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ALCOHOL | ADDICTION

• More Texans are dying from pill abuse | Houston is at the center of state’s growing problem with prescriptions
• Accidental Overdoses Increase by 250% in Texas
• As teens drink and drive, Texas only talks tough

BUDGET

• Watson talks budget reforms | Honesty agenda’ aims to make Texas’ process more transparent.
• In Light of Budget Gap, Public Education Faces Cuts
• UPDATE: Additional 2.5 percent cut for state agencies’ current budget
• Texas’ social services chief expects agonizing budget process

CHILDREN

• Blue-ribbon panel presents plan for overhauling Texas’ foster care system
• Congress Approves Child Nutrition Bill
• School lunch reform bill poised for passage | But House Republicans delay child nutrition bill backed by first lady Michelle Obama.

CHURCH/STATE

• Ousted Rep. Chet Edwards recounts religious-liberty fight
• Analysis: Religious-freedom trends in decades past and future
• Q and A: Melissa Rogers on past and future decades in religious liberty

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Budget Woes May Close More Texas Youth Facilities
• Executions drop 12% nationwide
• Texas Juries Gave Only 8 Death Sentences in 2010

EDUCATION

• Editorial|Success and Failure on the G.E.D.
• Are Electronic Supplements a Textbook Solution?
• Funds misuse, nepotism feared at Texas charter schools
• In Light of Budget Gap, Public Education Faces Cuts

ENVIRONMENT

• Sunset hearing could cast shadow over TCEQ | Foes: Agency too soft on oil, coal, chemicals
• TCEQ gets an earful from public | Many at panel hearing say state agency fails to protect them
• Attorney General Abbott Challenges EPA’s Abrupt Change of Position and Disapproval of Texas’ Flex Permit Program
• Texas vs. EPA Permitting Battle Intensifies
• Texas approves permit for cleaner coal-fired plant
• Biomass Power Plants Rise in East Texas
• Can Houston, the Oil Capital, Really Go Green?
• EPA to issue greenhouse gas permits in Texas
• Greenhouse gas curbs are weeks away for Texas | Loss of appeal means emissions rules begin Jan. 2
• Has Texas seen the light on solar power?  | 60-megawatt project breaks ground near Coupland; price may reach $240 million.
• Renewables, Drilling Among Upcoming Energy Bills
• Solar technology company plans to bring 450 jobs to Austin | California-based SunPower wants to open local operations office; city to vote on incentives Dec. 9.
• Solar, wind energy supporters may lose U.S. grants
• Wind, solar backers take their case to Congress | Federal grant program to expire unless lawmakers vote to extend it

GAMBLING

• A literal tax on the stupid
• Bingo in the Blood
• Expanded gambling’s odds in next Texas Legislature look worse
• Gambling Industry Bet Against Republican-Dominated House
• Resolution Would Allow Vote on Eight-Liners
• Survey: Fewer taking a chance on state’s games | 2009 survey confirms that fewer Texans are spending more money to play the state lottery
• Gulf Coast casinos try to struggle back from recession
• Southern casinos struggle back from recession
• Legalizing Internet poker gets push from Harry Reid in lame-duck session

HEALTH

• Diabetes cases projected to soar in Texas | Diagnoses to rise by 259% to 8 million adults across state, report says
• Texas’ Diabetic Population Will Quadruple by 2040
• Faith leaders support including contraception in health reform
• Federal rules endanger state health care
• Feds Slated to Reduce Texas Medicaid Match
• HHSC/TDI: Texas In No-Win Situation With Medicaid
• Interactive: Texas Medicaid Caseload and Premium Costs
• Study of Texas without a Medicaid program is ‘looking at all options,’ says social services czar
• Suehs: Texas Must Change, Not Abandon, Medicaid
• Texas’ social services chief expects agonizing budget process

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

• A Woman. A Prostitute. A Slave.
• Choose Wisely: Fair-trade movement has Christian roots
• Federal crackdown on child prostitution results in 884 arrests
• Sex-Trafficking Charges Stun Minneapolis Somalis

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Texas ranks No. 2 in terms of hunger, USDA reports
• Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and Walmart Announce Campaign to Fight Hunger in America
• Congress Approves Child Nutrition Bill
• Dinner bell follows class bell at some D.C. schools
• School lunch reform bill poised for passage | But House Republicans delay child nutrition bill backed by first lady Michelle Obama.
• House sends food safety bill to president | Legislation overhauls food safety system, but issue of funding looms.
• Senate Passes Sweeping Law on Food Safety

IMMIGRATION

• Political Battle on Illegal Immigration Shifts to States
• Border Patrol Resumes Controversial Busing Plan
• Dream Act comes to an end in Senate | Republicans block youth immigration bill on a procedural vote.
• Christians join last-ditch effort to pass immigration reform for youngsters
• Prospects dim as House passes DREAM Act
• Obama administration, Dems urge passage of DREAM Act
• Editorial: Hutchison, Cornyn should vote for revised Dream Act
• Senate delays vote on imperiled immigration bill

PAYDAY LENDING

• Legislators look to heavens for help fighting payday lenders (KENS 5)
• Legislators look to heavens for help fighting payday lenders (KVUE)
• State looks to curb payday loans | Some lenders have 500% APR or more
• Op-Ed by Rep. Armando Walle | Let’s close the loophole and end predatory lending
• Bill aims to crack down on Texas’ storefront lenders
• Gerald Britt Jr.: What southern Dallas churches can do to fight payday loan troubles

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Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

ALCOHOL | ADDICTION

• FDA: Caffeine added to alcoholic drinks an ‘unsafe food additive’ | Companies that make beverages have 15 days to respond to government warning
• FDA calls 7 caffeine-alcohol drinks unsafe (CNN)
• FDA expected to ban alcoholic energy drinks | Agency poised to declare that caffeine is an unsafe food additive to alcoholic beverages.
• TABC partners with alcoholic beverage industry to halt sales of caffeinated malt beverages.
• Texas Ranger Josh Hamilton tells story of ups and downs
• Austin police chief says Texas leads nation in drunk driving deaths

BUDGET

• Budget Writers Adopt Spending Cap, Seek More Cuts
• Budget Writers Differ on Where to Start
• Watson amps up call for budget reform
• Texas schools no longer shielded from state budget cuts | School districts told to expect $3 billion to $5 billion less.
• Lawmakers’ plan to share budget pain: per diem cuts | Proposal would reduce daily expenses stipend by about 10%.
• More budget cuts coming for state agencies | Some may not be exempt from latest cuts of up to 3 percent.

CHILDREN

• Adoptive mother of three says not to call her a hero
• Child abuse — more than stranger danger

CHURCH/STATE

• Obama order sidesteps controversies over faith-based program
• Va. Baptists commission pamphlet defending church-state separation
• Ability to sue over church-state claims at stake in Supreme Court case

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Crowded Jails Becoming Health Hazards
• Report: Healthier Prisons, Healthier Communities
• Cutting prison budget could be challenging if inmate population keeps growing
• Sunset Commission: Keep TYC in business 6 more years
• Supreme Court hears arguments involving prisoners’ religious freedom

EDUCATION

• Texas schools no longer shielded from state budget cuts | School districts told to expect $3 billion to $5 billion less.
• Proposals floated to ‘reinvent public higher education’ | Coordinating board wants to revise funding formula, financial aid.
• Brown Bill Would Kill Higher Ed Coordinating Board
• Can Credit Recovery Courses Cut Dropout Rates?
• Group Links Healthy Habits To Student Performance
• Austin school district to revamp policy on charter schools | School officials open to new education models; charters would be district-run.
• Austin school board may change class rank calculations | Rule change on valedictorian, salutatorian candidates also being considered.

ENVIRONMENT

• Controversial Hill Country Power Lines Canned
• Wind Power Growth Slows to 2007 Levels
• Survey: Texas ignoring new greenhouse gas rules
• Texas officials refuse to follow new federal greenhouse gas policy (Dallas Morning News)
• Environmental, oil agencies told to be tougher on violators
• EPA grants Texas refinery permits after state flap
• Proposed plant in Corpus Christi tries to get air permit from state before federal regulations tick in
• Texas environmental keeps soft touch in regulating industry
• How UT’s Basketball Arena Slashed Its Energy Use
• Sea ice melting as Arctic temperature rises

GAMBLING

• Critics Blast Lottery’s Renewed Deal With GTECH
• Gtech awarded lottery contract
• Focal Point: State rep seeks lottery analysis
• A lottery for smart people
• Despite Republican gains in Austin, gambling group to push again for upscale casinos
• Gambling proponents may get help from new lawmakers
• Report Criticizes Senators on Casino in Queens (NYT)
• Texas-born racehorses could be a dying breed

HEALTH

• Is Texas really thinking of opting out of Medicaid?
• Battle Lines Drawn Over Medicaid in Texas  (NYT)
• Can Texas and a Dozen Other States Drop Medicaid?
• Group Links Healthy Habits To Student Performance
• Number of diabetic Americans could triple by 2050

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Bread for the World’s 2011 hunger report praises new federal program
• Texas Baptists choose morning of missions activity
• UMHB students participate in poverty simulation
• Federal report: U.S. hunger remains at highest levels in 15 years
• Solutions to the Latino Child Nutrition Crisis In the U.S.
• Food bank map shows poverty areas
• Number of diabetic Americans could triple by 2050

IMMIGRATION

• Human trafficking task force meets for first time
• Lawmakers Take Closer Aim at Human Trafficking
• State lawmakers waste no time tackling immigration reform | More than 15 immigration-related bills are filed for next legislative session.
• Coming Out Illegal
• Undocumented Students Stump for the DREAM Act
• Deportation of immigrant veterans faces scrutiny

PAYDAY LENDING

• A lottery for smart people

ALCOHOL | ADDICTION

• Lawmakers Want to Ban Synthetic Marijuana
• Austin chief pushes for new drunk driving charge
• White House Drug Policy Director Urges Parents To Take Action To Prevent Youth Drug Use

BUDGET

• WFAA-Belo-Texas poll: Voters support more gambling to boost budget

CHILDREN

• YMCA of Austin anti-obesity program shows promise
• Texas Struggling With Childhood Obesity

CHURCH/STATE

• Fifth Circuit Upholds Texas Pledge of Allegiance | Federal appeals court rejects plaintiffs’ constitutional challenge to the State pledge
• AU urges IRS to probe church; calls for end to National Day of Prayer
• Okla. church latest in effort to test boundaries of tax law, politics
• Opinion: Separation of church and state worth preserving

CLERGY ABUSE

• Clergy sexual abuse ‘pervasive,’ co-author of study says
• Opinion: When ministers fall

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Lawmakers to TYC, TJPC: Budget Like a Family
• The “Collateral Costs” of Incarceration

EDUCATION

• Make Higher Education Available to 100% of Americans

ENVIRONMENT

• Despite Pollution Worries, Texas Builds Coal Plants
• Texas Approves Permit for Controversial Coal Plant
• Study: Hill Country Transmission Line Is Necessary
• Where Perry and White Stand on Energy Issues

GAMBLING

• Alabama Arrests Could Douse Texas Casino Dreams
• Alabama legislative bribery case leads to 11 arrests (Associated Press)
• Legislators Are Among 7 Arrested in Alabama
• Casinos Now See Online Gambling as a Better Bet
• Houston horse track gets a gaming partner
• Sam Houston deal could provide a boost for Retama
• Texas Supreme Court: Lottery Winners May Sell Payments
• WFAA-Belo-Texas poll: Voters support more gambling to boost budget

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Putting Food First
• World leaders cite progress, challenges at UN poverty summit
• Census Finds Record Gap Between US Rich and Poor
• More people living in poverty in Austin, survey finds
• New data offers proof: The recession hurts | Economic woes have forced income down, poverty rate up
• Todd Staples highlights Texas agriculture, areas of concern

IMMIGRATION

• Report Finds Feds Falling Behind in Promised Reform
• Leader: Rise of Hispanic evangelicals influencing immigration debate
• Mission bar owner convicted of sex trafficking in connection with pimping of underage undocumented immigrants
• Controversial Program Now Includes All Texas Counties | Immigration Enforcement Program Expands Statewide
• Immigration check program goes statewide in Texas (The Associated Press)
• Immigration fingerprint check program goes statewide | Jails in all 254 Texas counties reporting fingerprints to ICE (Austin American-Statesman)

KEEPING YOUR CHURCH OUT OF COURT NEW

• Church administrators to focus on risk management

PAYDAY LENDING

• 2 Austin companies make Fortune’s fastest-growing list

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

BUDGET

• Texas urged to ‘think carefully’ about budget cuts to fix $21 billion shortfall
• Lawmakers seek answers on Texas’ budget outlook
• UT/TT Poll: Cut the Budget, No New Spending
• State agencies offer up 9,800 jobs to close budget shortfall

CHURCH/STATE

• Baptist leader decries “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” as attempt to politicize houses of worship
• Why the Campaign for Politics in the Pulpit Is a Bad Idea

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Seminary to open next year inside Texas prison unit | Officials say graduates would minister to other prisoners.
• TYC ombudsman resigns

EDUCATION

• Texas’ suit puts hold on $830M in education aid
• $830 million education aid still possible for Texas

ENVIRONMENT

• Texas’ Wind Transmission Project Keeps Rolling (Part One)
• Fighting the Power Lines to Protect Hill Country Vistas (Part Two)
• Remoteness a Hurdle in Harvesting Panhandle’s Winds (Part Three)
• Texas PUC Moves Forward on Hill Country Power Line
• U.S. fails to use land set aside for solar power | 5 years after federal land managers opened up stretches of Southwest to developers for solar energy projects, vast tracts sit idle
• EPA to help Texas refineries fix air permits
• State, federal agencies nearing agreement on voluntary air permitting program
• State hammers EPA on science of global warming
• Texas Leads Resistance to EPA Climate Action
• An Interview With the Sierra Club’s Michael Brune
• Coal disposal problems found at Fayette plant
• The Clean Air Act by the Numbers

GAMBLING

• Texas Lottery: A different game than state was sold two decades ago (Part One)
• Texas Lottery relies increasingly on the poor and less educated, studies show (Part Two)
• Scratch-off beats Lotto as dominant gamble in Texas
• Vic Mathis and the Texas Lottery (Video)
• Short film highlights Texas bingo and lottery players
• Looking for Luck in South Texas
• Texas Lottery Sales Vary by County
• Lottery Sales by Retailer
• Mapping Texas Lottery Sales
• Slot Machines for Texas – Jackpot or Tilt?
• High Stakes Showdown: Internet Gambling Debate Rages on Capitol Hill
• Online gambling company agrees to forfeit $33M

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Census: 1 in 7 Americans live in poverty
• Number of people living in poverty up as economy slumps
• Recession Raises Poverty Rate to a 15-Year High
• Hungry Population Falls but Remains Large
• State makes progress on food stamp backlog
• Feeding programs enable churches to meet needs of entire families
• Manor district creates high-tech school kitchen

IMMIGRATION

• DREAM Act deferred despite students’ rally in Austin
• Human trafficking second only to drugs in Mexico
• Study finds sharp drop in number of illegal immigrants
• Austin lawyer honored for assisting immigrants

KEEPING YOUR CHURCH OUT OF COURT

• RIGHT OR WRONG? Liability

PAYDAY LENDING

• Bailed-Out Banks Finance ‘Legalized Loan Shark’ Payday Lenders, Says New Report
• New coalition fights payday loans

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BUDGET

• Proposed cuts would slash services for poor, mentally ill, other Texans in dire need (Denton Record-Chronicle)
• Proposed cuts would slash services for poor, mentally ill, other Texans in dire need (Dallas Morning News)
• Conflicting outlooks on state budget | As documents reveal deficit, officials emphasize the positives.
• Deep cuts in family services proposed for 2012-13
• Revenue Roulette | Is gambling a great source of revenue for states and localities, or a peril-filled recreation?

CHILDREN

• Deep cuts in family services proposed for 2012-13
• President Bill Clinton Honors 179 U.S. Schools For Combating Childhood Obesity
• Texas ranks 48th in teen birth rate
• Texas ranks in bottom third of states on children’s well-being | Foundation report ranks Texas 34th

CHURCH/STATE

• Church-state group discourages using public land for ‘Ground Zero mosque’

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Lawmakers want hearings on Texas Youth Commission | Architects of reforms raise concerns about latest abuse allegations.
• Texas Youth Commission still plagued with problems, advocacy groups say | Complaint lists reports of mistreatment, abuse and staffing problems.
• Advocate – Abolishing TYC Could Be Best
• Advocates Worry About Jail Commission Conflicts
• Harris County Seeks to Keep Extra Jail Beds
• Housing program for ex-cons not working as intended, some lawmakers say | Prison officials say program is succeeding.
• Man who waited for parole says housing is ‘ticket out’

EDUCATION

• President Bill Clinton Honors 179 U.S. Schools For Combating Childhood Obesity

ENVIRONMENT

• Report Finds 99.96% of Texas Smart Meters Accurate
• Report predicts big benefits for green industry in Texas
• Texas attorney general sues EPA to overturn air permit program disapproval
• Texas challenges EPA on overturning permit program
• Texas officials denounce EPA on two fronts
• Opinion: The climate changes and we do nothing

GAMBLING

• With Texas budget crisis, odds may be in gambling’s favor (Denton Record-Chronicle)
• With Texas budget crisis, odds may be in gambling’s favor (Dallas Morning News)
• Revenue Roulette | Is gambling a great source of revenue for states and localities, or a peril-filled recreation?

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Tour opens students’ eyes to hunger needs in Texas
• Social Security Keeps 20 Million Americans Out Of Poverty: A State-By-State Analysis

IMMIGRATION

• World’s Baptist women discuss plight of trafficked, abused women
• Border Group Urges Congress to Rethink Deployment
• Early look at upcoming Texas immigration debate | Lawmakers talk about effects an Arizona-inspired law would have here.
• Heart of immigration law blocked | Federal judge rejects most controversial parts; appeal is expected.
• Immigrant groups criticize fingerprint initiative
• Immigration chief: ‘We’re going to get this right’
• Judge blocks Ariz. law; faith leaders, Senate Democrats respond
• More Border Patrol Means Some Crabbier Locals
• Obama signs $600M border security bill into law
• Poll : Majority of Border Residents Feel Safe
• Perry: Toughen penalties for human traffickers
• Travis County leads nation in deporting ‘noncriminal’ immigrants, groups find
• U.S. eases path to legal residency for illegal immigrants wed or related to soldiers

PAYDAY LENDING

• Wall Street and Legalized Loan Sharks
• With payday loans, poor get the loans, firms get the payday

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

ALCOHOL | ADDICTION

• Lawmakers Look for Ways to Prevent DWI
• Overhaul of DWI laws may be coming | Senators consider scrapping surcharges and adding treatment programs.
• State Sen. Florence Shapiro Leads Fight Against K2

BUDGET

• Budget crisis could help boost gambling
• Gambling advocates bet they can relieve state budget woes.

CHILDREN

• At 13th fattest in U.S., Texas adults outweighed by their children, who rank 7th | Programs are underway to tackle childhood obesity, but much more needs to be done, experts say.

CHURCH/STATE

• Liberty and Justice: Churches, ministries and employment law
• National Day of Prayer is back in court, thanks to Greg Abbott and other attorneys general

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Lawmakers might scrap or revamp state jail system
• Cuts That Cost | Painful cuts to programs that are keeping kids out of Texas Youth Commission jails.
• Texas judge to hold hearing on death penalty law

EDUCATION

• Projecting Success of Failing Students Often Wrong
• Texas Baptists’ Hispanic Education Initiative making tangible progress

ENVIRONMENT

• Environmental Regulators Split, and Politicians Pounce
• EPA overturns 16-year-old Texas permit program
• EPA: State’s Pollution Permits Don’t Meet Federal Law
• How Tighter EPA Rules Will Affect Texas
• Texas proposes changes to air-permitting program
• TribBlog: New EPA Rules Could Put More Cities Over Pollution Limits
• Obama speech from Oval Office urges action on clean energy bill

GAMBLING

• Boring Games Result in Texas Lotto Drop
• Will state lottery pose obstacle?
• Competition hot for state lottery contract | Winning bidder could earn up to $100 million a year.
• Budget crisis could help boost gambling
• Can Casino Gambling Save State Budgets from Ruin?
• Gambling advocates bet they can relieve state budget woes.
• Democrats ask tough questions at gambling forum
• Tribe, others laud gambling benefits | Legislators listen to arguments for expanding gaming venues
• Gambling Interests Push Lawmakers to Allow Casinos
• Gambling legalization going slowly
• Slot machine proponents address lawmakers | KLBJ 590
• Slot proponents address Texas lawmakers | Reporter News, Abilene, TX
• Slot machine proponents address Texas lawmakers | Bloomberg  BusinessWeek
• Slot Machine Proponents Address Lawmakers | My Fox Houston, TX
• Slot Proponents Make A Pitch To Texas Lawmakers | KWTX
• The push for gambling, and the pushback
• Gambling expansion backers urge Texas lawmakers to allow slots at tracks, Indian reservations | The Republic Columbus, Indiana
• Gambling expansion backers urge Texas lawmakers to allow slots at tracks, Indian reservations | San Francisco Examiner
• Proponents argue for full-fledged casinos in Texas
• Gambling Promoters Try Their Chances in Texas
• Manor Downs on its last legs | Texas’ racing industry is faltering badly, supporters say.
• New push for slots at tracks in Texas
• On the radar in Texas: one-armed bandits and a sure thing
• Pattern shows first casinos are rarely last
• Race officials laud slot machines
• Supporters push for expanded gambling in Texas
• Texas horse tracks say they need slot machines to survive
• Voters should get to decide fate of legalized gambling proposal

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Mission to End Hunger in Texas
• All lunch sites to open by Tuesday | SAN ANGELO, Texas
• Decatur church fuels fun with food at park
• First lady touts anti-childhood obesity initiative
• Food bank wins $10.6 million stimulus grant | Money will buy food for 114,000 people
• Hunger takes no summer vacation, report says
• Texas church fighting hunger in its area one child at a time
• Texas fined $3.96 million over food stamp errors
• Voices For America’s Children Praises Nutrition Legislation
• What to do when the local grocery closes?

IMMIGRATION

• Detention for immigrants could be less like jail
• Majority Support the DREAM Act, Poll Finds
• Obama urges action on immigration overhaul
• Obama Wins Unlikely Allies in Immigration
• Report: Immigration bill would have most impact in California, Texas | DREAM Act bill could provide legal status for some young illegal immigrants.
• Texas Trails California in Legal Immigrants
• The New ICE Age
• UFW Launches “Take Our Jobs” Initiative

PAYDAY LENDING

• Baddour: Close the state loophole on predatory lending

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

BUDGET

• Ax likely to fall hard on human services | With large chunk of state budget going to health care, inspectors and Medicaid docs payments, mental health could be on chopping block.
• Leaders seek 10 percent budget cuts for next biennium | Layoffs likely after cuts, officials say.

CHILDREN

• Ag commissioner pushes summer food program | Austin nonprofit fills void left by city. Todd Staples calls ‘food insecurity’ a threat to Texas kids.
• Texas agriculture chief working to feed more hungry children this summer
• Summer lunch program publicized
• Tackling Obesity
• The Big Hungry

CHURCH/STATE

• Opinion: Faith, politics and Mom

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Jesus Christ, Capital Defendant
• Lawmakers propose seminary in prison | Program would be modeled after one in Louisiana.

EDUCATION

• The Condition of Education 2010 (pdf)
• Opinion: The Texas textbook war in historical context
• State Board of Education members get lesson in basic civics
• Texas school board approves controversial textbook changes
• Texas board gives final approval to controversial textbook standards
• Texas school board hears from critics of social studies changes
• U.S. Supreme Court to weigh Arizona’s tax credit law | an Arizona program that diverts state tax revenue into private-school scholarships.

ENVIRONMENT

• Solar Opposites
• Jolt of clean-energy spending by U.S. sought by business leaders
• State of Texas Challenges EPA Ruling
• State takes action to prevent federal rejection of Texas air permitting process | Attorney general’s office says action is attempt to prevent ‘improper overreach.
• APNewsBreak: EPA may federalize Texas air program
• Perry asks Obama to halt EPA takeover | Governor says federal agency’s move to control air quality authority would hurt economy.
• New oil numbers may do more harm to fish, wildlife

GAMBLING

• TEXAS FAITH: Should gambling be expanded to cover state shortfall?
• Casino Opponents Gearing Up for Gambling Fight in Texas | Casinos expected to be big issue when lawmakers gather in January
• If racetracks are allowed slots, bingo hall operators want them, too | Bingo halls want fairness, lobbyist says.

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Food stamp recipients increase to record 40.2 million in March; Texas at top
• Ag commissioner pushes summer food program | Austin nonprofit fills void left by city. Todd Staples calls ‘food insecurity’ a threat to Texas kids.
• Texas agriculture chief working to feed more hungry children this summer
• Summer lunch program publicized
• Tackling Obesity
• Giving a ‘Hand Up’
• Attorney General Abbott, County Attorney Charge Webb County Colonia Development With Violating Colonia Prevention Laws | Developer leases lots lacking basic utilities and creates a public health nuisance

IMMIGRATION

• Many immigration fees are expected to increase | Federal agency proposes raising fees on most services, except citizenship applications
• Fence isn’t a cure-all for America’s porous border
• President Obama to send more National Guard troops to U.S.-Mexico border
• Man gets 14 years in deadly human smuggling case

PAYDAY LENDING

• Turning Poverty Into A Multibillion-Dollar Industry
• Payday Lending Draws Interest From Lawmakers
• The Tuesday Podcast: Inside A Payday Loan Shop
• New program reaches out to people without bank accounts
• Banks offer entry to mainstream economy
• McCombs is lead investor in new Austin venture fund
• Senate passes financial regulation bill

We value your input and suggestions.
Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

ALCOHOL, TOBACCO & ADDICTION

• Call for states to link databases to fight drug abuse

CHILDREN

• White House task force issues report on fighting childhood obesity
• U.S. panel outlines recommendations for reducing childhood obesity

CHURCH/STATE

• State Board of Education
• At Board of Education, church-state fight grows
• Church-state separationists mixed over desert-cross decision
• Supreme Court approves display of cross at Mojave National Preserve
• Supreme Court overturns objection to cross on public land
• Judge rules National Day of Prayer unconstitutional
• Obama administration to appeal ruling against National Day of Prayer
• The Religious Case for Church-State Separation

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Supreme Court rules out some life sentences for juveniles
• Prisons, mental hospitals escape Texas leaders’ budget axe

EDUCATION

• Opinion: Heroes disguised as teachers
• State Board of Education
• At Board of Education, church-state fight grows
• Religious leaders speak out against new Texas textbook standards
• Baptists condemn Texas board’s vote on textbook standards (pdf)
• GED gap adds to troubling education data among Latinos

ENVIRONMENT

• Texas ranks last in recycling old computers, environmental group says
• Experts give advice on greening church facilities
• The Faith community as Earth Day turns 40
• Future of Austin likely to take a greener turn | Unclear cost of renewable energy plan continues to stir debate.
• Government OKs 1st U.S. offshore wind farm | Approval of controversial energy facility off Cape Cod could open way for projects in Gulf of Mexico
• Deep sea oil plumes, dispersants endanger reefs
• Gulf of Mexico oil spill creates environmental and political dilemmas
• In new book, Southern Baptist leader urges Christians to go green for God
• Service a bonding of faiths, environment | Followers of many religions come together to commit to the Earth.

GAMBLING

• Andy Rooney on Gambling Industry segment on 60 Minutes, May 16, 2010
• Casino idea a stalking-horse?
• Analysis: Perfect storm for gambling brewing? (pdf)
• Texas lottery commission extends bidding again
• Lawmaker says gambling discussion should be out in the open
• Gambling proponents see a 2011 budget worth betting on
• Gambling Buzz Seen as Sucker Bet | observers say lawmakers won’t approve it, voters won’t go along
• Texas gaming supporters gambling on new inroads with 2011 Legislature

HUNGER & POVERTY

• The urban-garden revolution is under your feet
• USDA offers churches free food for summer feeding programs
• Will Sing For Food
• Bike Out Hunger cyclists ride 415 miles, raise $9,400 for hunger efforts
• Allen cyclists ride 415 miles in Bike Out Hunger to help hungry Texans
• Baptist group rides 445 miles to feed thousands of children
• Bike ride raises money to fight hunger
• Texas Baptists Bike Out Hunger

IMMIGRATION

• Texas one of nation’s hubs for human trafficking
• Texas WMU will help fight human trafficking, share the gospel
• Border security isn’t the problem
• Unmanned planes could begin flying over Texas in a matter of months | FAA says it’s working on approval that would allow the flights.
• Texas lawmaker to introduce tough immigration bill
• Senators weigh border, immigration reforms | New Arizona law sparks demands for Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration bill.
• Faith leaders protest Arizona’s anti-immigration law
• Both sides in immigration debate blame congressional inaction for Arizona law
• Ariz. gov signs bill revising new immigration law
• Arizona law reignites immigration battle | State’s governor signs nation’s toughest law against illegal immigrants
• Austin may limit Arizona ties over immigration law | Gov. Perry says Arizona immigration law is not ‘right direction’ for Texas.
• 2 accused of using 16-year-old girl for prostitution | Pair arrested after Austin police sting face felony charges
• Bars that were bases for sex ring still open for business

PAYDAY LENDING

• Congress casts regulatory eye on payday lenders | New legislation would rein in interest rates, loan frequency

STEM CELL

• Biomedical ethics in a brave, new world

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ALCOHOL, TOBACCO & ADDICTION

• New FDA rules will greatly restrict tobacco advertising and sales
• Survey: Prom night drinking still pervasive — and deadly

BUDGET

• Where will Texas find money to fill budget gap?

CHILDREN

• Summer Food Crisis Imminent For Many Dallas Children

CHURCH/STATE

• Analysis – Obama council report partial victory for church-state separation
• Florida Senate committee advances funds for religious groups | Constitutional amendment would free up state money

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Wyoming state prison caters to inmates’ beliefs | Religious freedom behind bars

EDUCATION

• Academic gains being made by English-language learners
• Baptists decry Texas education board’s curriculum votes
• Gaddy urges textbook publishers to ignore new Texas standards
• Hispanic Baptist leaders become education advocates
• Historians blast proposed Texas social studies curriculum
• The Texas curriculum controversy: “Don’t know much about his-to-ry”

ENVIRONMENT

• China pulling ahead in world clean-energy race | Asian nation leads all in investing in wind, solar power; U.S. sees decline
• Emissions limits, greater fuel efficiency for cars, light trucks made official
• EPA to study natural-gas drilling’s effect on water
• Local solar projects win stimulus grants

GAMBLING

• EDITORIALS & OPINIONS | ‘Gaming’ would be a mark of failure for Texas
• Speaker Straus’ Other Horse Race Featured
• Texas Could ‘Play The Odds’ With Slot Machines
• We Can Always Build More Casinos, Right?
  Desperate states looking for money in gambling and drinking may well be out luck, because a sin tax isn’t all that helpful when people aren’t sinning
• Where will Texas find money to fill budget gap?

HAITI

• ETBU collects Buckets of Hope for Haiti
• Houston pastor heartbroken by suffering in Haiti

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Applying for food stamps isn’t easy, audit says
• Audit: Texas must improve food stamp system
• Food stamp frustration is valid, state audit report says
• Reading the Bible through the lens of poverty affects interpretation
• Schools will again offer summer meals
• Summer Food Crisis Imminent For Many Dallas Children
• SAN ANGELO HUNGER INITIATIVE: We need your help
• TEXAS HUNGER INITIATIVE: Group hopes to combat hunger on summer break
• UTA students confront poverty on mission trip

IMMIGRATION

• Attorney General Abbott Takes Action Against Cameron County Colonias Development
• Poll finds religious support for comprehensive immigration reform

MINISTERIAL ETHICS

• Opinion (UPDATED): The churches and sexual abuse

PAYDAY LENDING

• A culture of debt, a culture of thrift
• Analysis: Churches can help poor people avoid predatory lending trap
• Banks Making Big Profits From Tiny Loans
• Payday Loan Shops Exploit a Loophole | Consumer groups want regulation of “credit service organizations”

DailyFianace.com Costly Cash Payday Loans Series:

• 1st Costly Cash: The Great Recession Is Paying Off for Pawnshops and Payday Lenders
• 2nd Costly Cash: How a Retiree Wound Up With a 375% Loan
• 3rd Costly Cash: In Texas, Towns Try Zoning Out Payday Lenders
• 4th Costly Cash: Don’t Expect Federal Regulators to Protect You From Payday Loans
• 5th Costly Cash: Where to Turn If You’re Strapped for Money

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Your comments and recommended resources are welcome in the comments box below.

ALCOHOL

• Parent notification policies for underage drinking evolve

CHILDREN

• Consumer Alert: Parents Should Keep Children Away From new Video Chat Web Site Chatroulette.com
• New center aims to help children fight off pounds
• Obesity expert backs tax on sugary drinks | Yale psychologist Kelly Brownell says unhealthy food should cost more.
• The Obesity-Hunger Paradox
• Study: Children’s snacking packs a punch | Snacks now account for more than a quarter of children’s average daily caloric intake, researchers report

CHURCH/STATE

• Faith-based council presents reform recommendations to Obama Administration
• Faith-based council adopts reform recommendations
• Faith-based panel narrowly recommends separate 501(c)(3) entities for churches
• Federal appeals court says Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional
• N.Y. agencies to monitor Salvation Army practices

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• Dallas megachurch pastor promotes rehabilitation of criminals
• Prison cuts: 3,000 jobs, meds, programs to get axe
• Starting Over: Second Chance Community Church caters to people looking for a new start, especially ex-convicts

PAYDAY LENDING

• Analysis: What does the Bible say about lending practices?
• Profiting From Recession, Payday Lenders Spend Big To Fight Regulation

DailyFianace.com Costly Cash Payday Loans Series:

• 1st Costly Cash: The Great Recession Is Paying Off for Pawnshops and Payday Lenders
• 2nd Costly Cash: How a Retiree Wound Up With a 375% Loan
• 3rd Costly Cash: In Texas, Towns Try Zoning Out Payday Lenders
• 4th Costly Cash: Don’t Expect Federal Regulators to Protect You From Payday Loans
• 5th Costly Cash: Where to Turn If You’re Strapped for Money

ENVIRONMENT

• Get solar panels installed for free through TXU program
• A bright idea on solar panel leasing
• Building Green: Experts give advice on greening church facilities
• Council urged to pass renewable energy plan
• Energy plan would put Austin among nation’s greenest cities, but comes at a cost
• Plan to add wind farm land heads to council | Utility wants city to buy West Texas acres for future power source
• Texas Businesses Ask Governor Perry to Support Solar Power (pdf)
• Texas sues to stop EPA from regulating greenhouse gases
• Key senators abandon ‘cap-and-trade’ climate legislation | Lawmakers crafting alternative to market-based approach to curbing greenhouse gases.
• Ranchers team up with feds to clear cedar, boost water supply | Range management is important strategy, conservationists say.
• Report by environmental groups says most Texas cities do little to wring out water supplies
• Solar Industry Learns Lessons in Spanish Sun
• State aims to make groundwater rules more uniform | Different districts have different sensibilities.

GAMBLING

• Texas gaming supporters gambling on new inroads with 2011 Legislature
• Commissioners examine possible lottery conflict
• Ex-official charged in theft from Thomas Jefferson High | Money used to support a gambling habit
• Lottery pushes Floridians to spend more amid recession
• Timeline: Bingo start to finish

HUNGER & POVERTY

• Goal: Feed more children
• OUR OPINION: Organizations fight hunger in San Angelo
• Lubbock churches work to end hunger
• Ranch provides beacon of hope to hungry and hurting
• State campaign works with food bank, churches to tackle problems of feeding those in need
• Texas Baptists set record in giving to world hunger offering
• New formula to give fresh look at U.S. poverty
• State joins effort to encourage younger farmers
• Texas Hunger Initiative seeks to make state food secure by 2015
• Key Texas food stamp official is reassigned
• Texas Digest: Food banks will help handle food stamp applications

IMMIGRATION

• New abolitionists shine light on human trafficking
• North Texas Groups Work To End Child Trafficking
• Illegal immigrants in Texas get in-state tuition
• Perry seeks reimbursement for detained immigrants
• Poll: 52% back visa or path to legal status…But 38% of Texans favor deportation in survey on illegal immigration

*The views and opinions expressed in any sites to which this article links do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of either the Christian Life Commission or the Baptist General Convention of Texas.

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