Redbirds Rule Amid Speaker Team Power Surge while Budget Players Flex Most Muscle at Capitol AUSTIN – In the opposition vernacular, the “cardinals” were 11 House Republicans who huddled privately in Austin one night in early 2009 and anointed Straus as the consensus challenger in a speaker’s race that he won in less than 48…

In the News – March Texas Legislative Power Rankings 2011 – In the opposition vernacular, the “cardinals” were 11 House Republicans who huddled privately in Austin one night in early 2009 and anointed Straus as the consensus challenger in a speaker’s race that he won in less than 48 hours. Republican State Rep. Todd Hunter…

Local teachers school lawmakers on their concerns over state funding cuts CORPUS CHRISTI — Area educators, some from as far away from Beeville, spent two hours on Saturday imploring Coastal Bend lawmakers, regardless of party affiliation, to listen to what proposed state funding cuts would do to children. The event, hosted by C-Cause United Teachers…

Proposed law would hit delete key on officials’ texting in public meetings CORPUS CHRISTI — Government officials may soon be required to cut their digital connections while in public meetings in Texas. Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, filed legislation Thursday that would make it illegal for a members of any governmental body to text, e-mail,…