It's TPA blog roundup

The Texas Progressive Alliance welcomes everyone back from the Thanksgiving Holiday with these highlights from the blogs.

TXsharon has arranged by area 60 TCEQ fugitive emission videos obtained via the Texas Public Information Act. The videos were taken throughout the Barnett Shale area using a GasFindIR (Infrared) camera. Find the videos for your area at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS to see what you're breathing.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme wonders why some destroyed Galveston beach houses were paid out at prices nearly double their county appraised value.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is fed up with Road Rage and wants it taken a more seriously by the authorities. Road Rage is indeed vehicular terrorism! Vehicular terrorism is dismissed by the court system as misdemeanors with token consequences ... unless of course someone gets killed. Even then is not identified for what it really is. Vehicular Terrorism! Is Road Rage is a way of life for Texans?.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on Gov. Perry's "jet-set" ways? A Watchdog group wants to know about Gov. Perry's travel expenses.

Bay Area Houston lists who the local bloggers are endorsing in the Houston Mayor's race. (It is one sided)

Off the Kuff rounds up reactions to Bill White's announcement that he is considering a jump into the Governor's race.

Libby Shaw Texas Republican Lawmakers Lose Huge Federal Contract examines the why's and who's of the huge government contract Perry and the Boyz just lost and what it means for Texas. Check it out at TexasKaos.

Neil at Texas Liberal ran a post about Moby Dick. We Are All Shipmates—Moby Dick. This post offers up a picture of the excellent ship pulpit featured in the book and movie adaptations of the book. Neil reminds you that we are all shipmates.

WhosPlayin is still watching Lewisville ISD and wishing they would just answer a simple question.

Maybe the BAE Systems plant in Sealy, which lost its $2.6 billion Pentagon contract due to the economic incompetence of Rick Perry and other Republican elected officials, can now manufacture "Republic of Texas" trucks, according to PDiddie at Brains and Eggs.

Xanthippas at Three Wise Men takes a look at the results of a study that demonstrate how conservative anti-tax rhetoric has resulted in a substantial shift of the nation's burden from the wealthy to the lower and middle-class, and wonders what that means in an age when irresponsible investors crash the economy, are bailed out by the federal government and reward themselves with billions of dollars in bonuses.

Why are so many kids drowning in Texas?

A record number of kids (105) drowned in Texas waters so far this year.

This is the 30th child drowning this year in the Houston region and the fourth in November — an unusually high number for a winter month, officials said.

If churches want full political participation, then give up tax exemptions

The archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, a leader of the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion, has lashed out at criticism of the role bishops have played in influencing the health care debate in Congress.

In an interview last week, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo dismissed the argument that the bishops’ efforts to exclude abortion from the proposed health plan, including visits to prominent members of Congress, have crossed the line to improper lobbying.

Enabling pedophiles. Pushing poverty by forbidding birth control. Promoting gay bashing. Prioritizing male privilege and domination over women's bodies before health care for living people. Have they crossed a line?

Who will lead CPS Energy?

CPS Energy's Board of Trustees is expected to decide who should take the reins of the troubled utility Monday while it tries to rebuild its reputation in the wake of the recent nuclear cost estimate debacle.

Interim General Manager Steve Bartley resigned Wednesday, days before the board is to decide the fate of several other executives implicated in an internal investigation launched last month.

Bush's decision to ignore Bin Laden and go after Sadam Hussein is a costly mistake

Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of U.S. troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when American military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force, a Senate report says.

The report asserts that the failure to kill or capture bin Laden at his most vulnerable in December 2001 has had lasting consequences beyond the fate of one man. Bin Laden's escape laid the foundation for today's reinvigorated Afghan insurgency and inflamed the internal strife now endangering Pakistan, it says.

Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are the among the largest disasters in US history. I'll bet Iraqis and the Afghans agree.

El Paso corruption trial continues with same judge

U.S. District Court Judge Frank Montalvo has denied a defense request to recuse himself and will continue presiding over the corruption case of lawyer Luther Jones and District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez.

Jones, 63, and Sanchez, 42, filed a motion asking Montalvo to step aside. A hearing on their recusal motion was scheduled for next Friday, but Montalvo last week preempted it by denying the request, court records show.

In his denial order, Montalvo wrote that Jones and Sanchez had not proved that he overstepped his role as the presiding judge. They alleged he was too intimate with the details of the government's investigation and could no longer be fair to the suspects.

Montalvo disagreed.

Corpus Christi police yawn at assault of 78 year old man

How else could you possibly interpret this story?

The death of Miguel Garcia Bayardo on Friday prompted police Saturday to investigate more how he was assaulted, officials said.

Why should it be so hard to get a South Texas VA hospital?

Surely, classism and racism aren't involved. Yeah, right.

However, one of the hardest-fought battles [Rio Grande Valley veterans] had is here in the homeland — getting a veterans hospital built in South Texas.

"We’ve always figured it would be a hard-fought battle," said Garza, who added he has been working on the issue since 2005.

Valley veterans claimed a victory earlier this month after Texas voters passed Proposition No. 8, which calls for the construction of a veterans hospital in South Texas.

The win is big because it will allow Texas to work with the federal government to construct and staff a full-fledged hospital for Valley veterans.

Will John Cornyn's efforts get Scozzafavaed?

Emboldened by a summer of Tea Party protests and anger-infused town halls, they're demanding purity, as they did in an upstate New York congressional race this month that exposed raw nerves and bitter fault lines in the GOP. Now, in Senate races from California to Florida, conservative activists are trying to defeat candidates backed by the Republican establishment.

San Antonio Express News headline says sack 'em all at CPS Energy

CPS trustees are probably looking ruefully at their late September decision to extend [CPS Energy CEO Milton] Lee's contract for another year. Not only does it keep in place a leader with tarnished public credibility, but the contract, which includes $200,000 in base pay, reportedly has limited Lee's operational involvement to the extent that he's unable to actually run the utility even if trustees asked him to.

Suit over flood damage caused by that d*mn fence

The U.S. government and the company with which it contracted to build a border fence in Lukeville are facing a suit from the owners of a border town convenience store for damages from a July 2008 flash flood.

Headline that makes you go 'Whaa?'

The Houston Chronicle online front page has this gem 'Gay teen attacked in Houston - Keep the Faith'

With all of the gay bashing going on in many of today's churches, one might interpret that headline as an 'atta boy'. Actually, Keep the Faith is the name of a blog and the rest was a post title highlighting gay bashing as a tragic problem.

Last week, we heard news that a teen from Langham Creek High School was allegedly chased down by other teens, beaten with a pipe and told, "You are going to quit being gay." The boy says that he had been tipped off that the attack was going to happen, and that he approached the Vice Principal and the bus driver seeking protection. Parents are questioning the level of safety being provided to their teens. Rumors and accusations of previous conflict and offensive behavior began to emerge. Was it a hate crime? We know this--the assault was tragic, and is part of a larger pattern of violence against gay people. Incidents of violence assault the safety and security of all teens, especially any may be perceived as gay.

El Paso whistleblower gets reward. Finally

Jurors have awarded $100,000 to a Fire Department official who blew the whistle on alleged malfeasance, including falsification of training records.

The plaintiff, Alan Parsons, sued the city after his superiors removed him from a supervisory role at the department training academy and reassigned him to headquarters.

Parsons, 48, claimed that the city reassigned him because he reported departmental violations to the Texas Commission on Fire Protection in April 2007.

Good on you, Alan Parsons. You didn't shut up.

Nueces County is #10 - for benzene

Nueces County ranked 10th among all U.S. counties for the highest amounts of industry-released benzene in 2007, the latest data available from the Environmental Protection Agency.

A pilot study last year by Texas A&M University found alarming levels of benzene in the blood and urine of Hillcrest residents. The study has been contradicted by a refinery-hired consultant, who speculated a methodology error caused the readings to be too high. The levels were 14 times higher than those found in a study of benzene factory workers.

#10 or #1, neither is very good. The 2007 study showed a problem.

Say goodbye to San Juan's city manager

San Juan city commissioners accepted the resignation of City Manager Tony Garza on Tuesday night.

City officials emerged from a nearly half-hour executive session Tuesday to unanimously approve a recommendation from special attorney Gustavo Acevedo for "an agreement in principle" with Garza for him to step down from his city manager post.

The Dallas Morning News stands up for Open Meetings Act

The Open Meetings Act helps keep public officials accountable, spelling out prohibitions on secret deliberations. Violating the act is a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500 and six months in jail.

For city councils and other government bodies, avoiding these consequences is pretty simple: Don't schedule secret meetings or make decisions behind closed doors.

Amazingly, the Texas Municipal League and some Texas cities have decided that's too much to ask.

The league, which is funded with taxpayer dollars, has passed a resolution seeking a law that would strip the teeth out of the Open Meetings Act. Additionally, officials from more than a dozen cities across the state plan to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law.

FUNDED WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS? Sorry for the shouting.

El Paso Medical Examiner provided questionable résumé

Nobody in an official position bothered to check the guy's résumé?

Dr. Paul Shrode, who for years has fought allegations that he lied on his résumé and is underqualified to be chief medical examiner of El Paso County, finds himself the target of a new state complaint.

The latest to bring accusations against Shrode is David Fisher, a Central Texas watchdog of county medical examiners. Fisher has tracked Shrode through his career from Houston to Lubbock to El Paso. A vocal critic of state standards for county medical examiners, Fisher said Shrode is one of many medical examiners in the state who are unfit to practice.

Fisher this week filed a complaint against Shrode with the Texas Medical Board. He alleges that Shrode violated state law by falsifying his résumé to obtain the job of chief medical examiner of El Paso County.

Fisher said Shrode falsely claimed to have a law degree and did not disclose that he had failed the board certification exam in pathology.

Hidalgo County Comissioner may be going back to jail next week

A federal judge could decide as early as next week whether to revoke or permanently alter the conditions of Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy’s bond, her attorney said.

Pre-trial monitors filed a motion Wednesday asking the court to review the elected official’s release after allegations surfaced that she tried to bribe a witness in her ongoing criminal case.

See previous posts.

It's Thanksgiving.

I am thankful for friends, family and all of the goodness life has offered me. How about you?

Looks like Galveston paid too much for destroyed beach houses

Sales contracts for the first 23 beach-front properties whose owners completed buyout agreements with the city show wide disparities between the values set by private appraisers and those listed by the Galveston Central Appraisal District. On average, the city paid 89 percent more for the houses damaged by Hurricane Ike than the appraisal district said they were worth before the storm.

On average. Hmm. I'll bet somebody made out like a bandit. Emphasis on 'bandit'. Others maybe not as much.

Del Rio has a new police chief

City council members Tuesday night unanimously confirmed the appointment of Mark A. Crosby as the interim chief of the Del Rio Police Department.

Crosby's appointment becomes effective with the resignation of DRPD Chief Waylon Bullard on Friday, Dec. 4.

Alice area companies get teensy slap on wrist from TCEQ

You couldn't call it much. Just a reprimand. After all, endangering lives with pollution or causing enormous grief and suffering with pollution driven illness is nothing compared to the rights of a corporation to do whatever it pleases to make a buck.

CPS Energy executives get a reprieve

CPS Energy trustees took no action Wednesday morning after deliberating for nearly 11 hours over the fate of several top executives connected to a nuclear cost estimate — much higher than expected — that was kept from the utility's board and the City Council.

The board came out of executive session shortly before 1 a.m. to announce that it would continue deliberation Monday.

“The seriousness of this issue warrants that this board takes care, takes caution,” Chairwoman Aurora Geis told the sparse crowd that waited. “People's lives are at stake.”

Gene Locke turns into a Republican in his run against Parker

How else do you explain the gay bashing and the 'tax and spend Liberal' rhetoric?

Former City Attorney Gene Locke launched the first major attack ad of the mayoral runoff campaign Tuesday, releasing a radio spot that seeks to paint City Controller Annise Parker as a poor steward of taxpayer dollars in her 12 years as a City Council member and fiscal watchdog.

“Can Houston really afford Annise Parker as our next mayor?” a female narrator asks in the spot, which goes on to note the double-digit growth in the city's budget over the period she has been in office and various votes she took for fee increases or against budget cuts.

Christian Archer must be very proud.

The Galveston County Daily News calls out Ron Paul for hypocrisy

[Ron Paul's] speech, delivered Saturday at the Galveston Country Club, included a message about keeping the federal government out of the pocketbooks of ordinary folks.

What’s ironic is that West Ender residents had lobbied relentlessly — and successfully — for what has to be the most breathtaking entitlement program approved in response to Hurricane Ike.

The federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program was not designed to compensate owners of expensive houses that end up on or near the public beach.

But, in Galveston, that’s exactly what it’s being used for.

Chávez declining to run for Shapleigh's seat

A state Senate seat that has opened up for the first time in more than a decade has only one taker as of Tuesday.

State Rep. Norma Chávez, D-El Paso, bowed out from a possible run for the seat that state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh will vacate after the 2010 election.

She will instead run for reelection in District 76.

"I had to decide what was best for the citizens in my House district, what was best for El Paso and what was right for my family and me," she said in a statement.

Chávez's announcement means former county attorney José Rodríguez remains the only official candidate in the state Senate race.

Sometimes people in the same party do work together.

Allowing 'trusted' truckers to cross border invites drug smugglers

That's a big 'duh'.

Turnover at CPS Energy

CPS Energy's board of trustees is expected to announce significant personnel changes today on the heels of an investigation into why high cost estimates for the utility's proposed nuclear project were kept from the board.

“We are very concerned about the lack of disclosure of material information by certain CPS Energy employees,” Mayor Julián Castro said Monday after a closed-door session of the board lasting nearly five hours. “There will be changes at CPS Energy.”

You lie, you should lose.

Greg Abbott screws retired Texas teachers out of bonus

25,000 retired Texas teachers get the finger instead of $500 bonus checks.

Are you surprised? El Paso is 2nd safest US city.

Just don't cross the border.

A new ranking shows El Paso moved up to the second-safest large city in the nation even while a vicious drug cartel war has turned Juárez into one of the deadliest cities in the world.

El Paso trailed only Honolulu for the lowest crime rate for cities with more than 500,000 population in an annual publication released Monday by CQ Press. The ranking is based on crime data for 2008.

Civic leaders lauded the rating, saying it counters a negative perception that El Paso is a violent place because of the killings across the border.

Even more trouble for Hidalgo's Sylvia Handy

A federal court has ordered Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy remain on 24-hour home lockdown and could send her to jail amid allegations she tried to bribe a witness in her ongoing criminal case.

Prosecutors said Handy offered $500 concert tickets to the family of an illegal immigrant who worked in her home days after she was indicted in connection with giving the woman a job.

See previous posts.

Mercedes Mayor in disbelief over vote to gut the Open Meetings Act

The executive director of the Texas Municipal League said Monday that the resolution seeking to lessen jail-time penalties for violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act did pass with "overwhelming" support at the nonprofit organization’s annual conference.

Frank Sturzl disputed the belief of TML board member Mercedes Mayor Joel Quintanilla and Mercedes City Commissioner Ruben Guajardo that the resolution failed.

"The city officials must be very confused," Sturzl said Monday.

When you think that governments ought to be run in the dark, that would be confusing to people who think that government is for the benefit of its citizens.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times goes after Rockport Mayor, Todd Pearson, who wants to run Rockport away from public view.

The intent of the law is to stop public officials from handling public business away from the public eye. Citizens have a right to witness the arguments for and against legislation, and to try to influence the process. If city council members e-mail each other or talk privately about city business and come to agreement in that way, citizens are cut out.

Rockport Mayor Todd Pearson claims that officials are “unduly burdened” by the “onerous” criminal penalties in this law. But that burden is intentional. When public officials feel comfortable to the point of not watching what they say, the law gets broken. Public officials have nothing to fear if they follow the law.

Bill White in, Tom Schieffer out

Good riddance to the the Bushbot.

As a result of that Sunday afternoon meeting, Democratic candidate Tom Schieffer — who was a Bush administration ambassador to Australia and Japan — announced Monday that he will withdraw from the race for governor to clear the path for White. Schieffer urged other Democrats in the race to drop out and join him in support of White.

“We simply must get behind one candidate who can unite the Democratic Party and offer a credible alternative to the Republicans,” Schieffer said. “Bill White is that candidate.”

The mayor then held a City Hall news conference to say he will consider running for governor and make an announcement by Dec. 4.

Kay Bailey domino effects.

It's Monday TPA blog roundup time. Enjoy!

The Texas Progressive Alliance as Thanksgiving week begins brings you this week's highlights from the blogs.

The Texas Cloverleaf clues you in on why you can't breathe in Denton County-- gas drillers!

WCNews at Eye On Williamson has some Thoughts on Straus' Interim Charges - including topics like feral hogs, blogging, and transportation.

On Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS, TXsharon summarizes the Barnett Shale Emissions Meeting in Fort Worth.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme would like the sun to shine on city doings even if city officials don't.

Justin at Asian American Action Fund Blog is delighted that Hank Gilbert has enlisted Geeyung Li as APIA Outreach Director and thus has the first Asian American senior staffer of the campaign.

With Farouk Shami's entrance into the race, McBlogger thinks it's now down to two real candidates. Find out who they are.

WhosPlayin discusses how two cities within one school district have vastly different expectations for the district when it comes to construction.

Neil at Texas Liberal offered information about when it is you should thaw your turkey. He also offered information about having a vegetarian Thanksgiving if that is your thing.

The Kay Bailey-Rick Perry cage match is a front in the war for control of the Republican Party going on throughout the country. Battles like the one in NY-23 last month are gearing
up in a D-FW-area state Senate district in Texas, and a US Senate race in Florida, and likely all points in-between. Find out more at Brains and Eggs.

Over at Texas Vox, Public Citizen Energy Policy Director Tyson Slocum urges the EPA to use the Clean Air Act to fight global warming.

nytexan at BlueBloggin is worn out with political buzz words, especially Socialism, The New Buzz Word. Americans are amazingly ignorant about civics, types of governments and the world around them. Knowing whats going on around us, and researching facts is, after all, boring and unnecessary when we have news soundbites. And, I am not only speaking about the talking heads on Fox. Yes, here in America, we even outsource our thought process to main stream media and whatever tickles their fancy at any given moment.

Libby Shaw, over at TexasKaos, reports on the circular firing squad that is today's Texas Republican Party in her posting, Tea Party Candidates to Challenge Texas Republicans . Give it a read.

TxDOT planning to sneak in more toll roads

Lawmakers might have left the Capitol earlier this year without getting much done when it comes to transportation. But they were clear on one point: They wanted the Texas Department of Transportation out of the business of building privately financed toll roads.

The Texas Legislature beat back attempts to extend the authority for so-called comprehensive development agreements – 50-year contracts with private companies that agree to build roads in return for toll revenue – and the department's ability to enter into the contracts expired Aug. 31.

But less than six months later, state highway bosses may have found a loophole. And the Dallas area, already home to more toll roads than anywhere in Texas, probably is the place where they will try it first.

I hope somebody in the Texas Legislature is getting really angry about this.

Victoria Advocate pushes creationism

Here's some mushy logic for you.

The United States was built on God and the money even says "In God We Trust," so incorporating creationism into the school curriculum seems a natural step, proponents say.

How about this one.

Many children grow up in less-than-ideal circumstances and hearing a bit more about religion could be a good thing, [Victoria housewife Rosie Johnson] added.

No, Rosie. There's this thing called separation of church and state. By the way, what religion should teachers be teaching? Your religion or theirs?

Then there is the paid, think tank drivel.

People often argue that evolution is science and creation is religion, but that isn't the full truth. Both are belief systems about the past, said Gary Bates, chief executive officer of Creation Ministries International, a ministry geared to support the church and proclaim the Bible's truth, according to the group's Web site.

Apparently, Gary can't distinguish between a belief and science. Neither can his buddies in the Republican party.

McNeil to challenge Adkisson for Bexar County Commissioner's slot

Former City Councilwoman Sheila McNeil has confirmed the worst-kept secret in local politics: She intends to challenge Precinct 4 County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson in March's Democratic primary.

“It's pretty official,” McNeil said, adding she plans to make a formal announcement soon.

McNeil said she recently solicited a poll by Wilson Research Strategies, a company based in Washington, D.C., to assess her chances in a potential showdown with Adkisson and found the poll numbers encouraging.

San Antonio Tea Party faces financial questions

A local organization formed to help raise hell about where our tax dollars are going now finds itself in turmoil over where its donations are going.

Passions at the San Antonio Tea Party have turned inward over allegations that the St. Mary's University accounting professor who handled its books might have pocketed some of the money.

The professor, Gail Kaciuba, has denied doing any such thing. But the local Tea Party's former president, Matt Perdue — the man who alleged the irregularities in a widely circulated e-mail blast Nov. 12 — has formed a splinter group called Tea Party Support.

San Antonio Express News shows bias in title

'Gaps for consumers in Democrat health care bills'

You know it's a cr*p article when the editor and author use 'Democrat' as an adjective.
It's an AP article. AP has some hardcore propaganda pushers. Why do local papers go along?

Batsh*t crazies on SBOE pushing the propaganda

Combine religion, race, money and politics, and you have the major ingredients of the passionate debate brewing over what the next generation of Texas schoolchildren will be taught in social studies classes.

To kick off the discussion, hundreds of Texans are expected to sign up at the first public hearing on Jan. 13 in front of the State Board of Education, which is charged with creating new social studies standards that will influence curriculum and textbooks for history, government, geography and economics classes for 4.7 million students over the next decade.

Facts and science don't count with 'conservative' board members.

La Marque outsourcing substitute teachers

The La Marque school district, in search of better-trained substitutes, took the unusual step of hiring a private firm to provide its substitute teachers.

Trustees hired a company run by former teacher Kim Yancy to interview and train new substitutes in an effort to boost the quality of temporary teachers in La Marque’s classrooms, district spokeswoman Denise McLean said.

City Manger's brother ran deal with Windcrest development

Now things are looking dicey and dirty. Surprised? Who thought it was a good idea for a City Manager to be working multi-million dollar deals on behalf of his city and his brother?

In the lawsuit — which does not directly name the city of Windcrest — Rackspace alleges it was misled into paying for a chunk of adjoining property that it does not own, and that land/property developer Gary Cain took $2.8 million from an account set aside to construct an outlet road for its employees to use to more easily access the facility, at Walzem Road and Interstate 35.

Monday's meeting began with several residents asking the council to be more transparent with Rackspace activity and even included a few calls for City Manager Ronnie Cain, brother to developer Gary Cain, to be placed on administrative leave in the interim.

No doubt Cain should be placed on leave. No doubt. If Windcrest wants to look clean.

CPS Energy hid cost problem from San Antonio

Ya knew you were going to get caught. Did you think it would be too late to back out by then? Why did you think it was a good idea?

CPS Energy knew a year ago that contractor Toshiba Inc. wanted at least $4 billion more than San Antonio was willing to pay for the nuclear expansion, according to several sources close to the deal.

Despite this, utility officials used a much lower figure as they pitched the project at public meetings during the summer, arguing that nuclear was the most cost-effective way for San Antonio to meet its future energy needs.

What's worse? Wall Street knew first.

It's come to this: The simple truth withheld from the community by CPS Energy was revealed last week by NRG Energy executives to a Houston gathering of financial analysts: San Antonio can't afford the high price of expanding the South Texas Project nuclear facility.

Not that we need another example, but once again Wall Street enjoys the advantage over Main Street. Ratepayers don't have a need to know, but let's not deny institutional investors a little inside information.

The project will cost billions more than CPS estimated, even after interim General Manager Steve Bartley went to Japan to seek concessions. Utility executives want until January to bring a new number to Mayor Julián Castro and the City Council. Why wait?

Rene Rodriguez goes Republican in judge's race

A Tuesday night fundraiser for Republican Angelica Hernandez, who is challenging District Judge J. Manuel Bañales, drew a politically diverse crowd who don’t normally mix, which Hernandez pointed out.

First she introduced attorney Rene Rodriguez, known for his stalwart support of Democrat causes, as one of her top supporters. Then she pointed across the room at Republican Mike Scott, as another top supporter.

Is Bañales that bad? Maybe.

Why does it cost 20% more to house Nueces County inmates?

Nueces County taxpayers spend about 20 percent more to house offenders than the average Texas county, a cost increasing with the jail’s constant overcrowding.

Higher medical costs, more staff overtime and costly meals drive the expenses above what other counties with comparable populations and jail capacities spend to do the same job.

Why are the meals more costly?

Border residents delivered by a mid wife apply for passports

The U.S. Department of State will have special passport processing services next month in Brownsville and Harlingen for a number of South Texas residents whose passport applications were denied because midwives attended their births.

At the "acceptance events" to be held Dec. 1, U.S. citizens will be allowed to reapply for passports free of fees and under a new application process. But not all of those who were denied passports will be allowed to attend.

The events, which already have been held in El Paso, Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Laredo, come as a result of a settlement agreement in a year-long class action lawsuit filed against the Department of State by the American Civil Liberties Union and immigration attorneys representing citizens denied passports.

Oh, the batsh*t crazy racists won't like this. Those interested in equal protection under the law will.

Cities want to ignore the open meetings act

I'm sure they do. Who wants citizens second guessing the anointed ones?

A controversial resolution that seeks to lessen penalties against elected officials who violate the Texas Open Meetings Act is raising debate throughout the state.

According to the Austin-based Texas Municipal League, a nonprofit organization that, for a fee, represents the interests of more than 1,100 cities in the state, the resolution was adopted by TML’s board at its annual conference. The TML in turn will lobby state representatives and senators during the next legislative session to replace the enforcement provisions of the act with less restrictive penalties.

There's a more direct attack on a citizen's right to sunshine.

The city of Rockport has jumped into a statewide fray challenging the constitutionality of the Texas Open Meetings Act.

Officials from more than a dozen cities around the state have signed on to a lawsuit, yet to be filed, to remove the act’s criminal penalties for officials who discuss public business in secret.

Officials challenging the act say it infringes on their First Amendment rights to free speech and sets impossible standards and too strict punishments even though criminal prosecutions are rare. Open-government advocates and media watchdog groups counter that removing criminal penalties will take the teeth out of the law and lead to more violations.

Ok, prosecute them more. Sounds like a plan.

Without sunshine, city governments will fester. That's just nature. Let the sunshine in.

Former Travis County Sheriff goes looney tunes over the air waves

Raymond Frank, who served as Travis County sheriff in the 1970s and lost a bid for reelection to the office in 2008, has been fined $10,000 by the Federal Communications Commission for broadcasting radio signals from his Westlake-area home without a license.

Frank, 84, responded to the FCC notice of his violation by saying that as a citizen of the Republic of Texas, his broadcasts within the boundaries of the Republic were not bound by FCC rules or the laws of the United States, according to a forfeiture order issued Nov. 9 by the FCC.

San Antonio cop should be in deep trouble for DWI

He was banned from driving patrol cars, yet he was driving an undercover vehicle. He may have been on duty, and yet he was over the limit.

A San Antonio police officer who killed a motorist while responding to a call three years ago was charged with driving while intoxicated Friday after wrecking an undercover police car, internal police documents obtained by the San Antonio Express-News show.

Officer Winder Amedalio Morales, 33, who reportedly was banned from driving patrol cars following his involvement in a 2006 collision that killed a 25-year-old man, told arresting officers Friday he was returning the city vehicle to a police substation after finishing working an undercover drug buy when he crashed.

Sheriff Garcia wants another Harris County jail

Sheriff Adrian Garcia on Friday repeated his call for a new jail and booking center to reduce overcrowding in Harris County's downtown lockups.

The county has about 11,500 inmates in jails designed to hold 9,337 people. The county has also shipped another 1,000 prisoners to jails in Louisiana and other Texas counties.

On Tuesday, Commissioners Court is scheduled to consider County Budget Officer Dick Raycraft's recommendation that his office, the sheriff's department and the Public Infrastructure Department tackle the jail problem. The result, Raycraft said, could be a recommendation to the court in June to put a jail bond measure on the November 2010 ballot.

Border Network for Human Rights upset with ICE audits

"We are saddened and disappointed that two years after the disastrous 2007 immigration raids that tore apart families and penalized American businesses, the federal government is once again adopting a shortsighted enforcement-only approach to immigration policy," the group said in a prepared statement.

The group also said the federal government should concentrate its efforts on fighting crimes along the border such as drug trafficking and gang activity instead of "harassing hardworking families and business owners."

Audits have got to be better than raids. Enforcement has got to be part of the solution. But, just a part.

State Commission on Judicial Conduct suspends 2 El Paso judges

The state Commission on Judicial Conduct on Friday suspended indicted El Paso judges Regina Arditti and Sissy Hernandez.

Both will continue to receive their salaries.

State grand jurors charged them a day earlier with violating a misdemeanor Texas law that prohibits judges from engaging in nepotism.

Cameron County is sending inmates to Robstown

Prisons are big business.

The Cameron County Commissioners’ Court on Friday approved a contract with LCS Correctional Services Inc. that will allow the county to transfer nearly 100 inmates to the company’s privately run detention center in Nueces County.

Investment firm, SBOE member disagree on donations

State Board of Education member Rick Agosto has accused an investment company of incorrectly reporting that it gave him more than $1,000 in gifts before it sought a lucrative contract with the board. But the company has insisted that its disclosures are generally correct and said in letters to the Texas Education Agency that the disagreement may partially result from differences in accounting.

Agosto, a San Antonio Democrat, denied that he accepted golf, football tickets, dinners and entertainment from AEW Capital Management, a real estate investment firm.

"Mr. Agosto disputes all of the items on the AEW report," said Julie Crothers, Agosto's public relations representative.

Hidalgo County Commissioner's criminal woes worsen

Hidalgo County Commissioner Sylvia Handy is expected to return to court Monday to face new charges in connection with an ongoing tax fraud and illegal hiring case.

A superseding indictment handed down against her last week alleges the elected official paid a third illegal immigrant woman with taxpayer money to perform housekeeping and babysitting services in her home.

The new allegations come seven months after federal prosecutors first accused her of a similar scheme involving two other women and nearly double the total she purportedly stole from county coffers to almost $220,000.

Former La Joya principal charged in theft

Former Juarez-Lincoln High School principal Jimmy Gonzalez has been arrested on felony theft charges in connection with a school district police investigation.

La Joya school district police arrested Gonzalez last week after investigators found he allegedly asked employees to file fraudulent time sheets and asked them to give him the money, Police Chief Raul Gonzalez said. The former principal also allegedly sold a computer owned by the district to a former school employee.

What a guy. Did he actually think his plan would work?

Brownsville City Commissioners under fire for meeting

Three Brownsville city commissioners who attended an early November meeting not opened to the public maintain that they did not violate the Texas Open Meetings Act.

The Nov. 5 meeting was called to discuss the implementation of the city’s master plan called Imagine Brownsville. The commissioners asserted that no decisions were made and that the City Commission would have the final word on the plan’s implementation.

Bendover. Allstate is raising rates.

Home insurance rates will jump an average 9.8 percent next month for thousands of Allstate customers.

The increase will start Dec. 17 as policies come up for renewal and affect 143,000 customers of Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance. It's the Allstate unit's second increase this year.

Greed is revered in Texas.

Why was juvie detention center metal detector off for 3 years?

The metal detector at the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center used to screen juveniles who have been arrested has not been used since the division moved to its current facility at 1200 Congress three years ago, three Juvenile Probation Department employees told the Houston Chronicle.

The revelations came amid an investigation into the circumstances that enabled a 16-year-old boy to allegedly smuggle a handgun into his cell at the downtown juvenile detention center earlier this month.

Headline is like question ' Are you still beating your wife?'

'Committee says U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes not being investigated'

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Standards of Official Conduct has notified U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, that the committee is not investigating him.

Last year, the Friends of the Border Patrol submitted a complaint to the committee, which looks into allegations of ethics violations, asking for an investigation into the role Reyes' office had in requesting help from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to obtain the release of his wife's kidnapped relative in Juárez last year.

Some think the House Ethics Panel is a joke.

The ethics committee is notorious for its bipartisan ability to dodge and defer investigations that might cast House members in a bad light.

The ethics panel unanimously cleared Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo, of any wrongdoing for having a friend testify before the Small Business Committee — of which he is the ranking member — at a hearing on renewable fuels without disclosing that the friend and his wife are business associates in renewable fuels plants.

El Paso judges indicted

A state grand jury indicted two El Paso judges on Thursday, alleging they violated nepotism laws by hiring each other's relatives.

Suspended state district court judge Manuel Barraza and District Court Judge Regina Arditti are charged with one count each of "prohibition applicable to trading," or nepotism. Arditti and Barraza were elected to $140,000-a-year judgeships in November 2008.

Barraza has more woes.

FBI agents arrested [Manuel] Barraza, 54, that day and a federal grand jury indicted him on suspicion of trading judicial favors for money and sex. Charged with three counts of mail fraud, deprivation of honest services and making a false statement to federal agents, he is scheduled to stand trial Nov. 2 in U.S. District Court.

Perry's primary is more important than a man's life

Seems that way to me.

"Rick Perry continues to play politics with the death penalty. He should have accepted the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute the death sentence of Robert Thompson. It would not surprise me if Rick Perry one day replaces the members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles who voted in favor of clemency for Thompson, just like he replaced his own appointees on the Texas Forensic Science Commission in the midst of their investigation into the Todd Willingham case. Rick Perry is using the death penalty issue to endear himself to right-wing voters in the upcoming Republican primary, but his actions do not reflect the priorities of mainstream Texans who are increasingly concerned about the fairness of the Texas death penalty system", said Scott Cobb of Texas Moratorium Network.

BISD athletic director gets pissy with trustee

After arguments in the state’s 444th District Court, Judge David Sanchez granted [BISD Athletic Director Joe] Rodriguez’s attorneys authority to take [BISD trustee Catalina] Presas-Garcia’s deposition concerning documents she provided to Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos on Oct. 15. Attorneys scheduled the deposition for Dec. 7.

"It’s a shame," Presas-Garcia said after the hearing. "They have the documents at the DA’s office and the Rodriguezes know what’s in the documents. This is not new for them."

The order also directs Presas-Garcia to produce at the deposition any documents she provided to Carlos Quintanilla of the Hispanic action group Accion America and "any documents in her custody or control that were ever removed or taken from (Rodriguez’s) office or files without his consent; and, any documents relating to (Rodriguez) obtained from the Brownsville Independent School District."

Rodriguez sounds like a first class bully. Villalobos sounds like a sports fan.

ICE audits instead of raiding 161 Texas businesses

Raids rough up people. Audits rough up businesses. Hmmm.

Federal officials are auditing 161 Texas companies suspected of employing illegal immigrants, including 60 in the South Texas area, the government announced Friday.

More here.

The Obama administration has said it wants to crack down on employers who ignore immigration laws to obtain cheap labor, a seeming departure from the much-criticized workplace raids that focused on workers and tore apart communities.

CPS still having trouble vetting employees

CPS officials admit that the case of a North Texas supervisor, who didn't disclose her arrests on charges of drunken driving and assaulting her husband with a lamp, gives them pause.

"Yes we are, obviously" concerned, CPS spokesman Patrick Crimmins said Wednesday. "All employees are required to report these incidents – required to. It is not a suggestion."

Who would think that a violent person might lie?

No dumping of treated sewage into popular Texas lakes

Why was there even a question about that?

Senator Hutchison explains it all to you

Why did she keep her senate seat after saying she was resigning? That's so easy. No need for her to explain. KBH thought she would just waltz into the governor's mansion. Now the polls indicate she's likely to lose her primary fight. What else is there to say?

U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is using robo calls and radio commercials to make sure her supporters know she's still in the governor's race, and that she decided to stay in the Senate “at risk to my political future.”

Whaa? Risk to her political future?

Here's a headline I never expected to see in Texas

'Parole board urges Perry to spare Houston killer'

Was this a Texas parole board?

Texas' Board of Pardons and Paroles on Wednesday recommended that Gov. Rick Perry spare the life of Houston killer Robert Lee Thompson, who is scheduled to be executed tonight in Huntsville.

A Perry spokeswoman did not indicate when the governor, who has voluntarily commuted only one death sentence in his tenure as chief executive, might rule in the case.

More woe for Galveston if census shows low population

Of particular concern was that the numbers within that range are all below 50,000, a benchmark for federal housing and transportation funds. That’s about $4 million a year.

Galveston’s leaders conceded that the city would not have 50,000 people when the census is taken in April. However, they wanted to get as close to that number as possible, hoping that federal agencies would give the city another 10 years to recover its population — and its eligibility for federal funds.

One might say that it's better for people to live out of harm's way.

Republicans wish Hispanics would disappear

At least the Republicans on the State Board of Education do. When Republicans wish, they make it 'real' by wholesale denial. Why not make Hispanics in textbooks disappear? Wave a wand, click your heals and make it so.

State Rep. Norma Chavez told Texas education officials Wednesday that Hispanics deserve a more prominent role in the state’s social studies curriculum.

And, she said, members of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus will be watching as the State Board of Education continues to define the curriculum standards that will determine what will be taught in history classes over the next 10 years.

A vote on new curriculum standards is not expected until March.

Revisions to the state's social studies curriculum came under scrutiny several months ago when a pair of expert reviewers suggested that Cesar Chavez, a prominent labor leader, and Thurgood Marshall, the country's first black Supreme Court justice, did not merit the attention they received in history books.

Our kids deserve to know about all role models. While we're at it, science knowledge is required, too. How else can our children make our country a better place to live?

More here.

Guess what a Houston homophobe is doing for the Mayor's race?

[Dave] Wilson also said he is concerned that [Annise] Parker, if elected, would become a gay and lesbian cultural icon and an inspiration to others to enter politics.

Hide the babies, the State Board of Education is meeting

Topics to be discussed for social studies range from which historical figures should be covered in classes to what role Christianity and the Bible played in the founding of the nation. Three board members aligned with social conservative groups have already called for more coverage of religion in U.S. government and history classes.

In addition, Hispanic leaders are expected to urge the board today to include more coverage of Hispanics in the social studies standards.

Board member Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi, said there are many examples of “stereotypical Tejano omission or lack of historical fact within the proposed social studies curriculum.”

They don't believe in separation of church and state.

Texas Medical Board slaps doctors' wrists

'Texas Medical Board disciplines 75 doctors'. Big whoop.

Glenn Hegar gets up is down award

Texans for Lawsuit Reform will honor State Sen. Glenn Hegar (R-Katy) with its Civil Justice Award tomorrow morning during a special breakfast at The Falcon Club in Katy.

Hegar is being honored for his work in supporting tort reform in Texas

The people against justice in the courts gave Hegar a Civil Justice Award?

El Paso Times online poll says bah to Cheney's endorsement of KBH

It's been my experience that responses to the Times poll tend conservative. Right now 53% of 296 votes are saying Cheney's endorsement will hurt Kay Bailey. I voted for 'Yes, the former vice president remains relevant to some GOP voters.' Amusing when Republican icons are viewed as the monsters they are.

Looks like Brownsville ISD already has a new superintendent

By a unanimous vote, the Brownsville Independent School District Board of Trustees late Tuesday named Brett Springston the lone finalist for Superintendent of Schools.

Springston, 49, has been BISD’s interim superintendent since being appointed to the post in January.

San Antonio has poor record on addressing violence against women

Maybe things are getting better.

The San Antonio Police Department announced Monday it will begin sifting through nearly 150 of about 5,200 rape kits that were never tested over the past two decades, reversing a long-held policy not to analyze kits if the assailant was unknown and the victim didn't want to pursue prosecution.

Police Chief William McManus acknowledged that DNA information from such cases could still be important. Results from the tests will be sent to the Combined DNA Index System, a national database used by law enforcement agencies.

Well, duh.

Guess who's running for County Judge?

It's Eloy Pulido in Hidalgo.

Former Hidalgo County Judge Eloy Pulido wants his old job back.

“I can confirm I am running for Hidalgo County judge in 2010,” Pulido said, in an exclusive interview with the Guardian. “I believe I can offer the vision, the energy and the drive this fast-growing county needs. The feedback we are getting is very positive. I am excited about this race.”

And, John F. Gonzales, Jr. in Willacy County.

Banking executive John F. Gonzales, Jr., says he will work as a fulltime county judge if the voters of Willacy County elect him to the position next year.

He said his experience as a federal and state licensed financial advisor and businessman can only help the cash-strapped rural county.

Immigration reform is coming

La Unión del Pueblo Entero is to host “listening parties” at its offices in Alton, Las Milpas, Mercedes and San Juan on Wednesday evening to hear U.S. Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez discuss immigration reform.

The Illinois Democrat is preparing to introduce comprehensive immigration reform legislation in Congress. He has said the bill will help keep families together, protect the rights of immigrant and non-immigrant workers and strengthen the U.S. economy.

HUD says Texas' Ike recovery plan sucks

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rejected the state’s plan to allocate the second round of $1.7 billion in federal disaster recovery funding, sending Texas officials back to the drawing board.

El Paso has a new county attorney

A divided Commissioners Court appointed [Jo Anne] Bernal to the job on a 3-2 vote Monday. She succeeds José Rodríguez, who is resigning to run for the state Senate.

The appointment gives Bernal, 48, a springboard to launch her campaign to complete Rodríguez's unfinished term. If she wins election next year, she would stay in office at least through December 2012.

El Paso County Ethics Commission loses another member in a snit

The El Paso County Ethics Commission has suffered another loss with the resignation of Luis Garcia, who in a letter to the county judge said he could no longer serve on the panel because its objectivity has been tainted.

He served on the panel for about two weeks before he wrote to County Judge Anthony Cobos that "personal political biases have already raised their ugly head."

This does not bode well for justice and the American way.

El Paso teachers union wants the new grading policy passed by legislature

A local teachers' union might consider moving forward with a grievance it filed in October if it does not soon see changes to a grading policy in the El Paso Independent School District.

Lucy Clarke, the president of the El Paso Federation of Teachers and Support Personnel, said the district has not shown the union a final draft of a revised grading policy that would bring the district in line with a new state law.

Judge cuts 25 defendants from former Corpus Christi Chamber CEO's suit

Former Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce CEO Terry Carter’s lawsuit can continue but without more than two dozen of the defendants and without two of his planned expert witnesses, a judge ruled on Monday.

State District Judge Jose Longoria granted motions for summary judgment for 25 defendants, all of whom are current or former chamber board members.

That didn't go well.

Texas dings State Farm for overcharging

Did somebody forget to pay a political bill or is this election season?

Texas' insurance commissioner is ordering State Farm Lloyds to pay home insurance policyholders $310 million in refunds and interest for overcharges going back as far as 2003.

Here's a headline you don't want to see

'Agent pleads guilty to bribery'

A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer remains in federal custody after pleading guilty on Monday to charges of bribery, cocaine trafficking and smuggling undocumented immigrants.

If you're against Christmas, it should be a hate crime?

Really?

"Because of what Christmas represents, celebrating the birth of Christ. Anyone who is against Christmas is against Christ. It should be a hate crime," [Jay Lewis, a career law enforcement officer and Christmas in the Park volunteer,] said.

Clearly, Lewis does not have a clue.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, "Hate crime is the violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability."

Hate crimes are acts meant to intimidate entire groups of people. Vandalism is reprehensible, but I doubt a bunch of teenagers meant to intimidate all the Christians in Victoria.

More John Wayne and Jesus

Canyon Clowdus thinks Americans “have less freedom and pay more taxes than ever.”

“We need more John Wayne and Jesus in Washington,” the Marble Falls rancher and businessman declares.

Does Clowdus know that John Wayne was an actor who only pretended to be a hero? Jesus loved the poor, he didn't try to enslave them with poor working conditions, no health care and low wages.

Clowdus is running against Rep. Mike Conaway of Midland.

Challengers want to seal El Paso District Clerk's defeat

Six people have already announced that they want Gilbert Sanchez's district clerk seat, an elected position he has held since 2003.

The abundance of challengers is a direct result of the controversy that has followed Sanchez for the past year. He was arrested in June by the FBI and charged with five federal counts of fraud, conspiracy and bribery. He pleaded not guilty, and three of the charges, including bribery, have been dismissed.

Sanchez was thrust back into the news this week when two of his former employees filed separate civil lawsuits against him, one alleging wrongful termination, the other sexual harassment. Those lawsuits are pending and the county attorney's office will defend Sanchez because he was sued in his official capacity, not as a private citizen.

Why won't he resign? El Paso can do better.

It's Monday roundup time!

The Texas Progressive Alliance is starting to feel an odd craving for can-shaped servings of cranberry sauce as it brings you this week's highlights from the blogs.

TXsharon continues to follow the abuses of Aruba Petroleum in a Barnett Shale backyard and Wednesday the Wise County Messenger picked up the story. It's all on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme is really p*ssed that some South Texas Democrats voted against women's health care.

WhosPlayin posted an interview with Neil Durrance, the Democratic candidate seeking to unseat Michael Burgess in Congressional District 26.

A guest post from the ReEnergize Texas blog is the pick of the week over at Texas Vox, where we were quite disappointed that Georgetown City Council Snubbed Students over Nuclear Power.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on some of the talk this past week about raising the statewide gas tax. All that being said there are only two options to pay for transportation in Texas, which will we choose Taxes or tolls?.

McBlogger takes a look at Sen. Hutchison's decision not to resign from her Senate seat.

Off the Kuff looks at a threatened outbreak of homophobic behavior in the Houston Mayor's race.

The War on Christmas starts early at The Texas Cloverleaf, complete with a beach landing at WalMart.

Sue Schechter announced for Harris County Clerk last week and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs caught the press release.

With Thanksgiving almost here, Neil at Texas Liberal ran a picture of a sultry pilgrim holding a turkey, and included in this post information about the status of women in Colonial New England.

Civil rights fight for LGBT community on going in Fort Worth

The City Council voted just before midnight to include transgender people in the nondiscrimination ordinance, but the fight is far from over.

Now the debate goes behind closed doors as city staffers consider how to implement the rest of the proposals drawn up in the wake of the Rainbow Lounge incident.

Among the proposals still to come before the council are extending health, pension and family-leave benefits to same-sex domestic partners and revising the city health insurance plan to cover gender reassignment procedures.

Texas Latino caucus holds no Republicans

Hispanic lawmakers are automatically eligible to join. Non-Hispanic House members are eligible for membership if Hispanics make up at least 50 percent of the voting-age population in their district but must serve one term to compile a voting record and are admitted to the caucus after a vote by MALC members.

It's a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization — although currently there are no Hispanic Republicans in the 150-member House and 31-member Senate.

The makeup and workings of the caucus prompt other considerations of political identity besides party affiliation. Martinez Fischer says the caucus forces the Legislature to consider the diversity of Texas' people. Some outside observers say Texas Hispanics today are also diverse and finding “the Latino perspective” can be tricky.

Not diverse enough to include the increasingly racist Republicans.

Hidalgo Sheriff's deputies suspended

Two sheriff’s deputies remain suspended with pay pending further findings of a probe led by the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Lupe Treviño said the employees, who work under the department’s robbery unit, were pulled from their jobs due to “suspicious activity,” though he declined to elaborate.

Who or why is a mystery.

Republican governors like to travel the world

Texans pay tens of thousands for security. Who picks up the rest of the travel tab? I'll bet it isn't any of the governors.

Perry isn't alone among big-state governors in his far-flung travel. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger frequently jet around the country and the world. And, Perry has traveled plenty before this year, having taken assorted national and international trips since becoming governor in December 2000. Former Texas governors George W. Bush and Ann Richards also earned their share of frequent flier miles.

Will Las Brisas get a permit?

If all government entities were acting in good faith, no. But, Republicans don't act in good faith. And by 'good faith' I mean 'promote the general welfare'. Republicans are interested in their own power, cronies and harmful ideology. Solving real problems with actual solutions is not on any Republican's to do list.

Texas Appleseed asked for police handbooks from 24 Texas school districts

An Austin-based advocacy group has filed a lawsuit against the San Antonio Independent School District, arguing that its policy handbook for school police officers should be public record.

Texas Appleseed, which rallied against the Texas Youth Commission's pepper spray-usage policy two years ago, is now looking into pepper spray and Taser usage in public schools.

Former Donna superintendent gets $1.2M

Plaintiff’s attorneys described it as a chance to send a message to school districts across the state: Political influence has no place in educational hiring decisions.

On Friday, a federal jury agreed, awarding former Donna schools Superintendent Andres Martinez $1.2 million in damages in what his lawyers described as one of the largest penalties assessed against a school system in a case of its kind.

Houston homophobes come out

A cluster of socially conservative Houstonians is planning a campaign to discourage voters from choosing City Controller Annise Parker in the December mayoral runoff because she is a lesbian, according to multiple ministers and conservatives involved in the effort.

The group is motivated by concerns about a “gay takeover” of City Hall, given that two other candidates in the five remaining City Council races are also openly gay, as well as national interest driven by the possibility that Houston could become the first major U.S. city to elect an openly gay woman.

Oooo, a gay takeover?

Republican women meet in Galveston

So, why is the photo centered on Rick Perry arm wresting while several women look up at him? Poor imagery.

[Kay Bailey Hutchison] is expected to announce that she won't resign her Senate seat until after the 2010 March primaries and that she will resign regardless of whether she or Perry wins the primary race, The Associated Press reported.

I don't think Kay Bailey would be in the crowd looking admiringly up at Perry.

What about those running for her seat in 2010?

Hutchison had teased the Texas political community since late 2008 by saying first that she would not seek re-election in 2012 and would resign to run against Perry. Then later she said she would resign in October or November for the contest

.

Already Sotomayor outshines the rest

Autograph-seekers, picture-takers and well-wishers hound her wherever she goes, months after her confirmation hearing, swearing-in and first appearance in the courtroom.

Recently, the new justice was swarmed by people with cameras the minute she appeared in the Grand Foyer of the White House during a celebration of Latino music.

The throng around her didn't part until the hundreds of concert guests were ushered to their seats in agiant tent on the South Lawn, and it quickly regrouped once the concert ended. Some of those lucky enough to get photos with the justice squealed and proudly displayed their happy-snaps for others in the crowd.

Take that, you racist blowhards.

Napolitano brings up immigration reform

I can hardly wait for the batsh*t crazy crowd to go all racist again. They're already starting.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Friday reaffirmed President Obama's determination to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes the touchy issue of legalizing 12 million undocumented immigrants.

"While it's important to emphasize the need for immigration reform from an enforcement perspective, the need for reform stretches far beyond those reasons," Napolitano said in a news release.

More here and here.

As for the border, the Texas Border Coalition is emphasizing land port infrastructure. Silvestre Reyes and John Cornyn (who voted for rapists) weighed in.

Brownsville ISD official accused of offering 15 year old money for sex

An assistant principal at Porter High School is accused of offering money to a 15-year-old student in return for sex, Brownsville police said.

James Camden, McKinney, 48, was arrested Thursday at approximately 3 p.m., according to a municipal court jail log. He has been charged with online solicitation of a minor with the intent to arouse and gratify, records show. He’s accused of making solicitations through cellular phone text messages.

Ciro Rodriguez thanks himself for heath care vote

I say FU for voting to curtail a woman's right to choose.

Parole board given warning and little else for bad behavior

Violate someone's rights and cause them harm? No problem. Accountability is for Democrats.

An Austin federal judge has overturned personal damages of $21,250 that a jury had imposed on the chairwoman of the state parole board a month ago, but the judge did not change the finding that officials violated a paroled convict's constitutional rights by denying him a required hearing for 576 days.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks again harshly criticized state parole officials for the way they classify parolees as sex offenders, including many who have never been convicted of a sex crime.

Texas still #1 polluter, but doing better

While Texas maintains a firm grip on the dubious title of the nation's most prolific industrial polluter, an environmental group's report Thursday found that wind power and other cleaner energy sources have helped cut emissions linked to global warming in the state.

Gourley resigns as Blanco's mayor

Blanco Mayor Christina Gourley resigned this week citing health concerns and City Council opposition to some of her goals.

Gourley was elected in May. In an open letter Monday, she said recent events led her to believe she was “no longer in a position to press for what you elected me to do.”

San Antonio mayor loses patience with CPS

Mayor Julián Castro is ready to pull out of the nuclear project if CPS Energy executives don't return from Japan with a significantly lower cost estimate.

Castro said Thursday he wouldn't wait until January — when the next cost estimate from contractor Toshiba is due — to begin “prudently” withdrawing from the nuclear project if CPS Energy officials fail to deliver news of a better deal Monday.

Negotiating ploy or cold feet?

More than half of Texas H1N1 fatalities are Hispanic

Hispanics accounted for more than half of the 95 swine flu-related deaths in Texas in the first six months of the H1N1 pandemic, an analysis by the state health department found.

Hispanics predominate in the state's southernmost counties, where 28 percent of the H1N1 deaths happened through Oct. 17.

The area “clearly is the hot spot” for the state's H1N1 deaths, said Dr. Joseph McCormick, regional dean of The University of Texas School of Public Health in Brownsville.

Texas Republicans hurt Texas schools' chances for grant money

Texas is in the running for hundreds of millions of federal dollars to spur school improvement, but the state's reluctance to embrace some of President Barack Obama's education reform ideas could hurt its chances.

Guidelines released Thursday show Texas is eligible for $350 million to $700 million, but it must beat out other states to get it.

Poor judgement by San Jacinto Sheriff's department

Patrol Deputy Kenneth Posey spent about 20 minutes there ticketing Mosher for speeding 10 mph over the limit and driving with an invalid license, said her husband, William Ross, a retail store manager.

But later the couple was surprised to read that four people had been shot to death just minutes from that traffic stop, despite appealing repeatedly to the sheriff's office for help over a period of hours.

This headline is a joke. On us.

'Bush outlines vision for SMU institute'

The Bushes are not well known for having that 'vision thing'.

El Paso District Clerk named in embarrassing lawsuits

Two former employees of District Clerk Gilbert Sanchez have filed lawsuits against him and El Paso County, one alleging sexual harassment and the other wrongful termination.

Is the El Paso County attorney part of ethics process?

County Attorney José Rodríguez on Thursday issued an opinion saying that he is required to provide legal advice to the recently launched Ethics Commission.

On a separate issue, he also offered on opinion that said employees of the county government can run for public office.

The chairman of the 10-member ethics panel, Stuart Leeds, who is an attorney, responded by saying the commission must be independent from Rodríguez's office.

Robstown loses superintendent after spat

Robstown ISD’s interim superintendent Tony Morales resigned after a school board meeting Tuesday that ended with a verbal confrontation between school board members, Morales and his wife.

Kudos to UTB-TSC's Garcia

Juliet V. Garcia, the president of UTB-TSC, has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Ten Best College Presidents of 2009.

Perry forced years long delay in forensics investigation

Republicans don't believe in accountability for themselves.

The pending overhaul of a state forensic science panel could delay by two years or more its review of the arson investigation that led to the 2004 execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, the panel's former head said Wednesday.

Male McCain voters saw testosterone levels drop

Ooops. What's a real Republican male to do? Obama's male voters, on the other ***, had higher than expected testosterone levels, when it was clear that Obama had won.

State toxicologist testifies that Las Brisas is just dandy

I'll believe that testimony when he brings his precious family to live as close to the facility as possible with outdoor play areas committed to daily use.

The state’s senior toxicologist testified Wednesday that projected emissions from the Las Brisas Energy Center are below levels the state sets to protect health of even sensitive groups.

Why are they still building that d*mn fence?

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s removal of more than 70 grapefruit trees from land that was once part of an orchard was the latest blow to Leonard Loop’s heart.

On Wednesday morning, members of the Loop family watched helplessly as a government contractor’s large yellow Caterpillar excavator began the process of removing the trees. The trees were removed to make way for the border wall, which is being built by the Kiewit Corporation for the DHS.

Some the grapefruit trees were more than 20 years old, said a visually saddened Loop.

A monument to racism and fear is more important than a life of work and love.

How helpful is that d*mn fence?

A federal grand jury has indicted two men accused of using a ladder to smuggle marijuana over the border wall, according to court records.

How many Republicans own ladder factories?

State elections official fired after poking fun at Spanish-speaking voters

W. Gardner Selby of the Austin American-Statesman reports that Melinda Nickless, assistant director of the secretary of state's elections division, "...was fired Wednesday after remarks she made last weekend about Spanish-speaking voters." Here's a link to an audio file that contains the offending comments. Ms. Nickless initially gave an appropriate response, then for some reason started channeling Glenn Beck. Anyway, Hope Andrade, the state's first Latina secretary of state, wasn't amused.

Here's another link to an audio file of a response from Rosalie Weisfeld, the SDEC 20 Committeewoman from McAllen and the President of the Hidalgo County Texas Democratic Women.

Today is Veteran's day

Thank you to all who have served and are still serving. Thank you for all you have sacrificed for your country.

Fort Worth protects transgendered

The City Council voted 6-3 late Tuesday to expand its anti-discrimination ordinance to include transgender people, capping a marathon debate over a series of gay-rights proposals that were forwarded after a controversial inspection of a gay bar.

Forensic inquiry into arson stalls

Perry wins. Justice loses.

The new chairman of a state panel that sparked a political storm by raising questions about the legitimacy of an arson probe that led to the 2004 execution of a Corsicana man told state legislators Tuesday that the agency must develop new rules before it can proceed with the inquiry.

That could means months of additional delay, a prospect that drew new criticism of whether the agency is dragging its feet to politically benefit Gov. Rick Perry, who is seeking re-election next year.

Republican crony ways mean higher utility rates for you and me

57% increase in rates? Yup. Deregulation is working as planned.

Harris County DA says judge trivializes domestic violance cases

The Harris County District Attorney's Office upped the ante against criminal Court-at-Law Judge Reagan Helm on Tuesday, asking him to remove himself from “any and all” cases involving accusations of domestic violence because of “deep-seated bias and prejudice.”

In motions filed Tuesday joining two earlier recusal requests, prosecutors asked the judge to remove himself from 74 cases that include 64 defendants, alleging that he makes “frivolous” comments that “trivialize the seriousness of the proceedings.”

Go get that assh*le!

7 hour delay from San Jacinto Sheriff's office allows bipolar man to kill 3 and himself

San Jacinto County Sheriff James Walters on Tuesday promised a full inquiry into why seven hours passed before his deputies responded to repeated pleas for help for a bipolar man, arriving after the man killed three others and himself.

“I would like us to have gotten there earlier and prevented this,” said Walters, who took over as sheriff of his hometown 10 months ago.

No kidding.

Did TWIA conspire to deny Ike claims?

Humm. Would a Republican screw a customer? Does a bear sh*t in the woods?

A consumer a group has joined some lawmakers in calling for a legislative investigation of the state’s largest windstorm insurer, accused of unleashing poorly trained adjusters on coastal policyholders and systematically underpaying or delaying claims after Hurricane Ike.

Texas Watch Executive Director Alex Winslow on Tuesday joined state Sen. Rodney Ellis in calling for an investigation of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association after attorneys for some policyholders released what they assert are damning internal e-mails and documents showing policies of lowballing repair costs and denying claims.

Dog Canyon has more.

TWIA is arrogantly claiming sovereign immunity from lawsuits. Nice.

TWIA argues it's an instrument of a government agency, and as such is entitled to sovereign immunity that protects governments from some legal liability.

But lawyers for policyholders say the association is effectively a private company, and that immunity would let the insurer escape consumer protection laws. More than 900 lawsuits against TWIA could hinge on how courts rule on the immunity question.

Nearly all of the lawsuits seek punitive damages, attorney fees and other amounts beyond what policies provide, Mike Wilson, an attorney representing the insurer, said in a written statement.

Bush Foundation traffic study questioned

Why would you trust anything a George Bush peep said? Up is down. Black is white. Blah blah.

Some homeowners who live near where George W. Bush's presidential library would be built are critical of a traffic study commissioned by the Bush Foundation.

Higher gas taxes or toll roads owned in Spain?

I'll take higher gas taxes, please.

Members of the Texas Senate's Transportation Committee said Tuesday that an increase in the 20-cents-per-gallon state fuel tax may be necessary to overcome a drastic shortage of money for new roads.

"We are in the critical position in this state where we are growing and will need more roads. But we have no money to build them and no more debt that we can issue," the committee's chairman, Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, said during a meeting in El Paso.

Homophobes rise up against Domestic Partner benefits in El Paso

Armed with 4,293 signatures, a persistent group of citizens decided Tuesday to fight City Hall.

The group filed a petition that could force the City Council to reconsider its decision to offer health benefits to gay and unmarried partners of city employees.

You can count on the batsh*t crazy crowd to get their panties in a twist.

Port of Corpus Christi security patrols to go forward

An attempt to stop the Port of Corpus Christi’s plan for continuous marine security patrols failed Tuesday in 4-3 vote of port commissioners.

CPS energy in hot water over withheld expense

It will be at least two weeks until CPS Energy releases any details from its investigation into why a $4 billion increase in the cost estimate for nuclear expansion was withheld from its upper management and board

.So, CPS is investigating itself? Hummm.

Aaron Peña compares that d*mn fence to the Berlin Wall

Interestingly enough and rightfully so, most Americans see it as a symbolic end of tyranny. Here in the borderlands of this country, on the edges of my legislative district, Americans forget that a similar wall was constructed (sadly with the help of misguided elected officials) separating family members and a singular community.

Good point.

Here's a headline you don't see every day

'New Mexico approves 5 medical marijuana producers'

While we're at it: Stop the drug war. Make drugs in consistent doses. Offer rehab. Take the profit motive away from the drug cartels. Lessen the need for addicts to steal.

North Texas Tollway Authority big on cronies

The North Texas Tollway Authority spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year to design, build and repair its roads, to market itself, and to solve its legal problems.

But only a fraction of the hundreds of professionals who perform those tasks actually work for the toll authority, whose impact on North Texas drivers has soared in the past few years as it has increased its debt to about $7 billion to vastly expand its network of toll roads.

Instead, NTTA relies on a handful of gold-plated firms that for decades have given that work to their own employees, routinely charging NTTA three to four times what a staff member might earn to do it.

José Rodríguez running for Eliot Shapleigh's seat

In his fifth term, El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez announced on Sunday he will run for state senator.

More here.

Why are they still building that d*mn fence?

After months of waiting to learn if the border fence would cut through Alice Wilson Hope Park, city officials managed to work out a compromise with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Instead of cutting through the park, the fence will go around the bottom of the park. Also, it will be a "floating fence" that can be moved when development in the area begins.

Wow, yipee. They managed to convince Obama's DHS not to destroy a park. Why build that d*mn fence at all?

It's time for the Monday blog roundup!

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone had a happy Election Day last week, and is already looking forward to the next one. Here are this week's highlights.

TXsharon continues to report from a backyard in the Barnett Shale. Despite all the local and national press on drilling related toxins, carcinogens and neurotoxins in our air, Aruba Petroleum Refuses a Simple Step to Improve Barnett Shale Air and thereby recklessly and willfully endangers public health and safety. Read it on Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

refinish69 announces his endorsement for the Democratic nominee for Texas governor at Doing My Part For The Left. The progressive choice has to be Hank Gilbert with his policy issues and especially his strong stance on GLBT issues. Hank Gilbert for Texas Governor was the only choice refinish69 could make.

Justin at Asian American Action Fund Blog has a thorough take on the results of election day in Houston.

The Texas Cloverleaf provides an election night roundup of some of DFW's races you never heard of, and some national ones you have.

If you dislike Rep. Dennis Kucinich as much as Mayor McSleaze, there's probably something right with you.

quizas of South Texas Chisme notes that Galveston medical facilities are among those not notifying about rules for the poor, while CouldBeTrue notes South Texas Democrats join Republicans in shafting poor women. Shame on them.

BossKitty at TruthHugger Let me ‘dis’ the local Austin TV news media who gets around to breaking the Health Care Reform Bill news TWO and a half hours later. Hooray for the House Austin just lives in a bubble.

Over at BlueBloggin, nytexan takes a long look at another disgusting practice of our medical insurance industry. We Have One Twisted Health System, Living Organ Donors Beware. The organ donor’s family is never charged for donating. The family is charged for the cost of all final efforts to save your life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Surprise for organ donors: unexpected medical bills. Austin man who gave kidney to co-worker is one of many who have faced health complications, billing problems.

Bay Area Houston says Hispanics, the largest voting block in Texas, are not voting.

WhosPlayin learned of an illegal meeting of Lewisville ISD trustees this past Thursday and Friday, and has video of trustees mentioning this blogger when discussing whether to implement video recording of trustee meetings.

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at an interesting story about Judge Sharon Keller of Court of Criminal Appeals that was eclipsed by the tragedy at Fort Hood.

Off the Kuff has six questions for the runoffs in Houston.

Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman toes the ethical line with her active promotion of an assistant for her job, and the local media thinks that's just fine. Get the details in PDiddie's Brains and Eggs.

At TexasKaos, Libby Shaw has news for Cornyn and Sessions about the Republican Resurgence. As she notes:

I wouldn't gloat too much, boys. Your job in Washington just got a lot harder. Meanwhile, back here at home, in case you boys forgot that Houston is the largest city in Texas, three progressive Democrats and one Republican ran for mayor. The Republican dude and the old white guy with boatloads of bucks lost. The run-off race is between a gay woman and an African American male.

See the rest here: I have news for John Cornyn and Pete Sessions

WCNews at Eye On Williamson reports on the local toll authority's latest shenanigans, CTRMA to jack up tolls on 183-A, add automatic annual increases.

Neil at Texas Liberal bought Thanksgiving cards drawn by a young person with cancer who is being treated at Houston's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The design Neil bought is both bleak and hopeful.

There was much rejoicing this week at Texas Vox and among the environmental community at large when it was announced that Dr. Al Armendariz was named new Region 6 Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. A Texas EPA administrator that "embodies the ‘Principles for Environmental Leadership and Real Change’"? You better believe it.

Which South Texas Democrats voted against the health interests of poor women?

Henry Cuellar, Solomon Ortiz Sr., Ciro Rodreguez and Silvestre Reyes.

In the wake of House passage of the health care bill & the Stupak Amendment, we clearly have our work cut out for us. Yet, at the same time, we have a tremendous opportunity: a very sizeable number of bad Dems have very publicly identified themselves in a way that average voters can readily grasp. Whether or not they can be defeated in primaries next year, they can clearly be organized against, and that means that progressive infrastructure can be built in their districts, to increase pressure on them in the future.

See Planned Parenthood. More here.

OSHA finally holding BP responsible with fines

What about criminal charges?

When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced it was proposing $87 million in fines against BP’s Texas City refinery, many worried the latest government action would force the company to shut down. Even Texas City’s mayor suggested it was a possibility.

The administration announced Oct. 30 it had found 270 instances where BP failed to comply with changes to systems at the refinery required in an agreement with the government to settle violations found in the investigation into the March, 23, 2005, explosions that killed 15 people and injured more than 200.

In addition, OSHA found 439 new “willful” violations involving pressure release systems on units at the refinery.

15 people died just from the explosion. What about long, painful deaths due chemical exposure? Isn't negligent homicide a crime?

Who sold Jack Ruby's hat and why would someone buy it?

A gray fedora worn by Jack Ruby when he shot Lee Harvey Oswald sold for $53,775 at an auction of items linked to assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Official looking census letter sent to seniors

Some people are just sickening.

Despite sending letters with "unique census identification numbers," the National Census of Senior Citizens — a questionnaire soliciting seniors’ views on issues such as Social Security and Medicare — is not affiliated with the government in any way, said U.S. Census Bureau officials who cautioned retirees against confusing the two.

"We do realize that people will take advantage of the (official) census to pull off a couple of scams," said Efren Salinas, a Census Bureau spokesman. "I’m not saying this is a scam, but it certainly has nothing (to do) with the Census Bureau."

Yup. It smells like Republican propaganda.

The National Census of Senior Citizens was commissioned by the Council for Retirement Security, a program of Virginia-based nonprofit group Our Generation. According to its incorporation paperwork, the group was founded to promote "long-term free market solutions to today’s public policy concerns," in particular those surrounding Social Security, Medicare and other government retirement funds.

Conservatives cry foul over Fort Worth policy proposals that are gay-friendly

FORT WORTH — Conservative groups are rallying against proposals aimed at
making Fort Worth government policies more inclusive of the gay community.

The proposals include extending domestic-partner benefits to gay
couples, considering a company’s record on gay and lesbian issues when approving
tax breaks, and including gender reassignment surgery in the city health
insurance plan. City employees would also receive training on dealing with gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people

Tarrant County Republican Party
Chairwoman Stephanie Klick questioned the cost of some of the proposals,
particularly in light of Fort Worth’s budget problems. "Private businesses can
do what they want to do, but we’re talking about taxpayer dollars being used for
this purpose," she said.

Good to know the right wing nuts are the ones who pay taxes.

Hospitals without signs of the times

Hospitals and clinics are required to post public notices informing people
about their policies on charity care and financial discounts for care.

A
study conducted in 2008 shows almost no one in Galveston County was complying
with the law.

Let’s say a drug costs $10 a dose. Patients might be
charged $30, $20 or $5, depending on their insurance, as the hospital passes on
charges to make up for those who don’t pay or yields to powerful consumers —
such as the federal government — that occasionally refuse to pay full cost.

In Texas, the requirements are less stringent. House Bill 1731, which
went into effect in 2007, requires hospitals and physicians to develop and
publish written policies on discounting charges. That includes having a policy
on free care, or charity care.

Surprise, surprise.

Court records: City Rep. Rachel Quintana loses 2nd appeal in forgery case

EL PASO -- City Rep. Rachel Quintana has lost a second appeal and has one
left.

Prosecutors charged Quintana with misdemeanor forgery in October
2007, four months after she took her seat on the City Council. They say she
forged a document to obtain a Southwest Airlines ticket at no cost.

Her
attorney, Stephen Peters, said Friday that neither he nor Quintana would comment
because the case is ongoing. They have maintained that Esparza is unjustly
singling her out for prosecution because she is an elected official.

Esparza maintains that because Quintana is an elected official, she
should be held to a higher standard and that a jury, not he, should decide her
guilt or innocence

Food stamp workers share frustrations

When the new head of the agency responsible for the state's backlogged food
stamp applications sent an e-mail to employees asking for feedback about the
agency, he got it.

About 500 state workers replied to Health and Human
Services Executive Commissioner Tom Suehs, telling him about low morale and low
pay, poor management, technology problems, insufficient training, long hours
away from their families. They wrote about feeling frazzled, crying

The
commission has struggled since experienced state employees started leaving in
advance of a major privatization effort in 2005. And the current economic
downturn has led to a sharp increase in applications, resulting in the longest
wait times agency officials can remember — families routinely wait months — and
drawing warnings from the federal government that if Texas doesn't start meeting
30-day processing deadlines, the state's food stamp aid will be in jeopardy.

Goodman said the agency is considering changes, such as worker bonuses
and temporarily hiring retired employees to help with the backlog. Also on the
table, she said, is asking for a federal waiver that would allow workers to deny
applications from families whose applications clearly show they don't qualify
(now, employees have to schedule interviews for such families).

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of families are waiting for decisions on
past-due applications

Shame on you Rick Perry.