 8 and the legal argument for overturning it in The Fight Over Prop 8.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson takes a look at TxDOT's Transportation Promise.

Neil at Texas Liberal takes a look at the ides of casino gambling in Galveston and in Texas, and compares it to an opportunistic infection such as a staph infection.

Wondering why Tom DeLay hasn't been served justice yet? PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the story.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the possibility that cyclist Lance Armstrong will run for public office in Texas and hopes it doesn't come to pass.

Some Perry supporters defecting to Hutchison

If you had to choose between a box of rocks and a snake, which would you choose?

The looming showdown between Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison already is costing Perry some major political donors.

Brownsville mayor wants to join El Paso against that d*mn fence

Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada says he has called for a special emergency meeting on Monday so that he can push again to get the City to join a lawsuit opposing the border wall project.

Ahumada is a strong supporter of a lawsuit filed by El Paso County and others that challenges Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff’s statutory authority under Section 102 of the Real ID Act to issue waivers of more than three dozen federal laws, as well as related state, local and tribal laws to expedite the construction of a border fence in El Paso County.

Homeland Security HAS to be smarter under Obama

Apparently, DHS doesn't realize that Mexican drug cartel violence has crossed the border. Psst: That doesn't mean I want military troops doing US law enforcement.

If Mexican drug violence spills across the U.S. border, Homeland Security officials say they have a contingency plan to help border areas fight it.

By the way, do you think that d*mn fence is gonna help?

Past legislation that hurt children

Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, said the Republican majority in 2003 not only pushed through deep budget cuts but also made changes in the Children's Health Insurance Program and in the regulation of college tuition. Those kinds of permanent changes will not be made in the House now with its near-even partisan divide, he predicted.

"Clearly, the fact we are about at a 50-50 split in the House means you have to stay away from the extreme positions in order to pass anything," Hochberg said.

Too bad. So sad. While we're talking about college tuition, freezing tuition will only hurt. The state must add back the funding Republicans took away.

Caller Times political writer has head in ultra right wing mind set

How else do you explain Jaime Powell's use of the the word 'Democrat' as an adjective? That's the level of discourse the wing nuts use. Insults and disdain instead of ideas.

Democrat County Commissioner Oscar Ortiz, mentioned as a potential opponent [to Loyd Neal the current Nueces County Judge], said he is not planning to challenge Neal.

Corpus Christi slow rolls FOIA requests

The city took 15 days to comply with a Caller-Times request for a copy of its policy for fulfilling public information requests. The same request, submitted to the cities of San Antonio and Lubbock, was a same-day turnaround.

Now that the Caller Times is complaining - out loud and in public - will there be a change?

San Antonio's LGBT community split on January 20th celebration

Three major gay rights groups were to come together in San Antonio to celebrate the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, viewed as their most powerful ally yet in their fight for equality.

Instead, two of the groups — the local Stonewall Democrats and the statewide Equality Texas — have canceled their sponsorship of the inauguration party being held on the River Walk, citing Obama's decision to have evangelical Pastor Rick Warren deliver the invocation at his swearing-in ceremony Jan. 20.

I plan on having a glass of champaign on the 2oth to celebrate Bush's leaving office. The Obama celebration will wait as far as I'm concerned.

Another scary headline: Teacher retirement official had $110,000 Vegas debt

You don't want the guy holding your retirement funds to have a gambling problem. Don't they check these things out? Oh, yeah. The Republicans are running things.

Scary, scary headline: Texas now is Bush's focus

I predict he will be too busy playing video games and watching sports to get that involved. On the other hand, he could help steer Texas Republicans into the ground faster.

New charges against Judge Kent delay his trial to Feb 23

The people who should be on trial for gross negligence are the 5th judicial circuit who showed no concern or effective oversight of Kent's court.

U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors raised the stakes in the criminal case against Kent this week when they added charges involving a second female employee and an obstruction-of-justice charge.

Sexually assaulting employees is NOT a perk of any job. Especially if you are a judge.

See previous posts.

John Whitmire blasts TYC. Again.

Why aren't all of the perpetrators in jail?

"It's outrageous. They're commingling sex offenders with non-sex offenders. It's a dysfunctional agency," said Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, co-chair of the legislative committee that oversees the troubled TYC.

Rep. Jerry Madden, R-Plano, Whitmire's co-chair on the committee, said he was "more disappointed than surprised."

Legal immigrants face huge hassle renewing their driver's license

Racists thugs smile. The rest of us go, whaa? Why are we spending extra tax dollars to harass people?

Three months after the policy took effect, critics are pointing to a growing list of cases involving legal immigrants who have been significantly delayed or outright rejected in their efforts to get or renew licenses, despite being authorized to live and work legally in the U.S.

"I have always maintained my legal status," Mehmood said. "It's not fair to people who want to live here and follow the law."

Under the policy change, only applicants who have documents showing they have permission to stay in the U.S. for at least six months are eligible for Texas driver's licenses.

Are Texas schools desegregated?

Or, are we going back to the 1960s?

A federal judge Friday postponed by several months a ruling that might end a 50-year-old desegregation lawsuit against Galveston public school district.

...

Galveston public school district is among nine Texas school districts still considered racially segregated by the federal courts.

Former Aransas Pass mayor disgraces himself. Again.

You remember Jesse Galvan was ousted from office by the voters. Selling harbor land to a crony and allowing sexual harassment perks for the city manager didn't go over too well.

Aransas Pass Mayor, Jesus Galvan, and Mayor Pro Tem, Dorothy Roberts, may be out of office soon. You remember this bunch - they let their golden boy city manager by with harassing a worker, allowed the worker's boss to resign because he couldn't protect her, wouldn't pay a contractor for services rendered to the city because he testified in the harrasment case, lied about city money going towards the Conn Brown Harbor development, and refused to follow city charter rules to call their own recall election.

Why is he in the news again?

Former Aransas Pass Mayor Jesus "Jesse" Galvan is free on a personal recognizance bond following charges he assaulted his daughter's 15-year-old boyfriend, Aransas Pass Police Chief Darrell Jones confirmed.

Galvan's daughter and her boyfriend were skipping school. The guy has some boundary issues.

Texas AG scuttles city council reports

Apparently, you can't just have a committee report. You have to list a specific agenda item. WTF?

A Texas Attorney General's opinion is causing area governments to stop including open-ended reports by officials at public meetings.

Comal County commissioners are chafing under the restriction, saying they no longer include “Reports from elected officials and department heads” at their regular meetings and predicting it will make government less efficient and, ironically, keep the public in the dark.

We're #1! In rail accidents.

But, then, we have more miles of rail.

With more miles of railroad track than any other state, Texas leads the nation in rail accidents, and urban areas such as Bexar County especially bear the brunt, a report released Tuesday says.

From 1998 through 2007, Texas had 12,271 accidents that killed 853 people and injured 7,203, according to the report from the Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Association.

Bexar County, the state's fourth most populous county, had 493 accidents, behind Harris and Tarrant counties.

We need to do better.

Texas company involved in Norm Coleman illegal donations case

A new court filing in Texas seeks to suspend a lawsuit alleging that a friend and donor of Republican Norm Coleman tried to improperly steer money to the then-U.S. senator.

The filing this week by attorneys representing Deep Marine Technology Inc. said the lawsuit by the company's former chief executive officer should be put on hold for at least two months. The court document said that would afford time for a special investigation commissioned by the company's board. The plaintiff's lawyer said he will oppose the request.

What's the deal?

In the lawsuit Paul McKim, the former CEO of an oil-rig servicing company in Houston, alleges he was coerced by 50% shareholder Iranian-born Nasser Kaseminy, a Norm Coleman friend and major political contributor, to funnel payments to Norm Coleman's wife through her employer Hays Companies in Saint Paul Minnesota.

Corpus Christi city council members want city health insurance

Does the city charter say no?

The city of Corpus Christi wants an appeals court to overturn a judge's ruling that would keep the city from offering insurance benefits to City Council members.

Will a lawsuit force Brownsville ISD to pay off Rendon?

Does discovery work both ways?

Attorneys for BISD Special Services Administrator Art Rendon are working with the Brownsville Independent School District to resolve the lawsuit filed by Rendon to halt alleged attempts to force his ouster.

Was Rendon giving out crony contracts? Or, do they want him to?

See previous post.

Craddick conservatives could have picked their own ABC

Now they're complaining that others picked the new Speaker of the Texas House. Karen Brooks of Trail Blazers says:

By all accounts - not just mine, but ALL accounts - they could have been a part of the decision had they come up with an alternative to the ABC pick before last week. They did not. Game over.

Record profits for energy companies meant less tax revenue for Texas

Huh? How does that work?

At a time when the oil and gas industry was reaping record profits, producers got a break under Texas' new business tax, according to a draft report from a state advisory committee.

Oil and gas producers paid nearly $411 million last year under the new business tax, down from nearly $489 million in 2007. The industry also separately pays state levies including severance taxes, which skyrocketed with 2008's higher oil prices.

Most other industries ended up paying more last year than in 2007 under the business-tax expansion, according to a draft of the Business Tax Advisory Committee's report to the Legislature due to be released within days.

Welcome to Texas, the land of Republican crony love.

Wal-Mart fined for sloppy controlled substance record keeping

That's strange. I thought Wal-Mart was all about inventory control.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. paid a hefty $637,000 fine to the U.S. Southern District of Texas after a federal investigation showed that more than five Wal-Mart and Sam's Club pharmacies failed to keep proper records, leading to the loss, theft, or possible diversion of controlled substances.

The pharmacies are not in the Rio Grande Valley, U.S. Attorney's Office public affairs officer Angela Dodge said Wednesday. Most are in the Houston area.

More drama in Brownsville ISD

The fight between certain trustees and the superintendent is apparently over how special education funds are spent. Who likes them some cronies and who doesn't?

The BISD school board rejected Superintendent Hector Gonzales' proposed resignation Tuesday night after trustees were served with a lawsuit to halt alleged attempts to oust Special Services Administrator Art Rendon.

The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in the state's 107th District Court, alleges several civil violations in regard to how four board members handled an agenda item concerning disbursements of federal, state and local funds for special education. The lawsuit claims breach of contract, violation of the Open Meetings Act, libel and slander. Rendon's department is responsible for educating BISD's more than 5,000 special education students.