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News For July, 2010

  • TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

    By Evan Smith

    Stiles' and Torres' three-parter on the changing Texas political map, Ramsey on questions about Brian Birdwell's voting history and residency, Aguilar on the Obama administration's immigration crackdown, Reed on hospitals that won't induce early labor, Stiles on what Troy Fraser left off his financial disclosure form, the latest installment of Hu's Face-Off video debate series, Grissom on the problem-plagued Driver Responsibility Program, Galbraith on the controversy over fracking and M. Smith's interview with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Harriet O'Neill: The best of our best from July 26 to 30, 2010. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • 2010: White: Perry Cut Corners to Help Friend

    By Sarah Adler

    Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White is calling for an independent audit of Texas Enterprise Fund grants after documents showed the governor's office offered $2.5 million in state subsidies to Sino Swearingen, a company founded by Doug Jaffe. Jaffe is one of two partners involved in a controversial land deal that netted Perry a $500,000 profit. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmrich

  • White: Land Deals Influenced Grant

    By Elise Hu

    Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White accuses Gov. Rick Perry of giving special consideration to a grant request from a company whose founder was involved with a controversial land deal. The deal netted the governor a $500,000 profit. The governor's spokeswoman says the transaction was "thoroughly vetted." Full Story 

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  • TribBlog: Texas Schools Fixed!

    By Brian Thevenot

    In new public school ratings released this afternoon, three-fourths of the state's public schools — graded under a controversial formula called the Texas Projection Measure — now rank "exemplary" or "recognized," the highest two of four categories of performance. Less than two percent of schools are ranked "unacceptable." Full Story 

    Texas Education Commissioner Robert Scott in March, 2010.
    Credit: Justin Dehn

  • TribBlog: Minding the Gaps

    By Reeve Hamilton

    With two-thirds now over, it’s time to check in on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 10-years old, 15-year initiative to close the gaps between Texas and other states in student achievement in higher education. Full Story 

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  • Barack the Enforcer

    By Julián Aguilar

    Despite grousing from congressmen and state officials in Arizona and Texas — notably Gov. Rick Perry — that the Obama administration has abdicated its role in the protecting the nation's borders from illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative units this year each recorded their highest monthly number of cases referred for prosecution since the Bush administration, according to a report from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University. Full Story 

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    Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman/Spencer Selvidge (photo illustration)

  • Pols in Purgatory

    By Forrest Burnson

    State Rep. Tara Rios Ybarra, D-South Padre Island, who is awaiting prosecution on corruption charges, is the latest Texas elected official under indictment but not yet convicted to languish in career-crippling limbo. Full Story 

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    Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman

  • Birthing Control [Updated]

    By Allen Reed

    Should lawmakers pay hospitals more for refusing to induce early labor, which reduces neonatal costs and harm to mothers? Or should the state be kept out of the private decisions of patients and their physicians? Full Story 

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    Credit: Bas Silderhuis

  • TribBlog: More Calls for Innocence Commission

    By Brandi Grissom

    Michael Anthony Green was supposed to be freed today after serving 27 years for a rape he didn't commit. The exoneration is the second in two weeks to come from Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos' Post Conviction Review Section. State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, said the findings give more credence to his argument that Texas needs a state innocence commission. Full Story 

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    Credit: Bob Daemmerich