Study: More Than 30 Percent of DFW Mortgages Are Underwater
from The Dallas Morning News
More than 30 percent of Dallas-Fort Worth mortgage holders now owe more than their property is worth. That's a big increase from the 21 percent of local home borrowers who were underwater at the end of 2008, according to a study released Monday by First American CoreLogic. More

New Texas Regulations Aimed at Protecting Vulnerable Electric Customers
from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram
In the past, some residential customers in the state’s deregulated electricity market were burned because they didn’t know that their fixed-rate contract had expired. They were automatically switched to higher variable, month-to-month rates by their retail electric provider. Other consumers switching from one provider to another were irked on finding that the conversion could take up to 45 days and that they could temporarily be saddled with considerably higher interim rates. More

Hutchison Comes Out Swinging
from The Austin American-Statesman
U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison launched her long-awaited challenge to Gov. Rick Perry on Monday with a sweeping criticism of his time in office and an assertion that he is "trying to stay too long." She also knocked Perry's record on transportation, taxes and the size of government. More

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Perry's Camp Fires Back at Hutchison Announcement
from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Politex
Gov. Rick Perry's campaign fired back against Kay Bailey Hutchison's entry into the Republican governor's race, saying the 16-year senator "has violated, ignored and flip-flopped on virtually every promise she made to voters, giving Texans little reason to believe her rhetoric today will result in anything different." More

New State Maps Reflect Beach Lines Eroded by Hurricane Ike
from The Associated Press via The Dallas Morning News
Texas released maps showing the new boundaries of public beaches in Galveston and Brazoria counties that were severely eroded by Hurricane Ike nearly a year ago. The natural line of vegetation that grows along state beaches determines the landward boundary, with the area in front of the line considered public land, according to the Texas Open Beaches Act. More

Houston Construction Firm Cited for Improper Erection, Inspection of Scaffolds
from Occupational Health and Safety Online
OSHA has cited Houston, Texas-based Rubio Construction Inc. for 17 alleged serious and eight alleged repeat federal safety and health violations following an inspection at three of the company's worksites in Houston and League City, Texas. The citations carry proposed penalties totaling $144,900. More

Companies Find Refuge from Recession in Valley
from The Brownsville Herald
International companies uprooted by the nationwide recession are planting roots in the Rio Grande Valley. ALPS Automotive Inc., Fujitsu Ten Corp. and Panasonic Electronic Devices Corp. are moving large portions of their businesses from the Midwest and the South to McAllen. The three auto parts suppliers have had a presence in Reynosa for years, but want to cut costs as auto sales sag. More

San Antonio Firms Make Fastest Growing List
from The San Antonio Express-News
Six San Antonio companies, led by the government services firm P3S Corp., made Inc. magazine's list of the top 500 fastest-growing private firms in the country. More

Get the latest Texas Association of Builders news as well as information affecting the building industry by visiting www.TexasBuilders.org. For information about Education, Exhibits and Special Events happening at the 2009 Sunbelt Builders Show™, visit www.SunbeltBuildersShow.com.