Morning Roundup: Recovery Wednesday edition

Good morning, Houston. We assume you're still recovering from last night's State of the Union drinking game and National Pie Day celebrations, so we won't waste any time with introductory nonsense — except to note that today is National Peanut Butter Day (not to be confused with National Peanut Butter Lovers' Day, which comes around March 1, or National Peanut Butter & Jelly Day on April 2). Try not to get too crazy.

>> Fowl play: In northeast Houston, cops seized more than 80 roosters from a suspected cockfighting ring yesterday, which they called an "average-size operation." Cockfighting is illegal in Texas, but raising roosters for fighting isn't — and officials estimate there could be hundreds of rooster farms in the Houston area linked to the activity. The seized birds will be evaluated by the Humane Society.

>> It's in the details: Larry Swearingen, who was scheduled to be executed today for strangling a Montgomery County college student eight years ago, won't die today after all: His execution was halted so questions about evidence in his murder trial can be reviewed. Swearingen's appeal claims the evidence, which concerns insects found at the site in where Melissa Trotter's body was discovered in December 1998, shows Trotter died while Swearingen was in police custody — but there's still plenty of evidence that seems to tie Swearingen to the crime.

>> Gearing up for a fight: Gov. Rick Perry, cyclist Lance Armstrong and Texas' leading medical scientists announced this week a 10-year, $3 billion project to find a cure for cancer. Details still have to be worked out, but the project would likely be funded by state borrowing against bonds — if the initiative gets the required two-thirds approval of the state House and Senate, that is. But lawmakers are optimistic: "I can't imagine that this wouldn't have full support from all legislators," Sen. Jane Nelson said.

>> Today's weather: The chance of rain will decrease throughout the day, but we'll probably see showers through the afternoon. Expect a high of 46 today, with a low of 40 tonight. But there are better days ahead: The sun should make an appearance tomorrow and Friday.

More headlines after the jump ...