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Sept. 30 -- NAFTA gets mixed reviews from Texans: AUSTIN -- The Senate Interim Committee on NAFTA received mixed reviews on the treaty from Texans who attended public hearings around the state.

Sept. 30 -- Victim's mother says she's confident McDuff will be executed: WACO, Texas (AP) - The mother of a pregnant woman kidnapped and killed by convicted murderer Kenneth Allen McDuff says she is upset his scheduled execution has been postponed but feels confident "he will get another date and he will die."

Sept. 30 -- Number of Texans without health insurance attributed to demographics: AUSTIN (AP) - The high number of Texans without health insurance can be partially attributed to the lack of organized labor in the state, according to an advocacy group for low-income people.

Sept. 30 -- School fund earns more than $20 million off Disney stock sale: HOUSTON (AP) - The state's public school trust fund earned more than $20.2 million off the controversial sale of its Walt Disney Co. stock, but the overall value of the fund has decreased by $2 billion, the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday.

Sept. 30 -- Funeral home reaches settlement over cardboard casket burial: HOUSTON (AP) - A man buried in a cardboard casket instead of a pine coffin will be re-entombed now that his family has reached an undisclosed settlement with the funeral home, attorneys said Tuesday.

Sept. 30 -- Mascots dress for football teams' success: DALLAS - At half an hour to kickoff, Hale Shepherd, crouching in the shadows behind the bleachers, starts suiting up.

Sept. 30 -- Security camera on school bus captures 'out-of-control' boys groping girls : FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Juvenile Services officials have asked the district attorney to review the cases of four middle school students who have been suspended for an after-school ruckus on a school bus.

Sept. 29 -- Gas prices plummet further in Texas: SNYDER, Texas (AP) - Jason Evanson pulled his Ford Explorer off the dusty road that runs through this West Texas town and swerved into Century Fuels, a local gas station. His tank was only half empty, but some things - like 81-cent gas - are "too good to pass up," he said.

Sept. 29 -- Report: More than 50 books removed from library shelves: AUSTIN (AP) - More than 50 books were removed from some school libraries during the 1997-98 school year, a report by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas says.

Sept. 29 -- Federal board faults government secrecy about JFK: WASHINGTON (AP) - The government for decades "needlessly and wastefully" withheld millions of records about the assassination of President Kennedy, causing Americans to mistrust their government, a federal review panel concluded.

Sept. 29 -- Key House lawmaker indicates opposition to Senate's version of homestead exemption: WASHINGTON (AP) - The author of House legislation that would overhaul the nation's bankruptcy laws pledged to Texas lawmakers Monday that he will fight the Senate's unraveling of a cherished Texas perk: The unusually generous protection of debtors' homes.

Sept. 29 -- Galveston's stoplights still blinking in Frances' path: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Sixty-two incessantly blinking stoplights are the legacy of Tropical Storm Frances, whose damaging effects more than two weeks ago are still causing traffic snarls on Galveston Island.

Sept. 29 -- Businessman rents home to homeless family of seven: HOUSTON (AP) - Instead of taking advantage of Houston's hot rental housing market, businessman Patrick Henry is leasing his home of 16 years to Joseph and Victoria Denapoli for an amount they can afford.

Sept. 29 -- Abused animals find refuge in Hill Country orphanage: SAN ANTONIO - While Bo Bo, a listless black bear, ponders a dip in the pool, Boris, a huge Russian dancing bear, is not in a mood to perform.

Sept. 29 -- Cuban official says information is the key to better U.S.-Cuban relations: DALLAS (AP) - A prominent Cuban diplomat called Monday for the end of the United States' 38-year embargo of Cuba, saying the Cold War's end should have thawed the chilly relationship years ago.

Sept. 29 -- Seminar details possible signs of ritualistic activity: GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) - Cats with missing paws, cows with their eyes removed and other such mutilations could indicate satanic worship, not just sadistic behavior, animal cruelty investigators from Texas and three other states were told a Sunday seminar.

Sept. 28 -- Clinton says 'wallowing in regret is a cop-out': SAN ANTONIO (AP) - President Clinton said he has paid a big price for his affair with Monica Lewinsky but that "wallowing in regret is a cop-out." He also said his wife is "a remarkable woman" and an inspiration in his moment of crisis.

Sept. 28 -- Legal fees near $100,000 for school district: WACO, Texas (AP) - The Waco Independent School district has spent an estimated $100,000 defending a lawsuit against its TAAS-based promotions policy.

Sept. 28 -- Warmer than usual again: You know the drill. The work week starts off hot again in Texas. Like it has for the past four months.

Sept. 28 -- Coroner's office sends wrong body to be cremated: HOUSTON (AP) - A mix-up at the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office has resulted in the wrong man being cremated, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

Sept. 28 -- Volunteers try to rebuild dunes after Frances' fury: QUINTANA, Texas (AP) - There are fewer sand dunes along the Texas Gulf coast since Tropical Storm Frances. Nowhere is that more evident than in Quintana, where the ocean has moved 50 to 100 feet farther inland, The Facts of Brazoria County reported Sunday.

Sept. 28 -- Burglar bars prevent firefighters from reaching two small children: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Two young brothers died in a house fire after firefighters and neighbors could not reach them through burglar bars.

Sept. 28 -- Ms. Dream, the world's fastest Chihuahua, takes World Cup: LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) - Welcome Ms. Dream to the winner's circle. The 9-pound, 6-inch pet has been crowned the world's fastest Chihuahua.

Sept. 28 -- Furry rodents square off in competition: DALLAS (AP) - There was no high jump or discus throw, no one ran with a torch and pictures of the winners probably won't end up on a cereal box. But competition was stiff just the same at the Ferret Olympics.

Sept. 27 -- Dallas "Prairie Navy" air base idled as hurricane relief flights leave: DALLAS (AP) -- The Dallas Naval Air Station is shutting down, but a glance around the 57-year-old base -- with dozens of planes jockeying for runway space on emergency and other missions -- can be deceiving.

Sept. 27 -- Injured champion western dancer back out on floor: HOUSTON (AP) -- Laurie Sepulvado, the champion country and western dancer, walked out on the floor this week for a two-step with her husband Larry.

Sept. 27 -- UT to begin offering Asian American studies program: AUSTIN (AP) -- After campaigning for it for three years, University of Texas students soon will be able to take classes in an Asian American studies program.

Sept. 27 -- Slim pickings for animals after drought: DALLAS (AP) -- The hot, dry summer left fields scorched across North Texas, and that means animals will have less to eat this winter.

Sept. 27 -- Lawyers association calls for Dallas judge's resignation: AUSTIN (AP) -- A defense lawyers' group Saturday called for the resignation of a state district judge, contending the Republican appeals court nominee violated a judicial conduct code.

Sept. 27 -- Michael Dell and his wife give $1 million to Children's Hospital: AUSTIN (AP) -- Dell Computer Corp. Chairman Michael Dell and his wife, Susan Dell, are donating $1 million to help the Children's Hospital of Austin upgrade its imaging center.

Sept. 26 -- Travis County tops traffic death list: AUSTIN (AP) - For the second year in a row, Travis County led the state's six largest counties in traffic fatalities per capita, according to a report compiled as part of a national effort to prevent traffic deaths and injuries.

Sept. 26 -- Drought, worms loom over state's fall crop: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Recent tropical showers that have doused large sections of Texas haven't amounted to a puddle in the state's northwestern wheat-and-cattle belt. And crops that have gotten rain are prime targets for an anticipated pest invasion.

Sept. 26 -- Grand jury hearing murder evidence in Rodriguez shooting: UVALDE, Texas (AP) - The Uvalde County grand jury has heard some evidence in a murder investigation involving country singer Johnny Rodriguez, who reportedly believed the victim was an intruder.

Sept. 26 -- Coalition's first objective to seek reimbursement for immigrant costs: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Compelling federal officials to reimburse counties for the cost of jailing illegal immigrants will be among the first objectives of a newly-formed border government coalition, members said Friday.

Sept. 26 -- Gimme a 'J,' gimme a 'U,' gimme a 'D,' gimme a 'G,' gimme an 'E': BROWNSBORO, Texas (AP) - A judge ruled Friday that Brownsboro High School had no basis for kicking nine cheerleaders off the squad for smoking cigarettes.

Sept. 26 -- Clinton's Texas legal fund contributors disappointed, but say they'd give again: HOUSTON (AP) - These are the dark days for the Clinton faithful like Glenda Boverie. The president she believed in has been pilloried nonstop on television and in print since he reluctantly admitted to a relationship with a White House intern.

Sept. 26 -- On your bark, get set: Chihuahuas take to the track in World Cup races: LA MARQUE, Texas (AP) - It could be an audition for the next Taco Bell commercial. But the competition at the Chihuahua World Cup races just might be more ferocious.

Sept. 25 -- State Fair opens Friday: DALLAS (AP) - Autumn has arrived, and so has the 1998 State Fair of Texas.

Sept. 25 -- Town hall meeting helps adults explain Clinton scandal to kids: DALLAS (AP) - Peta Rincon wishes the seamy details of President Clinton's sex life had never come out in Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's report. Since they did, she's tackling the delicate task of discussing the scandal with her two daughters, ages 11 and 15.

Sept. 25 -- Supreme Court keeps lawsuit in Fort Worth: AUSTIN (AP) - A legal fight over airline flights from Love Field will be waged in Fort Worth, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

Sept. 25 -- UT dorm floor is wellness-oriented: AUSTIN (AP) - Students entering the University of Texas this fall have a housing option that is alcohol-, tobacco- and drug-free.

Sept. 25 -- Alcohol deaths spur anti-drinking efforts: AUSTIN - Chad Connally remembers what partying at Southwestern University used to be like.

Sept. 25 -- Regulations on development extended: AUSTIN (AP) - The state's environmental agency has approved new rules it says are intended to reduce pollution in the Edwards Aquifer, a source of drinking water for 1.75 million people.

Sept. 25 -- Police recover Elvis' jacket, stolen from Graceland: DALLAS (AP) - An alleged thief didn't get away with Elvis' blue suede shoes, but he took the King's black leather jacket. Now he's dancing to the jailhouse rock.

Sept. 25 -- Man dies for 1983 slaying at Rio Grande Valley liquor store: HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - Condemned killer David Castillo was bitter as he was put to death.

Sept. 24 -- Poll: Texans willing to pay more for renewable energy: AUSTIN (AP) - A majority of Texans, still mopping their brows from the scorching summer, not only believe global warming is occurring but appear willing to fight it by paying more for cleaner energy sources to replace coal and oil, according to a poll released Wednesday.

Sept. 24 -- Bankruptcy bill would take bite out of Texas homestead exemption: WASHINGTON - The Senate approved a bankruptcy reform bill Wednesday that would strike at the heart of a cherished Texas perk: The protection of debtors' homes under a generous homestead exemption.

Sept. 24 -- Fort Worth says no to Perot: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - Fort Worth has refused to give up its jurisdiction over the 2,500-acre Circle T Ranch, stymieing at least for now owner Ross Perot Jr.'s plans to build a regional campus there for Boston-based Fidelity Investments.

Sept. 24 -- Texans in Congress holding steady on Clinton resignation calls: WASHINGTON (AP) - The torrent of new information about President Clinton's trysts with Monica Lewinsky, whether in Clinton's own words or from the independent counsel's voluminous files, hasn't unleashed a wave of resignation calls from Texans on Capitol Hill.

Sept. 24 -- Psychiatric patients thought police officers were a satanic cult: HOUSTON (AP) - Some patients at a Houston psychiatric hospital cowered at the sound of sirens because therapists told them police officers might belong to a satanic cult, a former patient testified Tuesday.

Sept. 24 -- Storm-shrunk cleanup netted 70 tons of trash: AUSTIN (AP) - This past weekend's beach cleanup, trimmed by Tropical Storm Frances, still drew nearly 6,000 volunteers who picked up 70 tons of trash and marine debris, officials said Wednesday.

Sept. 24 -- Inspector gets $230,000 for reporting trouble at money factory: DALLAS (AP) - Uncle Sam will have to print a tall stack of bills to reward a fired inspector who blew the whistle on substandard work at a federal currency-printing plant in Fort Worth.

Sept. 24 -- Judicial panel bars federal judge from accepting new cases: DALLAS (AP) - Another volley has been fired in a war between a Fort Worth federal judge and some of the lawyers who practice before him.

Sept. 24 -- Lawmaker studies insurance coverage of poor: AUSTIN (AP) - A state lawmaker is weighing in to a fight over the availability and use of insurance reports that he says could prove insurers are illegally denying coverage to Texans in poor and minority-dominated areas.

Sept. 24 -- Sharp presses his public school funding plan: DALLAS (AP) - John Sharp is fleshing out his plan to use some of the state's $3.6 billion budget surplus to ease the burdens of the "Robin Hood" public school funding system, where property-rich districts help support the poorer ones.

Sept. 24 -- Special programs hope to compensate for lost class time: LAREDO, Texas - Ilze Benavides hoes sugar beets every summer in Caviler, N. D., alongside her older brothers and her mother.

Sept. 24 -- Capitol Briefs: News from Austin

Sept. 23 -- Agents say they've cracked six crack cocaine rings: CORSICANA, Texas (AP) - Federal, state and local authorities say they have shattered a series of drug rings that had brought crack cocaine and related violent crime to the largely rural area southeast of Dallas.

Sept. 23 -- City looks into accidental euthanasia of dogs: HOUSTON (AP) - City officials are investigating how a pair of golden retrievers were killed without their owners' knowledge after they escaped from their fenced yard and were turned over to the animal control department.

Sept. 23 -- Councilman's 'wetback' comment brings criticism: WAXAHACHIE, Texas (AP) - A City Council member is under fire for using the racial slur "wetback" during a council meeting.

Sept. 23 -- Officially, at least, the brutal summer of 1998 is over in Texas: DALLAS (AP) - Many years from now, folks in Texas will be telling their grandchildren about the summer of 1998, when the heat seemed to bake the Lone Star State to a hard enamel finish.

Sept. 23 -- From haircuts at home to busy salon: CLUTE, Texas - Since she arrived from Mexico 24 years ago, Silvia Gallardos salon has transformed a small business in her home into a downtown success in a new building.

Sept. 23 -- Senator calls for saving some of surplus: AUSTIN (AP) - With the Texas Legislature looking at an extra $6.3 billion for the next state budget, a leading senator Tuesday proposed saving rather than spending some of the surplus.

Sept. 22 -- Candidates look to Hispanic vote for success in November: DALLAS (AP) - Candidates from both political parties say courting Texas' Hispanic voters now is the key to winning in the November election.

Sept. 22 -- Texans disgusted, engrossed by Clinton testimony: DALLAS (AP) - Texans who spent this morning watching the beginnings of President Clinton's grand jury testimony expressed emotions from sympathy to disgust.

Sept. 22 -- Once-envisioned dam would have saved lives in Del Rio, officials say: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The recent flooding of San Felipe Creek in Del Rio that killed nine people could have been avoided if construction had proceeded 20 years ago on a proposed dam, says a former mayor of the border city.

Sept. 22 -- Dead crickets make for a pesky situation at county courthouse: RICHMOND, Texas (AP) - It was bad enough when crickets invaded the Fort Bend County Courthouse this summer, hopping across courtrooms and falling onto people from the ceilings.

Sept. 22 -- Confederate warship holds key history: GALVESTON, Texas - In the waters of the Gulf of Mexico on May 23, 1865, the Denbigh sailed covertly through the dark night to reach Galveston Bay.

Sept. 22 -- One in four non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught in South Texas, freed in South Texas: HOUSTON (AP) - Growing numbers of Central American illegal immigrants caught in South Texas are allowed to remain there because the U.S. Border Patrol lacks sufficient detention space, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

Sept. 22 -- Houston one of few big cities that declines to conduct truck inspections: HOUSTON (AP) - Houston is nearly alone among Texas' largest cities in declining to participate in a federal inspection program designed to take potentially dangerous trucks off the road, the Houston Chronicle reported Monday.

Sept. 22 -- Edgewood struggles with voucher-induced loss of students: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A private foundation's 10-year, $50 million voucher offer has prompted 726 students to leave the Edgewood School District this fall to enroll in private schools, officials say.

Sept. 21 -- Dallas woman's plan for newspaper could give homeless a forum and jobs: DALLAS -- For years, Clora Hogan walked by the homeless on her way to an accounting job in downtown Dallas. For years, she told herself something should be done.

Sept. 21 -- Seven band members injured during halftime brawl: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- Southern University's marching band director said Sunday that his group was provoked into a halftime brawl with band members from Prairie View A&M.

Sept. 21 -- One in four non-Mexican illegal immigrants caught in South Texas, freed in South Texas: HOUSTON (AP) -- Growing numbers of Central American illegal immigrants caught in South Texas are allowed to remain there because the U.S. Border Patrol lacks sufficient detention space, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

Sept. 21 -- After 13 years, capital murder case goes to trial: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) -- Robbie Bourque can't wait for his capital murder trial to begin Monday -- 13 years after the crime of which he stands accused.

Sept. 21 -- Investigation of multiple murders now includes 2 El Paso men, police say: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- A long-standing investigation into the killings of dozens of women across the border in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, now includes two El Paso men, the El Paso Times reported Sunday in a copyright story.

Sept. 20 -- More Texas homeowners have unregulated insurance policies: DALLAS (AP) -- The state is losing control of homeowners' insurance rates as more and more policies are placed in unregulated so-called Lloyds companies, originally intended to cover only hard-to-insure properties.

Sept. 20 -- Arlington acquaintances shocked by man's arrest: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Neighbors and acquaintances of Wadih El Hage, charged in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa, say he doesn't fit the image of a man who once served as personal secretary for a multimillionaire Saudi exile suspected of being a terrorist.

Sept. 20 -- Rare surgery recreates face of toddler mauled by pit bull: DALLAS (AP) -- Before it even had a wrinkle, 2-year-old Mycha Lee Herbert's face was torn off.

Sept. 20 -- Growing dependence on visiting judges sparks questions: HOUSTON (AP) -- Visiting judges, the stop-gap relief for overburdened courthouses, now hear one-fourth of all court cases in Texas.

Sept. 20 -- Dentists used by INS to prove age of illegal juveniles: HOUSTON (AP) -- Dentists are not authorities on immigration law, but when it comes to illegal immigrant detained in camps here, it is often they who make the call on determining who is an adult and who is a child.

Sept. 20 -- Mistake at city pound leaves two golden retrievers dead: HOUSTON (AP) -- Fresh from a bath, Christi and Duncan took a stroll down a street. The next time Pam and Don Beckert saw their registered golden retrievers, they were dead.

Sept. 20 -- Tropical depression may not strike Texas: HOUSTON (AP) -- It looks like Tropical Depression 8 could miss Texas entirely.

Sept. 20 -- Director of Fort Worth Opera to retire at season's end: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Fort Worth Opera general director William Walker announced his retirement, making him the city's fourth major arts organization leader to announce his departure this year.

Sept. 19 -- Texas man arrested in connection with embassy bombings in Africa: ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- FBI investigators first asked Wadih El Hage about his ties to a militant Islamic terrorist organization almost a year ago during an interview in New York City. He knew nothing, he told authorities.

Sept. 19 -- Police accuse TV marketing director of rigging contest: HOUSTON (AP) -- A television marketing director was charged Friday with rigging a station contest so that his mother-in-law would win the grand prize -- a $29,000 pickup truck -- and then give it to him to sell.

Sept. 19 -- Secretary of State launches new voter outreach program to boost turnout: HOUSTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Al Gonzales faces a quandary.

Sept. 19 -- Odessa native entrusted with penning Bond books: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- A waitress in a loud and lively Tex-Mex restaurant makes eye contact with the roguish figure shrouded in shadow and cigarette smoke, sitting alone at a table in the corner.

Sept. 19 -- Texas teen honored for bravery in bear attack that killed his mother: TORONTO (AP) -- The last time Kelly McConnell was in Canada, he was nearly killed trying in vain to prevent a bear from fatally mauling his mother.

Sept. 19 -- Medical association stresses need for minority doctors: AUSTIN (AP) -- The private sector must fill the gap left by a federal court ruling banning affirmative action programs, including scholarships, medical and higher education officials said Friday.

Sept. 19 -- Court upholds right to sue under HMO law: AUSTIN (AP) -- A federal judge upheld a patient's right to sue health maintenance organizations for quality of care Friday but put in serious jeopardy an independent review process for patient disputes with HMOs, according to state officials.

Sept. 18 -- Poll: Texas governor favorite among New Hampshire Republicans: MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - A new poll says New Hampshire Republicans prefer Texas Gov. George Bush and former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander in the 2000 race.

Sept. 18 -- New weapon against fire ants ready for market: AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The war on fire ants will soon be getting a new weapon: the first federally approved ant-fighting, growth-inhibiting baits for farmers.

Sept. 18 -- Rep. Hyde's former lover speaks out: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A San Antonio woman said she had an extramarital affair in the 1960s with Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., the head of the House Judiciary Committee that is considering impeachment hearings against President Clinton over a sex scandal, the San Antonio Express-News reported in Thursday's editions.

Sept. 18 -- Starr described as religious, studious, 'dorky' as young man: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - In Kenneth Starr's hometown, the man now known for his sexually explicit report on President Clinton was regarded as smart, determined and a bit "dorky."

Sept. 18 -- Galveston reeling in tropical storm's wake: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Tropical Storm Frances' punishing tides and torrential rain inflicted an estimated $256 million worth of damage in Galveston County, emergency management officials said.

Sept. 18 -- Resistant flies frustrate residents: IDALOU, Texas (AP) - There's a constant buzz around this West Texas town these days.

Sept. 18 -- Tech: Montford raise not yet official: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) - Texas Tech officials, who last month said Chancellor John Montford was getting a $46,000 pay increase, now say the raise isn't official after all.

Sept. 18 -- Controversial telecommunications report is shelved: DALLAS (AP) - A controversial report on telephone right-of-way fees will be rewritten, with precautions taken to minimize the industry's influence, a key lawmaker said Wednesday.

Sept. 18 -- Texas A&M University reports highest-ever enrollment: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Texas A&M University on Thursday reported its highest ever overall enrollment and a slight increase in minority freshmen, though their percentage representation dropped off from last year.

Sept. 17 -- Rain causes yet more flood problems in soggy southeast Texas: BOLING, Texas (AP) - Heavy rain in already soggy southeast Texas swelled rivers and bayous and caused some flash flooding Wednesday, prompting road and school closures in parts of the region.

Sept. 17 -- Despite rain, drought losses still called devastating: AUSTIN (AP) - Recent rains have helped, but they can't restore the $2.1 billion in losses suffered by Texas farmers and ranchers in this year's drought, Agriculture Commissioner Rick Perry said Wednesday.

Sept. 17 -- Bush hints Clinton scandal makes him think twice about presidential bubble: AUSTIN (AP) - Gov. George W. Bush says the public airing of President Clinton's personal life has him thinking twice about subjecting his family to the presidential bubble.

Sept. 17 -- Man gets life in prison after strangling granddaughter for licking icing off cupcakes: HOUSTON (AP) - A man convicted of strangling his 3-year-old granddaughter after she licked icing off cupcakes was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after jurors rejected the death penalty.

Sept. 17 -- Technology helps Austin police arrest suspect in 1984 murder: AUSTIN (AP) - Police say a new DNA test may have helped them solve a 14-year-old murder. Officers on Tuesday arrested a man in connection with the 1984 rape and murder of secretary Lauren Marie McCarty.

Sept. 17 -- Former councilman, port commissioner go back on trial for bribery: HOUSTON (AP) - A former Houston city councilman and port commissioner went back on trial Wednesday on charges of taking and distributing bribes to influence the City Council's vote on a multimillion-dollar hotel project.

Sept. 17 -- Cab operator gets fined for giving churchgoers discount: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - The city has fined a taxi company owner $100 for giving half-price discounts to churchgoers.

Sept. 17 -- Brothers returned $23,399 found in mall restroom: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Eight-year-old Seth Brown and his 5-year-old brother, Sam, don't understand all the fuss. They say returning $23,399 that they found in a shopping mall restroom was just the right thing to do.

Sept. 17 -- Court affirms convictions in trade secret case: AUSTIN (AP) - Two men, including a Houston business owner, lost an appeal of their convictions for theft of trade secrets from two U.S. manufacturers in a case involving machinery drawings.

Sept. 17 -- Newspaper: Lobbyists dictated Legislature's telecommunications report: DALLAS (AP) - Telephone-industry lobbyists heavily influenced a legislative report that suggests limiting the amount the companies should pay cities for using public rights-of-way, The Dallas Morning News reported in a copyright story in today's editions.

Sept. 17 -- Doctor could lose job over James McDougal's death: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A prison doctor could lose his job for not checking on James McDougal the evening before the Whitewater witness suffered a heart attack and died, an official says.

Sept. 17 -- Woman offers refuge and compassion to recovering addicts: CONROE, Texas - Bonnie Quinn is a gardener, of sorts. But instead of flowers, Quinn plants seeds of hope.

Sept. 16 -- State says three Austin school ratings rigged: AUSTIN (AP) - The Austin Independent School District manipulated test results last spring to make it appear as if several schools performed better than they did, the Texas Education Agency says.

Sept. 16 -- Texans celebrate Mexican independence: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Mariachi music, traditional dances and recitations of Mexico's historic declaration of independence are some of the colorful ways Texans are celebrating Mexican independence day.

Sept. 16 -- Plans in works for new Texas execution chamber: HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - It looks like Texas will be getting a new death chamber. Corrections officials are reviewing construction bids to rebuild the death house that's been in use since 1924 at the Walls Unit in downtown Huntsville.

Sept. 16 -- Houston reports Texas' first human case of St. Louis encephalitis in 2 years: HOUSTON (AP) - A 45-year-old Houston man was confirmed Tuesday to have the first case of St. Louis encephalitis reported in Texas since 1996, prompting health officials to issue warnings about the potentially fatal mosquito-borne virus.

Sept. 16 -- Lawmaker says study supports plan for removing mesquite trees: SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) - A state lawmaker says a study supports his plan to eradicate mesquite and other brush in an attempt to dramatically boost water flow on the North Concho River.

Sept. 16 -- Man faces death penalty after strangling granddaughter for licking icing off cupcakes: HOUSTON (AP) - A man convicted of strangling his 3-year-old granddaughter after she licked icing off cupcakes faced the death penalty as the punishment phase of his trial resumed Tuesday.

Sept. 16 -- Turtle breeding season sets record on Texas Coast: PADRE ISLAND, Texas (AP) - Despite this year being marked by the highest number of turtle strandings in Texas history, Kemp's ridley sea turtles - one of the most endangered group of sea turtles in the world - have had a fruitful nesting season.

Sept. 16 -- Man wanted for 1978 Fort Worth stabbing captured: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - A man wanted for a 1978 killing has been arrested in Nevada after getting fingerprinted while applying to work in a sheriff's office.

Sept. 16 -- Williamson court is stage for replay of '23 Klan case: GEORGETOWN, Texas (AP) - When a traveling salesman from Weir was kidnapped, flogged, chained to a fence post and covered with tar on Easter Sunday in 1923, no one believed the four Ku Klux Klansmen accused of the crime would be convicted.

Sept. 15 -- Counties bring in thousands in court fees and fines: HOUSTON (AP) - Frustrated by millions of dollars in uncollected court fines, Texas counties are increasingly implementing collection systems to better track down deadbeat misdemeanor scofflaws.

Sept. 15 -- Tropical Storm Frances helps Valley out for now: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - The Rio Grande Valley is green again with lawns sprouting ankle-high grass, but the benefits from Tropical Storm Frances probably will be short-lived.

Sept. 15 -- Storm-caused beach erosion wreaks havoc on coastal homes: HOUSTON (AP) - Proximity to the Gulf of Mexico's tumbling whitecaps is both the greatest joy and peril of owning beachfront property.

Sept. 15 -- City hopes new bridge will decrease highway fatalities: LAREDO, Texas (AP) - City officials are looking to cut down on fatal accidents and curb traffic with a new international bridge.

Sept. 15 -- Texas nursing homes fined $2.2 million since new law enacted: DALLAS (AP) - Texas regulators have hit nursing homes with $2.2 million in fines in the six months since a new law giving the state more power to punish homes that do not meet patient-care standards was enacted.

Sept. 15 -- Neiman Marcus joining the country in baseball fever: DALLAS (AP) - Neiman Marcus is taking its shoppers out to the ball game. The Dallas-based retailer known for its fancy, far-out holiday gifts released its Christmas catalog Monday, an annual wish book for the wealthy who enjoy the offbeat.

Sept. 15 -- Texas health commissioner has medical license, but not in Texas: HOUSTON (AP) - Nearly a year after he assumed his post, Texas Health Commissioner William R. Archer III has not applied for a state medical license, the Houston Chronicle reports today.

Sept. 15 -- Gun control group gives Texas a bad grade: A national gun control lobby says Texas fares poorly when it comes to implementing laws to protect children from firearms.

Sept. 15 -- 1,200-mlle postal divide splits two West Texas towns only 20 miles apart: DRYDEN, Texas (AP) - As the crow flies, this tiny West Texas town, population eight, is just 20 miles east of Sanderson, the Terrell County seat.

Sept. 14 -- The Texas Poll: Most Texans worry about invasion of privacy: Most Texans are concerned about their privacy being invaded and don't want the government assigning identification codes to track people's medical histories, The Scripps Howard Texas Poll shows.

Sept. 14 -- Rain douses most of state except drought ravaged West Texas: LUBBOCK - Over the past month, almost every region of Texas has seen drought-relieving rain. Far North Texas gotten showers from storm systems that evolved over the Rocky Mountains. South Texas was drenched by Tropical Storm Frances. Even thirsty East Texas has had substantial showers from weather systems originating in Louisiana.

Sept. 14 -- Southeast Texas starts cleaning up as Frances' fury subsides: HOUSTON (AP) -- Coastal communities across southeast Texas crawled back to life Saturday as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Frances receded and the cleanup began.

Sept. 14 -- Real-life cowboys gather in Lubbock to relive the old days: LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) -- For one afternoon, a downtown park looked like it might have more than a century ago.

Sept. 13 -- Limited-edition Dallas police car by Matchbox a hot toy: DALLAS (AP) -- It's a red-and-blue light special.

Sept. 13 -- World leaders head to Houston for weeklong energy conference: HOUSTON (AP) -- Maintaining the world's energy supply in the next millennium will be the focus this week when presidents, energy ministers and the company executives converge on the nation's energy capital.

Sept. 13 -- Special medical flight arranged for dying Israeli man: SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- After traveling to Texas for what he hoped would be a life-saving medical treatment, a terminally ill Israeli man simply wants to return to his homeland before he dies.

Sept. 13 -- After first life sentence was commuted, man receives life sentence for another crime: AMARILLO, Texas (AP) -- A man whose life sentence for killing his stepfather was commuted in 1979 by then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton has received another life sentence, this time for burglarizing a house and stabbing a boy 17 times.

Sept. 12 -- Storm belts Houston, heads inland: HOUSTON (AP) -- Tropical Storm Frances swept the Texas Gulf Coast Friday and zeroed in on the nation's fourth-largest city, closing schools, stranding rush-hour motorists and turning downtown into an island before slowly moving inland.

Sept. 12 -- Del Rio hoping Frances will miss flood-ravaged town: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) -- City officials still dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Charley were optimistic Friday that their areas would be spared by Frances on its way inland after pummeling Houston.

Sept. 12 -- Hospital employee sentenced to 20 years for poisoning co-workers: DALLAS (AP) -- A former hospital lab employee was sentenced to 20 years in prison Friday for feeding bacteria-laced pastries to her co-workers.

Sept. 12 -- Houston virtually closed due to storm: HOUSTON (AP) -- The nation's fourth-largest city sloshed to a near-halt today as torrential rains from Tropical Storm Frances pelted flood-prone areas of Houston, clogging freeways and sending bayous over banks.

Sept. 12 -- Board approves more charters, is divided on vouchers: AUSTIN (AP) -- The number of independent charter schools in Texas will burgeon to 145 under Friday action by the State Board of Education, but some members said lawmakers should halt further expansion until the campuses' performance can be judged.

Sept. 12 -- Panelists say Oprah not only winner in 'veggie libel' trial: AUSTIN (AP) -- Television talk show hostess Oprah Winfrey wasn't the only winner in her legal victory over a lawsuit brought by Texas cattlemen. The public won, too, a freedom of information conference was told Friday.

Sept. 12 -- Bullock honored for work on open records laws: AUSTIN (AP) -- Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, called a friend of the First Amendment by open government advocates, was honored for his efforts Friday night.

Sept. 12 -- Suspected trafficker's death could mean more drug violence in future: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- The killing of a reputed drug lord, one of several reportedly vying for control of a vast narcotics empire, means more bloodshed is likely in a region that already has endured a yearlong turf war, a drug expert said Friday.

Sept. 11 -- Two Texans serve on House committee on point in Clinton impeachment consideration: WASHINGTON (AP) - They're on opposite sides of the political spectrum, yet the two Texans on the House Judiciary Committee are pledging a similar approach in weighing whether President Clinton committed impeachable offenses while covering up his trysts with Monica Lewinsky.

Sept. 11 -- Tropical storm strands fishermen, closes schools, brings heavy rain: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - Tropical Storm Frances dawdled in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday, but the resulting heavy rains, gusty winds and high tides still managed to strand fishermen, swallow beaches, close schools and prompt evacuations all the way to Louisiana.

Sept. 11 -- Mediation ordered between Brownsboro cheerleaders kicked off squad, school: BROWNSBORO, Texas (AP) - A judge has ordered nine high school cheerleaders into mediation with school officials who kicked them off the squad for smoking cigarettes at a cheerleading summer camp.

Sept. 11 -- Housing for flood victims next goal as city tries to recover: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) - Flooding from Tropical Storm Charley did at least $34.5 million in damage to this border city, where 581 houses were destroyed and another 175 were severely damaged, officials estimate.

Sept. 11 -- Texas Medicaid drug program among best in the country: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas' Medicaid drug program has kept costs low while providing access to many prescription drugs, a new report says.

Sept. 11 -- Board considers proposed legislative recommendations costing $8 billion: AUSTIN (AP) - Proposals to raise teacher salaries, fund optional prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds and reduce class size in the lowest grades are up for consideration by the State Board of Education for recommendation to state lawmakers.

Sept. 11 -- Ammo cache seized from home and car of suspect in truckers' slayings: DALLAS (AP) - Police seized several hundred 9 mm bullets from the vehicle of Douglas Alan Feldman, an ex-convict suspected of using a 9 mm Glock pistol to fatally shoot two truck drivers and wound another man, according to police and an affidavit released Wednesday.

Sept. 11 -- 'Sending kids into battle' was Bush's toughest decision: WASHINGTON (AP) - The hardest thing was "sending kids into battle," says former President Bush, who ousted Iraqi forces from Kuwait during the Gulf War that, to his lasting regret, left Saddam Hussein in power.

Sept. 11 -- Retired Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent killed during attack: TYLER, Texas (AP) - A retired Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agent has been shot and killed during a violent confrontation with a businesswoman, police say.

Sept. 11 -- Houston man executed for Fort Worth slaying 13 years ago: HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - Moments after a needle carrying lethal chemicals was inserted just a few inches from a tattoo of the Grim Reaper on his right arm, condemned killer Delbert Boyd Teague Jr. became the 13th Texas inmate to be executed this year.

Sept. 10 -- Hay growth gives hope to cattle producers for fall forage: COLLEGE STATION (AP) - Recent rains may help cattle producers get through the winter months with less liquidation of herds, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service reports.

Sept. 10 -- Capitol Briefs: AUSTIN (AP) - Exports of Texas merchandise totaled about $44 billion for the first half of the year, up 10 percent from the same period in 1997.

Sept. 10 -- Greyhound says it will improve handicapped access to buses: DALLAS (AP) - Greyhound Lines will guarantee wheelchair access to its buses when it receives two days advance notice from passengers planning trips, but some passengers who had charged Greyhound with discrimination said the move is still unfair to the disabled.

Sept. 10 -- Sierra Club says Austin threatened by sprawl: AUSTIN (AP) - Is Austin on its way to becoming Houston? The Sierra Club on Wednesday named the Texas capital as one of America's most sprawl-threatened cities.

Sept. 10 -- Report: Marines inadequately trained for mission that ended in death: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Marines involved in the fatal shooting of a West Texas teen-ager were not adequately trained for an anti-drug operation that placed the combat-ready troops among civilians, a military report says.

Sept. 10 -- Farmers in Midwest and Mississippi donate hay to Texas: MCKINNEY, TEXAS - Stanley Burton of Farmersville loaded his truck with 20 free bales of hay Tuesday as part of "Project Haylift," an emergency relief program designed to help drought-stricken farmers.

Sept. 10 -- Coast on lookout for tropical disturbance: South Texas can expect the brunt of weather activity from a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico that was expected to become Tropical Storm Frances by Thursday.

Sept. 10 -- Hide market in decline as gator season opens: HOUSTON (AP) - Alligators already outnumber people 3-to-1 in Chambers County.

Sept. 10 -- Exotic ranch hid theft ring, officials say: TOLAR, Texas - From behind the closed gate of the Lawhon Exotic Ranch, officials say, the tentacles of a theft ring reached out to five states, to Costa Rica, and even to a deceased witness in the Whitewater investigation.

Sept. 10 -- Legislature may consider revamping permit process: HOUSTON (AP) - A chemical industry lobby group plans to push a third time for legislation making it easier to get environmental permits in Texas, according to a published report.

Sept. 10 -- Brother's grim injury sparked sister's determination to research spinal cord injuries: HOUSTON - Not realizing the high-powered rifle was loaded, the teen-ager took aim at the bicycle rider and squeezed the trigger.

Sept. 9 -- Bush kicks off re-election campaign in East Texas: KILGORE - Republican Gov. George W. Bush toured East Texas on Tuesday, promising voters that schoolchildren and taxpayers would be his priorities in a second term.

Sept. 9 -- Prison officials won't let death row inmate donate organs: AUSTIN (AP) - A death row inmate facing execution next month has been blocked by Texas prison officials from donating his organs.

Sept. 9 -- Flood victims return to school, try to recover from disaster: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) - Two weeks after this border city suffered the worst natural disaster in its history, townspeople moved closer to recovery Tuesday when thousands of youngsters returned to school.

Sept. 9 -- Attorney General: Cosmetic contact lenses becoming dangerous fad: AUSTIN (AP) - Cosmetic contact lenses are becoming a dangerous fad among junior high and high school students, who spread viral and bacterial infections by trading and sharing the lenses, warned Texas Attorney General Dan Morales.

Sept. 9 -- Activist who warned about danger of drugs found dead of apparent overdose: DALLAS (AP) - A 24-year-old recovering drug addict who had been counseling others not to start using drugs is believed to have died of a heroin overdose.

Sept. 9 -- Couple says free speech rights violated by campaign law: AUSTIN (AP) - People's right to spend money to influence a political contest is butting up against a law requiring them to report the expenditures in a timely way in a case before the Texas Supreme Court.

Sept. 9 -- Adults return to the classroom to learn to read: GALVESTON, Texas - Once upon a time, the senior years were for retiring and rocking grandchildren. These days, seniors are among the thousands of people heading back to the classroom every year to reclaim a fundamental skill - reading.

Sept. 9 -- Brown pelicans enjoying a comeback at Galveston Bay: GALVESTON, Texas (AP) - Maybe it was El Nino, or better habitats. Whatever it is, hundreds of brown pelicans have regrouped and their numbers are finally growing in Galveston Bay.

Sept. 8 -- Labor Day weekend crashes kill at least 29: AUSTIN (AP) - At least 29 people have died on Texas highways since Labor Day weekend travel began, the Department of Public Safety said Monday.

Sept. 8 -- Candidates push teacher pay proposals, striking pilots rally: DALLAS (AP) - Texas politicians promoted teacher pay proposals Monday and striking Northwest Airlines pilots picketed in a Labor Day rally while other Texans trying to avoid the holiday heat crowded malls and movie theaters.

Sept. 8 -- Texas country singer charged with murder: SABINAL, Texas - At the pinnacle of country singer Johnny Rodriguez's success, he picked guitars with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson in Texas football coach Darrell Royal's living room.

Sept. 8 -- Mexican soldier's account of Davy Crockett's death to be auctioned: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A purported eyewitness account of the 1836 Alamo siege will be auctioned in California this fall.

Sept. 7 -- VA hospitals consider taking in laundry for extra money: SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Veterans Affairs officials may try to wash away the department's financial woes by taking in laundry at two VA hospitals.

Sept. 7 -- North Texas flirting with another temperature record: To escape the heat that is sizzling along with Labor Day weekend barbecues, Texans are crowding into lakes and rivers as the Dallas-Fort Worth area flirts with another temperature record.

Sept. 7 -- Labor Day weekend crashes kill at least 18: AUSTIN (AP) - At least 18 people have died on Texas highways since Labor Day weekend travel began, the Department of Public Safety said Sunday.

Sept. 7 -- Amarillo draws hundreds of jobs unrelated to agriculture, oil: AMARILLO - It seemed to be that hidden somewhere in the canyons of West Texas there lay a stone tablet upon which was engraved one unchanging belief: When oil and agriculture were doing well, the towns prospered. When droughts struck and oil prices slipped, the towns suffered. And attempting to buck that trend was a waste of time and money.

Sept. 6 -- Hot weather puts a crimp in high school football openers: According to the calendar, it was time for the fall high school football season, but the thermometer Friday night said it was still midsummer.

Sept. 6 -- Del Rio attempts to pick up the pieces: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) -- Olalla Gonzalez keeps telling her 19-year-old daughter, Alicia, not to mope, that they have to be strong and move on.

Sept. 6 -- Key witness in O'Quinn disbarment case retracts statements: HOUSTON (AP) -- A key witness in the disbarment case against a Houston attorney and his associates has retracted statements that might have helped exonerate the group.

Sept. 6 -- Lawyers seek new trial for ex-cadet: FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Lawyers for David Graham have asked for a new trial for the former Air Force Academy cadet, who was convicted in July for the kidnapping and killing of 16-year-old Adrianne Jones.

Sept. 6 -- Suspended professor back in classroom until September hearing: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) -- A suspended, indicted Texas A&M University computer science professor is back in the classroom, at least for now.

Sept. 6 -- Authorities along Guadalupe River brace for holiday tubers: HOUSTON (AP) -- Hot weather and the Labor Day holiday should lure tons of tubers to the Guadalupe River this weekend, and authorities have hired extra security to keep order.

Sept. 6 -- DPS says van was speeding before April crash that killed five in Giddings: AUSTIN (AP) -- The van in which five mentally disabled women died in an April crash near Giddings was speeding, according to the Department of Public Safety report.

Sept. 5 -- Second hottest summer on record marches on: DALLAS (AP) -- The region's second hottest summer on record was making Lillian Baker sick until the stay-at-home great-grandmother got relief, courtesy of a worker who was delivering her meals.

Sept. 5 -- Valley reservoirs up 14 percent, but drought drags on: HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) -- Water from deadly South Texas floods also has had a positive impact, pushing Rio Grande Valley reservoir levels up 14 percent.

Sept. 5 -- University of Texas targets counterfeit merchandise: AUSTIN (AP) -- It's that season. Longhorns football season. Students, craving a burnt orange fix, are complaining about bad seats but will flood the stadium anyway.

Sept. 5 -- Texas No. 2 in Hispanic gains; Harris County No. 1 in black population increase: HOUSTON (AP) -- New U.S. Census Bureau figures show Hispanics have been the fastest-growing ethnic group in Texas during the 1990s, while Harris County appears to have been the No. 1 destination for blacks.

Sept. 5 -- Eddie Garcia, San Antonio's 'Bingo King,' shot to death: SAN ANTONIO (AP) -- A bingo parlor owner and boxing promoter known as San Antonio's "Bingo King" has been shot to death while working at one of his offices, police say.

Sept. 5 -- Mayor raises concerns about Americans arrested in Mexico: EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- El Paso's mayor plans to use meetings with Mexican officials to raise concerns about Americans being arrested in Mexico after unintentionally crossing the border with guns.

Sept. 5 -- Worldwide child porn investigation nets two in Texas: CONROE, Texas (AP) -- The worldwide child pornography investigation that reached across 14 countries has extended into the homes of two Texas residents.

Sept. 4 -- Show double-checks data in Kennedy assassination: DALLAS (AP) - A film crew, technicians and dozens of spectators gathered at the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination this morning for a laser beam experiment retracing the trajectory of the fatal bullet for a TV documentary.

Sept. 4 -- State releases additional school ratings: AUSTIN (AP) - More than one-fourth of 405 alternative education schools didn't meet academic performance objectives they set for themselves and must prepare plans for doing better, according to ratings released Thursday by the Texas Education Agency.

Sept. 4 -- Rain brings hope of bumper fall vegetable crop: COLLEGE STATION (AP) - Recent rains have replenished water supplies in south Texas and renewed growers hopes that there will be a successful fall vegetable crop, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service reports.

Sept. 4 -- Hurricane Earl gone, clouds from Hurricane Isis move over Texas: Hurricane Earl may be history as far as Texas is concerned, but some areas of the state will get clouds and some rain from a Pacific hurricane in Mexico's Gulf of California.

Sept. 4 -- INS rounds up legal immigrants over DWI convictions: DALLAS (AP) - Hundreds of legal immigrants are awaiting deportation in detention centers across Texas as part of a federal initiative aimed at immigrants with three or more drunken driving convictions.

Sept. 4 -- Stranded Ukranian sailors head home: HOUSTON (AP) - Sixteen Ukrainian sailors stranded here since April while their ship was mired in a bankruptcy fight prepared Thursday to return home, penniless and angry.

Sept. 4 -- 19-year-old manages congressional campaign: SULPHUR SPRINGS, Texas - Duane Galligher has always been an early starter, especially when the subject is Republican Party politics.

Sept. 4 -- Man gets death sentence after 'one-man crime wave': HOUSTON (AP) - A man prosecutors called a "one-man crime wave" has been sentenced to death for one of four murders he was suspected of committing during a five-month episode of violence.

Sept. 4 -- Man sentenced to almost 500 years in child pornography case: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) - A Corpus Christi-area man was sentenced to nearly 500 years in prison after he admitted he sexually molested five young girls and used some of them to produce stacks of child pornography.

Sept. 4 -- Stay of execution vacated for convicted husband killer: TYLER, Texas (AP) - A federal judge has cleared the way for a new execution date to be set for a woman convicted of murdering her husband and burying his body under a wishing well in her front yard.

Sept. 3 -- Farmers say they need help after double whammy: AUSTIN (AP) - Farmers reeling from the one-two punch of a devastating drought and low commodity prices came to the Texas Capitol Wednesday to draw attention to their plight, saying they must have help or face going out of business.

Sept. 3 -- DPS searches for missing handful in Del Rio: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) - DPS investigators took to the streets Wednesday, trying to find the last few people still unaccounted for after deadly floods.

Sept. 3 -- Woman's remains found more than two years after her disappearance: GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (AP) - Reena Varghese's dresses still hang in the closet of the family's brick home in suburban Irving. Her perfume bottles sit untouched. Framed pictures of her holding her newborn daughter hang on the bedroom walls, capturing her eternally at age 25.

Sept. 3 -- Too much information, please: Almanac is banned at Texas prisons: DALLAS (AP) - It wasn't the hog production table, wildflower photos or list of Texas first ladies that got the Texas Almanac banned in the state prison system.

Sept. 3 -- Senate OKs Texas low-level waste deal: WASHINGTON (AP) - Years after Texas, Maine and Vermont first proposed an alliance that would allow the two New England states to ship their low-level radioactive waste to Texas, Congress completed action today on the deal.

Sept. 3 -- Candidate proposes limited tax exemption aimed at helping families: EL PASO, Texas (AP) - Lieutenant governor candidate John Sharp proposed a limited state sales tax moratorium Wednesday designed to give some of Texas' projected $3.7 billion budget surplus back to taxpayers.

Sept. 3 -- Waco library houses the world's largest collection of Browning: WACO, Texas - Pushing through the 1,500-pound bronze double doors, visitors might think they've stepped from the confines of Waco, Texas, into a museum somewhere in the midst of Europe.

Sept. 3 -- Attorney: Port Arthur school system in financial trouble: PORT ARTHUR (AP) - A Port Arthur school district attorney warns that the district could go broke next year unless drastic steps are taken to ease a mounting projected deficit.

Sept. 2 -- Texas coast prepares for Earl, just in case: HOUSTON (AP) - Coastal communities began preparing Tuesday just in case Tropical Storm Earl, headed for the Louisiana coast, decided to turn west and torture Texas.

Sept. 2 -- Record number of Texas students take SAT, scores remain stable: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas students' scores on the SAT college entrance exam were unchanged this year, although a record number of the 1998 high school graduating class took the test, according to figures released Tuesday.

Sept. 2 -- Nuke dump opponents make last-ditch plea in advance of Senate debate: WASHINGTON (AP) - In a last-ditch plea, opponents of a planned low-level radioactive waste dump in West Texas urged the Senate on Tuesday to reject a deal that would allow Maine and Vermont to ship their refuse to Texas.

Sept. 2 -- DA drops livestock theft charge against man accused of stealing steak: QUITMAN, Texas (AP) - Talk about having a cow. When a previously convicted felon was accused of stealing a $30 package of steak from an East Texas convenience store, he was indicted by a Wood County grand jury with a felony charge of theft of livestock.

Sept. 2 -- Social worker sues after being demoted for removing foster child from lesbian couple: DALLAS (AP) - A social worker sued the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services on Tuesday, saying she was demoted for taking a foster child from a lesbian couple's home.

Sept. 2 -- Report: 35 of 85 programs didn't meet accreditation standards: AUSTIN (AP) - More than one-third of the 85 educator preparation programs in Texas didn't meet state standards based on prospective teachers' passing rate on certification exams, according to first-ever ratings released Tuesday.

Sept. 2 -- Field trip cancellations prompt student protest: DALLAS (AP) - About 300 high school students protested at Dallas school headquarters Tuesday to protest the cancellation of field trips and other teacher-chaperoned activities after a 14-year-old student died during a school trip to Big Bend National Park.

Sept. 2 -- Legislators urge reinstatement of school-based clinics: AUSTIN (AP) - Texas Health Commissioner Bill Archer's decision to stop state funding for school-based clinics was denounced Tuesday by state legislators and the Texas Freedom Network, a group that monitors activities of the religious right.

Sept. 2 -- TSU to pay back $10.5 million in improper student loans: HOUSTON (AP) - Students who improperly received financial aid will cost Texas Southern University about $10.5 million that needs to be repaid to the federal government over the next 10 years, school officials said.

Sept. 1 -- A new campaign for election year: AUSTIN (AP) - If George W. Bush and Garry Mauro aren't enough to get Texans excited about election day, what voting for about Willie Nelson, Johnny Dee, Lyle Lovett, the Fabulous Thunderbirds or even a talking cow?

Sept. 1 -- Del Rio continues clean-up, missing list dwindles: DEL RIO, Texas (AP) - Crews continued to comb heavy piles of debris Monday in their search for residents of the South Texas border town who are still missing after last week's flood.

Sept. 1 -- Authorities search wells for clues of possible baby murder 22 years ago: BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) - Sheriff's deputies are investigating allegations that a baby was thrown into a Southeast Texas well and left to die more than 22 years ago.

Sept. 1 -- Appeals court upholds whistleblower suit: AUSTIN (AP) - The 3rd Court of Appeals upheld a ruling granting a deputy marshall more than $2.1 million from the city of Fort Worth, saying he suffered retaliation after investigating an illegal dump owned by a former city councilman.

Sept. 1 -- A&M researchers seek to clone cows resistant to disease: COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - First Missy, now Bessie. Texas A&M University scientists are attempting to clone cattle resistant to mad cow disease, the mysterious brain ailment that has killed thousands of cows in Britain and 28 people who ate infected beef.

Sept. 1 -- Lawmaker remembered as friend of education: AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - State Rep. Dan Kubiak, who died over the weekend, was remembered Monday as a dedicated lawmaker and unflagging supporter of education.

Sept. 1 -- Johnny Rodriguez could face bond hearing: UVALDE, Texas (AP) - Country singer Johnny Rodriguez remained in the Uvalde County Jail today on a charge of murder.