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Mother of wrongfully convicted man honored by state Senate

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:57:56 -0400

AUSTIN — Ruby Cole Session of Fort Worth, the mother of wrongly convicted inmate Timothy Brian Cole, was honored on the floor of the Texas Senate on Tuesday for her achievements as an educator, criminal justice reformer and a “fierce champion of the wrongly ...

Microsoft announces Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:54:42 -0400

Tim Cato / Contributing Writer Microsoft made its return to the gaming platform battlefield in a 12 p.m. press conference earlier today in Redmond, Washington, unveiling details about the new Xbox One console that is expected to be released later this ...

Man convicted of killing sons scheduled to testify

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:33:48 -0400

DALLAS (AP) -- A North Texas man convicted of capital murder for drowning his two young sons is scheduled to take the stand in the penalty phase of his ...

Texas Emerging Technology Fund slated to get $50M

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:32:56 -0400

The Texas Emerging Technology Fund is expected to be allocated $50 million for the next biennium. The Texas Emerging Technology Fund is expected to be replenished with $50 million for the next two years, based on a new budget deal, the Austin American Statesman reports. Although this falls below Gov. Rick Perrys request of $69.5 million for the ETF for the next two years, the amount is still a ...

Texas senior 18 bags 800-pound record alligator

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:17:08 -0400

A Houston-area high school senior has bagged a 14-foot, 800 pound alligator - the heaviest ever certified in Texas - on his first alligator ...

Despite rain water restrictions coming to Tarrant County in June

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:10:02 -0400

The Tarrant Regional Water District will implement mandatory water restrictions June 3, limiting irrigation to twice a week for most Tarrant County cities. It feels strange to talk about water restrictions with thunderstorm clouds on the horizon but hey, this is Texas. The Tarrant Regional Water District announced today that twice-a-week watering restrictions will go into effect June 3 for most ...

Park Gates at City Place in Dallas gets new owner

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:06:39 -0400

Park Gates at City Place was sold by The Connor Group to a new investor. In the second property sale this month, Ohio-based The Connor Group has sold Park Gates at City Place, a 228-unit apartment property in East Dallas. Terms of the deal, including the investor purchasing the property, were undisclosed, a company official told me Tuesday. The Connor Group owned the East Dallas property for six ...

San Antonio IT firms YL Operari combine operations

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:50:27 -0400

Y&L Consulting has finalized its buy-out of The Operari Group. Y&L Consulting has closed on the companys buy-out of the Operari Group. Now that the acquisition is completed, San Antonio-based Y&L plans on significantly expanding its information technology offerings. This is a good union for all concerned, Operari co-founder and managing partner Shaun Williams says. Operari has spent the last five ...

Muppets creators items head to NY museum

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:00 -0400

NEW YORK (AP) — The Muppets may have taken Manhattan, but they're getting a spiffy new home in Queens.Muppet creator Jim Henson's family is donating about 400 puppets, costumes, props and other items to the Museum of the Moving Image.Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on hand for the announcement Tuesday.The museum plans to build a new gallery to house the new contributions. The city is ...

Rare $10 bill marked for city of West to be sold

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:47:57 -0400

DALLAS (AP) — A rare $10 bill from 1929 marked with the name of the Texas town of West is set to be auctioned off to benefit the families of victims of the deadly fertilizer plant explosion there.Dallas-based Heritage Auctions will offer up the bill Tuesday. The April 17 explosion killed 14 people.Heritage says that, beginning in 1865, banks could place bonds and other securities on deposit ...

Texas House mulls new district for failing schools

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:47:57 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas House is considering a proposal that would create special districts operated by turnaround experts to improve struggling schools.The bill by Dallas Democratic Sen. Royce West cleared the Senate May 1.The House will likely vote on it on Tuesday — but has proposed enough changes to send its version to conference committee to be reconciled with what the ...

Former Texas Marine kidnapped in Mexico

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:41:16 -0400

Armando Torres, 27 A former Marine from Texas who served for seven years has been kidnapped by armed men in Mexico, his family said.Armando Torres, 27, crossed the Los Indios Bridge in Brownsville, Texas on Tuesday night to visit his dad and was supposed to return Wednesday morning.Torres' uncle, Eduardo Torres, says he's worried and claims he and two other family members from Mexico ...

Ban on soda in elementary middle schools advances

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:40:18 -0400

By MICHAEL BRICKAssociated Press AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A proposed ban on sales of sugary sodas in public elementary and junior high schools is on its way to the governor. In a 24-6 vote on Tuesday, the Senate approved a bill intended to help the state's youngest students develop nutritious drinking habits. It would allow schools to sell only water, low-fat milk and pure juice. Democratic ...

Key part of budget deal near deadline

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:38:19 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - A must-pass bill that is part of a Texas budget deal remains in limbo as time is running out before a midnight deadline in the House. The House on Tuesday must pass a measure that would ask voters this November to approve a constitutional amendment creating a new state water fund. If the bill doesn't pass, a budget compromise between the House and Senate is likely to ...

Texas mother worried about torture traffickers

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:19:25 -0400

During a phone interview Tuesday, Dunn said she imagined 13-year-old Hailey Dunn being tortured or that she'd fallen victim to human traffickers. But possibly the most painful part was thinking of Hailey wondering why her mother and father hadn't found ...

Many Texas women getting more invasive breast biopsy

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:04:37 -0400

Many women getting breast surgical biopsy instead less invasive biopsy. A pink ribbon to recognize breast cancer awareness hangs on the North Portico of the White House in Washington. UPI/Kevin ...

Port of Corpus Christi commissioner Mike Scott resigns

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:01:37 -0400

Pretty soon, there's going to be no commissioners to decide the fate of the bridge, seems like the whole bunch of dudes will have to recuse themselves from this money making scheme called: The Port of Corpus ...

Letter to the Editor Uninformed on renewable energy

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:01:31 -0400

I find it ironic that many of the posters decry petroleum as being so harmful to the environment but don't think birds are worth caring about. Aren't they part of the environment too? Obviously both sources if energy impact the the earth but so does man. BTW, how many of you drive ...

SP cuts rating on J.C. Penneys term loan

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:59:13 -0400

Standard & Poor's lowered its rating on J.C. Penney's term loan. Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Tuesday announced it is lowering the rating it gave Plano-based J.C. Penney's term loan further into junk status, to "B-" from "B." Bloomberg Businessweek cited an AP story that said the service cut the rating because Penney (NYSE: JCP) raised the size of term ...

Forge Energy hit with wrongful death suit over oilfield fatality

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:49:16 -0400

The family of a slain oilfield worker has filed a lawsuit against San Antonio-based Forge Energy LLC and Thornton Drilling Co. in Odessa. The family of an electrocuted oilfield worker has filed a wrongful death suit against rig owner San Antonio-based Forge Energy LLC, and its contractor, Thornton Drilling Co. in Odessa, claiming the companies gross negligence led to the fatality. Officials at ...

Texas authorities issue warrant for Richmond pastor

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:45 -0400

RICHMOND -- A warrant for the arrest of Geronimo Aguilar, senior pastor of the Richmond Outreach Center, has been issued but it is not clear whether it has been served or if Aguilar is in custody, according to sources familiar with the ...

Deadly tornado rips apart Oklahoma town severe weather in north Texas

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:23:33 -0400

Severe weather building three miles outside of Muenster, Texas Monday evening. Storms plagued north central Texas for hours after a deadly tornado killed 24 people in Moore, Okla. Photo by James ...

Safety tips for severe weather

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:23:33 -0400

After the devastating tornadoes in Texas last week and Oklahoma last night, residents in this area need to be prepared for sudden, severe weather. These brief descriptions explain a few meteorology terms and scroll down for a list of things to have with you. For an FAQ list, ...

On the ground with the storm chasers

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:22:31 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The environment over northern portions of south-central Texas will become very conducive for a severe weather outbreak this afternoon and evening, and I will be in the field Tuesday afternoon tracking the thunderstorms along with experienced local storm chaser Randy Denzer. Meteorologists look at many variables to determine the potential for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. ...

Gun training for some teachers approved

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:20:32 -0400

AUSTIN (AP) -- The Texas House late Monday approved a plan to train some teachers who are already licensed to carry firearms for gunfights that could erupt in their ...

El Paso Nonprofits Aid Boston Bangladesh Victims

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:26 -0400

Limbs International, an El Paso not-for-profit organization which helps leg amputees in Third World countries, plans to provide prosthetics to victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and victims of a garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, it announced Monday. The organization is ready to provide its Limbs Relief Knee, a durable, plastic, low-cost, artificial knee used as part of a ...

Billions for campus construction close to passage

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:15:43 -0400

In its tentative approval of campus construction bonds, the Texas House upped the total from about $2.4 billion to almost $2.7 billion. Billions of dollars in bonds for campus construction have received tentative approval by the Texas House, the Texas Tribune reports. The version of Senate Bill 16 by State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, considered by the House on Monday allocated bonds to ...

Officials Fear Texas Tornado Death Toll May Rise

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:12:12 -0400

Multiple tornadoes, flash floods and huge hail hit North Texas hard on Wednesday. At least six people dead and more are missing, and officials fear the death toll could rise. Storm chasers 40 miles west of Fort Worth braved the weather to capture dramatic video of a tornado touchdown. In all, 10 tornadoes slammed into North Texas as part of a massive system that spawned severe thunderstorms. ...

Wells Fargo Chase slow foreclosure sales while Bank of America continues

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:06:09 -0400

Three large banks have nearly halted foreclosure sales while making sure they are meeting revised standards on how troubled homeowners are to be treated. Wells Fargo & Co., JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. have nearly halted foreclosure sales after federal regulators revised orders on the how troubled borrowers were to be treated before losing their homes. But Bank of America Corp. is ...

Chases Dimon survives vote to split chairman CEO jobs

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:06:08 -0400

Jamie Dimon will remain as CEO and chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Jamie Dimon will keep his titles of chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. after shareholders voted down a proposal to split the company's top two jobs. The New York Times reported that New York City-based Chase (NYSE: JPM), the nation's largest banking company, also saw its entire board of 11 directors re-elected. ...

Connor Group sells another Dallas apartment complex

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:03:54 -0400

Connor Group has sold its 228-unit Park Gates at City Place in Dallas. The Connor Group has sold a property in Dallas, its second this month. The Centerville-based real estate investment firm sold Park Gates at City Place to an undisclosed buyer. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Connor Group had owned the 228-unit community for six years. With this sale, the company now owns and operates ...

Man arrested after $1.6M in cocaine discovered

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:27 -0400

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) -- Authorities say an Ohio man has been arrested in West Texas after a state trooper found about 50 pounds of cocaine valued at more than $1.6 million hidden in a false compartment of a ...

Texas Passes Merry Christmas Bill To Fight War On Christmas

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:42 -0400

WASHINGTON -- Christmas may be seven months away, but Texas is ready for it. State lawmakers there waged their own battle against the so-called War on Christmas on Friday, passing ...

Next Mac will be made in Texas Tim Cook says

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:55:29 -0400

May 21, 2013: Apple CEO Tim Cook arrives on Capitol Hill, in Washington, to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent subcommittee on Investigations hearing to examine the methods employed by multinational corporations to shift profits offshore and how such activities are affected by the Internal Revenue ...

Sprinkles readies Dallas cupcake ATM looks at Fort Worth location

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:52:54 -0400

Sprinkles Cupcakes is looking to expand to Forth Worth, according to a company spokeswoman. The site would be the company's second North Texas location. Sprinkles Cupcakes has turned its attention to Fort Worth, after spending the past year planning new additions to Dallas, a company spokeswoman said. Joanne Yurich said Sprinkles is looking for sites in Fort Worth for its second North Texas ...

Choke Canyon Reservoir yields state record alligator

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:42:23 -0400

Braxton Bielski, 18, shot this 14-foot, 3-inch alligator during a public hunt at the James E. Daughtrey Wildlife Management Area on Choke Canyon Reservoir. The 800-pound giant is a state record, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials said. Fort Bend County teen kills 800-pound alligator at James E. Daughtrey Wildlife Management Area on Choke Canyon ...

Texas lawmakers pave way for stronger craft beer industry

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:39:34 -0400

The five bills that passed through the Senate provide a new approach to help grow the expanding craft beer industry and update several business practices and regulatory issues in the Alcoholic Beverage Code, according to the Beer Alliance of Texas. Its bottoms up for craft beer brewers in Texas after the House passed a package of bills Monday to help create a more robust craft beer ...

Dougherty calls on Lehmberg to resign

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:25:24 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The only Republican on the Travis County Commissioners Court called Tuesday for Democratic District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg to resign. Gerald Daugherty said that Lehmberg's conviction last month on a drunken driving charge has undermined her standing as the county's chief prosecutor. Lehmberg was sentenced to 45 days in the county jail. She was released after 22 days ...

WATCH Spurs expect Randolph Grizzlies to rebound

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:19:17 -0400

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Zach Randolph's miserable debut in the Western Conference finals led to a sleepless night and a long film session.The Memphis Grizzlies' All-Star power forward is hardly down and out, though.Randolph pointed out Monday that even Muhammad Ali got knocked down and was able to get back up. He's counting on doing the same as Memphis prepares to play at San ...

Time running out for state water plan in Austin

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:17:40 -0400

The Texas Legislature has until Monday to approve a resolution that would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot for November. Voters would then decide whether to take $2 billion from the state's Rainy Day Fund to pay for water infrastructure and conservation projects. The first of two bills that deal with the states water infrastructure got final approval from the Texas Legislature ...

Construction worker killed in Grapevine

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:46 -0400

GRAPEVINE — A construction worker slipped off rafters at a home under construction and died from his injuries Monday afternoon at a local hospital, police said ...

Water restrictions set to return June 3

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:46 -0400

Even with storms expected across the region Tuesday, the water district, which provides raw water to 98 percent of Tarrant County, does not expect enough precipitation to avoid hitting the trigger for Stage 1 water restrictions by early ...

North Texas in direct path of new round of storms Tuesday

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:13:45 -0400

Today “will be a bigger day for us than today,” said Jesse Moore, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth. “Unfortunately we have lots of moisture still in place and storms will be sliding into our ...

2 lawsuits filed against Maine Catholic church

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:21 -0400

- Two brothers are suing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, saying church officials knew a priest was sexually abusing them and other children but failed to stop it. In complaints in Cumberland County Superior Court, Jeffrey and Frederick Conroy say the late Father James Vallely abused them from approximately 1976 through approximately 1979, when they were altar boys at St. Michael's ...

Back surgery has Tony Romo out of Cowboys practices

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:12:15 -0400

Tony Romo had a cyst removed from his back last month. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won't be on the field Tuesday when off-season workouts begin for the team at its Valley Ranch facility in Irving. The team said that Romo, who signed a $108 million contract extension in March, will be getting time to heal after he had a troublesome cyst removed last month from his back. The Cowboys ...

Compare Metrics completes $4.2M Series A funding

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:36 -0400

Software maker Compare Metrics Inc. has completed a $4.2 million Series A round of funding. The Austin-based company disclosed that investors included Austin Ventures LP and several angel investors, according to a Tuesday news release. Compare Metrics, founded in 2010 as Compare Networks LLC, develops search tools to e-commerce websites with a white-label product discovery platform. Company ...

ATT unlimited data customers to get video calling ability

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:55:34 -0400

Apple's FaceTime app is a popular way for video calling on the iPhone. Dallas-based AT&T Inc.'s ban on its unlimited data iPhone users from making calls using the phone's popular FaceTime feature soon may be over. The Los Angeles Times reported that AT&T will allow software and smartphone makers the ability to enable video calling for unlimited data customers on preinstalled apps on ...

Texas Hold Em in Tehran - By Yasmin Alem

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:54:12 -0400

Gitmo needs $200 million in upgrades; Guardsmen called up in Oklahoma; an ICBM test planned for today; Hagel meets with a Russian; What North Korea could do to the U.S.; Baron, out; and a bit more. - by Gordon ...

High risk of severe storms in region

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:46:26 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Travis, Williamson counties and large parts of the Texas Hill Country were ripe for severe weather on Tuesday, the National Weather Service said. Included in the mix were enhanced chances of severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds, and even isolated tornadoes. Super-cell thunderstorms were called a possibility. "Thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and ...

Central Texas braces for more severe storms

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:46:26 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - One day after the same system of storms that battered an Oklahoma City suburb stretched into Texas, a renewed risk of severe weather emerged Tuesday. The entire KXAN viewing area is included in the slight risk area for severe weather from the Storm Prediction Center, while some of the northern neighborhoods have an increased chance for severe weather by being included in the ...

Sprint boosts offer for Clearwire to $10.7B

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:31:28 -0400

Sprint already is the majority owner of Clearwire Corp., but it wants to buy the remaining shares. Sprint Nextel Corp. on Tuesday boosted its offer for Clearwire Corp. by 14 percent to about $10.7 billion. Sprint already is the majority owner of Clearwire. The Wall Street Journal reported that Sprint (NYSE: S) raised its offer from $2.97 per share to $3.40 per share in an attempt to win over ...

Pioneer tests running fleet truck and drilling rigs on compressed natural gas

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:29:09 -0400

Wm. Stacy Locke, president and CEO of Pioneer Energy Services, says the company is testing out compressed natural gas for its fleet trucks and drilling rigs. Drilling-services company Pioneer Energy Services has begun testing a truck powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) with its eye on converting more of its fleet to the low-cost fuel. The San Antonio-based companys new 2013 Chevrolet 2500HD ...

Trident expands public entity insurance program in Pennsylvania

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:17:32 -0400

Trident Insurance Services and The McGowan Cos. have formed a new partnership that will allow McGowan agents and brokers to sell Trident's public entity insurance program in Pennsylvania. One of Trident's products is law enforcement liability. Trident Insurance Services LLC has formed an exclusive partnership with The McGowan Cos. to provide public entity insurance in Pennsylvania. The ...

Austins Pizza Phone problems may kill business

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:15:07 -0400

J.D. Torian says his blood, sweat and tears for the past eight years have been invested in making Austin's Pizza a success and now with a sudden phone service problem, his livelihood and that of 225 employees is in jeopardy. The problems started last November when Torian said his phone service provider, AT&T Inc., billed him for equipment he didnt receive and didnt need. Torian said AT&T cut ...

Construction progresses at Exxon Mobils Houston campus

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:11:19 -0400

Miscellaneous views of the new Exxon Mobil campus under construction in Spring, Texas. Friday, April 12, 2013. (Photo by Michael Stravato) Irving-based Exxon Mobil Corp. is building a 20-building campus on 385 acres in north Houston, and according to the Houston Business Journal, it's one of the largest construction projects under way in the United States. The HBJ got a sneak peek at the ...

Tesoro Corp. will sell Carson terminal assets to Tesoro Logistics

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:02:48 -0400

A file photo of Tesoro Corp.'s refinery in Hawaii. Tesoro has agreed to sell its logistics assets in Carson, Calif. to Tesoro Logistics LP. Tesoro Corp. will sell some of the storage infrastructure it acquires through its takeover of BP Plcs Carson, Calif., refinery to Tesoro Logistics LP, a partnership it formed in 2011 to develop pipelines and other oil-logistics assets. The infrastructure ...

Minor spill tar balls cleaned up at Galveston

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:51:27 -0400

General Land Office spokesman Jim Suydam (SOO'-dam) says the source has not been determined. He says no additional tar balls were reported Tuesday and cleanup was nearly ...

Longview police officer suspect injured in chase

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:51:27 -0400

Longview police say Monday night's incident led to the officer and the male suspect being transported to a hospital. Police on Tuesday didn't immediately say whether anyone had been shot or provide further details on ...

Medical examiner lowers death toll to 24 in Oklahoma twister

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:32:11 -0400

A tornado moves past homes in Moore, Okla. on Monday, May 20, 2013. A monstrous tornado roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs, flattening entire neighborhoods with winds up to 200 mph, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo/Alonzo ...

Live on Caller.com Courts and city council meeting make for busy Tuesday

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:32:09 -0400

COASTAL BEND -- Courts, city council and the classroom will be the focus of our local news coverage Tuesday. In the courts, sentencing will begin for Jose Angel Macias Jr., who was found guilty of murder on Monday. Meanwhile, former Taft High School band director Roy Hinojosa is scheduled be sentenced Tuesday on an improper relationship with a student charge. At Corpus Christi City Council, ...

Texas windstorm bill that extends alternative certification program advances

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:32:08 -0400

Thousands of coastal homeowners could get a reprieve on losing their wind and hailstorm insurance if lawmakers can hustle through a bill now working its way through the Texas House of ...

Oklahoma Tornado Monday May 20 2013

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:31:50 -0400

A child is pulled from the rubble of the Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., and passed along to rescuers Monday, May 20, 2013. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school.(AP Photo Sue ...

YouEarnedIt enlists Semelsberger as CEO

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:24:05 -0400

YouEarnedIt has a mobile app that lets employees reward each other, and select rewards on their smartphones. YouEarnedIt has enlisted Steve Semelsberger as its CEO. The Austin-based company, which developed an employee rewards and engagement platform, said Semelsberger was previously senior vice president and general manager of California-based Demand Media Inc.s (NYSE: DMD) social products ...

Oklahoma Tornado Death Toll Lowered

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:05:53 -0400

Flipped vehicles are piled up outside the heavily damaged Moore Medical Center after a powerful tornado ripped through the area on May 20, 2013 in Moore, ...

Premont AM-Kingsville to announce partnership

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:36:12 -0400

The Premont (PREE'-mahnt) Independent School District and the Texas A&M University System scheduled a news conference Tuesday. The announcement on the campus of Texas A&M-Kingsville is being touted as an academic ...

Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo to miss workouts after cyst removal

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:22:25 -0400

Dallas quarterback Tony Romo warms up before the Cowboys' game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer) IRVING, Texas -- Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will miss at least three weeks of offseason workouts after a procedure to remove a cyst from his back. The team's website reported Tuesday that Romo underwent the procedure last month ...

Texas House to vote on drug testing for welfare benefits

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:17:14 -0400

AUSTIN -- Texas lawmakers will be voting on whether to require some welfare recipients to take drug tests. The Texas House is scheduled to vote on the measure on Tuesday afternoon. Senate Bill 11 would require people enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to answer questions to see if they are at risk of abusing drugs. If they fail the screening, they'll be required to ...

Bill to guide fund Texas water projects OKd

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:55:51 -0400

Legislation to tackle Texas' water woes was approved by the Texas Senate on Monday. House Bill 4, filed by State Rep. Allan Ritter, R-Nederland, would direct $2 billion into a water infrastructure fund that would offer loans for projects such as new water reservoirs, pipelines and conservation projects. The legislation will restructure the Texas Water Development Board to a three-member, ...

Austin investment office properties trade at rapid clip

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:40:37 -0400

Barton Oaks Plaza I in Southwest Austin was one of several major investment sales that closed in the first four months of 2013. Austin office properties have been trading at a rapid clip since the first of the year, resulting in nearly 3 million square feet of commercial space being sold to a wide variety of investors through April, according to information provided by Kennedy Wilson. Of deals ...

Lawmakers agree on $50 million for ETF

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:30:13 -0400

The governor's office and legislative leaders have agreed to supply the Texas Emerging Technology Fund with $50 million over two years to continue operations, State Rep. Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, told the Austin American-Statesman yesterday. Gov. Rick Perry originally requested $69.5 million for each of the next two years. Lawmakers still must decide whether to strip the states top three ...

Austin firefighter catches a wave among U.S. entrepreneurs

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:16:19 -0400

Matt Thomson founded Wavecation to reach vacationers looking for homes to rent where the surf is up. Upstart Business Journal which names five people across to country to its "Entrepreneurs of the Week" list highlights an Austin firefighter on its most-recent slideshow. Matt Thomson founded Wavecation LLC in early 2011 to provide an online listing of vacation homes geared toward surfing ...

Four Teens Wounded In Austin Shooting

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:14:20 -0400

CHICAGO (STMW) – Four people were hurt in a gang-related shooting after large groups of teenagers started fighting in the street Monday night in the West Side Austin neighborhood. About 9:30 p.m., someone in a light-colored sedan drove by the fight in the 5300 block of West Iowa Street and opened fire, police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro ...

Why Texas loves trucks

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:13:46 -0400

A 1998 Ford F-150 Forget hybrids and small, fuel-frugal cars when you're in Texas. The Lone Star State, where I spent five days last week, loves big, gas-guzzling pickup trucks. The number of trucks of various nameplates and ages seen on the road or parked at shopping centers is so ubiquitous that I just had to go around taking snapshots of them. The pickups I saw in Dallas and Plano were ...

Texas parents charged after adopted son 4 dies

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:12:51 -0400

CLEBURNE, Texas-A North Texas husband and wife have been charged with felony injury to a child after their 4-year-old adopted son was found dead at their home. Cleburne police arrested David and Angel Cook after an autopsy report released Monday indicated Buddy Cook's death was a homicide. The body was discovered March 22. Earlier Child Protective Services affidavits said Buddy apparently ...

Second Kiln at Texas Industries’ Hunter Cement Plant Achieves Operational Status

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:07:13 -0400

Texas Industries, Inc. announced today that its Texas subsidiary has achieved operational status of its second kiln at its Hunter cement plant, near New Braunfels, Texas. Following a successful commissioning process which began in November of 2012, the 1.4-million ton state-of-the art kiln line has realized its design performance capabilities and is producing ...

Boeheim on Melos title hopes Not on that team MAY 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:05:51 -0400

07:10 AM ET 05.21 | His former head coach has picked a side, and it's squarely in the corner of his one-time star forward. Jim Boeheim maintains little hope that former Syracuse ...

Muhammad believes hes the best player in the draft MAY 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:05:51 -0400

07:09 AM ET 05.21 | While Shabazz Muhammad's draft stock may be slipping in some circles, he certainly hasn't lost any faith in himself. [The] weeks leading up to the June 27 draft will be about altering negative perceptions about his character and his game. "Being the number one guy, everybody wants you to fall," Muhammad said last week at the NBA draft combine in Chicago. ...

Lakers chief rivals for Howard MAY 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:05:50 -0400

Dwight Howard 's version of The Decision. The pitches he will get after the second leg of this journey, the ones that will likely come from Houston, Dallas and Atlanta, among others (after July 1), will no doubt be very different. And yes, he intends to listen to those pitches, and no, he won't give ...

Jackson wants Jack back ... but business is business MAY 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 08:05:50 -0400

Jarrett Jack . "As a coach I value everything that he did for this basketball team and not just on the basketball floor but off. He was incredible, he was a great leader, he as a voice, he was a big time competitor, he was a winner, he plays with an edge. He was instrumental in everything we did. I heard Bob talk about it earlier' being he's a free agent, it's not just about ...

RunTex owes lender $625000 lawsuit claims

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:59:15 -0400

Paul Carrozza Austin-based RunTex Inc.'s money woes are becoming more complicated, as a lender alleges it is owed $625,000, and has filed a lawsuit to ensure it collects that money prior to the landlord of the shuttered flagship store receiving his funds a $150,000 judgment. Court records indicate that Run-Tex Lending LLC composed of "local fans of the brand" wanting to help the ...

Lockheed Martins F-35 will go operational a year early

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:41:15 -0400

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will go operational in 2016. The Fort Worth-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be in operational use by the U.S. Air Force in mid-2016, a year ahead of schedule. Reuters reported that the Air Force said the plane will operate with a software package similar to that of the U.S. Marine Corp., meaning it will be slightly less capable than. and will ...

UTSA recruits Mexicos former chief demographer to faculty

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:30:06 -0400

Dr. Ren Zenteno has agreed to join the University of Texas at San Antonio faculty as a professor of demography. He formerly served as undersecretary of population, migration and religious affairs at the Ministry of the Interior in Mexico. University of Texas at San Antonio officials said late Monday that Dr. Ren M. Zenteno, the former undersecretary of population, migration and religious affairs ...

Six dead in Texas storms

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:26:58 -0400

Illustration. A powerful storm that may have spawned tornados ripped through northern Texas, killing six people and injuring more than 100, media reports said. (AFP/Don ...

Vodafone will keep $3.2B payout from Verizone Wireless

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:26:14 -0400

Vodafone owns a 45 percent share of Verizon Wireless. Vodafone plans to keep the $3.2 billion dividend it was paid by Verizon Wireless and will use the cash to offset a drop in its quarterly revenue. Vodafone owns a 45 percent share of Verizon Wireless, with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) owning the other 55 percent. Verizon has operations throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area, ...

Help could be available for uninsured West losses

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:29 -0400

WEST, Texas (AP) -- Disaster help may be available for losses not covered by insurance in a Central Texas town recovering from a fertilizer plant ...

Texas search team to help after Okla. twister

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:29 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Members of an elite search and rescue team from Texas have been dispatched to Oklahoma to help with recovery following a deadly ...

Texas arrest of suspect in Nashville homicide

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:28 -0400

Eric Lozano, who is 31 years old and from Lyford, was arrested Monday night in the killing of Mitchel T. Moreno in a Nashville motel room. Moreno was 52 and was from the Denmark community in Madison County, ...

More tornadoes in forecast for central US Tuesday

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:16:11 -0400

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- More severe weather is in the forecast for parts of the central United States already reeling from powerful tornadoes this ...

Texas hosting sales tax holiday on Energy Star products

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:15:04 -0400

Texas shoppers will be able to buy select Energy Star-rated appliances tax free from May 25 through May 27. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs reminded shoppers this week that the states annual Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday is this weekend from Saturday, May 25 through Monday, May 27. Consumers will be able to buy Energy Star-qualified air conditioners priced at $6,000 or less; refrigerators at $2,000 ...

More oil pipeline capacity planned for Texas

Tue, 21 May 2013 07:02:08 -0400

A 95-mile pipeline extension from western Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle will carry as much as 75,000 barrels of oil per day, a pipeline company said. Plains All American Pipeline announced it was building a 95-mile extension for an Oklahoma crude oil pipeline system to accommodate expansions in production from the region. "The new Western Oklahoma pipeline will provide up to 75,000 ...

Letter to the Editor Outraged by Benghazi response

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:57:53 -0400

If you've been admiring Hillary Clinton up to this point, I'd say you are grossly misinformed about who she really is. To those of us who've watched her and her political machine over the last 20 yeas, her actions on Benghazi come as absolutely no surprise whatsoever. She is an arrogant, black hearted narcissist like her husband, who treats 'underlings' (particularly ...

Softbank plans record $3.9B bond sale in pursuit of Sprint bid

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:56:33 -0400

SoftBank plans a $3.9 billion bond issuance while pursuing its bid for Sprint Nextel. SoftBank Corp. said it intends to issue bonds in June to raise $3.9 billion as the Japanese company remains under pressure from Sprint Nextel Corp. shareholders to raise its bid for the third-largest wireless carrier in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal reported that Softbank Corp.'s move comes as Sprint ...

Unnecessary Breast Biopsy Surgery Performed On More Than One Third Of Texas Women Diagnosed With A Breast Mass

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:20:41 -0400

Many women in Texas who are found to have an abnormality on routine mammogram or discover a lump in one of their breasts end up having an old-fashioned surgical biopsy to find out whether the breast abnormality is malignant. Since 2001, national expert panels have recommended that the first course of action for women ...

Trial begins in international custody case

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:45:57 -0400

NASHVILLE, Tenn.-A trial begins Tuesday that could determine which country will decide the fate of 13-year-old twin boys at the center of an international custody battle that extends from Eastern Europe to Middle Tennessee. The boys are American citizens who were born in Texas but have spent the majority of their lives in Hungary. Their father is an American citizen with family in the Cottontown ...

NE Texas expects severe storms possible tornadoes

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:45:56 -0400

DALLAS-Forecasters expect a stormy day across North Texas and East Texas as another day of severe thunderstorms are expected to make it into the Dallas-Fort Worth area. A layer of warm air over the area had limited storm development in much of North Texas over the past two days. That layer is expected to dissipate on Tuesday, allowing storms and isolated tornadoes to develop. Storms have ...

Forensic scientists exhume Brooks County graves in hopes of reunited unidentified bodies with loved ones

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:45:12 -0400

TODD YATES/CALLER-TIMES Lori Baker with the Baylor University and members of her team, students Audrey Murchland, 20, and Marissa Salley, 21, (left to right) catalog a set of bones after they were exhumed Monday from Sacred Heart Burial Park in Falfurrias. The forensic team from the university made up of students and professors are taking the unclaimed bodies back to Baylor for DNA testing in ...

Texas Medicaid Debate Complicated By Politics And Poverty

Tue, 21 May 2013 04:13:02 -0400

- black birds - perched on the tops of palm trees swell to a noisy, unavoidable cacophony. That is also the strategy, it could be said, that local officials, health care providers and frustrated Valley residents are trying to use to convince Governor Rick Perry and state Republican lawmakers to set aside their opposition and expand Medicaid, a key provision of the federal health law. The Rio ...

Memphis Grizzlies Zach Randolph spurred on to do better against San Antonio

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:14:12 -0400

Memphis Grizzlies ' blowout loss in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference finals. No one on either team expects him to play so poorly for the rest of the series. As ...

Austin Seferian-Jenkins pretrial hearing postponed until July | Northwest roundup

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:01:07 -0400

Washington tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who was charged with misdemeanor driving under the influence in April, had a pretrial hearing in Seattle Municipal Court on Monday postponed until July 1. Defense attorney Bill Kirk asked for the delay and a release of $1,000 bail on the condition that Seferian-Jenkins abstain from drinking and not drive without an ignition interlock device. ...

Norris rested ready for turn against Royals

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:51:31 -0400

Astros pitcher Bud Norris could have taken his regular turn in the rotation on Sunday in Pittsburgh after leaving a May 13 start against the Tigers with back spasms. However, manager Bo Porter didn't want to take a chance, though, by pitching Norris in a National League park where he would have had to also swing the bat. Instead, the 28-year-old right-hander will take the mound on Tuesday ...

Monstrous Oklahoma tornado kills at least 91

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:37:29 -0400

Disaster workers toiled in hail, lightning and rain early Tuesday in Moore, Okla., hoping to find survivors of a giant tornado that killed at least 91 people. Hundreds of crews, including National Guardsmen, Red Cross workers and city and county employees, worked feverishly under stadium lights through the night, cutting through fallen beams and clearing debris. Three thunderstorms pummeled ...

10th Annual Get Active America program

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:34:26 -0400

For this year's 10th Annual Get Active America! program, which runs throughout the month of May, The Corpus Christi Athletic Club is joining with the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) to help America become physically active and improve their diet. As part of Get Active America! The Corpus Christi Athletic Club will encourage its community to work towards ...

Swacha To Host May 23 Ach Compliance Webinar

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:34:25 -0400

This webinar is designed to provide financial institutions and third party service providers with an understanding of the compliance requirements associated with processing ACH Entries on a day-to-day basis. Attendees will examine the bodies of law associated with each aspect of processing ACH Entries, including the NACHA Operating Rules, Regulation E, UCC4A and the processing of ACH government ...

Mirador hosts public lecture

Tue, 21 May 2013 02:34:23 -0400

Mirador, 5857 Timbergate Drive, welcomes Frances Mir, president of the South Chapter of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, discussing "Consider Partnering with a Geriatric Care Manager" at 5:30 p.m. May 23. Learn all about finding the right community, coordinating medical care, helping with financial and legal issues, making sure you get all the Federal ...

Profar collects two RBIs in Rangers loss

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:44:43 -0400

Profar grounds to second, scoring Soto ARLINGTON -- The Rangers didn't get a quality start from pitcher Josh Lindblom in his first career Major League start and they fell, 9-2, to the A's on Monday night at the Ballpark in Arlington. Lindblom allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. The reliever-turned-starter struck out four batters and tossed 88 pitches. ...

Humble Darvish tries to slow As roll

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:44:43 -0400

At first glance, tabbing Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish as the club's ace seems like an easy connection to make. Coming off a historic rookie campaign, Darvish (7-1) boasts a 2.97 ERA and has struck out a Major League-leading 86 batters in just 60 2/3 innings. But if you ask the 26-year-old, he'll shy away from the label, insisting he hasn't reached that level yet. "I only ...

SNL star to talk about addiction abuse at Fort Worth event

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:24 -0400

2013 Stars Luncheon Tuesday, Fort Worth Convention Center Silent Auction begins at 10:30 a.m.; Luncheon is noon to 1:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $100 and are available at the registration table. Information: Recovery Resource Council at 817-332-6329 ...

Cleburne parents face charge of injury to child after death of adopted boy

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:24 -0400

CLEBURNE — The adoptive parents of a 4-year-old boy who died two months ago were arrested Monday on a felony warrant accusing them of injury to a child, police ...

Poor population in DFW suburbs has risen 111 percent since 2000

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:24 -0400

sfcampbell@star-telegram.com The poor population in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington suburbs has risen 111 percent increase from 2000 to 2011, according to a ...

Beer bills move to Gov. Perrys desk

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:55:56 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - On Monday afternoon, the House passed all of the four beer-related bills, which will now head to Gov. Rick Perry's desk. The vote was expected ...

Dominguez Astros blast off in win over KC

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:40:58 -0400

KC@HOU: Dominguez belts a three-run shot off Guthrie HOUSTON -- He's known for his glove more than his bat, and Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez showed why by starting a terrific double play in the sixth inning on Monday. He also reminded the Royals you can't take his offense for granted, either. Dominguez answered a three-run homer by Kansas City's Miguel Tejada in the ...

Bill bars future governors from Medicaid expansion

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:40:17 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The House has approved requiring any decision by a future Texas governor to expand Medicaid first be approved by the ...

Communities weigh in on tornado sirens

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:21:14 -0400

HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) - In several communities across the region, tornado sirens are used to warn residents of impending danger. In Central Texas, San Marcos has 14 sirens and Cedar Park just added three in the city's largest parks. Georgetown also has the warning systems, and in the Hill Country, there are sirens in San Saba and Mason. In Austin and Round Rock, no tornado sirens are in ...

Austin-Travis County EOC StormReady

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:19:43 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Should a major disaster strike Central Texas, the Austin-Travis County Emergency Operations Center and a team of first responders can activate a large, specially-equipped facility within 30 minutes. We dont have any control over the weather," said emergency coordinator Pete Baldwin. All we can do is make sure where the resources are, know to make sure they need to be prepared, ...

Local universities in line for big improvements

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:56:49 -0400

dmontgomery@star-telegram.com A half-dozen public universities in North Texas, straining under record enrollment growth, would receive more than $350 million for brick-and-mortar expansion projects under a state bond package that won preliminary approval in the Texas House Monday ...

Reed Cushing miss Texans 1st spring workout

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:40:21 -0400

Houston Texans ' first spring workout on Monday as he recovers from hip surgery in Colorado. Coach Gary Kubiak said Reed is "doing really well.'' The nine-time Pro Bowler signed a three-year contract in free agency and will miss organized team activities. "The expectations are for him to leave Colorado sometime this week,'' Kubiak ...

Tornado warnings spanning Midwest from Texas to Illinois in wake of deadly Oklahoma twister

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:28:33 -0400

MOORE, Okla. - Tornado warnings have been issued across much of the Midwest, stretching from Texas to Illinois, following a second deadly twister in as many days in the Oklahoma City area. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings Monday evening for several counties in southeastern Oklahoma and north-central Texas, along with parts of northwest Arkansas, Missouri, central Iowa and ...

New Dallas firm buys up 3 energy companies with $425M investment

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:20:49 -0400

A new Dallas-based private equity firm launched today with the purchase of three San Antonio-based drilling companies for $425 million. Dallas-based Tailwater Capital announced a $425 million private equity acquisition of three energy companies on Monday. The firm officially launched Monday after spinning off from Dallas-based HM Capital. Tailwater now owns a share of BlackBrush Oil & Gas, ...

House adopts resign to run amendment for Railroad Commission

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:18:58 -0400

Texas Railroad Commissioners will have to resign if they run for another public office, according to an amendment passed by the Texas House of Representatives. Texas Railroad Commissioners will have to resign if they run for another public office, according to an amendment that passed the Texas House of Representatives Monday. Texas Energy Report announced that the amendment to the Ethics ...

LIVE STREAMING VIDEO Tornado churns through Moore Okla. at least 37 killed

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:17:27 -0400

This frame grab provided by KWTV shows a tornado in Oklahoma City Monday, May 20, 2013. Television footage shows flattened buildings and fires after a mile-wide tornado moved through the Oklahoma City area. (AP Photo/Courtesy ...

City reveals park master plan

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:05:57 -0400

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Plans are in store for new park land in Austin. The area around the old power plant on Holly Street on the east side will be undergoing a transformation. As the city moves forward, they want input from the public. Austin's Parks and Recreation Department held a workshop Monday at Martin Middle School to engage the public. Project organizers presented a master plan to the ...

4 Americans to qualify for British Open in Texas

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:50:51 -0400

PLANO, Texas -; Americans Josh Teater, Scott Brown Johnson Wagner and Bud Cauley qualified for the British Open on Monday at the international final qualifying at Gleneagles Country Club Queens ...

Soto Chirinos fill void competently behind the plate

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:30:46 -0400

Email ARLINGTON -- The Rangers went into Monday's game with the Athletics having won nine of their last 13 games. That's significant because those 13 games took place while catcher A.J. Pierzynski was on the disabled list with a strained oblique muscle in his right rib cage. The Rangers were able to survive and thrive because of the work of Geovany Soto and Robinson Chirinos. Soto was ...

Texas radioactive waste bill killed for error

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:30:08 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A bill that would have dramatically changed the rules for a radioactive waste dump died in the Legislature because of a parliamentary ...

House approves gun training for some teachers

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:30:08 -0400

Two employees on each campus could take classes instructing teachers already certified to carry concealed weapons to first conceal children, then return ...

Texas lawmakers approve part of water overhaul

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:19:15 -0400

AUSTIN (AP) Texas lawmakers have given final approval to an overhaul of the Texas Water Development Board as the state grapples with how to manage water resources amid drought and a rapidly growing population. Monday's vote sends the bill to Gov, Rick Perry, who had urged lawmakers to pass a new $2 billion fund to provide low-interest loans for water projects such as reservoirs and ...

Attorneys in three teens kidnapping sexual assault case wait on DNA results

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:12:16 -0400

Musich (from left), Dimick and Visor Three teens who are accused of kidnapping an 11-year-old girl in December will have a status hearing Monday ...

Austin startup Compare Metrics raises $3.5 million for expansion

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:45:12 -0400

An Austin startup that wants to change the way online retailers interact with their customers has raised $3.5 million from investors including Austin Ventures.Compare Metrics, founded in 2012, has developed a software platform that lets websites customize the product content they provide to ...

Challenger petitions for a recount of votes in water district election

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:45:02 -0400

FORT WORTH — John Basham, who ran unsuccessfully in a contentious Tarrant Regional Water District Board race this month, has requested that the ballots in the election be ...

House OKs disclosure lobbying rules for lawmakers

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:24:32 -0400

Sponsored by Austin Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, the measure would stop the so-called "revolving door." That practice often sees lawmakers who retire or lose an election immediately accept sizeable pay increases to begin lobbying their former ...

Congress likely to reduce food stamp funding in new farm bill

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:18:18 -0400

The Senate on Monday opened debate on a $955 billion farm bill that would reduce federal spending by as much as $23 billion over the next 10 years by cutting funding for food stamps and eliminating some farm-support ...

A Fort Worth man keeps fighting for a law to prevent wrongful convictions

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:32:20 -0400

A bill to create an exoneration commission that would study false convictions — named for his brother, Tim Cole, a Fort Worth man found innocent of a rape conviction years after he died in prison — appears to be at a standstill in the Texas ...

Twister season starts late but starts nonetheless

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:28:20 -0400

Twister season starts late, but starts nonetheless Deadly tornadoes that have raked communities in Middle America over the past week, including Monday's massive twister that carved a path of destruction through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, belie what had been a relatively quiet start of the 2013 tornado ...

Court upholds age limit for CHL holders

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:27:27 -0400

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Texas law limiting handgun licenses is constitutional. Lawmakers had decided that those under 21 were not mature enough to carry concealed handguns in public. The law makes an exception for members of the ...

Resign to run OKed for railroad commissioners

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:10:22 -0400

Bonnen noted that instead of focusing on their duties overseeing Texas' oil and gas industry, railroad commissioners have often spent lengthy periods raising money to seek other elected ...

3 dead IDd after wrong-way I-15 crash near Vegas

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:10:15 -0400

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A wrong-way driver may have been under the influence of prescription medication when the car he was driving slammed head-on into an SUV on Interstate 15, killing two family members from India and injuring four others, authorities said ...

More reverse mortgage lending options on tap for Texas retirees

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:00:08 -0400

Senate Joint Resolution 18 would amend the Texas Constitution to authorize the Reverse Mortgage for Purchase program and would enhance consumer disclosure requirements for all reverse mortgage loans in Texas. The Texas House has approved legislation that would expand the scope of reverse mortgage lending in the state to the benefit of retirees, its supporters claim. Senate Joint Resolution 18 ...

Texas lawmakers restore $4B in education cuts

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:59:06 -0400

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said he'll call a special session of the Legislature if they don't pass several key bills. Texas House and Senate budget leaders have reached an agreement to restore about $4 billion of the $5.4 billion in cuts made to public education last session. Though the amount falls short of a complete restoration, Democrats proclaimed the compromise a hard-fought victory ...

H-E-B pulls prepackaged Gulf shrimp from Galveston Shrimp Co. after recall

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:52:11 -0400

CORPUS CHRISTI -- H-E-B has pulled from its shelves prepackaged Gulf shrimp from the Galveston Shrimp Company after the company reported finding small pieces of metal in the bags. There have been no reports of illnesses caused by the product, H-E-B spokeswoman Regina Garcia said. The company issued a precautionary recall Friday of the shrimp which is sold in freezers in H-E-B stores ...

Lake Austin struggles through drought

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:40:46 -0400

Steve Present is a one-man patrol out on Lake Austin, constantly monitor the pesky hydrilla that just doesn't seem to go away. "We're starting to see that hydrilla grow again it's probably about a foot under the water," said Present, whose home is on Lake Austin. "And we've noticed the water temperatures warm up quite a bit ... so we expect it to bloom here shortly as ...

Appeals court upholds age limit to carry handguns

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:28:31 -0400

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a Texas law that says 18-20-year-olds cannot receive a concealed handgun license.The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday that the Texas law limiting handgun licenses is constitutional. Lawmakers had decided that those under 21 were not mature enough to carry concealed handguns in public. The law makes an exception for members of ...

Haltom Road to be closed Tuesday and Wednesday nights for construction

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:25:01 -0400

By Star-Telegram All lanes of Haltom Road at its intersection with Northeast Loop 820 will be closed overnight Tuesday and Wednesday while crews install beams for a new ...

Judge tosses ex-BP executives obstruction charge

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:24:49 -0400

NEW ORLEANS -; A federal judge on Monday dismissed one of the two counts in the indictment of a former BP executive who was charged with concealing information from Congress about the amount of oil that was leaking from the company's blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico in ...

Throwback Review “The Paperboy”

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:22:14 -0400

1.5 out of 5 stars Set in 1969 and released last year, "The Paperboy" is the story of Ward Jansen, a reporter played by Matthew McConaughey who returns to his hometown in the swamps of Southern Florida to work on a story that might set a wrongfully accused Death Row inmate free. He recruits his younger brother Jack, who is surprisingly well portrayed by former teen heartthrob Zac ...

The many aromas of Cardo’s Farm

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:22:13 -0400

Ayrton Chapman pours the heated mixture to create a natural lip balm as her assistant Ariel Hartley funnels the liquid into a container on Saturday afternoon at Cardos Farm in Ponder, Texas. Photo by Renee Hansen / Senior Staff ...

Throwback Review “Hit and Run”

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:22:13 -0400

3.5 out of 5 stars America hasn't seen many car chase movies since the "Fast and Furious" franchise monopolized the genre. Keeping that in mind, it's worth giving last summer’s "Hit and Run" a fighting chance despite the cheesy title. Actor, writer and director Dax Shepard, known for his previous work on NBC's "Parenthood," stars as Charlie ...

Todays MLB starting lineups May 20

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:06:09 -0400

Below are starting lineups that have been made public by the clubs. A lineup is not official until it is handed to the umpire. Additional lineups will be added as they become available: Arizona Diamondbacks: 1. ...

Rush Enterprises founder resigns as chairman

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:05:27 -0400

W. Marvin Rush has retired as chairman of the board of Rush Enterprises, a company he founded in 1965. Rush Enterprises Inc. officials announced late Monday that W. Marvin Rush is retiring from his position as chairman of the board. He will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors and will have the honorary title of chairman emeritus. His son, W.M. Rusty Rush, will assume the title ...

Interview questions spark criticism possible legal action

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:00:51 -0400

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) - When applying for work, jobseekers generally aren't arent asked about their political, religious, or moral beliefs. In most cases employers know they cant ask those sorts of questions under the U.S. Constitution and equal employment opportunity rules. But Williamson County commissioners dont believe those rules applied when they appointed a new constable. After ...

Police No seat belt=ticket

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:49:12 -0400

Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Corpus Christi Police Department Senior Officer Gabe Garcia writes a driver a ticket for not wearing a seat belt on Monday at Waldron Road and South Padre Island Drive during the 12th annual Click It or Ticket campaign. An extra 30 shifts will be added during the enforcement period, which is through June 2, with four officers working each shift. A grant from the ...