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July 31 -- Comptroller's office prepares for largest unclaimed property auction: AUSTIN (AP) -- The treasures range from a nearly 3-carat diamond ring to a Dallas police officer's engraved .357-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun. There are also currency, watches, jewels and collector's items.

July 31 -- Refiled charges stand against recycler who says he gave away beer: AUSTIN (AP) -- The owner of a recycling business who says he gave away thousands of cases of slightly out-of-date beer can face charges of illegally selling it, a state appeal's court ruled Thursday.

July 31 -- Emergency farm aid package now expected to top $1 billion: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The emergency aid package for farmers suffering from such natural disasters as drought in the South and too much rain in the upper Midwest is now expected to top $1 billion, a key Republican House member said Thursday.

July 31 -- Texas schools are preparing for the heat: PLANO, Texas (AP) -- Many Texas teachers and students head back to school next week, armed with water, plans for indoor recess and other precautions to battle a deadly heat wave.

July 31 -- Police suspend another officer amid probe: HOUSTON (AP) -- A Houston police officer has been suspended with pay following accusations he sexually assaulted several women.

July 31 -- Teachers want share of anticipated surplus: AUSTIN (AP) -- Texas teachers say an anticipated multibillion-dollar budget surplus means it's time for an across-the-board pay raise of $6,000 to bring their salaries to the national level.

July 31 -- Searchers find Texas woman missing since Sunday: FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) -- A Texas woman missing since Sunday was found alive and in good condition about nine miles north of the Pinnell Mountain Trail in the Steese National Conservation Area, authorties say.

July 31 -- County seeks to nullify incorporation of town in adult business fight: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- County officials have moved to disincorporate a city that two sex businesses are attempting to use to shield themselves from an ordinance restricting sexually oriented enterprises.

July 31 -- Heat toll rises to 98 with two Valley residents' deaths: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) -- Despite a solid month of 100-degree days, 65-year-old Anastacio Hernandez refused to move from his uncooled motor home about 5 miles east of Falfurrias.

July 31 -- Surviving wacky hair trends, barber shop celebrates 50 years: PHARR, Texas -- Carlos Vargas walked out of Serda's Barber Shop with a fresh flat top.

July 31 -- Vatican criticizes management agreement at Catholic-managed hospital: AUSTIN (AP) -- Reproductive services offered at the city hospital managed by a Catholic-owned health network are under fire from the Vatican.

July 31 -- Suspended priest sentenced to probation for parish theft: DALLAS (AP) -- A suspended Catholic priest has been sentenced to four years' probation after pleading guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from his parish in Grand Prairie, Dallas County court records show.

July 30 -- House OKs disposing of nuclear waste in Sierra Blanca: WASHINGTON - The opposition of six Texas congressman was not enough to stop the House from approving a plan to dispose of low-level nuclear waste in Sierra Blanca yesterday.

July 30 -- Senator says cost of recommendations worth it: AUSTIN - Proposals to improve state oversight of assisted-living facilities and home health care providers could cost millions of dollars, but it's worth it to protect frail elderly people and other Texans, suggests a leading proponent of the changes.

July 30 -- AT&T to close Spanish-language centers except San Antonio: DALLAS (AP) - AT&T will close three Spanish-language operator-assistance centers, including one in Odessa, in November, the company has announced.

July 30 -- Sheriff to test new river law enforcement plan Labor Day weekend: NEW BRAUNFELS (AP) - Comal County plans to calm the troubled waters of the Guadalupe River on Labor Day weekend by placing more law officers than ever along the popular stream.

July 30 -- Newborn found abandoned on golf course in good condition: HOUSTON (AP) - A newborn baby was in good condition with only a few scratches after being found by a 10-year-old boy on a northeast Harris County golf course, authorities said.

July 30 -- Fewer raids of illegal workers being made after new INS directive: HOUSTON (AP) - Agents are making far fewer raids of illegal workers in Texas and across the nation since a new set of INS guidelines began directing them to focus on better cases against employers instead of accumulating arrest numbers, officials say.

July 30 -- Teen denies involvement in burning of 8-year-old, lawyer says: CONROE (AP) - A 13-year-old boy may have been "terrified" into telling investigators he was present when an 8-year-old boy was splashed with gasoline and set on fire a month ago, the teen's attorney says.

July 30 -- Denton scuttles $25 ambulance surcharge for people 300 pounds and up: DENTON (AP) - Wow, was THAT ever a buzzsaw! After being inundated with jeers, the Denton City council unanimously voted Tuesday night to rescind a planned $25 surcharge that was approved last week for anyone over 300 pounds needing ambulance service.

July 30 -- Researchers question link between amino acid and heart disease: DALLAS (AP) - A recent study of heart disease and an amino acid called homocysteine found no links between the two, in contrast to earlier research.

July 29 -- Dallas' homeless sweat it out at shelters with no air conditioning: DALLAS (AP) - Sweat beads up on Alma Rusk's forehead as she eats corn dogs and broccoli-rice casserole at a lunch table. A giant metal fan blows hot air on her back, drying the perspiration on her yellow T-shirt.

July 29 -- Some of Texas' best humor has pertained to heat: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Texans long ago concluded that since they couldn't do anything about the blistering heat, they may as well joke about it.

July 29 -- Purple Heart veterans honor slain border agents: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Three weeks after they answered a call for help from fellow law enforcement officers and were fatally ambushed by a gunman, two U.S. Border Patrol agents are being honored with citations from the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

July 29 -- Committee adopts recommendations on assisted living, home care: AUSTIN (AP) - Frail elderly people and other Texans in assisted-living facilities or served by home health care agencies would get stronger state oversight and their families could more easily get information or lodge complaints under recommendations approved Tuesday by a Senate committee.

July 29 -- Farmers can still recoup chicken losses: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Although the extreme temperatures are killing chickens at a higher rate, growers can still take precautions to minimize their losses, according to the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.

July 29 -- Cornyn in Washington to raise money for Texas attorney general's race: WASHINGTON (AP) - Republican John Cornyn, who is seeking to become Texas' next attorney general, hit the nation's capital today to raise cash for a general election campaign he estimates will cost $3 million.

July 29 -- Poet president, 'Mother of Texas' turn 200 together: RICHMOND, Texas - Under the shade of tall trees, the Mother of Texas and the Father of Texas Education are buried within just a few feet of each other.

July 29 -- Harris County district ordered to pay whistle-blowing pharmacist $2.175 million: HOUSTON (AP) - The Harris County Hospital District must pay $2.175 million to a fired pharmacist who had exposed a drug theft operation.

July 29 -- Jefferson County upset that U.S. Fish and Wildlife refuge plan doesn't come with environmental study: PORT ARTHUR, Texas (AP) - Ironically, a federal conservation plan to save 185,500 acres in three southeast Texas counties doesn't include an environmental impact statement.

July 29 -- Homeless man convicted of murder for killing good Samaritan: DALLAS (AP) - A homeless man was convicted Monday of capital murder for fatally stabbing a woman who had taken him into her home and offered him food and a place to sleep.

July 29 -- Ex-bookie accused of hiring brother to kill wife goes on trial: HOUSTON (AP) - An ex-bookie set in motion a plan to hire his brother to kill his wife when she filed for divorce two months before her death, prosecutors said Tuesday.

July 28 -- Houston councilman pens 'No Neckties, No Pantyhose' ordinance: HOUSTON (AP) - City Councilman Joe Roach has a cool solution for heat-weary Houstonians. He wants to outlaw the required wearing of neckties and pantyhose for the duration of the Texas heat wave.

July 28 -- No break in heat wave; Forecaster says record 1980 summer could be exceeded: HOUSTON (AP) - Temperatures in North Texas reached triple digits for the 22nd consecutive day Monday, and a top forecaster speculated the heat wave and drought could surpass the scorching summer of 1980 as the hottest ever in Texas.

July 28 -- Senator proposes $400 million for farm reimbursements: AUSTIN (AP) - A state legislator Monday proposed spending up to $400 million to help Texas farmers and ranchers cover some losses caused by the withering drought.

July 28 -- Cab driver killed, two others wounded in shooting after dispute: GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) - A dispute among taxi drivers waiting to be dispatched at Dallas-Fort Worth airport erupted in gunfire Monday when a cabbie shot and killed another driver and wounded two more, officials said.

July 28 -- Bids for meteorite fall far short of owners' expectations: MONAHANS, Texas (AP) - The seven boys who found a meteorite and fought the city for the right to keep it now have $23,000 to show for the space rock.

July 28 -- Officals say they will reform task Force without state funds: ODESSA, Texas (AP) - West Texas sheriffs and police chiefs may resurrect the now-defunct Permian Basin Drug Task Force, without the use of state and federal money.

July 28 -- Speech-making group organized at prison: PORT ARTHUR, Texas - It took an "inordinate" amount of time, but a group of inmates has elected officers and organized a Toastmasters chapter at the Texas Department of Corrections Richard LeBlanc Unit.

July 28 -- State committee considers legal books case: AUSTIN (AP) - A California publisher of self-help law books has drawn the attention of Texas authorities, who are trying to determine whether the company is, in effect, practicing law without a license.

July 28 -- Mother receives life prison term in death of daughter's ex-boyfriend: HOUSTON (AP) - A Brownsville woman who enlisted her elderly fortuneteller to arrange the murder of her daughter's ex-sweetheart was sentenced to life in prison Monday, ending a five-year crusade to avenge the boy's shocking death.

July 27 -- Bids for meteorite fall far short of owners' expectations: MONAHANS, Texas (AP) -- Auction bids for a meteorite found by seven boys in this West Texas city fell far short of its owners' expectations Sunday as a midnight deadline for sale of the space rock approached.

July 27 -- Divers seek to identify sunken vessel as French explorer's: HOUSTON (AP) -- Divers with the Texas Historical Commission have completed their second week of diving on a shipwreck they believe to be the supply ship of 17th-century French explorer La Salle.

July 27 -- Justice official calls for tougher hate crimes laws: HOUSTON (AP) -- Federal laws must be toughened to prevent hate-motivated crimes such as the June dragging death of a black man in East Texas, says Bill Lann Lee, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

July 27 -- High lows break North Texas record: DALLAS (AP) -- Low temperatures haven't received much attention during the deadly heat wave searing the Southwest. But Sunday's morning low of 82 set a record for the number of days the temperature has not fallen below 80 degrees in North Texas.

July 27 -- More motorcyclists dying since helmet law change, early figures show: AUSTIN (AP) -- Fatal motorcycle crashes have risen by more than one-third since the use of helmets became optional for riders 21 and older, according to preliminary figures obtained by The Associated Press.

July 27 -- Brownsville woman to be sentenced for murder-for-hire: HOUSTON (AP) -- A 60-year-old Brownsville woman could spend the rest of her life behind bars for hiring a hitman to kill her daughter's ex-boyfriend.

July 27 -- Niece of 'Leadbelly" remembers a music legend: MARSHALL, Texas -- Immortalized by his music, one-time Marshall resident Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter now takes his place among the legends honored by U.S. Postal Service stamps.

July 27 -- Apparently accidental shotgun blast kills W. Texas teen after chase in Mexico: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- A 17-year-old West Texas teen was killed in Juarez, Mexico, when his pickup truck crashed during a high-speed chase and apparently caused a shotgun inside to discharge, Mexican authorities said.

July 27 -- Authorities: "Blue House" was epicenter of Plano drug ring: PLANO, Texas (AP) -- Neighbors said the little blue house on the east side of this Dallas suburb was as busy as a drive-through, with scores of clean-cut youths beating a path to its door to buy heroin.

July 27 -- Report: Vinyl industry polluting towns along Texas, Louisiana corridor: HOUSTON (AP) -- In the coastal town of Point Comfort, state environmental officials detected high levels of ethylene dichloride, a suspected carcinogen, near the Formosa Plastics plant in 1994, 1996 and 1997.

July 26 -- Ex-cadet's conviction, life sentence ends another chapter in tragedy: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- As former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham heads to prison for killing a 16-year-old girl, another chapter closes in a tragedy that destroyed three promising young lives.

July 26 -- Stepfather arrested, accused of possessing cocaine toddler ate: FORT WORTH (AP) -- Police arrested the stepfather of a toddler who almost died after eating crack cocaine after the man admitted the drug was his.

July 26 -- Bad dams pose growing threat in Texas, task force says: AUSTIN (AP) -- Substandard dams pose a growing threat to people and property in Texas, and the state's inspection program to keep track of the problem is woefully inadequate, according to a Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission task force.

July 26 -- Hope, despair mingle on parched prairie: FREDERICK, Okla. (AP) -- Every night, Archie Gottschall prays for rain, and every morning he awakens to ground too hard and dry for plows to turn.

July 26 -- Prison officials take steps to cool off inmates during heat wave: HOUSTON (AP) -- State prison officials have implemented safety measures to reduce the risk of heat-related health problems after two prisoners died from apparent heat strokes this summer, the Houston Chronicle reported Saturday.

July 26 -- Fort Worth water main breaks for second time in three days: DALLAS (AP) -- Two days after a water main broke in downtown Fort Worth, flooding streets and leaving thousands of people with low water pressure, the same line broke again Saturday.

July 25 -- Graham convicted of capital murder in killing of 16-year-old girl: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - A jury found former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham guilty of capital murder Friday in the killing of a 16-year-old girl.

July 25 -- Morales signs final documents in tobacco deal: AUSTIN (AP) - With a plea that lawmakers preserve the money for Texans' health needs, state Attorney General Dan Morales signed the final documents Friday in a landmark $17.3 billion lawsuit settlement with the tobacco industry.

July 25 -- Lawyer says Jasper suspect lied to police: DALLAS (AP) - A suspect in the killing of a black man in Jasper lied to police about his role in driving the man to a remote spot where he was attacked, his lawyer said Thursday.

July 25 -- City, black residents reach accord: AUSTIN (AP) - Seeking to end a 3-1/2-year controversy, the Austin City Council has approved a wide-ranging effort aimed at smoothing race relations and building confidence in the city police force.

July 25 -- Texas, Oklahoma recognize one another's concealed gun licenses: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas and Oklahoma authorities have signed an agreement allowing residents of each who hold concealed handgun licenses to carry their firearms in the other state.

July 25 -- 21-year-old inmate found by raccoon: HUTCHINS, Texas (AP) - A raccoon helped uncover a missing Texas inmate Friday.

July 25 -- Urging all Texans to help neighbors, Bush donates $500: AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush hopes all Texans will help their neighbors as heat and drought scorch the state. He's pitched in $500 himself.

July 25 -- From once-mighty oak, little saplings grow: AUSTIN (AP) - A bit of the centuries-old Treaty Oak, nearly killed by a vandal nine years ago, could be coming to a yard near you.

July 25 -- Mandatory water rationing imposed after major water line break: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Water service trickled back into Fort Worth this morning after a major water line broke overnight, sending water pressure plummeting in the downtown area and leaving major hospitals without water or air conditioning temporarily.

July 25 -- Webb County officer pleads guilty to illegal use of computer: LAREDO, Texas (AP) - A Webb County warrant officer pleaded guilty Friday to illegally obtaining someone's criminal record from an FBI database and then selling the information for $500.

July 25 -- Police allege payments were tantamount to kickbacks: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - An insurance executive's arrangements with hospitals, which allowed him to recover and keep part of the money he paid on behalf of clients, were tantamount to kickback agreements, police say.

July 24 -- Fate of former Air Force Academy cadet in hands of jury: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Adrianne Jones was "the sacrifice on the altar of David Graham's ego" when the one-time Air Force Academy cadet killed the teen-ager to satisfy his vengeful fiancee, prosecutors said in his capital murder trial Thursday.

July 24 -- Federal help coming to Texas, where heat-related death toll reaches 88: AUSTIN (AP) - The blistering temperatures and parching drought baking Texas brought federal help Thursday, along with pleas from state leaders for Texans to save water and check on their neighbors.

July 24 -- Summer's heat takes it's deadly toll once again: WASHINGTON (AP) - Heat waves don't have the catchy names of hurricanes or the dramatic television footage of tornadoes or earthquakes. But they are the deadliest form of weather. Heat victim tips

July 24 -- Drought's painful toll continues: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Few words can console West Texas ranchers watching cattle die in the sweltering heat. Hearing that the drought's fallout is not as bad as 1996 doesn't help.

July 24 -- What Would Jesus Do? Bracelets not just for church kids anymore: DALLAS (AP) - Lee Ferguson, fresh out of the pool after swim practice, sits with her pals under a shade tree fiddling with her fluorescent yellow bracelet embroidered with the letters "W.W.J.D."

July 24 -- Family members of Lucas victims fight back: HOUSTON (AP) - About a half-dozen people who believe their relatives were slain by Henry Lee Lucas met Thursday to try to find some way to win another death sentence against the former self-confessed serial killer whose execution last month was stopped by an order from the governor.

July 24 -- As written, children's insurance plan too complex, lawmakers say: AUSTIN (AP) - A rough draft of plans to expand the state's Children's Health Insurance Program is too complicated and might not be the most efficient proposal, lawmakers said Thursday.

July 24 -- Mother reunited with kids after botched smuggling attempt: BAYVIEW, Texas (AP) - A Houston woman was reunited Thursday with her son and daughter, who had been held for ransom by the smuggler she had paid to bring them into the country.

July 24 -- North Texas man worked to honor World War II comrades: IRVING, Texas - The story of the 2,221 black volunteers, who helped integrate the armed forces by joining white infantry units during World War II, was be heard nationally Thursday, and perhaps no one is more relieved than J. Cameron Wade.

July 24 -- Corpus Christi honors black military hero: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Warren G.H. Crecy fought in two wars for the U.S. Army, received six medals, was wounded seven times and led many men. Some claim his should be a household name. Others say Crecy should have received the Medal of Honor.

July 23 -- Defense rests in Graham case after Zamora refuses to testify: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Defense lawyers for former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham rested their case Wednesday without calling any witnesses after his ex-fiancee, Diane Zamora, refused to testify in his murder trial.

July 23 -- Regulators, utility company tell Texans: Cool now, pay later: AUSTIN (AP) - The deadly heat wave scorching Texas has state and utility officials urging Texans to turn on their air conditioners and worry about the bills later.

July 23 -- Heat wreaks havoc with hay; cattle being culled: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - As the drought drags on, hay supplies dwindle and prices rise. Texas cattle raisers are being told to start looking beyond the current crisis and plan for winter, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service reports.

July 23 -- Drought leaves farm workers without jobs, turning to Valley food bank: McALLEN, Texas (AP) - With the drought drying up job opportunities in agriculture, the Rio Grande Valley's largest food bank is seeing an all-time high in demand for its services.

July 23 -- Border Patrol focuses on saving lives amid heat wave: Border Patrol agents in South Texas are focusing on saving lives as the human toll associated with an unrelenting heat wave continues to climb.

July 23 -- Federal, local task force announce arrests: PLANO, Texas (AP) - Federal authorities today announced a 36-count indictment involving 29 suspects believed to have delivered or sold the drugs that led to five overdoses, four of them fatal, in the Dallas suburb of Plano.

July 23 -- Cameron County sheriff's deputies get approval for more firepower: BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) - Cameron County deputies, who have been asking for more firepower since two border agents were killed two weeks ago in a shootout, have gotten their wish.

July 23 -- Eight-foot python eludes police: ELSA, Texas (AP) - Police are on the trail of a slithery runaway - an eight-foot pet python that slipped away from home, possibly trying to escape the heat.

July 23 -- Dallas graduate earns her 'Pomp' after tough circumstances: DALLAS - Her freshman year at Pinkston High, Cheshona Wilson parted with her father when the Vietnam veteran was admitted to a Dallas hospital for health problems.

July 23 -- High school band allowed to visit Disney World: BASTROP, Texas (AP) - The seven-member Bastrop school board has voted 5-2 to approve a planned trip to Disney World next spring for the Bastrop High School band.

July 23 -- State unveils new plan to recognize historic cemeteries: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - In 1892, Cochran County cowboy Henry Jenkins died shaking and shivering with pneumonia in a hotel just outside the tiny town of Lubbock: population 50.

July 22 -- Evidence suggests third suspect took part in Jasper attack, officials say: TYLER - Human blood has been found on the shoes of a suspect who said he only watched while two other men stamped and then dragged James Byrd Jr. of Jasper to his death, suggesting that he joined in the attack, court records indicate.

July 22 -- Houston officials warn residents to take heat seriously: HOUSTON (AP) - Hospital officials are warning that sultry Houston could be in for a deadly summer if residents don't start taking the current heat wave more seriously.

July 22 -- Even sunbathers seeking shelter from deadly heat: DALLAS (AP) - Her face flush, Kristen Mattson stepped off the stair step machine at a North Dallas health club and used a towel to dab perspiration from her forehead.

July 22 -- Authorities: 'Mexican Mafia' behind 1997 quintuple slaying, other killings: The shotgun slayings of five people in a San Antonio home last August came from a single order by the top lieutenant in Texas' largest prison-based gang, authorities say.

July 22 -- Graham's confession entered as evidence in capital murder trial: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham's confession that he killed a 16-year-old girl at the insistence of his angry, jealous fiancee was read to jurors in his trial Tuesday.

July 22 -- Fans' tributes: honor or graffiti? CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - When the Selena Memorial on the bayfront was dedicated one year ago, fans were encouraged to leave handwritten messages to the slain Tejano star on wooden planks that encircle part of the memorial's main column.

July 22 -- Texans get $6.5 million in relief: AUSTIN (AP) - Texans who bought or leased new cars and trucks - only to find more problems than performance - received over $6.5 million in relief under the state's "Lemon Law," the Texas Department of Transportation reported Tuesday.

July 22 -- Few solutions emerge from hearing on rowdy tuber problem: SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AP) - Their ideas ranged from banning all containers on local rivers to banning tubing altogether from one part of the Guadalupe.

July 22 -- Shrimpers report good start to season: PORT ISABEL, Texas (AP) - South Texas shrimp processors say the 1998 shrimping season has had a promising start, with production so far the best in years.

July 22 -- Water wasters targeted and sometimes ticketed: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Lalo Quiroz ran afoul of the water police recently when he fell asleep while watering a tree in his yard.

July 22 -- Governor praises back-to-school clothing program: AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush on Tuesday visited and praised an Austin church's volunteer program expected to give free, back-to-school clothing to some 600 children this year.

July 22 -- Donor says Sharp knew of his felony conviction: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - An El Paso businessman says State Comptroller John Sharp was definitely aware of his felony conviction before accepting a $10,750 donation.

July 22 -- MADD protests alcoholic beverage dispensing machines: HOUSTON (AP) - Machines that dispense an alcoholic drink when a personal identification number is entered on a keypad have been marketed to private golf courses in the Dallas area.

July 22 -- Dairy producers, truckers accused of tampering with milk shipments: DALLAS (AP) - Talk about skim milk. Federal authorities have charged 29 people with conspiring to water down shipments of milk to bilk dairy processors out of money.

July 21 -- Firefighters fearful that more storms could mean more fires: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Thunderstorms continue to be more a curse than a blessing to firefighters battling wildfires that have already turned 283,856 acres of farms, ranches and forest into fields of charred stumps and blackened dirt.

July 21 -- Dallas death toll reaches 22, other counties record few heat-related deaths: DALLAS - Dallas County sheriff's deputies are taking to the streets in hopes of stopping the deaths from a heat wave that has killed dozens of people in Texas since May.

July 21 -- No relief in sight for heat wave in Texas: DALLAS (AP) - Weather watchers say there's no end in sight for the Texas heat wave that already has killed at least 79 people across the state, including 43 illegal immigrants attempting to cross searing open range.

July 21 -- Doctor: Zamora had hand injury but could have attacked teen-ager: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Former Naval Academy midshipman Diane Zamora had an injured left hand but could have killed 16-year-old Adrianne Jones by herself, Miss Zamora's doctor testified Monday.

July 21 -- Businesses prepare for year 2000 computer glitch: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas business representatives are gearing up to deal with a potential flood of lawsuits related to the so-called year-2000 computer dilemma.

July 21 -- Environmentalists decry derailment: HOUSTON (AP) - The derailment of a coal train in Central Texas has sent shock waves all the way to the Houston Ship Channel.

July 21 -- Landmark mansion to be auctioned: KENEDY, Texas (AP) - Bidders are expected to offer much more than the $3.7 million value assessed for the landmark home of a Cuban immigrant who began his restaurant career washing dishes in Amarillo.

July 20 -- Second week begins in cadet trial: NEW BRAUNFELS - Former Naval Academy midshipman Diane Zamora tried to blame her ex-fiance, David Graham, a former Air Force Academy cadet, for the murder of Adrianne Jones.

July 20 -- Zoo animals escape triple-digit temperatures as humans swelter: DALLAS - Zookeepers coping with a deadly heat wave that has killed at least 79 people in Texas in recent weeks are trying to keep their charges cool by hosing off the red pandas and snow leopards three times a day and feeding ice blocks to the primates.

July 20 -- Before they put out a wildfire, fighters must give it a name: You could call it this summer's burning question: What to name all the wildfires raging across Texas?

July 19 -- Border Patrol warns illegal immigrants to stay away during heat wave: McALLEN, Texas (AP) -- With the immigrant death toll from the heat in the dozens, the Border Patrol is telling undocumented immigrants to stay away while stepping up efforts to aid those who succumb to the heat.

July 19 -- Former Lubbock Housing Authority official took bribes, he admits: DALLAS (AP) -- The former lead foreman and grant coordinator of the Lubbock Housing Authority has pleaded guilty to stealing federal grant funds, U.S. Attorney Paul Coggins said Saturday.

July 19 -- Family sues over daughter's disqualification as FFA president: SPRING, Texas (AP) -- Armed with a 3.3 GPA and years of raising livestock, Amanda Curry was all set to lead her Future Farmers of America chapter at Spring High School this fall.

July 19 -- Feds will stop seizure of hotel if owners beef up security: HOUSTON (AP) -- The federal government says it will end its attempt to seize a Houston hotel if its owners put a stop to the drug dealing that's been going on there.

July 19 -- Temperatures leap again but the heat doesn't stop athletes: ADDISON, Texas (AP) -- Erica Turner was hot, flushed and sweaty Saturday in the area's 13th consecutive day of triple-digit heat. But she was outside voluntarily, one among 8,000 amateur volleyball players playing in a tournament Saturday in this Dallas suburb.

July 19 -- Day after napalm shipment, railroad bridge collapses under coal train: CAMERON, Texas (AP) -- Crews continued cleaning up Saturday after a coal train derailed on the same stretch of railroad track where a napalm shipment had passed.

July 19 -- Catholic Charities must pay couple $2.4 million in child's death: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- After deliberating more than four days, a jury decided the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Beaumont must pay $2.4 million to a couple whose daughter died at a day care center.

July 19 -- John Sharp returns $5,000 contribution from El Paso felon: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- Another donation from El Paso businessman Stanley Jobe has been returned -- this time by state comptroller John Sharp, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.

July 19 -- Sheriff wants inmates to pay for their time behind bars: DENTON, Texas (AP) -- The Denton County Jail isn't exactly a cozy bed and breakfast, but Sheriff Weldon Lucas wants inmates to pay their bill once they check out.

July 19 -- Tubers may be canned for drinking: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- Beer drinkers and their rowdy activities while inner tubing are pushing Comal County officials to once again consider banning all beverage containers on the Guadalupe and Comal rivers.

July 18 -- State board rejects A&M law school affiliation: HOUSTON (AP) -- State education officials have sternly rebuked Texas A&M University's alliance with a private Houston law school.

July 18 -- Agreements reached, settlement expected to be sealed next week: TEXARKANA, Texas (AP) -- After months of legal wrangling, lawyers at last have settled their arguments over Texas' $17.6 billion settlement with the tobacco industry.

July 18 -- Educators surveyed want to see bilingual education limit: AUSTIN (AP) -- The state should limit the number of years a student can remain in a bilingual education program, according to 60 percent of Association of Texas Professional Educators members who responded to a survey.

July 18 -- Border Patrol warns illegal immigrants to stay away during heat wave: McALLEN, Texas (AP) -- With the immigrant death toll from the heat in the dozens, the Border Patrol is telling undocumented immigrants to stay away while stepping up efforts to aid those who succumb to the heat.

July 18 -- Zamora's mother testifies: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- The mother of former Naval Academy midshipman Diane Zamora testified Friday that her daughter never discussed the events surrounding the murder of Adrianne Jones prior to her daughter's arrest.

July 18 -- Governor seeks disaster declaration for whole state: AUSTIN (AP) -- The whole state will be under a drought disaster declaration if the federal government grants Gov. George W. Bush's request for disaster status for an additional 176 counties.

July 18 -- Democratic chiefs assail DeLay for 'grotesque' comments about people with ethnic surnames: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The chairmen of the Democratic National Committee on Friday accused the House's No. 3 Republican of making "grotesque and offensive" remarks about people with foreign-sounding names during House debate of campaign finance legislation earlier in the week.

July 18 -- Low-level waste compact stripped of protection inserted by dump opponents: WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congressional negotiators who put the final touches on a deal allowing Maine and Vermont to ship their low-level radioactive waste to West Texas stripped out a key protection inserted by opponents of the proposed dump.

July 18 -- Man who faked suicide and abandoned family headed back to Ohio prison: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) -- A former Galveston civic leader who faked suicide and abandoned his family 15 years ago will head back to Ohio to serve out a four-year prison term after a judge Friday refused to totally revoke his probation in Texas.

July 18 -- TDCJ chief proposes gang database: SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- Steps should be taken to stem the spread of prison gangs outside the walls, the chairman of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice said Friday.

July 18 -- Bacteria in lakes can prove dangerous because of hot conditions: WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) -- The death of a 9-year-old Oklahoma boy from an often lethal and rare amoeba he inhaled while swimming has public health officials warning swimmers to beware of stagnant water during the current drought.

July 18 -- Number of confirmed heat victims on the rise: DALLAS (AP) -- As 100-degree heat maintains its grip on Texas, more people have been confirmed as victims of the relentless weather.

July 18 -- First napalm shipment in storage near Houston: DEER PARK, Texas (AP) -- The first of hundreds of planned napalm shipments went into storage Friday at the Houston-area plant where the flammable Vietnam War-era defoliant eventually will be recycled.

July 18 -- Murder defendant's attorneys hire former state expert to testify: HOUSTON (AP) -- Defense attorneys for an ex-bookmaker accused of plotting his wife's murder said Friday they had hired a former state expert to testify their client's voice is not heard in a tape-recorded conversation about the slaying.

July 18 -- Nationwide search launched for parents accused of snatching their baby: PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- Police from Rhode Island to Texas have been alerted to look for two drug-using parents accused of snatching their 10-month-old baby from her grandparents' home and fleeing in a beat-up car, perhaps to the San Antonio area.

July 18 -- Tribal housing complex facing roadblocks: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- The Tigua Indians' plans to build an ambitious tribal housing project have hit a snag and could be stalled for years because of the tribe's looming legal battle with a local water utility.

July 17 -- A discussion about a lot of bull: AMARILLO, Texas -- In the midst of the usual rhetoric during a Potter County commissioners meeting -- the usual dull and inconsequential stuff like the approval of an $8 million loan for the county for renovation of an historic landmark and discussion of the county's jury selection system -- all of a sudden there crept up serious discussion concerning a lot of bull.

July 17 -- Friend testifies Zamora told her early on about killing: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- Diane Zamora confided to her best friend days after the killing that she had her fiance David Graham prove his love by shooting to death a 16-year-old girl, the friend testified Thursday.

July 17 -- Police arrest East Texas radio man, seek two others on child sex charges: TYLER, Texas (AP) -- East Texans may recognize Mike Harris' name from his many years on the radio. Perhaps they know him through the Tyler charities he's involved in, or the Republican causes he supports.

July 17 -- Board recommends increase in grant funding: AUSTIN (AP) -- Funding for state grants to college students should be raised substantially, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board members recommended Thursday. They didn't suggest a specific figure, but several proposals fitting their guidelines cost $500 million annually.

July 17 -- Dallas Cowboys join other outdoor workers battling the heat: WICHITA FALLS, Texas (AP) -- The Dallas Cowboys on Thursday joined construction workers, gardeners and others whose jobs force them into the heat, opening their National Football League training camp in 100-degree-plus weather at this city two hours northwest of Dallas.

July 17 -- Napalm heads to Houston for recycling amid more protests: HOUSTON (AP) -- Amid continuing protests from environmental activists, tankers carrying 22,000 gallons of Vietnam-era napalm headed across Texas Thursday on the way to a recycling plant outside of Houston.

July 17 -- Study: Supreme Court rulings favor big business: AUSTIN (AP) -- The Texas Supreme Court favored business, professionals and insurance companies in more than two-thirds of its rulings in which written opinions issued, according to a study released Thursday by Texas Citizen Action's Court Watch.

July 17 -- Projections show record state budget surplus, Texas comptroller says: HOUSTON (AP) -- Cashing in on a booming economy, Texas should enjoy a record $3.7 billion budget surplus by the end of this biennium next August, nearly four times earlier estimates, Comptroller John Sharp said Thursday.

July 17 -- Scientists hope genetic discoveries in syphilis bacterium lead to vaccine: HOUSTON (AP) -- Researchers at The University of Texas-Houston Health Science Center and the National Institutes of Health said Thursday they've determined a genetic blueprint for the bacterium that causes syphilis and hope it can lead to better diagnostic testing or even a vaccine for the sometimes deadly venereal disease.

July 17 -- Southeast Texas man jailed in Mexico waives appeals: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- A Vidor man imprisoned in Mexico for bringing a box of bullets across the border has waived his right to appeal in the Mexican system, instead placing his faith in diplomatic channels.

July 16 -- Agreement reached on counties' share of tobacco settlement: AUSTIN -- Taylor County will receive part of a $2.2 billion settlement for health care costs associated with smoking, under a tentative agreement reached this week.

July 16 -- Central Texas district bags baggy clothing: WACO, Texas (AP) -- The Midway Independent School District has bagged baggy clothing in an effort to keep guns and other weapons out of school.

July 16 -- Lawyer: David Graham 'was not there,' confession was false: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- Former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham's passionate love for his jealous fiancee drove him to falsely confess to helping her commit a murder, his attorney told jurors Wednesday.

July 16 -- County officials declare emergency, open hot lines: DALLAS (AP) -- Blistering heat blamed for dozens of deaths statewide has jammed telephone lines at the Dallas County health department, with callers wanting to know how to avoid becoming another statistic.

July 16 -- New attorneys appointed to defend suspects charged with Jasper dragging death: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- Two attorneys from Beaumont were named to complete the legal team that will defend three white men charged with capital murder in the dragging death of a black Jasper man last month.

July 16 -- Lucas, shocked by commutation, hopes to walk free from prison some day: HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) -- Convicted killer Henry Lee Lucas, rescued from death row and almost certain execution by Gov. George W. Bush's commutation last month, said Wednesday he's confident he'll eventually walk out of prison.

July 16 -- Natural spring feeds country swimming pool: HONEY ISLAND, Texas -- They were drawn to a patch in the deep woods of Hardin County by an eerie phosphorescent glow more than 85 years ago.

July 16 -- Tough passing policy hits black students, according to report: WACO, Texas (AP) -- More than half of the 1,810 Waco Independent School District students in summer school because of a tough new promotions policy are black, proving that the policy is unfair, according to at least one person seeking a court ruling against it.

July 15 -- East Texas barber turns 100: SHEPHERD, Texas -- Every word of this is the gold-plated, solid-as-an- oak, sworn-on-a-stack-of-Bibles truth.

July 15 -- Spectacular Ship Channel bridge needs structural help: HOUSTON (AP) -- The spectacular 3-year-old Fred Hartman Bridge linking Baytown and La Porte faces early deterioration unless it is fitted with a series of devices to protect it against rain-induced swaying, officials said.

July 15 -- Waskom man pleads guilty to role in church burning: MARSHALL, Texas (AP) -- One of two men accused in a May church burning near Waskom pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges.

July 15 -- Senate committee funds anti-drug efforts in Texas: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Dallas-Fort Worth area and East Texas would gain new federal assistance to combat drug trafficking under a measure crafted by Senate appropriators.

July 15 -- Farmer's slow mental breakdown may have led to slayings: LORENZO, Texas (AP) -- He was known as the meanest man in Lorenzo.

July 15 -- New Jersey cop clears $2 million from lottery lawsuit: AUSTIN (AP) -- A New Jersey police officer who won a $10.4 million Lotto Texas jackpot cleared $2 million from his fight for the prize, his Houston attorney said Tuesday.

July 15 -- Victims' fund has more cash coming in that going out: AUSTIN (AP) -- The Texas Crime Victims' Compensation Fund may be one of the few state programs that has an easier time collecting money than giving it away.

July 15 -- Jury seated in trial of former cadet David Graham: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) -- A former Air Force Academy cadet accused of killing a teen-age girl at the insistence of his jealous fiancee faces a seven-man, five-woman jury when his trial gets under way Wednesday.

July 15 -- Texans struggle to stay cool in triple-digit temperatures: DALLAS (AP) -- Annie Dennis is feeling the heat. "The air conditioning in my bedroom went out yesterday. It's like you're going into a steam room," said the 78-year-old, who ate lunch Tuesday at the Catholic Charities center near downtown Dallas and carries a water bottle wherever she goes. "All my plants at home have died. I'm so weak, and I'm a diabetic."

July 15 -- Napalm train on its way to Texas: SAN DIEGO (AP) -- A train hauling 22,000 gallons of Vietnam War-era napalm headed Tuesday from California to a recycling plant near Houston.

July 14 -- Africanized bees mean more business for pest control companies: BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) - The buzz of killer bees is sounding more like "ka-ching!" to pest control companies in South Texas.

July 14 -- Potential jurors getting quizzed by attorneys: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - Lawyers in the capital murder trial of former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham began the process of picking a jury Monday.

July 14 -- Sheriffs' president: Lucas commutation Bush's only mistake: AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush gave a tough-on-crime, serious-about-education speech to the Sheriffs' Association of Texas Monday, including an explanation of a potential political hot potato - how he decides death-penalty cases.

July 14 -- Agreement reached on tobacco settlement legal fee fuss: DALLAS (AP) - A dispute over lawyer fees in Texas' $15.3 billion settlement with the tobacco industry is all but over.

July 14 -- Reward offered in case of murdered 8-year-old: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Police hope a reward will help uncover clues in the abduction and slaying of an 8-year-old girl.

July 14 -- Committee chastises attorney general, contractor: AUSTIN (AP) - A subcommittee of Texas House members received word Monday that most of 133 state agencies and 70 institutions of higher learning appear to be on course to avoid technology glitches associated with the year 2000.

July 14 -- Chuck wagon chef knows key secrets of cooking for cowboys: DICKENS, Texas - The fluffier the biscuits, the better the grub.

July 14 -- San Diego-based company closes Texas offices: DALLAS (AP) - A California-based company is closing 23 University Medical Group offices in Texas.

July 14 -- City leaders complain medical school shortchanges El Paso: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Further fueling a dispute between El Paso and Texas Tech officials, city leaders are complaining the university's medical school lags in pursuing grants and then sends little money to its local health center.

July 14 -- Former Ingleside mayor finds God, faces mistakes: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - Former Ingleside Mayor Mark Crawford has had a busy two years in prison: He's written a book, found religion and become a jail house preacher.

July 14 -- Judge: Prison company hid or destroyed records: CLUTE, Texas (AP) - The private prison company under fire for the apparent taped abuse of Missouri inmates has deliberately violated a court order to deliver records to attorneys for 30 convicts suing the contractor, a federal judge said.

July 14 -- Tourists offer mixed reviews of JFK tape release: DALLAS (AP) - Pamela Tate, touring Dealey Plaza for the first time, was aghast that the graphic homemade movie of President Kennedy's 1963 assassination will be available in video stores starting this week.

July 13 -- Potential jurors to get questioned by attorneys: NEW BRAUNFELS - Lawyers in the capital murder trial of former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham get their chance to quiz potential jurors beginning today.

July 13 -- Thousands of Christian booksellers convene in Dallas: DALLAS (AP) - An estimated 13,000 people are flocking to Dallas this week for the annual Christian Booksellers Association convention, considered the largest of its kind.

July 13 -- Teen shoots boy over his new bike: HOUSTON (AP) - A 10-year-old boy may never walk again after he was shot in the spine by a teen-ager who stole his new bicycle.

July 13 -- Lottery settles case over 1994 jackpot: AUSTIN - A New Jersey police officer who sued the Texas Lottery Commission over its refusal to pay up on his $10.4 million winning ticket will accept a settlement of about $3 million.

July 13 -- Customs agents have big week in marijuana catches: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Nearly 6,000 pounds of marijuana was seized by U.S. Customs agents during the past seven days in the West Texas-New Mexico area.

July 13 -- Heat claims dozens of immigrants' lives: AUSTIN (AP) - At least 30 immigrant deaths believed to be related to exhaustion and exposure to harsh weather have been recorded along the Texas-Mexico border this year, prompting officials to worry that they are seeing the beginning of an unprecedented death toll, according to a published report.

July 13 -- Researchers test if sawdust can help save the native prairie: SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Simple, humble sawdust may prove a powerful tool in helping to restore prairie land across the heart of North America to its former biological grandeur and diversity, researchers say.

July 13 -- Three injured as airplane crashed into gas station pumps: GIDDINGS, Texas (AP) - Three people were injured Saturday when their single-engine airplane crashed into pumps at a gas station in an unincorporated town.

July 13 -- Teen mothers learn parenting skills at West Texas camp: SWEETWATER, Texas (AP) - Finding out she was pregnant was the scariest moment of Julie's life, all 14 years of it. How would she care for her little girl? Could she really do it? Would her baby be better off with adopted parents?

July 12 -- Prize payout likely to top lottery's legislative wish list: AUSTIN - State lottery officials are putting together a 1999 legislative wish list, which is likely to be topped by a request to undo a 1997 prize cut.

July 12 -- Court issues temporary ruling against alleged gang members: AUSTIN - A judge has issued Texas' first civil court order against alleged members of a gang, preventing them from doing such things as hanging out or using a pay telephone in an East Austin neighborhood.

July 12 -- Medical student, anesthesiologist restrain murder suspect trying to flee: DALLAS (AP) - It was a moment worthy of the hit TV drama "ER." Four medical workers, including an anesthesiologist, subdued a murder suspect who was trying to escape during a trip to the hospital.

July 12 -- Texas company wins napalm disposal contract: HOUSTON (AP) - A Texas company won a $10 million contract Friday to recycle more than 3.4 million gallons of Vietnam-era napalm being stored by the military in Southern California.

July 12 -- More than 1,600 concealed gun carriers arrested, DPS says: AUSTIN (AP) - More than 1,600 of the nearly 200,000 Texans licensed to carry concealed handguns have been arrested for alleged crimes, the Texas Department of Safety said Friday.

July 12 -- Bush, Bullock team up to buy Sam Houston letter: AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush and Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock have teamed up to bring back to Texas a letter written by Sam Houston in 1848 to his friend Col. Thomas "Pegleg" Ward, a hero of the Texas Revolution who often served as Houston's debt collector.

July 12 -- Slain border agent remembered as having big heart: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Ricardo Salinas had just taken the 10-month probation exam to become a full-fledged U.S. Border Patrol agent. He was to be married in May of next year.

July 12 -- Teacher claims Houston school district denied him job over AIDS: HOUSTON (AP) - A teacher suing the Houston Independent School District claims he was denied a job because he's HIV positive, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is backing up him up.

July 11 -- State board votes to divest Disney stock: AUSTIN (AP) - The State Board of Education voted 8-4 today to sell $43 million in Walt Disney Co. stock following complaints about sex and violence in films by a Disney subsidiary.

July 11 -- Attorneys in cadet trial argue over Zamora confession, testimony: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - A confession former Naval Academy cadet Diane Zamora gave police can be used by prosecutors in the capital murder trial of her ex-fiance David Graham, a judge ruled Friday.

July 11 -- Peaches smaller but sweeter due to dry weather: WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) - Peaches this year are packing a punch, although it's a small one. The miserably hot, dry weather has shrunk the peaches, causing them to retain more sugar, making them sweeter than usual.

July 11 -- Parole officials seek tighter tracking of ex-cons with suspected gang-ties: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas parole officials are trying to figure out how they can better track ex-convicts with known or suspected ties to gangs after the dragging death of a Jasper man in which three former prisoners are charged.

July 11 -- Dallas diocese settles with eight remaining Kos: DALLAS (AP) - The Dallas Catholic Diocese has reached a $23.4 million settlement with the remaining plaintiffs in sexual abuse lawsuits involving former priest Rudolph "Rudy" Kos.

July 11 -- Mourners pack funeral for slain Border Patrol agent: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Mourners packed San Antonio's historic San Fernando Cathedral today for the funeral of a rookie U.S. Border Patrol agent, slain along with a colleague while tracking down a murder suspect.

July 11 -- Activist: Ex-Houston mayor might have influenced affirmative action foe's employer: HOUSTON (AP) - Fresh off a court victory in his fight against affirmative action, a Houston conservative activist has said the city's former mayor might have prodded his employer to muzzle him.

July 11 -- Women held in burning of husband: HOUSTON (AP) - A Bellville man remained in critical condition Friday with burns over 60 percent of his body after his wife allegedly set him on fire while he slept.

July 11 -- Judge throws out environmental lawsuit against Chevron: HOUSTON (AP) - A federal judge has dismissed the claims of 391 people involved in a mammoth environmental lawsuit against Chevron USA.

July 10 -- Adult cinema sues city: AUSTIN (AP) - The owner of an adult theater under community and police scrutiny has sued the city, claiming his civil rights have been violated.

July 10 -- Austin man faces murder charge in shooting of would-be thief: AUSTIN (AP) - Travis County officials are seeking a murder indictment against an Austin man licensed to carry a concealed handgun after he shot to death a would-be thief.

July 10 -- Sunken gunboat now used as stepping-stone across the Rio Grande: BROWNSVILLE, Texas - For Mexicans living in the post-Civil War era, the USS Rio Bravo wasn't just a river guardian, it was a killing machine. Today, the gunboat that once patrolled the Rio Grande and terrorized border bandits and other people of brown skin that crossed its path sits at the bottom of the river.

July 10 -- Senator blasts Freeport over hush-hush settlement: FREEPORT, Texas (AP) - A state senator is upset that the city is refusing to release details of a settlement of a racial discrimination lawsuit against the city, citing freedom of information laws.

July 10 -- Victims' family: man who killed border agents premeditated earlier killings: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - A man whose mother and sister were killed by an assailant also blamed for the deaths of two Border Patrol agents says the attack at the family home was premediated.

July 10 -- Police officers gather at funeral for accused killer: SAN BENITO, Texas (AP) - Police officers were among some 100 mourners who gathered Thursday for the funeral of a fellow officer's son, slain after killing two Border Patrol agents.

July 10 -- HMO agrees to $100,000 fine after state finds violations of quality standards: HOUSTON (AP) - The city's largest HMO has agreed to pay a $100,000 fine after state regulators found it had violated Texas quality standards.

July 10 -- Judge blocks Continental long-haul flights from Love Field: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Continental Airlines has announced that it will appeal a temporary injunction ordered Thursday that grounds the carrier's plans for nonstop service from Dallas Love Field to Cleveland.

July 10 -- Police abandon exavation for remains of woman missing since 1948: DENTON, Texas (AP) - Denton County sheriff's investigators are disappointed they don't have more to show for nearly three days of sifting through tons of dirt at an earthen dam east of Denton.

July 10 -- Archdiocese officials say they have no clues to whereabouts of accused pastor: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - For the past month, 600 families at a west side Catholic church have had to celebrate mass with a stranger on the pulpit.

July 9 -- Federal funds for state schools for mentally retarded frozen: AUSTIN (AP) - Federal funds for state schools for the mentally retarded have been frozen nine times this year because of health and safety concerns, according to a published report.

July 9 -- Acid spilled at four Houston abortion clinics: HOUSTON (AP) - A rancid chemical was intentionally spilled at four abortion clinics Wednesday, less than a week after the Texas Supreme Court modified protesters' boundaries around the same clinics and just days after similar incidents in Louisiana.

July 9 -- Daughter of dragging-death victim lobbies for legislation: WASHINGTON (AP) - The oldest daughter of a Texas man who was chained to a truck and dragged to his death urged Congress Wednesday to strengthen the federal law against hate crimes.

July 9 -- Gospel group protests gay-themed books in public library: WICHITA FALLS(AP) - There is no end in sight to the dispute over gay-themed children's books in the Wichita Falls public library.

July 9 -- Texas distillery up against tough odds: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas' only licensed distillery looks like something an outlaw bootlegger threw together with a shot-glass sized budget to elude the feds out in the boonies.

July 9 -- 'Campus Card' company shut down in settlement: AUSTIN (AP) - A New Jersey company that sold debit cards to college students in Texas and 34 other states has agreed to shut down and turn over money to students in a settlement with the state attorney general's office.

July 9 -- State board to consider selling Disney stock: AUSTIN (AP) - Will M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E turn into D-I-V-E-S-T D-I-S-N-E-Y? State Board of Education members meeting Thursday and Friday will consider whether they should rid the state's $17.65 billion Permanent School Fund of more than $43 million worth of Walt Disney Co. stock.

July 9 -- Farm Bureau president defends Sharp endorsement, criticizes Rick Perry: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Texas Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman vehemently defended his group's endorsement of John Sharp over Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry in the lieutenant governor's race Wednesday, calling Perry a "dangerously partisan" candidate who doesn't care about farmers.

July 9 -- Global warming playing role in Texas heat wave, experts say: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas cities saw some 70 daily temperature records broken last month, and environmental experts believe global warming has had a hand in the hotter weather.

July 9 -- Federal bankruptcy judge rejects testimony in Hofheinz case: HOUSTON (AP) - A federal judge has scrapped testimony that linked a local real estate transaction to alleged bribes paid by a former Houston mayor to politicians in Louisiana.

July 9 -- Non-profit, for-profit change should be done in open, consumer group says: AUSTIN (AP) - Texans are the rightful owners of all assets held by public or non-profit hospitals and should get the benefits from the sale of those assets, the group Consumers Union said Wednesday.

July 9 -- Study: Houston leads metro areas in number of uninsured: HOUSTON (AP) - The Houston metropolitan area has the highest percentage of residents without health insurance among the nation's largest metropolitan areas, a study concludes.

July 9 -- Shots fired by guard as two inmates flee state jail: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Two state prison inmates broke away from their field work group and fled on foot Wednesday as a guard fired shots at them, authorities said.

July 9 -- Democratic challenger calls on Bush to reject nuke dump: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Citing the misgivings of two administrative judges about a proposed radioactive dump, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Garry Mauro is urging Gov. George W. Bush to reject the facility.

July 9 -- Rainfall scarce, temperatures high: Temperatures again climbed to triple digits across Texas Wednesday, with at least one record tied and a heat advisory continuing for residents.

July 8 -- Two Border Patrol agents killed while pursuing shooting suspects: SAN BENITO, Texas (AP) - A dispute between a family and two men left a mother and daughter dead and erupted into a chase and gunbattle Tuesday that killed two Border Patrol agents and wounded a sheriff's deputy, officials said.

July 8 -- Potential jurors questioned about publicity surrounding murder trial: NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) - As a judge questioned potential jurors, lawyers for former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham tried Tuesday to pick out prospects they hoped would be "strong-willed" in deliberating his capital murder case.

July 8 -- Clinton's adviser on racism says Texas killing 'nothing new': NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The dragging death of a black man in East Texas last month was unusual only in its level of cruelty, the chairman of President Clinton's advisory board on race relations said Tuesday.

July 8 -- State officials recommend against nuke dump license: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Texas' environmental agency should deny a license for a proposed radioactive waste dump, two state hearings officers concluded Tuesday after reviewing weeks of testimony on the facility.

July 8 -- Teen says hot soup accidentally spilled on fatally burned child: AUSTIN (AP) - The baby-sitter of a 19-month-old girl fatally burned last weekend says he accidentally spilled hot soup on the child.

July 8 -- Attorney mounts class-action discrimination suit against IRS: HOUSTON (AP) - A Louisiana tax attorney who already has notched one victory over the Internal Revenue Service is shooting for another.

July 8 -- Jasper native in Massachusetts attacked, possibly for racial reasons: HOUSTON (AP) - A Jasper native now living in Lawrence, Mass., was beaten by three white men in what authorities said appears to be a racially motivated attack.

July 8 -- Some homeowners in recently annexed areas overcharged for insurance: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas homeowners in areas recently annexed by cities might be paying more than they should for insurance, state regulators are warning.

July 8 -- Science meets art at UT Southwestern Medical Center: DALLAS - Ever see a picture of a man in an anatomy textbook - you know, the guy with all the guts and blood vessels and brains showing? Who the heck drew that?

July 8 -- Police dig for bones of woman missing since 1948 : DENTON, Texas (AP) - The long-forgotten case of a college student who vanished 50 years ago has been reopened after a tip from an elderly man who claims to have known the woman's killers.

July 7 -- Three whites indicted on capital murder charges: JASPER (AP) - Three white men were indicted on capital murder charges Monday in the suspected hate-slaying of a black man who was chained to a pickup truck and dragged to his death.

July 7 -- Jury selection starts in capital murder trial of second cadet: NEW BRAUNFELS - Former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham got a glimpse Monday of the Comal County residents who will decide his fate as potential jurors arrived in court for his capital murder trial.

July 7 -- Effort to revive illegal immigrant program alive in Senate: WASHINGTON - After a bruising battle, Congress last winter ended a controversial program that allows certain illegal immigrants to remain in the United States while legalizing their status, provided that they pay a $1,000 fine.

July 7 -- Cornyn says he'll withdraw lawsuit in tobacco case: AUSTIN - Republican attorney general candidate John Cornyn says Texas Attorney General Dan Morales has been using a lawsuit filed by Cornyn as an excuse to hold up an agreement that would finalize the state's $15.3 billion settlement with Big Tobacco.

July 7 -- Denver City man shares gift of music at children's camp: DENVER CITY, Texas - Randy Butler says kids are too often underestimated. So, last summer he created a music camp where children can show off for their parents and the community.

July 7 -- Fugitive city clerk duplicated her Kentucky life in Texas: Linda Redfield and Margie Waugh both lived in tiny towns on the fringes of metropolitan areas - Linda in Glen Rose, Texas, a town of 2,075 about 100 miles southwest of Dallas, Margie in Sadieville, Ky., population 300, about 30 miles north of Lexington.

July 6 -- Second military cadet goes on trial in murder case: NEW BRAUNFELS - The next chapter in a grisly tale of high school sex, vengeance and death begins Monday when former Air Force Academy cadet David Graham goes on trial for capital murder.

July 6 -- Arlington woman is Miss Texas 1998: FORT WORTH (AP) - An Arlington woman is Miss Texas 1998. Tatum Hubbard won the title Saturday night in the annual pageant at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

July 6 -- Study shows heat bringing out alcohol consumption among Texans: AUSTIN - Texans bought more than 960 million gallons of beer and liquor in the past 21 months - enough to fill an Olympic-sized pool nearly 1,500 times. And the hotter it gets, the more they buy.

July 6 -- Month after federal raids in Laredo, much of investigation still a mystery: LAREDO - More than a month after federal agents raided the Webb County district attorney's office and hauled away thousands of files in a moving truck, much of the case is still a mystery.

July 5 -- Willie celebrates July 4 picnic's 25th anniversary: DALLAS - Many Texans on holiday Saturday were cooled by welcome rain as they watched parades, barbecued or traveled to other traditional events, including Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic.

July 5 -- Texas Supreme Court to hear oral arguments this fall on Continental's battle for Love Field: HOUSTON (AP) - The Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding Continental Express' right to fly out of Dallas' Love Field airport later this fall.

July 5 -- Bell will comply with most PUC recommendations, company say: AUSTIN (AP) - Southwestern Bell President David Cole says his company doesn't need a change of attitude. The Texas Public Utility Commission earlier this year said it would not support Bell's attempt to sell long distance services in the state partly because the company has a bad attitude toward competitors in its local market.

July 5 -- Texas permits to capture wild deer raises controversy: AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The first-ever permit allowing Texas landowners to capture, pen and selectively breed wild white-tailed deer to try producing bigger animals with larger antlers has divided hunters and sparked concern from some environmental advocates.

July 5 -- Dry spell brings back the past; heroic pipeline effort remembered: OLNEY, Texas - It's a morbid little game that Olney residents are playing this summer: Watching as a merciless sun literally sucks several feet of water from their lakes each day and wondering if a "miracle" rain might save them.

July 5 -- Suspected gunman wanted in connection with Texas murder: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The gunman who shot at police on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has emerged as the prime suspect in the murder of a Texas investment banker, police said Friday.

July 4 -- Dallas man transforms pyrotechnics into high art: DALLAS - Randy Beckham figures his must be the best career in the world. "I take other people's money to blow things up," he said, "and I fulfill my desire to make art at the same time. "I have achieved the ultimate job."

July 4 -- Widespread scattered showers may dampen holiday plans: Not all of the fireworks will be in stadiums and parks across Texas this weekend. Some of it will be in the sky in the form of lightning.

July 4 -- Child's death blamed on E. coli: AMARILLO, Texas (AP) - Four children who are related got sick from E. coli bacteria and one died after a weeklong stay in a hospital. The Texas Department of Health was helping to try to find the source of the bacteria.

July 4 -- San Antonio to tie tax abatements to wages: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - For linking wages to tax abatements, the City Council is getting praise from labor groups and others. Council members' 7-4 decision Thursday to link "living wages" to the principal economic development tool is hailed as a major victory for municipal workers and a big step toward reversing the city's image as a low-wage town.

July 4 -- Democrats stump in Texas as battle for Hispanic voters heats up: DALLAS (AP) - The growing importance of Hispanic voters was underscored by the procession of politicians who trooped to Texas this week.

July 4 -- Standard homeowners insurance covers plumbing leak damage, court rules: AUSTIN (AP) - Standard homeowners insurance policies cover all damage caused by plumbing leaks, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday.

July 4 -- Navy SEAL trainee from Houston dies after accident during survival swim: CORONADO, Calif. (AP) - A sailor training to become a Navy SEAL commando died a day after choking and losing consciousness during a survival swim in a pool, Navy officials said Friday.

July 4 -- Jury sentences mother, boyfriend for mutilation of her son: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A jury has given a 99-year prison term to a woman whose son's genitals were mutilated in a potty training attempt.

July 4 -- Law steers Texans toward right lane: AUSTIN (AP) - Lingering in the left lane of a highway for any longer than it takes to pass someone could cost you. A little noticed law passed by the 1997 Legislature makes it a misdemeanor to drive in the left-hand lane on any major thoroughfare in Texas for longer than it takes to pass a slower car and return to the right lane.

July 3 -- Most Texans favor tax dollars for public schools, not private: AUSTIN - Most Texans prefer education reforms that benefit all public school children rather than using tax dollars to send some students to private schools, according to The Scripps Howard Texas Poll.

July 3 -- Court of Criminal Appeals clarifies death penalty rule: AUSTIN (AP) - Prosecutors can have a murder victim's family or friends testify about the character of their dead loved one when a defendant offers testimony to argue that a life sentence should be imposed instead of death, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled.

July 3 -- AT&T customers to receive credits: AUSTIN (AP) - AT&T has told the Public Utility Commission it will give credits to customers through August for a 50 percent increase in the cost of in-state long distance calls charged to its One Rate Plus customers, according to the commission.

July 3 -- Department of Transportation gives raises to stem tide of resignations: HOUSTON (AP) - The state Department of Transportation has given almost all of its engineers an immediate 6.8 percent raise in an attempt to end a recent flurry of resignations, officials say.

July 3 -- FBI mum on biological weapons arrests: OLMITO, Texas (AP) - The FBI is saying little about the arrests of three South Texas men accused of threatening federal agents with biological weapons.

July 3 -- Court defines 'real estate' exception to open government meetings: AUSTIN (AP) - An exception to a state law requiring most government meetings to be open to the public is more broad than at least one environmental organization has argued, according to the state's 3rd Court of Appeals.

July 3 -- More illnesses linked to bad Galveston Bay oysters: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - An outbreak of illness related to eating bad raw oysters harvested from Galveston Bay is now the largest of its kind in the nation's history.

July 3 -- Report: Navy won't send napalm to Texas until meetings are held: FALLBROOK, Calif. (AP) - The Navy has agreed to hold off on shipping some 3.3 million gallons of napalm to Texas for at least a month until public meetings can be held, a newspaper reported Thursday.

July 3 -- Texas Digest: Report: Plaintiffs to settle abuse case against former priest for $22.5 million ... Jury finds INS discriminated against black inspector ... Tejano artist Joe Hernandez loses lawsuit over revenues ... 4-year-old boy returns home to his mother and grandmother

July 2 -- Poll indicates many Texans want more family planning services: AUSTIN - Sixty-eight percent of Texans favor increasing public funding for family planning services and counseling to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, according to The Scripps Howard Texas Poll.

July 2 -- Bush, Gingrich emphasize education in speeches to Hispanic group: DALLAS (AP) - A pair of Republican presidential prospects staked out similar ground today at a national convention of Hispanic activists, stressing education, lower taxes and curbing drug use.

July 2 -- Lucas-related murder investigation should be reopened, victim's sister says: GEORGETOWN, Texas (AP) - The sister of a woman Henry Lee Lucas confessed to killing wants investigators to reopen the case.

July 2 -- More illnesses linked to bad Galveston Bay oysters: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Another 59 people were identified Wednesday as suffering illnesses related to eating bad raw oysters harvested from Galveston Bay in the past several weeks.

July 2 -- Board member rips commissioner: AUSTIN (AP) - David Bradley, a member of the board overseeing Texas' public schools, wrote a blistering letter to state Education Commissioner Mike Moses accusing him of "arrogance" on appointments to an advisory board and blasting his plans to miss next week's board meeting.

July 2 -- Commission approves TDCJ proposals: AUSTIN (AP) - Better management of industries involving prison labor and lowering the state's recidivism rate were the focus of key proposals approved Wednesday by the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, which reviews state agencies.

July 2 -- Rancher offers place to legally shoot off fireworks: DALLAS (AP) - With fireworks banned across much of the state because of a drought that has left much of Texas dry as a tinderbox, one rancher is inviting folks to his land to light up the sky.

July 2 -- Lawyer cleared of misconduct in Lotto jackpot divorce: TYLER, Texas (AP) - An attorney didn't commit professional misconduct in handling the divorce of a woman who failed to tell her husband she had just won a $4.3 million Lotto Texas jackpot, a jury has concluded.

July 2 -- Defendant to testify in eye-gouging trial: DALLAS (AP) - The attorney for a 17-year-old high school wrestler said today his client will testify in his trial on charges that he gouged the eyes of a 16-year-old boy during a fight.

July 2 -- Youths help police pull off cigarette sting: DALLAS (AP) - Using a handful of teen-agers as bait, Dallas vice officers kept busy issuing citations to stores and their employees for selling tobacco products to underage buyers.

July 2 -- Morales reverses mediation settlement opinion: AUSTIN (AP) - Attorney General Dan Morales has reversed his legal opinion on the confidentiality of some lawsuit settlements involving governmental bodies.

July 2 -- Jury begins deliberations in genital mutilation trial: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Jurors began deliberations today in the case of an Arlington couple accused of harming the woman's son.

July 1 -- DPS estimates 30 traffic fatalities during July 4 holiday: AUSTIN (AP) - As many as 30 people could die on Texas roadways during the 78-hour July 4 holiday, according to the Department of Public Safety.

July 1 -- Texas economy may lose $1.8 billion because of cotton crop disaster: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Texas agriculture researchers and economists updated their estimate of what this year's drought will cost the cotton industry, using USDA figures calculate a $1.8 billion loss for the state's economy.

July 1 -- Lawmaker Ben Atwell, 'Author of tax bill,' dies: AUSTIN (AP) - Ben "Jumbo" Atwell, a former legislator who sponsored the state sales tax, will be buried Thursday beneath a tombstone he commissioned to put an end to a cliche.

July 1 -- Three Texans among those rewarded for heroism: PITTSBURGH (AP) - Three Texans, including a Dallas man who died trying to save a drowning child, were among 17 people honored Tuesday by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.

July 1 -- Study: HIV procedure apparently doesn't work for non-Hispanic whites: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A new study on AIDS research has reached disappointing conclusions regarding two gene mutations that were thought to help in treating HIV-infected patients.

July 1 -- Mauro blasts Bush for Lucas decision: AUSTIN (AP) - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Garry Mauro says Gov. George W. Bush was wrong to commute the death sentence of Henry Lee Lucas.

July 1 -- HMOs won't be required to pay for prescription drugs: DALLAS (AP) - Texas HMOs won't be required to pay for prescription drugs and certain other benefits, the state insurance department has decided.

July 1 -- FAA: American Airlines flight almost landed at Air Force base by mistake: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - An American Airlines flight almost landed by mistake at an Air Force base near Omaha, Neb., instead of at the Omaha airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

July 1 -- Inmate artists paints their dreams for new life into city mural: GATESVILLE, Texas - The walls of prison didn't change Jack Weidner. But the walls of the Gatesville City Auditorium did.

July 1 -- Texas Digest: Victim of eye-gouging attack describes ordeal ... State says 107 sickened by bad oysters ... Perry accepts invitation to debate Sharp in El Paso