Gillespie County pays $40K to man jailed by error

Gillespie County Commissioners have approved a $40,000 settlement with a man whose lawsuit led the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that a defendant's right to legal counsel takes effect at the first court hearing.

...

He asked for a court-appointed lawyer after his arrest here July 15, 2002, on a charge — based on a database error — of being a felon possessing a firearm.

But no lawyer was assigned until Rothgery's indictment and rearrest months later, resulting in him spending three weeks in jail. The charge was dismissed in 2003 after his criminal lawyer proved Rothgery wasn't a convicted felon.

DOJ to look at Harlingen's switch to single member districts

A letter from the U.S. Department of Justice has placed a cloud over the first Harlingen City Commission election since the switch to single-member districts.

The letter from Christopher Coates, chief of the Voting Section at the department's Civil Rights Division, asks for a long list of additional information about city election preparations before the agency approves any change to voting procedures previously in place.

Juan Garcia to be nominated for assistant Secretary of the Navy

President Barack Obama on Wednesday announced his intention to nominate Corpus Christi attorney and former state representative Juan Garcia as an assistant secretary of the Navy.

Garcia needs to be confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee and the full Senate before assuming the position.

Garcia served one term as a state representative from Corpus Christi before losing his seat to Todd Hunter. Capitol Annex has more.

Calls for BISD Special Olympics Texas program supervisor to resign

Alleging favoritism and discrimination, a group of parents of Special Olympics athletes is urging the BISD to dismiss Sandra Powers as supervisor of its Special Olympics Texas program.

Powers has held the position since 2000. In addition to Special Olympics Texas, Powers supervises BISD's Buddy Fun Meet, a track and field competition for special education students held each spring at Sams Stadium.

The parents claim Powers has discouraged their participation as volunteers at Special Olympics Texas events in violation of the organization's guidelines and Brownsville Independent School District policy.

No surprise - the flu is spreading

Cameron County has its first confirmed case.

Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr., at a press conference Wednesday, said that a second child, also from Cameron County, is suspected of contracting the virus. Ahumada said that the school-age child, a boy, is not enrolled in the Brownsville Independent School District, but he would not name the school district where the child attends school. "I hear that the child is doing well and is under care and the family is under voluntary quarantine," the mayor said.

Nueces County is up to 93 possible cases.

One-third of the 94 possible cases of swine flu, one of which is probable, involve children, health district officials said.

Dr. William Burgin, the medical authority for the Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health District, said all but one of the 94 are in Nueces County. One San Patricio County resident was tested for the flu in Nueces County, he said.

16 confirmed in Texas.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 16 cases of swine flu in Texas, and Gov. Rick Perry has issued a disaster declaration for the entire state.

Why did Rick declare a disaster?

Perry's disaster declaration, which he announced Wednesday, will allow officials to begin emergency protective measures and seek reimbursement from the federal government.

Since Perry is running to farthest right of the farthest right of his party, you know he would love to swagger on up and shut the border with Mexico. Except he can't. Except it would hurt his business buddies. But, you know he wants to.

"Making such a closure right now has not been merited by the facts; would have very, very little marginal benefit in terms of containing the actual outbreak of virus within our own country," [Homeland Security director Janet] Napolitano said, according to a transcript of her remarks.

Pulbic intoxication charges agains Weslaco School Board candidate are dropped

A municipal judge has dropped the charges against a school board candidate who was arrested Sunday night on suspicion of public intoxication.

The city's contracted prosecutor - the law firm Garza & Peña - filed a motion with the municipal court requesting that the charges against Richard Charles Sellman be dismissed.

...

Sellman said he had "a couple drinks" earlier Sunday afternoon at a political rally but was neither drinking nor intoxicated when he was arrested Sunday night.

Furthermore, he said, he was not informed why he was being arrested until he arrived at the city's jail, and the arresting officer never performed a breath test or a field sobriety test.

Humm. Who was the police officer supporting in that race?

Former Webb County clerk indicted for soliciting a minor

A grand jury on Tuesday indicted former Webb County Clerk Henry Flores, according to prosecutors.

Flores, 59, faces charges of displaying harmful material to a minor, a misdemeanor, and criminal solicitation of a minor with the intent to commit sexual assault, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

The boy involved was only 11 years old when Flores allegedly asked him for sex.

There WILL be a public hearing on Asarco issues

The public will have an opportunity to address unresolved issues related to Asarco at a public hearing next month in El Paso.

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, learned about the hearing from city officials.

"Having a hearing in El Paso will give us a direct line to key decision-makers," Shapleigh said. "I appreciate the EPA helping us."

See previous posts.

Drug charges against popular Houston Art teacher dropped

Prosecutors Tuesday dismissed drug possession charges against a 59-year-old art teacher who owned a car in which police found two Xanax pills on campus.

She didn't know the pills were in the car.

Swine flu claims toddler visiting Texas

The first reported death in the United States from the swine flu outbreak was that of a 23-month-old Mexican boy who fell ill in Brownsville and was transported for treatment at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, where he died Monday, officials said.

Dr. David Persse, director of the city's emergency medical services, said the acutely ill child was admitted to a Brownsville hospital on April 13 and immediately was rushed by medical transport to Houston.

Now's the time to have the government on your side to help you. Prevention plans and current procedures to minimize impact. The US government can afford better computer simulation programs, wider and deeper vaccine efforts, and more effective coordination to minimize the spread.

Nueces County just took a big leap with 20 suspected cases. We've got lots more to ride out. Good luck and stay safe.

Is Mikal Watts getting himself a San Antonio Mayor?

Mikal Watts, a major Democratic donor and trial lawyer whose dealings with Julián Castro became an issue early in this year's mayor's race, is holding a fundraiser tonight for the former councilman.

In 2007, Castro, also an attorney, referred a wrongful-death lawsuit to Watts' San Antonio law firm, and collected a sizeable fee after the case was settled.

While the plaintiff gave Castro high marks in an interview with the San Antonio Express-News, two of his opponents — Councilwoman Diane Cibrian and public relations consultant Trish DeBerry-Mejia — pounced on the arrangement after Castro loaned his campaign $215,000 from the proceeds last summer.

I could never support a Mikal Watts' bot.

Rep. Lon Burnam vigorously pursuing Sharon Keller's impeachment

Good on him!

A House committee was asked late Monday to launch the state’s first impeachment proceedings in more than three decades as Rep. Lon Burnam renewed his call for the ouster of Texas’ highest-ranking criminal court judge.

The Fort Worth Democrat presented witnesses to reinforce his claim that Judge Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, committed "a gross neglect of duty and willing disregard for human life" by refusing the keep the court’s office open after hours to accept a Death Row appeal. The inmate, Michael Richard, was executed hours later.

"What she did was so outrageous," retired state appeals court Justice Michol O’Connor of Houston said as she waited to testify on behalf of Burnam’s motion.

Perry's having a bad month

Few people showed up for his wing nut fest where the host questioned Obama's birth. Boring. Can't they think of something more interesting?

How would a Republican deal with a pandemic threat?

Develop procedures to minimize the spread of a disease? Develop effective treatments? No. Those efforts require government and tax money.

Get the guns. Load 'em and shoot anybody with a runny nose.

Texas Democrats notice that TCEQ is a joke

Humm. What was their first clue? Asarco? How can Corpus Christi take assurances from TCEQ about Las Brisas?

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has been infiltrated by special interests and rendered ineffective when it comes to standing up for Texas citizens, according to a group of Senate Democrats.

The group also called for TCEQ, charged with enforcing clean air and water laws, to undergo a “top to bottom” review to be spearheaded by Gov. Rick Perry.

“When you have systemic issues (and) when polluters are now running the agency, those issues need to be examined, analyzed and fixed,” said state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso. “The issues at TCEQ are systemic and pervasive.”

Ok. I was with you until the part about Rick Perry doing the review. Rick Perry?

El Paso Times announces it is a Republican propaganda machine

How do I know? Who else deliberately uses 'Democrat' as an adjective? A newspaper editor should know grammar. 'Democrat group backs Gus Haddad for mayor'

Don't bother buying a face mask

According to experts, the virus fits very comfortably through the holes in the mask. Do wash your hands often and stay out of crowded places.

As the United States launched border screening for swine flu exposure Monday morning, some drug stores in Brownsville are running out of face masks and other health cleaners.

Well, at least people are buying something.

Alice school board president cleared of terroristic threat charge

That's a scary headline.

Alice Independent School District School Board President R. David Guerrero has been cleared of any wrongdoing in connection to an alleged terroristic threat complaint filed by former School Board member Elida Garza, County Attorney Jesus Sanchez-Vera said.

Following her evaluation of the case, Sanchez-Vera found that the facts of the case did not support the alleged charge.

Republicans stopped 900M in stimulus budget for pandemic flu preparedness

They must be so proud. Especially in Texas where a local school district shut down. Rove mocked it. Susan Collins bragged about it.

"Does it belong in this bill? Should we have $870 million in this bill? No, we should not." Susan Collins bragged about stripping pandemic flu preparation money from the stimulus bill in February. Doesn't seem so moderate now, does it?

Up until very recently, Collins' website had the brag. Not now. Susan had her website scrubbed. Don't you just love the internet machine!

This week's TPA blog roundup!

It is Monday, and that means it is time for another edition of the Texas Progressive Alliance's weekly blog round up.

The Senate this past week passed a bill to reform the state's unemployment insurance laws in a way that would allow us to accept up to $600 million in stimulus funds, despite Governor Perry's resistance. Off the Kuff has the details.

YaGottaLoveIt of South Texas Chisme says Voter ID is needed to eliminate ghost voting in the Texas House of Representatives. Why don't the Republicans try it out there first?

Neil at Texas Liberal offers up information on Swine Flu and provides tips on proper handwashing.

AAA-Fund Blog has audio from the recent national call with Ramey Ko and Hubert Vo about voting rights in Texas and around the nation.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has the latest on transportation issues in the lege, This week's transportation action in the legislature.

This week, McBlogger took some time out his busy schedule to do something unusual, criticize someone. Specifically, Karl Rove who thinks teabaggin' is just awesome and the beginning of the Republican Party's return to electoral relevance. McBlogger, as you can imagine, has a different opinion.

John Culberson nosed out Joe Barton for the first "Douchebag of the Week" award presented by Brains and Eggs. It was a close contest with Newt Gingrich, Dick Cheney, and the Texas House Republicans all competing fiercely for the coveted prize. Better luck next week, jerks.

BossKitty at TruthHugger sees big problems addressing the pandemic hysteria because workers cannot tolerate risk staying home sick. Because Health Insurance has become such an exclusive club any medical emergency, like a contagious outbreak, can become a pandemic crisis. FLU PANDEMIC - Stay Home or Go To Work Sick?

Todd Hill at Burnt Orange Report writes about how TX Senator John Cornyn admits that the KBH seat is winnable for Democrats. This revelation from Big Bad John comes after we learn that Bill White and John Sharp had the largest 1Q fundraising totals for any non-incumbent Senate candidate in the country.

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw gathers the shameful record of Republican buffoonery into a sad and funny report he calls " Texas Republican Jackasses Continue to Bring Shame to Texas ". You don't want to miss this one. With videos!

Vince at Capitol Annex notes that Congressman Joe Barton (R-Ennis) got dissed by Al Gore on global warming.

Deregulation sucks. Unless you're a scammer.

The [Texas State Securities Board] has also had to fill the vacuum left by the SEC’s lack of enforcement, she said. "For the last few years, it’s been very apparent there just hasn’t been a will to regulate," Crawford said.

Meanwhile, the board has worked to fend off federal attempts to squeeze the state out of securities regulation — a move Crawford argues could leave people more vulnerable.

One thing that hamstrings the state, she said, is a 1996 federal law that makes some investment offerings exempt from filing detailed information. Companies using "Rule 506" can raise unlimited money, do not have to register their securities and usually do not have to file reports with the SEC. The brief notice they do file includes little beyond the names of owners and promoters, contact information and the type of securities offered.

You know that regulation is non-existent when Texas officials have to be the ones stepping up.

Texas Democratic office holders want to keep current primary caucus structure

Shame on them. The 2008 caucuses were a mess. The elderly, workers and disabled were disenfranchised, because they could not attend a caucus at a certain time. I never like it when Democrats ignore access for all to preserve their power.

A year after the two-step method that Texas Democrats use to pick presidential delegates sparked an uproar among supporters of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, state lawmakers have no plans to monkey with the system.

And the chairman of a party task force studying the Texas primary-caucus approach doesn't foresee any big changes before the next presidential election.

"There won't be anything dramatic," Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, predicted.

Texas Democrats should hang their heads.

Galveston prisoners sue over treatment during Ike

Three former prisoners have filed handwritten lawsuits against the former sheriff and others claiming living conditions in the county jail were inhumane after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston.

William L. Hathaway, George Ray Lazare and Gregory D. Walker, accuse Gean Leonard and other members of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office of having a reckless disregard for their safety for not evacuating the prisoners from the storm.

Shapleigh says it will cost $250M to clean up after Asarco

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, said the $52 million to remove El Paso's contamination is insufficient, and the true cost is closer to $250 million.

Shapleigh says the $52 million remediation plan for the El Paso copper smelter "does not include 250 acres of contiguous property owned by Asarco but not located at the (main) 100-acre smelter site."

Shapleigh and others who fought against Asarco's restarting smelter operations are asking the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a public hearing in El Paso to address this and other issues.

Shapleigh, also, wants to know how Asarco got a permit to start operations again from TCEQ. I can guess. Crony is as crony does.

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh is still waiting for a pile of documents from the state's environmental agency more than a week after a judge ordered the department to relinquish information about proceedings in Asarco's controversial air permit case.

But if he gets those documents, which Shapleigh suspects could show that agency officials had illegal interactions with Asarco lawyers, the senator said he worries he could be subject to criminal charges himself for revealing information he receives.

How can that be? Would you like to be a martyr, Senator Shapleigh?

Feds thumb noses at judge. Build fence without notice.

On Friday morning, Hanen held a hearing to discuss Tamez's request for a temporary restraining order - a request filed Thursday just as the government was beginning construction behind her El Calaboz home.

Construction on the fence was completed the same day that the TRO request was made and before Hanen could take any action on it.

Tamez claimed in the request that federal officials shirked a previous Hanen order to consult with her before beginning construction.

Homeland Security is just f**king with her.

The verdict is in. Perry is a buffoon.

The reality based Texans already knew that. The right wing nutters ate it up.

“The remarks played well with very conservative Republicans who vote in GOP presidential primaries and caucuses,” said professor of politics Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. “The country as a whole, though, had a very different reaction.

“This was a throwback to the Old South, a South that was out of the mainstream and viewed as something of an embarrassment. You think of people like George Wallace when you think of the claim of states’ rights. I don’t think that’s the image that modern Texas wants,” Sabato said.

Sabato said while Perry was clearly appealing to his conservative base because of an expected GOP primary battle for governor with U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, his rhetoric could chill businesses and top faculty pondering a move to Texas.

Research your ballot BEFORE you go to vote

Go out to your county's website. Google the name of their county followed by the word 'elections'. For example, 'Nueces County elections'. Follow their links to the sample ballot. You may be surprised at a candidate or issue you didn't know about.

The El Paso Times gives us another reason to check out the ballot: confusing or misleading language.

Voters will have to do their homework to make sense of a confusing ballot issue on who will manage the stormwater utility.

The ballot does not use the word "stormwater" to identify the utility. Instead, it contains the agency's official but rarely used name - the municipal drainage utility.

Also missing from the ballot is any mention of the possible outcome of the election: Namely that voters could transfer management of the utility from the Public Service Board to the City Council.

Republican catechism vs science

Famously, the tobacco industry advertised that cigarettes were good for you. Who knows how much sorrow and pain that caused. For years the tobacco companies successfully fought the acknowledgment of science in the public arena.

Today's handmaids to industry (and theocracy) are the Republican party leaders. Science smience. Republicans spend their free time learning their catechism from Hannity, Limbaugh, and their 'think' tank talking point generators. If saying the earth is flat will earn someone more money, then the earth is flat. Damn the consequences.

How's this for stupid? A Texas House caucus on carbon management is not allowed to mention global warming.

Climate change is a lie. Just ask Joe Barton. Joe Barton made such a fool of himself questioning our Nobel Prize-winning Secretary of Energy with a basic question about where oil comes from. The real joke is Joe thought he 'baffled' Steve Chu. Joe Barton was stupid enough to take on Al Gore next.

Michelle Bachmann, the poster child for the ugliest part of the Republican Party, repeatedly exposes her ignorance. Bachmann says that since CO2 occurs naturally it can't hurt people. Would she make that same argument about cyanide? Or, water?

Jon Kyl's argument against Kathleen Sebelius to be Secretary of Health and Human Services boils down to 'he fears the evidence-based approach, coupled with information on price, could lead to rationing of care.'.

How did the Republicans become slaves to a particular form of catechism? Are they trying to reduce us to a village of superstitious, scaredy cats? You can see why Republicans hate science. And, public education.

They're still ghost voting in the Texas House

As the House voted this week on a hotly contested proposal about penalties in domestic abuse cases, one member was in San Antonio at a funeral when he voted. One was in a doctor's office. Two others were at the airport.

Lets stop here for a moment. What could be controversial about penalties in domestic abuse cases?

The issue was a bill that increased the penalty – currently a misdemeanor – for injuring a spouse by strangulation. Dutton offered an amendment saying there should be some proof, other than the accusation, before the spouse could be jailed. The amendment lost by a single vote, 71-70.

Sure. Release the spouse who may have tried to strangle a partner. That sort of thing has worked out so well in the past.

Randy Neugebauer wants to use campaign funds for his boat

Well, at least he's asking first if it's ok with the FEC. I wonder what his constituents think. What about his contributors? And, why does a guy from Lubbock need a yacht anyway?

“While the main purpose of this boat is for personal use, Congressman Neugebauer has inquired about the possible use for fundraising events,” said his spokeswoman, Michelle Ozanus.

The FEC has yet to rule.

But Melanie Sloan, with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called it an outrage that benefits no one but the congressman.

“The guy buys a boat, he rents it to himself and gets to pay himself for it,” Sloan said. “It's a pretty great way to fund your boat.”

Republicans like their 'perks'.

Why go easy on Obama over that d*mn fence?

The man famously said he could multitask.

Numerous local officials said it is too early to grade President Barack Obama's performance as his first 100 days in office approaches, but they are disappointed by the administration's handling of the border fence issue.

Cameron County Judge Carlos H. Cascos and Brownsville Mayor Pat M. Ahumada Jr. said they wished the Obama administration had taken a second look as the construction of the border fence in Cameron County and the city of Brownsville.

Earlier this week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that she was committed to finishing the 670 miles of border fencing mandated by Congress in 2006.

Obama just doesn't care enough about it. He's doing us a disservice. Plain and simple. What about Congress? The yellow bellies there afraid of being called a sissy by the far right have a lot to answer for to.

Celis wants a new trial

Of course, he does. He was convicted in the first one.

Mauricio Celis, convicted in February of impersonating a lawyer, is asking for a new trial, saying the visiting judge in his case was biased against him.

In court documents filed Friday, Celis attorney David Botsford says that Judge Mark Luitjen’s voice, demeanor and conduct during the trial showed favor for the prosecution. The motion includes sworn statements from seven jurors and two defense investigators saying they believe the judge was biased.

Judge Lopez's hearing to expunge record calls up detractors

Attorneys grilled former District Attorney Juan Angel Guerra and a Harlingen woman Friday during a hearing to expunge state District Judge Migdalia Lopez's criminal record.

Guerra and Blanca Rosas were questioned about a political advertisement that ran in the Valley Morning Star in February. They were also asked whether they had any documents from indictments that Guerra sought while he was still in office last November.

Those indictments named Lopez, then-Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. and other officials. Lopez was accused of abuse of official capacity and official oppression.

I can see questioning former DA Hissy Fit. But what right do they have to question a women who purchased an ad about the dismissal of the charges? Doesn't Blanca Rosas have the right to ask why?

The racist right doesn't want to educate children

The Republicans don't like public education for citizens. They like it even less for the children of undocumented residents. It's no surprise that a think tank designed to come up with cr*p to use against undocumented residents, has ... come up with cr*p to use. Explain to me why anyone in their right mind wants a bunch of uneducated young adults?

A new study by the Austin-based Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas estimates that amount at $4.5 billion to $6 billion a year, an amount mostly spent on educating their children.

Released this week, the study's methodology was called flawed by the Migration Policy Institute and the Center for Public Policy Priorities, as well as the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund.

Written by consultant James Bernsen — who did a similar study in 2006 for the conservative Lone Star Foundation — the report found that the costs of educating children of unauthorized immigrants aren't offset by the estimated $1 billion a year in tax revenues the state collects from their parents, making such families a burden to the state.

To win elections, Republicans need a stupid, stupid electorate.

Some legislators don't think the SBOE should be used to interject religion into our public schools

“The perception out there is that you have a point of view and you are using this bully pulpit to take the rest of the state there,” Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, told Chairman Don McLeroy. McElroy was recently reappointed as chair by Gov. Rick Perry and on Wednesday went before the Senate Committee on Nominations.

Shapleigh, armed with a stockpile of statements McLeroy has given to various media outlets, methodically quoted them one by one and asked the chair to respond to them, including one where McLeroy said “there are only the four really conservative orthodox Christians on the board who are the only ones willing to stand up to the text books and say they don’t present the weaknesses of evolution.”

Perry just reappointed McLeroy to head the SBOE. Again. Perry, of course, is going after the wing nuttiest elements of his party.

What happens when outbound vehicles are checked?

Hmmm. Let me guess.

Local leaders and law enforcement officers from Texas and Arizona complained to the Obama administration Thursday that spot searches of Mexico-bound vehicles for firearms and bulk cash are spawning long delays at border crossings.

DON'T STOP! Just get lots better at it.

Shame on Napolitano

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano committed Tuesday to completing the final unbuilt miles of border fence, most of which is in the Rio Grande Valley.

Napolitano, once a vocal critic of the fence when she was governor of Arizona, said she intends to complete the original 670 miles Congress mandated in 2006. But she also didn't rule out building more fencing in combination with technology and manpower as a way to secure the border.

The fence doesn't work.

The border wall was no barrier to 10 or so people who climbed it one night late last month carrying several bundles of marijuana.

The people who live there don't like it.

Less than one week after a federal judge cleared the way for construction of the border fence on Eloisa Tamez's property, the barrier has been completed on her swath of land in El Calaboz.

But Tamez and her attorneys say the government ignored U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen's court order by hastily building the fence. On April 16, Hanen ordered federal officials to "consult with the landowners of the property in question prior to exercising the rights given in this order."

Why poke people in the eye for something that hurts more than helps? That's the Bush way. I thought Obama's team would be better than that. That bar is very low.

40% of confiscated Mexican drug cartel fire power came from Texas

We're number 1! In supplying guns for the drug trade.

In 2008, a year when more than 7,000 Mexicans were killed in drug violence, a record number of weapons confiscated in Mexico were traced to U.S. retailers, the largest percentage of them in Texas, according to the latest available government data obtained by the San Antonio Express-News.

The number of traced firearms — 12,073 — is more than double the previous two years combined, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reported.

The 2008 figure brings the total number of guns confirmed as having been bought in the U.S. and smuggled into Mexico to 22,848 since 2005.

No wonder gun sales are up in Texas. What to make money in this economy?

Gun stores nationwide and in Houston are reporting a high demand for guns and ammunition amid rising fears of restrictive gun controls and crime related to the economic downturn.

In Texas, the number of applications for concealed handguns swelled to 12,587 in February, up from 7,626 in the same month last year, according to the state’s Department of Public Safety.

Nationally, the number of FBI background checks, which are required whenever someone buys a firearm from a federally licensed retailer, jumped 29.2 percent in March 2009, compared to the same month last year.

Demand is so high at Memorial Shooting Center in west Harris County that the owners have hired more staff since November and have asked customers looking for pistols to call ahead to make sure they’re in stock. The 9mm Glock, which retails for more than $500, is the most popular at this gun store.

Bañales censures Starr County District clerk

Judge Manuel Bañales gave Eloy Garcia a piece of his mind, sounding off in a courtroom packed with waiting witnesses and courthouse employees.

According to attorneys and others present at the Wednesday morning hearing, the regional presiding judge told Starr County's district clerk that he wasn't doing his job. And not only that, but Garcia owed 381st state District Judge Jose Luis Garza an apology for making the jurist's job more difficult with his intransigence and incompetence.

Ouch! Are the voters taking note?

Webb County pay sucks

Webb County ranks as one of the seven lowest-paying large counties in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Weekly wages totaled $559, placing Webb as the 331st lowest in the U.S.

In fact, four of the seven lowest-paying large counties in the U.S. are located in Texas - all along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Texas House disses Perry again

First there was the budget that smacked Perry over the stimulus package. Now his macho swaggering at the border could be is target by Democratic rep.

Gov. Rick Perry would lose control of the state-led border security program he has worked to build since 2005 under bills a panel of House lawmakers reviewed Wednesday.

"I'm concerned that we're spending a great deal of money on a matter that is not yielding significant results," said state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, who wrote the measures.

Farrar's two bills, which she said were designed to stop Perry from using the money as political patronage, would take away the governor's ability to award grants for border-security operations and give that responsibility to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The governor's homeland security director, a key decision-maker in border security operations, would become an appointed position subject to approval by the Senate.

San Patricio wind farm turbines going up

About 20 wind turbine towers have been placed just outside this San Patricio County town of 3,300. More than 100 wind turbines are expected to be spinning by fall, developers said.

Officials with E.ON Climate & Renewables began pouring the foundations for the towers on March 1, said company spokesman Bobby Blount. The first tower went up April 4 and the estimated date of operation is early October, he added.

More Kemp's ridley turtle nests found

That means 9 nests for the Padre Island National Seashore.

Headline you DON'T want to see

'Border Patrol supervisor arrested on drug charges'

A U.S. Border Patrol supervisor was charged with cocaine possession this afternoon.

Mission police arrested Baldemar Gutierrez Jr., 49, while conducting a sting on a suspected drug dealer in the city.

Gutierrez, a supervisor at the Border Patrol's McAllen office, allegedly purchased about two grams of cocaine from the dealer Tuesday about 6:40 p.m. Police pulled him over for a traffic violation a few minutes later on Inspiration Road, Sgt. Jody Tittle said.

Starr County District Judge and County Clerk at odds in court

[Judge Jose Luis] Garza defended his decision to file an 11-count contempt charge last year against Eloy Garcia, the Starr County's elected district clerk.

The suit claims Garcia and his office ignored court orders and refused to deliver files or mail to Garza's 381st state District Court.

Scary headline: 'Latino pastor group urging census boycott'

A nationwide group of Latino ministers has a message for illegal immigrants: Stand up, but refuse to be counted in the 2010 U.S. census.

The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders is urging undocumented immigrants to boycott the census - which is used to calculate everything from federal funding to congressional representation - unless Congress first passes immigration reform.

So, who does that hurt? The undocumented immigrants.

Charges dropped against El Paso news team. IA to investigate arresting officer.

Police Chief Greg Allen on Tuesday said an officer may have overreacted when arresting a Channel 7-KVIA reporter and photographer at the scene of a crash.

After watching a video of the incident, Allen said he believed Sgt. Raul Ramirez "somewhat overreacted" and did not confront all bystanders.

"It kind of concerns me because the charge that the sergeant was out there supposedly enforcing appeared to be randomly being enforced," he said. "When you have the media and the public mingling together - definitely - if one is interfering then that means all of them are interfering. So if general citizens of the community are being allowed to stand by and watch what's going on, then the media should have as well."

Texas Supreme Court doesn't even pretend to be fair

The latest insult to the citizens of Texas - a do-over for Ford Motor Company. A juror asked what the maximum penalty was. Ford got scared and settled. The Texas Supreme Court says the settlement is void AND Ford can harass the juror who asked a question. Nice.

The query from the sole juror, however, came before - and not after - the jury decided if the motor company was liable and this later led Ford to suspect that someone or something might have influenced the juror.

Limas refused Ford's request to conduct discovery on the issue of possible outside influence. Ford withdrew its consent to the settlement while the Castillo group alleged breach of contract. Limas entered judgment for the Castillo group on the breach of contract claim.

This Brownsville Herald article is written from Ford's point of view. 'led Ford to suspect'? Whaa? Why can't a juror ask a question? In Texas the answer is a juror is not allowed to do anything that might hurt a crony.

The Houston Chronicle has a hit piece against the juror, too. Today must be 'suck up to a crony' day at the papers.

Martin Frost says Tom Schieffer could be governor

Scheiffer, a Bush bot, is running as a Democrat. Frost sees Perry winning the primary. That's where Frost gets it way wrong. Just like the 'real' Republicans, i.e. wing nuts, hated McCain, but McCain won. I think the 'wing nuts' would pick Perry, but the 'regular' Republicans will go for Hutchison. Will the 'regular' Republicans turn out? Would real Democrats vote for a Bush bot?

Check out Frost's story in Politico (a Republican propaganda rag).

Dallas, drug cartels, and the Mafia

Mexican drug traffickers are funneling cocaine to Italian organized crime, and some shipments are moving through Dallas.

"We've got some of the major cartel members established here dealing their wares in Europe," said James Capra, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Dallas office.

Creation Institute sues claiming discrimination

Why shouldn't they be able to offer a science degree based on their religious beliefs? Humm. Could it be, because real science is based on the scientific method?

The Bible-oriented group contends in a lawsuit filed last week in federal court that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board violated its civil rights. The suit, first reported by the Dallas Morning News, argues that the coordinating board discriminated against the institute because it doesn’t support evolution.

And, the earth is flat.

Ecotourism is a great idea

Attending an ecotourism convention in Kingsville last October gave incoming state Rep. Tara Rios Ybarra an idea on how to help boost the industry. On Monday, the Texas House tentatively approved her legislation.

House Bill 656 allows local governments to use hotel occupancy taxes for ecological tourism events.

Willacy County thinks its a good idea, too.

Willacy County elected officials believe they are heeding Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar’s advice that Hispanic leaders take a greater interest in the environment and conservation.

County Commissioners Court recently entered into an agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to promote and facilitate ecotourism. Commissioners are also seeking federal and state funds to develop county roads so that two wildlife refuges can be more easily accessed. And, they are looking to acquire land for a Willacy Count Nature Center.

El Paso police officer arrests TV crew

The news crew was filming an accident and were told to leave. The officer has been placed on administrative leave and internal affairs is looking in to it.

US Supreme Court says using bible in jury deliberations is fine

I just they forgot about the 'separation of church and state' idea thingy.

Jurors reviewed a biblical passage relating that a murderer who used an iron object to kill "shall surely be put to death." They were deciding whether to impose a death sentence on Khristian Oliver for fatally shooting and bludgeoning his victim with the barrel of a gun.

The court previously has said jurors should base their verdicts only on evidence presented in the courtroom.

Will adulterers be stoned next?

Port of Brownsville to get $2.6M more for security

The Port of Brownsville has been awarded more than $2.6 million from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz.

...

"This will help us expand our access control infrastructure, establish a command and control center and improve regional assessment," said Eduardo Campirano, port director and CEP for the Port of Brownsville. "This is the third time we've received funding from FEMA. We must be doing something right."

Third double dipping Texas National Guard General is out

The Guard's first Hispanic adjutant general, [Lt. Gen. Charles G.] Rodriguez announced his resignation Feb. 27, months after telling Gov. Rick Perry that he improperly used state emergency leave while on federal orders — earning $53,320.40 that he later had to pay back.

Two other commanders also resigned. A probe by the state auditor's office found that all broke a Texas law forbidding them from earning state salaries while serving on federal orders, a practice called “double-dipping.”

I'll bet the other two generals weren't Hispanic. Was that mentioned in the article? Don't think so.

The other two commanders who left over the same pay issues, Maj. Gens. John Furlow and Allen Dehnert, also did not attend the event at Camp Mabry.

Victoria DA's case against the world shows the need for a Texas shield law

A former sheriff accused of a sex crime, sweeping indictments at City Hall and the police chief charged with lying to a grand jury. It's a doozy of a drama in any city and plenty of fodder for the local media.

But at The Victoria Advocate, subpoenas may sideline three journalists when the highly anticipated first trial gets under way. District Attorney Steven Tyler has called Editor Chris Cobler and two reporters as witnesses.

The citizens of Victoria need the Advocate covering Steve Tyler's show trials.

See previous posts.

Sewer plant opposed by citizens gets state approval

Is there any form of pollution Republicans don't like?

A four-year, grass-roots effort opposing a wastewater treatment plant failed when state environmental regulators deemed the release of 500,000 gallons of treated effluent into Gum Bayou posed no environmental risk.

The city of Dickinson and residents of the Tropical Garden’s subdivision contested the permit sought by Marlin Atlantis White, the developer of record, to build a sewage treatment plant that, in its final phase, could release up to 500,000 gallons a day of treated sewage into Gum Bayou. Gum Bayou drains into Dickinson Bayou, which is listed by the state as an impaired tidewater, having low oxygen and high bacteria levels.

It's TPA blog roundup time!

What a week this has been. Rick Perry got all worked up at a tea bagging party and threatened to secede from the Union. Pirates are making headlines. What century are we in? Need an update? Here's this week's Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup.

BossKitty at TruthHugger finds Texas Agencies 'undersight' totally unacceptable. Texas Agencies that toss 'seemingly viable' programs to the wind and provide no follow up to insure integrity are the fault of Texas legislators. Consolidation of some Agencies, specifically Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TDMHMR), eliminated follow up after merging with Department of Aging and Disability Services. Follow the bread crumbs, Texas To Students With Disabilities, Educate Yourself or Become Slave Labor

The House passed its budget! Somewhat surprisingly, as Off the Kuff notes, it doesn't suck.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme notes that the Obama administration is doing the hard work to solve problems at our border. The right wingers, on the other hand, see only brown and white.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson points to the most recent nonsense from our member of Congress in TX-31, John Carter and right-wing extremists.

Justin at AAA-Fund Blog explores the possible Rice ­ Baylor College of Medicine merger.

This week, Mayor McSleaze took issue with Governor 39%'s assertion that Texas could secede from the United States. Well, not so much 'took issue with' as 'completely showed to be false'. Check it out at McBlogger.

WhosPlayin attended local "TEA Party" gathering in Lewisville, TX. and brought back some videos.

It's "secede", not "suckseed", you morons. What is PDiddie at Brains and Eggs referring to?

Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw explains how Governor 37% got the confused with a gerbil who tangled with an electric wire and what has happened since.....

Check it out at Rick Perry, Gerbils and Electric Wires

Neil at Texas Liberal writes a comprehensive overview of the elections in India.

Did Sen Lucio turn the Valley medical school bill into a joke?

Sen. Lucio's amendment says the school has no funding.

Rep. Lucio said both he and Sen. Lucio are confident Section 7 can be struck from SB 98. He said the plan all along has been to pass a bill with no appropriation so that the University of Texas System can start to plan for the establishment of a medical school from 2015.

“It was well understood, both in my Dad’s office and my office, that that amendment would be stripped. I don’t see any problems happening here on this side and every discussion I have had both with the leadership in higher education and in committee and with the Speaker’s office is that we creating a skeleton and we are not funding it. It has nothing to do with a contingency or some type of appropriation,” Rep. Lucio said.

How does the La Joya school district deal with a suspected sex abuser?

Transfer him to another school where he can be among other children. Sounds like the Catholic Church.

At least 10 first-grade students - mostly undocumented immigrants - told their parents that Clinton Elementary School computer lab proctor Armando Gutierrez had improperly touched them during class in May 2008.

The La Joya school district transferred Gutierrez from his proctor job at the elementary campus to the same position at Memorial Middle School near Mission before the start of the following school year, records obtained through a public information request confirm.

What were they thinking? Getting their 'money's worth' and ...

[La Joya school district Superintendent Alda Benavides] said concerns persisted that he might present a threat to students. However, she said, "he was going to be with older students - and older students will be quick to respond if there's anything that's a problem."

What? Let the older, i.e. middle school kids, deal with it?

Joke of the week

A fundamental question in the Las Brisas Energy Center debate is: If the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approves the power plant, does that mean it’s safe?

You're kidding. Right? If TCEQ approves it, that just means that they're connected, cronies as it were. Ask the citizens of El Paso if the TCEQ Asarco smelter approval was a healthy idea. TCEQ has no credibility with me.

Undocumented immigrants more likely than US citizens to be living in a nuclear family structure

Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

Passel said that one of the most striking findings of the report was that most immigrants are part of families rather than single people who live alone or with roommates. In fact, undocumented immigrants are more likely than legal immigrants or U.S. citizens to live with spouses and children.

"This is a different picture than we usually see of undocumented immigrants," Passel said. "We usually see young men, day laborers. And while that is significant, only about a quarter (of undocumented immigrants) are men who are here by themselves without at spouse or children."

Passel said that because undocumented immigrants often live with spouses who are legal citizens or children who were born in the United States, these families have become increasingly difficult to categorize.

Yet, right wing bloggers are having no problem 'categorizing'. Drug lords, undocumented workers and their Hispanic neighbors are all the same. Really? They're only the same if you are focused on racism.

Hidalgo fires man who informed to Feds about Sylvia Handy

More charges possible?

A federal informant against Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Commissioner Sylvia Handy has sued the county alleging she was fired from her job for cooperating with an ongoing federal investigation.

Maria Ybarra, a former human resources coordinator in Handy's office, said she worked with FBI agents to build a case against her then boss but was surprised to learn in February of her termination.

The uninsured are NOT clogging Harris County ERs

The uninsured in Harris County are visiting hospital emergency rooms for minor illnesses less often because of improved access to primary care programs and clinics, according to a study released Friday.

In 2007, Harris County hospitals saw a 3.5 percent drop in the percentage of primary care-related visits to emergency rooms by uninsured patients and a 5.5 percent drop over a three-year period, according to the University of Texas School of Public Health study.

The reduction is significant because it provides some relief to local emergency rooms now overburdened and overcrowded because of the volume of uninsured patients seeking non-emergency care.

Next step universal healthcare.

Another Kenedy windfarm is nearly ready to go online

The second of two wind farms in Kenedy County will begin spinning its blades by the end of the month.

Officials with Oregon-based Iberdrola Renewables were in Sarita Friday for the Peñascal Wind Farms ribbon-cutting. The 84-turbine project is expected to generate 202 megawatts when it becomes operational.

WIndstorm bill with onerous costs to the coast passes a Senate hurdle

Windstorm legislation that coastal lawmakers said is bad news for the coast cleared the Senate Business and Commerce Committee Thursday and could end up on the Senate floor for debate as early as Wednesday.

Senate Bill 14 would seriously increase rates and surcharges for coastal property owners, establish more rigid windstorm property inspection criteria and mandate flood insurance among other things, according to Lee Otie Zapp, chairman of the watchdog organization Coastal Windstorm Insurance Coalition.

Insurance should be tool for implementing public policy. Risks should be shared and costs should be fair to everyone. Even to people living in Abilene.

PR tours vs solving the problem

Republican fantasy wishes vs reality. What a difference.

Newly appointed "border czar" Alan Bersin made a 45-minute stop in Brownsville Friday afternoon where he met privately with federal authorities to discuss border security issues.

Elections have consequences. .

Perry gets dinged by the Texas House. Freshman Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, and Rep. Yvonne Davis, D-Dallas helped one-two punch Perry.

The House just approved a budget provision forcing Gov. Rick Perry to risk losing his precious deal-closing money if he persists in trying to reject extra federal stimulus funds for unemployment insurance.

More here. Maybe Republicans in the House have been reading twitters to Perry.

And, it that wasn't juicy enough, vouchers take one on the chin.

By 122-23, the House voted to prohibit use of state or federal funds to pay for children to attend a private school. Rep. Joe Heflin, D-Crosbyton, again carried the amendment.

Tuition deregulation hurts. Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, D-El Paso, says Texas higher education has already reached third world status. Did anyone notice Republicans want to kill public education?

Doing the hard work to solve problems at the border

Life was so simple under Bush. Just figure out whether the problem needed a tax cut, the military or both. Republican logic.

Alan Bersin, the newly appointed special representative for border affairs, came to Laredo on Thursday during his first tour of the U.S.-Mexican border.

"The aim of his travel is to meet with local law enforcement to discuss coordination across the border," said Matt Chandler, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

He also stressed a twofold mission to federal and state authorities.

The first goal is to crack down on illegal immigration, and the second is to work with international and local stakeholders to meet the challenges unique to the southern border of the United States.

Goals? Discussion? Good times. Oh, yeah. And, cooperation.

The U.S. government will stand shoulder to shoulder with Mexico in its war on criminal gangs and guns, including a push to ratify a Latin American arms trafficking treaty, President Barack Obama said Thursday on his first visit to the Mexican capital.

No longer is US diplomacy pure arrogance backed up with the blood of our military members.

Now, lets listen to some new ideas.

Former Border Patrol agent Terry Nelson spoke in favor of legalizing drugs Thursday night at a meeting of the Republican Women's Club.

Nelson has more than 30 years as a federal anti-drug agent and four years' experience in Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

At a Republican Women's club? Good for them!

Rick Perry's run to the base shows how wing nutty his base is

Threatening to secede from the union was just too tasty to pass up.

For weeks, the Republican governor has ratcheted up his railing against the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress. Perry’s call for “states’ rights” and a suggestion that Texas could leave the union if it wanted to made national news this week.

A video on the governor’s Web site in which he endorses a states’ rights resolution by Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, received 305,576 hits since Tuesday, Perry’s staff said. YouTube versions were getting hundreds of thousands more.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh gave Perry an “Amen, bro,” and host Glenn Beck said he was “thrilled” by Perry’s stand on states’ rights.

Rick Perry, the best the Republicans have to offer. I'm not the only one who thinks Perry is on the looney toons train.

The 1845 joint merger agreement with Congress didn’t give Texas an option clause. The idea of leaving "was settled long ago," [A&M professor Walter L. Buenger] said.

"This is simple rabble-rousing and political posturing," he said. "That’s all it is.  . . .  Our governor is now identifying himself with the far-right lunatic fringe."

Perry avoided further history lessons Thursday, instead saying that he wants to "re-establish" the U.S. government.

Shapleigh wins ruling to look at cozy TCEQ/Asarco dealings

A state district judge ruled in favor of a request by state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, who sought internal documents related to the Asarco air-permit process and the Texas environmental agency.

Shapleigh, D-El Paso, requested documents, e-mails and cell-phone records that he claims could reveal potentially illegal interactions between Asarco lawyers and commissioners of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

3 Kemp's ridley turtle nests found on North Padre Island

Three Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests have been found at the Padre Island National Seashore, park officials said Thursday.

Officials said the nests, found Wednesday, are the first reported in the U.S. this year.

Why is there going to be a stupid fence on Eloisa Tamez's land?

Because Republicans see tax cuts or force as a solution to every problem. Because Barack Obama isn't stopping it. And, finally, because a judge said so. What a steaming pile of **** that is!

A federal judge rejected the last of the objections from one of the border fence's fiercest opponents Thursday, giving the government immediate possession of her land and clearing the way for construction to begin.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen issued his order in Brownsville, denying the arguments from Eloisa Tamez that the government failed to provide enough information about the fence it will build, the access that will be available from her land in El Calaboz and its offer of compensation.

Victoria DA's show trial loses judge

The district judge who has presided over the police chief's perjury case removed himself Wednesday.

District Judge Robert Cheshire did not give a specific reason for removing himself from the case of Police Chief Bruce Ure.

Why is the Police Chief on trial? Why are other city officials charged? Apparently, because they were tired of foot dragging on the DA's investigation into child rape charges. Who was the suspect? The DA's chief of staff and former sheriff. Michael Ratcliff plead guilty to to a MUCH lesser charge and got a slap on the wrist. What did the concerned officials get? Subpoenas and charges.

See previous posts.

US citizens get deported without safe guards

The American judicial system deems everyone innocent until proven guilty and guarantees a fair hearing with a lawyer — but not when it comes to immigration. Then there are far fewer rights. And as the system comes under pressure from a flood of new cases, the strain is showing.

One result is that U.S. citizens arrested as illegal immigrants or deportable residents cannot count on the legal system as a safety net. The odds are stacked against them. On the basis of interviews, lawsuits and documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, The Associated Press has documented more than 55 such cases since 2000, and immigration lawyers count hundreds more.

This is scary. Do you carry citizenship papers with you? Are Hispanics the only ones who need to do so?

New border czar likes posse comitatus

I like him.

The new assistant Homeland Security secretary for international affairs[, Alan Bersin,] also rejected calls by state officials and others to place troops on the U.S. side of the Mexican border.

"The posse comitatus have served this country well," he said, referring to laws that prevent the U.S. military from operating as law enforcement within the U.S.

New EPA calculations to include ... actual pollution!

Because, before the EPA wasn't counting some pollution. What!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to Mayor Bill White’s request to overhaul its methods for estimating emissions from large refineries and chemical plants, a move that could reveal higher pollution levels.

In response to White, the federal agency acknowledged flaws in its formulas for calculating pollution levels, leading to unreliable data for decision-making.

The new estimates would for the first time include emissions of toxic gases and other pollutants during startups, shutdowns and equipment malfunctions, according to the EPA’s letter to the mayor.

La Marque school trustee candidate and superintendent have public dispute

Bo Hunter, who is challenging incumbent Shirley Fanuiel for a spot on the board, temporarily was barred from the district until he and Superintendent Ecomet Burley smooth out their differences, Burley said. Police officers have been told to keep Hunter from campus, Burley said.

Burley called for Hunter’s banishment after the school board candidate, upset that Burley refused to enter the alternative school with him to witness some students misbehaving, propped open the back door of the school and shouted: “‘Hey staff! I want you to see your superintendent. He’s tucking his tail and running,’” Burley said, recalling the incident.

Hunter said he wanted Burley to witness the students’ behavior at the alternative school.

Sounds like both of them have problems.

Janet Napolitano got busy on border security

The Southwest border got a crime-fighting czar Wednesday, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced a series of other initiatives, including more federal agents and strict inspections of all vehicles traveling from El Paso into Juárez.

Napolitano said the programs come with new technology and appropriate funding to help Mexico continue its war against the drug cartels. At the same time, she said, the programs will help keep U.S. border cities safe.

In addition, the White House identified more drug cartel organizations.

The three Mexican groups were added to the U.S. government's blacklist of drug syndicates, known commonly as the Drug Kingpin Act and aimed at financially cutting off significant foreign narcotics traffickers, their organizations and operatives worldwide.

Those on the list are denied access to the U.S. financial system and all trade and transactions involving U.S. companies and individuals.

La Familia Michoacana, also known simply as La Familia, moves massive amounts of cocaine from Colombian drug dealers, according to U.S. officials.

Los Zetas was formed by ex-military men who became hit men for the other cartels.

The Sinaloa cartel, often referred to as the Mexican Federation, began in the 1970s and now controls most of the seaports along the Pacific coat of Mexico, officials say.

Finally. The adults are in charge. Lets hope that when something seems like a good idea, then proves not to be, changes will occur. With Bush and the Republicans, ideology is an inerrant religion. Whether it seems like a good idea or not (a gigantic, idiotic fence or air-dropping poison), if Bush believed it, that was that. Like tax cuts or force solve all problems.

Corpus Christi looking to cut costs

As the city prepares its budget that begins in August, the staff has been asked to prepare for 5 percent to 10 percent cuts across the board.

The cuts could mean fewer fringe benefits for city employees. Already the city has stopped providing cell phones for some employees and City Manager Angel Escobar said the city could change its travel policy so that only trips necessary for employees certification are taken.

Escobar said the goal is to keep city residents from seeing the effects of the budget crunch.

We look at everything and say, What can you cut without cutting service? he said.

Excuse me. Isn't garbage pickup a BIG service?

With an increased focus on recycling leading to less trash pickup, solid waste officials Thursday proposed once-a-week garbage pickup to Assistant City Manager Oscar Martinez during a budget review for the next fiscal year.

The customer mind-set might need to change, officials said, to better manage garbage at home before carting it to the street.

Bush didn't enforce sea turtle protections

Will Obama?

A half dozen conservation groups sued the federal government on Wednesday, claiming the agency that oversees the Gulf of Mexico fishery is violating the Endangered Species Act by failing to protect threatened sea turtles.

The groups claim a common type of fishing from vessels in the Gulf of Mexico that use long, baited lines to catch grouper and other fish is killing hundreds of the rare turtles every year.

“We think they’re required to stop the fishing,” said Steve Roady, an attorney for Earthjustice, which is suing on behalf of the conservation groups.

What's a fair cost for windstorm insurance on the coast?

Tornado alley lies in the northern part of the state. High wind damage can occur just about anywhere. Flooding happens in flood zones and even above flood zone levels from time to time. The entire Texas coast is vulnerable to hurricanes. Even homes as far inland as Austin were under a hurricane watch last season. Who should take the risk? Who should pay?

Hurricane victims lose again in fights over which catastrophic element caused the damage - wind or water. Insurance companies do all they can to maximize their profits. Public welfare and good public policy are of no concern to them. I believe home insurance should be provided by the state with risk and benefit shared by the citizens. Home insurance should be used as a tool of good public policy.

Taxpayers in Lubbock or Amarillo shouldn't have to take on more risk because someone built their multimillion dollar mansion in a flood zone. Homeowners should pay their fair share based on their risk factors. Public policy already dictates some locations are too risky for a home. Housing codes are different on the coast to protect against storm surge and high winds.

Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, sparred with inland lawmakers including Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, and Rep. Carl Isett, R-Lubbock, over proposed reforms before the House Committee on Insurance including Smithee’s House Bill 4733, which would raise rates by at least 35 percent for coastal property owners.

If we use public policy to minimize risk, then spread that risk over the state, our insurance rates will be affordable. And fair.

What little oversight the Texas Medical Board provides may soon vanish

You just have to remember that citizens always come in last when Republicans are in charge.

A bill that was the subject of a 5½-hour hearing Tuesday would sharply curtail the powers of the Texas Medical Board if it becomes law.

Backers argued that it would bring much-needed transparency and provide greater fairness to doctors whom, some say, the board is persecuting. They especially raised concerns about practitioners of alternative medicine and those who treat conditions such as autism.

Opponents, however, said the legislation would leave patients more vulnerable to bad doctors and make it difficult for patients to complain about physicians in a state where the Legislature has made it harder to sue for malpractice.

Case dropped against former Webb County Sheriff's son

The district attorney's office has rejected a drug case filed by UISD police against former Sheriff Rick Flores' son for lack of evidence, and the son's attorneys say he may have been the victim of retaliation aimed at his father.

...

The arresting officer, Ricardo Walker, had been fired by Sheriff Flores and recently lost a lawsuit over the dismissal.

UISD officials deny there was any retaliation.

Texas college tuition rates are STILL going up

Tuition at the University of Houston’s main campus could go up as much as 5 percent next fall under a plan approved by a board committee on Tuesday, but students won’t know the final cost until at least June.

That’s because several proposals being considered by the Legislature would freeze tuition and required fees or limit any increase to 5 percent or less.

The legislature isn't helping. But, then, why would they? The legislature is run by Republicans and Republicans want to kill public education.

El Paso says leave 10% rule alone

I agree.

City Council members took a stand Tuesday for the state's top-10-percent rule, saying El Paso's better students could be denied access to the University of Texas at Austin if state legislators changed the policy.

Council members voted unanimously to sign a resolution supporting the 12-year-old rule that guarantees admission to UT-Austin for any state high-school senior graduating in the top 10 percent of his or her class.

At least three bills in the Texas Legislature this session seek to eliminate or reduce the number of automatic admissions to UT-Austin.

UT wants the power to select students. Pleasing UT administrators shouldn't be our top goal. Providing excellent education opportunities to our children should be. There are not enough top tier education slots to satisfy the number of top tier students. Solve that problem first.

Will the Texas Senate stop the windstorm bill?

At the moment, Senate Bill 14 is stalled in the Senate Business and Commerce Committee.

Despite tweaks, including $500 million in general revenue from the state to help shore up the windstorm fund and decreases in assessments for insurance companies from $400 million to $250 million, the bill still would mean steep rate increases and surcharges for coastal property owners, said Rudy Garza, the city of Corpus Christi’s intergovernmental relations director.

Don't get your hopes too high.

Brownsville Mayor Pat Ahumada Jr. maybe in more trouble with the law

Once they start looking into your finances, who knows what they'll find. The DA has issued a subpoena to the city asking for Ahumada's travel records. Ahumada's lawyer says that his client paid for travel out of his own pocket.

Ahumada was recently indicted for depositing a $26k check made out to a city contractor into his own checking account.

Obama gives us a point person for border issues

Obama is ready to use all of the tools at his disposal to address border issues: diplomacy, the law, the military, and homeland security. It makes sense that one person focuses these tools appropriately on the problems.

The border czar, former U.S. attorney Alan Bersin of San Diego, will coordinate American policy on immigration, guns, drugs and bulk cash shipments into Mexico, a Department of Homeland Security official told the Houston Chronicle. Bersin’s appointment is expected to be announced today.

Drug cartels are upping their game, too.

On the very day officials confirmed President Barack Obama will appoint a border czar to combat drug cartels, Mexican police announced they confiscated a U.S.-made machine gun that could penetrate steel from a mile away, likely the most destructive weapon of its type ever seized in Mexico.

Napolitano going to El Paso tomorrow

Maybe Texas will get some stimulus funds for border crossing after all.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will be in El Paso, Columbus and Nogales on Wednesday to survey border operations.

The visits to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona will also be used to coordinate with state and local law enforcement officials as part of a major effort to disrupt illegal arms and cash smuggling, and to curtail illegal immigration, the White House has confirmed.

Last month, Napolitano unveiled a plan that calls for additional personnel, increased intelligence capability and better coordination with state, local and Mexican law enforcement authorities.

Bad news about Laredo border crossings

More people are dying trying to cross the border in Webb County.

Between Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, and March 31, the Laredo Sector Border Patrol reported 11 border-crossing deaths.

That's three more than the total reported for fiscal year 2008.

And since Thursday, Webb County authorities have recovered the bodies of four more illegal immigrants, which brings this fiscal year's count to 15 border-crossing deaths.

More bad news: Texas isn't getting border crossing stimulus funds.

Texas led all states in trade with Mexico last year, but none of the $720 million in stimulus funds to upgrade border land ports is going to the Lone Star State's busiest crossings at Laredo and El Paso, federal officials said.

Earlier this month when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced $300 million to improve ports operated by the General Services Administration in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Washington and Maine, she didn't mention Texas.

SHE DIDN'T MENTION TEXAS!! Whaa?

There is some good news.

More than $9.9 million has been seized at Laredo ports of entry since Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year.

That's more than triple the amount intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers during the 2008 fiscal year.

Is that good news? I guess it depends on if we're more effective or if there's more drug smuggling activity.

Moms bring in their daughters for HPV shots

That make sense. Parents doing what's best for their daughters' heath and well being. That well being includes reality bases sex education.

As Texas schools continue following an abstinence-is-best approach to sex education, Houston gynecologists say more mothers are asking them to have “the talk” with their young daughters.

Elvia Reyes decided her own physician, Dr. Mina Sinacori, would be the perfect person to speak with 11-year-old Vanessa.

Mexico says drug violence down 26% in 2009

That is great news! Obviously, this progress is just the start.

Laredo to hear about a NEW method to control carrizo

Listen up. It sounds better than air-dropping poison into the Rio Grande, but then, just about anything would.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service will hold a public meeting from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, to discuss the release of a small wasp chosen to help control the spread of carrizo cane, also called giant reed and Spanish reed.

The meeting will take place at the Holiday Inn Express at 7223 Bob Bullock Loop.

What might be the unintended consequences? I'd like to know.

Measuring approximately one-sixteenth of an inch long, with a brownish-black body, the wasp is a native of the western Mediterranean region, where carrizo cane originated.

Extensive testing by ARS scientists has shown that T. romana cannot feed or complete its life cycle on any plant other than carrizo, ensuring it will not harm any native or economically important plants.

The wasp also cannot sting or bother humans, pets, livestock or wildlife in any way.

The Rio Grande Guardian gives props to Barrio de Colores for stopping the air-drop of herbicide.

Having sex with a depressed patient? No big deal says the Texas Medical Board

The Texas Medical Board has reprimanded a San Antonio psychiatrist [Alan T. Lloyd] for having sex with a patient who sought his treatment because she was suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts.

Lloyd's currently working in San Antonio at the Laurel Ridge Treatment Center. Why does this man still have a medical license? What is the Laurel Ridge Treatment Center thinking?

You can't say sh*t in Texas City

Really. You can't.

A Texas City man wants his day in court after police cited him for disorderly conduct for the way he described the smelly nuggets that neighborhood cats left in his garden.

On Feb. 8, Joseph Loflin, 48, went into the street to casually confront his neighbors, who he said refused to keep their cats from using his garden as a litter box. Loflin said he never dreamed his neighbor and the man’s 13-year-old daughter would be offended by him using the S-word to describe the excrement.

You're going to be stripped searched at the airport

The neat part? You don't have to take off your clothes.

In a shift, the Transportation Security Administration plans to replace the walk-through metal detectors at airport checkpoints with whole-body imaging machines — the kind that provide an image of the naked body.

This is not good. On sooooo many levels.

JP Tony Torres gets warning for screwing up. Victim gets nothing.

Regarding [Elvira Abundiz's] case, the [State Commission on Judicial Conduct] recently issued a public warning to [Cameron County] Pct. 2, Place 2 Justice of the Peace Tony Torres for mishandling a small claims lawsuit that Abundiz and her son, Antonio Abundiz III, filed in Torres' court Dec. 4, 2006.

What now?

"There are people who get harmed. We have no authority to do anything to make them whole," commission Executive Director Seana Willing recently said of victims.

Justice. So hard to come by in Texas.

It's time for the weekly roundup!

It's Monday, and that means it is time for yet another edition of the TExas Progressive Alliance's Weekly Round-Up.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme noticed Fort Bend County was slapped by the DOJ for actual election integrity problems. Voters were illegally denied provisional ballots and Spanish speakers were not accommodated. Betty Brown probably wishes those voters would make life easier for English-speaking poll workers.

BossKitty at TruthHugger cannot accept that Tax Laws, Tax Legislation and Lawmakers are ignorant to the fact that keeping the taxpayer clueless brings in more revenue. Built in vagueness and contradiction guarantee more tax dollars collected. This country has brainwashed its taxpayers, that it is easier to waste their money on sleazy preparers and tax software, than to learn what taxes are all about. Taxpayers are complicit in their own misery, even though the government really tries to make the facts available. Taxpayers are convinced that taxes are just a necessary evil ... "Death and Taxes". But today, Can You Trust Your Tax Software When It Can't Keep Up.

Neil at Texas Liberal posted a video using Franklin Roosevelt and George W. Bush dolls to illustrate the recent liberal ascendancy in the United States.

We all had some fun at Rep. Betty Brown's expense last week, but Off the Kuff noted that there was a bill pending before Rep. Brown's Elections Committee that would actually help alleviate some of the problems that prevent eligible citizens from casting their ballots.

At Texas Kaos, it's been a bemusing week of watching Glenn Beck prepare to storm the Alamo City with Tea Bags. But nothing could have prepared us for Rick Perry linking his fortunes with Beck after his gasoline drenched performance Apparently a primary threat in the Texas Republican Party means you double down on the batshit crazy lies. Who knew?

Kim Jong Il wasn't the only person to fire a missile this week. McBlogger went ballistic over that dapper Senator Watson.

The Employee Free Choice Act met the Democratic Senator from the Great State of Wal-Mart and is headed down to defeat as a result. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has more on the Senate's caving in once again to the corporations.

Asian American Action Fund Blog has extensive coverage of Betty Brown's ridiculous questioning of Ramey Ko, from our first report to Brown's apology and Ko's description of their conversation. In addition, there are link roundups of most coverage of the incident from April 9th and 10th. And don't miss law professor Frank Wu's exploration of the matter.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the 20 Republicans in the Texas House who voted against education benefits for veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Why is Barack Obama breaking his promise about that d*mn fence!

I want to know and so does the Texas Border Coalition.

“During President Obama’s campaign, he stated that he would "reverse that policy" of building a wall, “that the key is to consult with local communities,” adding that the Bush Administration did not do such a good job of consulting. He said, “Having the border patrolled, surveillance, deploying effective technology, that's going to be the better approach.” In Berlin, he noted, "The walls between the countries with the most and those with the least cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down."

Common sense border security ideas

The Texas Border Coalition lists four basic requirements in a memorandum to Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano. Why be so simple? We're still reeling over the swaggering, simplistic thuggery of George Bush.

1. Deliver the balance of funds to help the Calderón administration fight the drug lords;
2. Increase U.S. law enforcement efforts to seize shipments of guns and money headed to Mexico;
3. Increase cooperation between U.S. law enforcement officials and their Mexican counterparts;
4. Continue to make the case to Americans that it is drug use in this country that helps keep these ruthless cartels in business.

Nueces County Republican officials don't like the way fellow Republican Smithee treated them

House Insurance Committee chairman, Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, wants to change the windstorm insurance fund so that coastal residents pay out the nose for coverage. Coastal reps are not amused.

Not only did [Corpus Christi Rep] Hunter and Smithee battle, so did Smithee and Nueces County Judge Loyd Neal. Smithee smirked at Neal’s questions and in a tone often used by kindergarten teachers, he told Neal, who has 40 years in the insurance industry, “Let me tell you how it works.”

...

“I’m going to tell y’all something,” Hunter continued. “You can treat each one of these witnesses as rough as you want but they are up here because they are bothered and threatened. I went home this weekend to be told by bankers that we are now losing business because of the filing of some of this legislation. That’s bad economics. It’s called legislative negligence.”

Corpus Christi Caller Times hearts new mayor

Love in the spring. Joe Adame has already figured out how to give away stuff to businesses.

He already has dug for ideas on how to bring new jobs here by researching incentive packages given to employers by other cities, such as San Antonio.

Nice. I hope he is good for Corpus Christi. I'll guess we'll see.

Betty Brown is still an idiot

Ramey Ko, the young man testifying before the Texas House about Voter ID burdens, was interviewed about his take on what Betty Brown said to him. There's the 'Asian Americans aren't normal' vibe from Brown.

I’d also note that the apology doesn’t address her use twice of language that implies Asian Americans aren’t Americans:

“Do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here.”

“Can’t you see that this is something that would make it a lot easier for both you and for people who are pollworkers, if there were some means by which you could adopt a name just for your poll identification purposes that would be easier for the Americans to deal with?”

Then, there's the 'deal with it' vibe.

I noted the “your people” part of the comment, and how that kind of attitude demonstrated a lack of concern for Asian Americans’ obstacles to voting. I noted how this also showed that apparently Asian Americans are supposed to bear the burden of protecting their right to vote instead of the government.

Hat tip to Off the Kuff.

Betty Brown is an idiot

Republican State Rep. Betty Brown is in the process of apologizing for saying Asian Americans should adopt 'Americanized' names for the convenience of poll workers..

[Austin attorney Ramey] Ko says Brown told him she meant no offense by her questions on Tuesday. According to Ko, Brown said she was just trying to be helpful and come up with a solution to the problems with the Voter ID bill, and she meant nothing derogatory about Ko or "his race."

I believe she didn't mean to offend. The scary part is she has no inkling about what she did and why it was offensive. Americans, as Brown sees them, are the norm. All others, like Asian Americans, must conform to her perceptions of what an American is.

Why is it a radical change for the US to admit to a drug habit?

The Bush years were the epitome of the swaggering, narcissistic, entitlement crowd. Stating the US drug appetite is part of the problem can't be revolutionary? Can it? Compared to the reality-denying, narcissists it is.

Beyond the diplomatic context of the relationship, Secretary Clinton’s message clearly signaled a radical change in the U.S. position with respect to drug trafficking. Mexico has for decades insisted that drug trafficking be treated as a common and shared problem, and that both parties should be jointly responsible for its solution. Secretary Clinton admitted such joint responsibility, which was confirmed by the other high U.S. officials who followed her in their visits to Mexico. All of this has set the stage for President Obama’s upcoming visit to Mexico.

DPS wants Perry's anti-immigrant driver's license rule

The Texas Department of Public Safety will appeal a ruling that blocks the agency from enforcing new rules that prevent some legal immigrants from getting drivers' licenses, the state Attorney General's Office announced Friday.

Attorneys for the state filed a notice Friday to appeal a temporary injunction by State District Judge Orlinda L. Naranjo in Austin. The appeal notice would stay the injunction, keeping the current DPS license and identification rules in effect.

DPS thumbs its nose at Naranjo.

DPS said the appeal means those rules — touted last year as a crackdown on unauthorized immigrants — will remain in effect until the merits of the appeal are decided.

The DPS reason for keeping its current rule is absurd.

DPS said one reason it's appealing is that the ruling “will have a major impact on business operations at the agency, and could in fact shut down the agency's ability to appropriately and securely identify driver license applications.”

If undoing this change is a major hit, then the initial change must have been a whopper.

Hurricane warning metrics debated

Hey, people were told that facing Ike would be 'certain death'. If officials had called Ike a Category 10 hurricane, how many more people would have evacuated? Some, surely. Still, the Saffir-Simpson scale doesn't capture all aspects of the potential destruction.

For this year’s tropics season, the National Hurricane Center won’t abandon the venerable Saffir-Simpson scale, which rates hurricanes on a familiar scale, from Category 1 to Category 5.

But the center’s director says any single index cannot begin to capture the local impact of a hurricane, a fact Hurricane Ike — only a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale — made stark to residents of the upper Texas coast.

People do adapt to words associated with new weather concepts. Who remembers hearing about the 'dry line' years ago?

No casinos for the Tiguas for now

Was it their tribal leader's criminal record?

The Tiguas' efforts to restart their casino are dead yet again, lawmakers said Friday.

The failure is due, at least in part, to tribal Gov. Frank Paiz's criminal record dating to 1987.

"I believe the Tigua legislation is not salvageable," said state Rep. Norma Chávez, D-El Paso.

Lawmakers told the tribe this week that chances of any gambling legislation passing this year were minuscule. Paiz's criminal record, they said, diminished what were already small odds.

Corpus Christi smoking ban may be delayed

One day before an expanded city ban on smoking is set to take effect, the City Council will discuss delaying it.

On Tuesday’s agenda is an item to consider June 15 as the start of the city’s smoke-free workplace ordinance, banning smoking in bars, pool halls and bowling alleys. Smoking already is banned in restaurants.

Businesses need time to prepare. That's okay. Don't wait too long. People need and deserve smoke-free surroundings.

Why is Obama allowing fence construction to continue?

When Brownsville residents and politicians started protesting the border fence two years ago, it was no more than a red line drawn on a federal government map.

This week, those plans became real as construction began on the first standard segment of fencing within city limits.

Twenty-foot steel beams are now standing at the end of Palm Boulevard, a half-mile from downtown Brownsville. Weston Solutions of Houston is building the segment and two others in the area - a total of 8.2 miles of fencing - for $28.5 million.

What do Republicans think the biggest problems facing Texas are?

Voter impersonation and being able to take your gun to class. What about the economy? Healthcare? School funding? Those sorts of problems aren't on their radar.

Legislation allowing state university students and employees to carry their concealed handguns on campus appears to have enough pledged support from lawmakers to pass the full Texas House.

The bill would prohibit public universities across Texas from creating rules that forbid concealed handgun license holders from carrying their pistols into a classroom, but it would allow private institutions to exempt themselves.

Excuse me. Why is it that the Republican solution to the problem of people getting out of control and going on a shooting rampage is to ..... provide access to more guns in more places?

Fort Bend County gets slapped by DOJ for voting rights violations

The complaint, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, alleged Fort Bend County failed to implement an effective bilingual election program for Spanish-speaking voters in violation of provisions of the Voting Rights Act.

The county was also accused of preventing eligible voters from receiving assistance from the persons of their choice.

Additionally, the complaint alleged Fort Bend County failed to offer eligible voters in federal elections the use of provisional ballots, and it failed to provide provisional voters information on whether their provisional ballots were counted.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Loretta King said the county has agreed to take steps to ensure those without a strong command of the English language will have equal access to the election process.

What would Betty Brown say? They should all change their names and learn English.

No separate driver's licenses for immigrants. For now.

A judge ordered a temporary halt Thursday to Texas' new driver's license rules, which were meant to stop undocumented immigrants from obtaining identification but have resulted in denials for many legal U.S. residents.

State District Judge Orlinda Naranjo issued a temporary injunction against the Texas Department of Public Safety. She ruled that the department overstepped its authority by imposing rules that prevent some legal immigrants from getting licenses and issue different-looking licenses to others.