Results tagged “robertblack”

The Chronicle reports on the latest developments in the TSU saga today: Three of the school's regents are resisting Gov. Rick Perry's call for their resignations, and an accrediting agency says Perry's plan for state conservatorship could endanger TSU's accreditation. "I'm not going to resign because that would be an acknowledgment of doing something wrong," Regent David Diaz told the Chronicle. "I haven't done anything wrong." Diaz, the Rev. Robert Childress and Belinda Griffin had... more ›

More on Gov. Rick Perry's proposal to oust the Texas Southern University regents and appoint a state conservator to run the troubled university: Perry has agreed to consider an alternate proposal from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus if the group can come up with a plan that would get the school back on track as quickly as conservatorship. "If members of the black caucus can bring us a tool ... that gets us there, that they can get passed in the Legislature, then we're willing to consider that," Perry spokesman Robert Black said. "If not, then the governor is committed to turning this around and the only tool left is conservatorship." more ›

Gov. Rick Perry is apparently fed up with questions surrounding his executive order requiring Texan pre-teen girls to be vaccinated for human pappilomavirus, a variety of viruses that cause most cases of cervical cancer: On Thursday, pressed with questions about the mandate while trying to promote a plan to sell the state lottery and use the proceeds to fund cancer research, Perry snapped at reporters. "I wish you all would quit splitting hairs, frankly, and... more ›

Good morning, Houston. We're beginning today with news that's not happening in Texas, but could have had repercussions in our transportation industry: In Arizona, lawmakers just missed banning truck mudflaps with silhouettes of naked women on them. The ban came in a proposed amendment to a bill regarding the legal height of truck fender splash guards, and it took aim not at racist slogans and busty outlines on mudflaps. "I personally am tired of... more ›

This whole selling the lottery idea is turning out to be harder than Gov. Rick Perry might have thought. First there were the lawmakers wondering if selling state assets was the right thing to do, then there were the questions about the economics of the deal, and now there's concern over a couple of potential cases of conflict of interest with hires by UBS, the investment firm consulting the state on the proposal to sell the lotto to a private company. We'd be tempted to say Perry was having the political equivalent of a series of bad hair days, but that's just ridiculous — we all know Perry is incapable of having any kind of bad hair day. more ›

Good morning, Houston. In these days of strange diseases, air and water pollution, global warming and assorted health warnings, we sometimes begin to wonder if anything's safe anymore. And the answer? No, nothing. Example: Today, nearly a million Easy-Bake Ovens are being recalled because one can get one's fingers or hand stuck inside — and slowly nuked. Of course, Houstonist understands the need for safety, but now we're afraid to make dessert tonight. Life... more ›

We noted yesterday that interim TSU President J. Timothy Boddie Jr. had been in Austin making the case for $25 million in emergency money from the Legislature. But the story that came out later in the day was far more interesting: Gov. Rick Perry has given TSU's regents about a month to come up with a solid financial plan — or quit. more ›

Remember last week, when rocker Ted Nugent made headlines by performing at Gov. Rick Perry's inaugural ball wearing a Confederate flag T-shirt and brandishing fake machine guns? Yeah, it still puts a smile on our faces, too. Anyway, we halfway expected some half-apologetic statement from Austin about the performance, but no — Perry loved the show, and so did the Nuge. The Chronicle caught up with Nugent by phone yesterday and asked him about the... more ›