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  • Cooper sees crowd in trustee races; LISD, Frenship each have one contested race
    Mar 10, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    ...the board. Chris Comer, incumbent in Lubbock's District 3, and James Arnold, incumbent in District 4, are unopposed. Frenship ISD The only contested seat on the seven-member Frenship Independent School District board is in Place 2, where 20-year incumbent Mike Wright decided not to seek another term. Three candidates -- Ken Gassiot, Michelle Kiser and Troy Vanderburg -- have filed to fill Wright's seat. Frenship incumbents Brad Draper, Place 1, and Kelley...
  • Minority children awaiting adoption
    Mar 10, 2010 — Victoria Advocate
    TYPES OF HOMES Foster -- Foster, or temporarily care for, children. Adopt only -- Biological parental rights were terminated and child is available for adoption. Benefits available to foster/adoptive parents according to the Texas Department Family and Protective Services Medicaid health care coverage for the adopted child.
  • College, university's technology repertoire includes iTunes U, Second Life
    Mar 9, 2010 — Waco Tribune-Herald
    This is new technology, but I try to remind them that print was a new technology at one point and was very disruptive. "So, there's some skepticism. In fact, TSTC became the first college in the nation to offer a complete degree through Second Life, with students never having to step foot on campus. A woman from Chicago who had never been to TSTC. Simonette, himself, said he is taking advanced degree courses online through the University of Texas at Brownsville.
  • Health care costs open $1.7 billion hole in Texas budget
    Mar 9, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, asked agencies to offer ideas for trims.
  • North Texas cities improving water conservation efforts
    Mar 9, 2010 — Fort Worth Star-Telegram
    Fort Worth lost 14.5 percent of its water either to leaks or defective meters in 2008.
  • Short changed: Commissioners receive report on projected revenue shortfalls
    Mar 9, 2010 — Mineral Wells Index
    She said he charges a 15 percent attorney's fee instead of 20 percent, which most attorneys charge. The one acre, county-owned Crawford Cemetary sits on a 197-acre pool, Smiddy explained of the "Myrtle A Unit 3H" well.
  • State's budget deficit may hit $15B
    Mar 9, 2010 — El Paso Times
    Norma Chavez, D-El Paso, said she expects to tap into the $8.2 billion rainy-day fund to plug some holes.
  • The Dallas Morning News Jim Landers column
    Mar 9, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    Governments compelled to rescue economies with stimulus spending are now caught in their own crises in Iceland, Greece, Spain and elsewhere. Elsewhere -- but not yet here.
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce grows into a political force
    Mar 9, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Among them are Colorado, where incumbent Democratic Sen. Scott Brown . . . supports measures that hold spending and cut taxes. . . . Call Scott Brown. During 2008, 86% of the spending by the chamber's political action committee went to Republicans.
  • UMC project gets county green light
    Mar 9, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    ...green light on a $26.3 million bond to expand its facility. "I totally support what you are doing," Commissioner Gilbert Flores said at Monday's commissioners meeting. Flores told UMC officials he was impressed with its facilities and money management. The $26.3 million in bonds will fund just more than half of a $46 million East Tower expansion, which is set for completion in 2012 and should come in on-budget, said Jeff Dane, UMC's chief financial officer. The expansion...
  • Area figures could boost the economy
    Mar 8, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    Lubbock and the county, will show through the results of this year's census, said County Commissioner Bill McCay. "The Census is going to reflect that we're no longer a large rural county -- that we're an urban county, that we're a metro county," he said. Projections for 2010 show the county's population at 269,140 compared to the 242,648 counted in the 2000 Census. Data from the census can help increase commercial development in Lubbock if city population estimates --...
  • Dems' rosiest outlook in years for gov seat
    Mar 8, 2010 — Houston Chronicle
    If this election is about Obama and health care, Bill White loses. He said that Texas, in better shape than most during the recession, still has the highest number of unemployed in its history.
  • EDITORIAL: UTEP tuition
    Mar 8, 2010 — El Paso Times
    Mar. 8, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Tuition will be going up 4.5 percent this fall at the University of Texas at El Paso. However, it is the tough economic times that are dictating the increase. UTEP isn't getting all the money it expected from the state.
  • Commission forms to improve education in the Crossroads area
    Mar 7, 2010 — Victoria Advocate
    Crossroads Commission on Education MembersName/Affiliation Will Armstrong, City of Victoria Jeff Bauknight, Crossroads Mechanical Inc.
  • New tax laws bring good, bad news
    Mar 7, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    Income limits for the earned income tax credit have been raised and there's a new category -- families with three or more children. Others involve omission -- like failing to include your Social Security number or those of your dependents. That includes record keeping, tax planning, and completing and filing the return.
  • Not all church leaders oppose coverage for the unmarried
    Mar 7, 2010 — El Paso Times
    Deborah Clugy-Soto, pastor of Desert View United Church of Christ, said she thought the issue would have blown over if the city had merely given benefits to unmarried heterosexual partners of city employees. Ed Roden-Lucero, pastor of San Juan Diego Catholic Church, urged compassion and took a swipe at the opponents' tactics. Wayne Kendrick is pastor of Peace Lutheran Church, which has not taken a formal stand on domestic-partner benefits.
  • PREP Center to host kickoff celebration at Palestine Mall
    Mar 7, 2010 — Palestine Herald-Press
    Together this leads to an educated workforce at all levels, new business development, and business expansion. Since the grant picks up the tuition costs for the students in the ECHS program, those who qualify for the program can earn their associate's degrees at no cost. Our schools can now promote high quality college classes right across the street from the high school." WISD Superintendent Dr.
  • School districts try to help students in trying times make it to graduation
    Mar 7, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    Ann became dependent on the educational system for stability and assistance. "I didn't know it was considered being homeless. The Lubbock ISD can provide older students with extra bus passes from Citibus. According to the National High School Center at the American Institute for Research, high school dropouts pay less in taxes and contribute less in productivity than high school graduates.
  • City races beginning to shape up
    Mar 6, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    Quade, a retired Tech physics professor who made a 2007 run for District 3, has also filed to run for mayor. Stephan Lampman, a businessman and perennial candidate for the Southwest Lubbock seat, will face small business co-owner Karen Gibson. Councilman John Leonard made an unsuccessful bid to represent County Commissioner Precinct 4 and said he would not seek re-election. The filing deadline to seek city office closes at 5 p.m. Early voting in the May 8 city...
  • Driver Danger?
    Mar 6, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    Reed said. Louvers are used on all the Loop intersections. She said you have to be close to the signal to actually see the light. The city also already uses blackplates, which improve signal visibility by providing a black background around the signals and thereby enhancing contrast. Jensen thinks the three lights in a row on Slide also may be confusing or problematic to drivers, he said, referring to the light at 34th as well as both signals at the freeway overpass....
  • EDITORIAL
    Mar 6, 2010 — Victoria Advocate
    Assure curriculum alignment and implementation between K-12, Victoria College and UHV. Develop local measures of accountability for all entities in K-20 that assures work force readiness and/or higher education completion/graduation rates. Assure there is no duplication of services or programs between K-12 and higher education.
  • Education budget tightening
    Mar 6, 2010 — Odessa American
    Rick Perry, the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house joined together, asking all state-funded agencies to submit proposals for possible 5 percent budget cuts for the 2010-2011 biennium. Universities, colleges and state agencies across the state duly evaluated their budgets and submitted possible cuts. The TEA would also eliminate $10 million from the textbook budget, which would be guaranteed to affect ECISD.
  • Seniors face higher Medicare costs
    Mar 6, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    If you have had prescription drug coverage on your plan, you cannot drop it.
  • UMC seeks help for expansion
    Mar 6, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    In that scenario, the hospital would pay about $40 million total for the $26 million financing. But UMC expects to clear the debt much sooner, Dane said.
  • Water district hopefuls to campaign on Trinity River Vision, eminent domain
    Mar 6, 2010 — Fort Worth Star-Telegram
    I do feel good about it." Basham, who finished fourth in a four-candidate race in 2008, couldn't be reached for comment.
  • Baylor University receives anonymous $200 million gift
    Mar 5, 2010 — Waco Tribune-Herald
    Nordt said. Additional research faculty equates to additional research funding, as well, Nordt said, from sources such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Nordt said he was unsure, at this early stage, how the donation might affect work done at the Central Texas Research and Technology park, a Baylor-driven research park slated to open in 2012. 'A world of good' Nordt said about one-third of Baylor's incoming freshmen enter some sort...
  • Food bank in transition from emergency to habitual usage
    Mar 5, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    ...clients served by the South Plains Food Bank, has changed in the 13 years David Weaver has been at the helm of the community agency. Where once the food bank was a stop-gap measure providing a box of food to a family in an emergency situation, such as a sudden job loss, the agency is finding itself dealing with more repeat clients, Weaver told the Lubbock Economics Council Thursday. Weaver said he's not sure why more people, especially the elderly, are looking to the food bank...
  • Post-holiday retail cuts boost Lubbock jobless rate
    Mar 5, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    ...in December. The January 2009 unemployment rate was 4.8 percent. Lubbock's jobless rate still tied Midland's for second lowest in the state, trailing only Amarillo's 6.0 percent. The Texas seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January was 8.2 percent, unchanged from December. The nationwide jobless rate was 9.7 percent. TWC officials estimated a loss of 2,000 jobs in the Lubbock market from December, including 700 positions in the retailing sector. Those jobs...
  • UTPA, UTB tuition increases confirmed
    Mar 5, 2010 — The Monitor
    Francisco Cigarroa updated members on the 5 percent expenditure cuts the institutions made. Next year, students are expected to pay $2,904.01 per semester. And for the 2011-2012 academic year, they are expected to pay $3,043.96. >> Currently, students attending UTB/TSC pay on average $2,808.56 per semester.
  • American Airlines, labor unions may be near impasse
    Mar 4, 2010 — Fort Worth Star-Telegram
    We know the financial condition of the company.
  • Higher education
    Mar 4, 2010 — El Paso Times
    If approved, students will have to pay $8 more per credit-hour, as soon as August 2011. UTEP has a tuition and fee advisory committee, composed of six faculty or staff members and 11 students.
  • Hutchison's plans after defeat still 'the million-dollar question'
    Mar 4, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    In Texas, it would set off a scramble for a coveted open Senate seat. He said he's "pretty confident" Republicans would retain the seat in a special election, but "why go through that uncertainty?
  • Low voter turnout in Cameron County
    Mar 4, 2010 — Valley Morning Star
    ...election for the right to represent northern Cameron, Jim Hogg, Kenedy, Willacy and Kleberg counties, raised about half of Rios Ybarra's total, according to campaign finance reports. "When you look at who (Rios Ybarra's) campaign finances were coming from, I did not feel like I had a disadvantage," Lozano said Wednesday. Lozano was referring to the political action committee Texans for Lawsuit Reform, which contributed $256,610, about 56 percent, of Rios Ybarra's total campaign...
  • Moody's wants more liquidity info from health care systems
    Mar 4, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    Health Resources and Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System. Combined, they employ more than 33,000 people . The chief financial officers of Texas Health Resources and Baylor said they already comply with Moody's additional disclosure request. Liquidity often is subject to uncertain market conditions, but categorizing investments "will better inform discussions of the liquidity risk assumed by each of our rated borrowers," said Dan Steingart, Moody's analyst. Liquidity...
  • Returning vets face new battle
    Mar 4, 2010 — Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
    GI bill, the VA is working the new GI Bill while the old GI Bill is on the backburner." According to a February VA progress report, the agency had a backlog of 100,000 old GI Bill applications, compared to 17,000 unprocessed applications for the newer version. One wrench For local veterans like Flores, who plans to earn his mass communications degree from Tech in May, working through the VA for benefits is becoming more trouble than it's worth. He's eligible to...
  • After losing Texas governor's race, Sen. Hutchison to decide about retirement
    Mar 3, 2010 — The Dallas Morning News
    In Texas, it would set off a scramble for a coveted open Senate seat. He said he's "pretty confident" Republicans would retain the seat in a special election, but "why go through that uncertainty?
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