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December 4, 2008
Texas Ethics Commission says that Supreme Court Justice Hecht has to pay a fine of $29,000 for accepting a sketchy contribution. Last of the LBJ recordings released to the public today. LBJ ideas in an Obama administration. Rumor is that Rove is advising Kay Bailey Hutchison on her possible run for governor's office. Someone actually paid cash for a plane to fly around UT today carrying a banner saying "Mack Brown Quit Your Whining U Knew The Rules." Round Rock woman has donated 25 gallons of blood in 18 years. Two Border Patrol agents accused of working with drug traffickers crossing the South Texas border....
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add to del.icio.usIt's just a rumor for now (thankfully), but speculation abounds that Republican puppetmaster Karl Rove may be assisting Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in her bid for the governor's seat in 2010. If so, current Gov. Rick Perry better start packing his hair gel and other personal effects now, because the prospect of duking it out against old Turd Blossom is a poor one indeed. [Dallas News Blog] via [@Texas Monthly]...
Continue Reading "Karl Rove May Help Hutchison in Gubernatorial Bid [Rumormongering]"
Two items of note regarding Texas Republicans have come out this week. First off, current Texas House Speaker Craddick faces an ethics complaint about payments to and insurance coverage for his adult daughter. A Houston man points out that Craddick has his daughter Christi on campaign payroll (at $12,000 a month), yet claims her as a dependent so that she is covered by his state health insurance. Another member of the GOP, current Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, today filed paperwork towards her expected run for governor in 2010. She's still in the exploratory stages, it seems, and the paperwork filed today set up an exploratory committee and campaign treasurer....
Continue Reading "Political News Roundup: On Craddick and Hutchison"
Preston HollowIt turns out that New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams was spot on about the Bushes: after leaving office next January, the President and First Lady will be settling down in the modest town neighborhood of Preston Hollow in north Dallas. The following note was released by the White House today: The President and Mrs. Bush have purchased a home in the Preston Hollow neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, where they will live after...
Continue Reading "Yes, Dubya's Moving Back to Texas [At Least It's Not Austin]"
More happy economy news! Layoffs for the holidays, yay! Any drunk frat boys on Sixth Street missing their parent's credit cards? KBR accused of using mortuary trucks that "still had traces of body fluids and putrefied remains in them" to ship ice to the troops. Bush doesn't actually care about civil rights - just the commemorative coin. Who knew that candy cane lawn ornament could keep holiday guests in line? In case you were...
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December 3, 2008
93-year-old former Texas Supreme Court justice almost drove into Lady Bird Lake today. Current Texas Supreme Court Justice Hecht facing ethics charges after accepting a dicey contribution. Nine major companies (including GE, Dell, IBM and others) are partnering with the Pecan Street Project to bring clean energy & green jobs to Austin. Tech company Analog Devices Inc. shutting down its Austin location. Former American Cancer Society employee involved in cell phone fraud, swindling $590,000 from the non-profit. New York Times fashion critic stops in Austin before Thanksgiving weekend, really likes the Counter Cafe. Farm-to-table dinner tonight at Cipollina....
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The Starr Building on Sixth just west of Congress is up for sale. The building is owned by the State of Texas. It is zoned CBD and it outside of the Capitol View Corridor, so height is unrestricted for the lot. There is no set price, so submit your best offer to the General Land Office. When it was built in 1955, the five story, 76,375 square foot Starr Building was the first major example of modernist architecture in Austin (and the first building in Austin with an escalator). The lobby hosts a mural by Seymour Fogel. Attempts are being made to save the mural, but it is unclear if they will be successful....
Continue Reading "Hot Real Estate Listings: Starr Building"
Texas continued its downward descent in the "Annual Health Rankings" published by the United Health Foundation, dropping from 37th to 46th in the United States. ...
Continue Reading "Texans As Sickly As Ever, If Not Worse"
News 8 Austin reports that companies wishing to use photographic evidence in court must possess a certain "private investigator's license"—neither the camera company used by the City of Austin nor the largest firm in Texas has this license....
Continue Reading "Weasel Out of That Red Light Camera Ticket"It's hard to tell from today's perfect autumn weather, but forecasters are predicting that another cold front is headed our way this week. Weather.com and News 8 Austin both show temperatures in the high 30s tonight and dipping below freezing point tomorrow evening. News 8 Austin also hints that "some" computer models are calling for possible snow next week, but we're unconvinced. [Weather.com for 78704] [News 8 Austin]...
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Automotive CEOs drove hybrids this time to ask Congress for money. Couldn't they carpool? Obama set to name Bill Richardson as Secretary of Commerce Folk singer Odetta, one of the voices of the civil rights movement, dies at 77 Bags of leftover bombs found and defused in Mumbai train station Chambliss wins Senate runoff, ending Democrats' hopes for filibuster-proof majority David Gregory to replace Tim Russert as host of "Meet the Press" An Austin...
Continue Reading "News Bits: Auto CEOs Present Plans to Congress"December 2, 2008
This past Sunday morning a Temple cop pulled over an 18-wheeler on IH35 for a traffic violation. After noting the driver's suspicious behavior, the cop asked to search the truck, where he came to find 872 pounds of pot (about $872,000 worth) in the trailer. The truck driver, who hails from Laredo, has been arrested and faces federal charges for narcotics trafficking. [Statesman]...
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Barack and Hillary bury the hatchet. But how *long* until Gitmo is closed? India to Pakistan: Give up the suspects! Or we'll...(that's the scary part.) Post-9/11, Rove got all Office of War Information with it. Macs no longer immortal. And we thought the kid in front of us on the airplane was bratty... What is Joaquin Phoenix up to?...
Continue Reading "News Bits: Dear Santa, We Want a Cabinet Appointment Too "
Last night, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board voted to use funds from the 183-A toll road in Cedar Park to guarantee payments for the conversion of U.S. 290 East between 183 and Manor from an untolled four-lane highway to a tolled twelve-lane highway (three tolled lanes each direction, plus three free frontage roads each direction). The payment guarantee was required because traffic projections were too low to convince investors to pay for the road without it....
Continue Reading "More Toll Roads Coming to Austin"December 1, 2008
Pilgrim's Pride files for bankruptcy; perhaps Bo Pilgrim should have spent his lobbying monies better? Fed Chair Bernanke was in town and spoke at the Chamber of Commerce lunch this afternoon. UT Center for American History will now be named for former Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe in recognition of/gratitude for his $15 million gift to the school. APD going after street musicians? Prayers at Austin Hindu Temple for victims of Mumbai attacks. Texas Dems suing over recount in House District 105. Parents suing Lake Travis ISD over the system used to check the sexual offender database. ...
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December 1, 2008
Earlier today Diedre Blackburn of Round Rock pled guilty to going with her 16-year-old son on a short bank robbing spree in December 2007 and January 2008. In all, they robbed four banks in the town of Round Rock. Her son, Charles Blackburn Jr., is now 17; he has already been tried as an adult, convicted for two of the robberies, and sentenced to 30 years in jail. Ms. Blackburn today was sentenced to 35...
Continue Reading "Robbery a Family Affair for Round Rock Mother and Son"
Switzerland: Prescription heroin legal, but pot still a no-go. Terror rampage leaves almost 200 dead in Mumbai. Karl Rove: American health system good as is. Bush pardons man who accidentally killed three bald eagles. Food banks struggling. Michael Phelps, Anderson Cooper race. Guess who wins. German Churches: Chocolate Jesus tacky....
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