First-time Homebuyers Rush to Take Advantage of Federal Assistance
The Brownsville Herald
Aspiring homeowners are scrambling to take advantage of a $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers before the Nov. 30 deadline, according to real estate industry insiders. Congress enacted the tax credit as a means of stimulating the battered housing market. In Brownsville and elsewhere around the nation, the program is prodding people into action who otherwise might have waited to buy a house.More

Dallas Fed Advisor Says Economy Nearing Recovery
The San Antonio Express News
A painful recession is showing signs of ending, though it will take time for the economy to get back up on its feet fully, a top advisor at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said in San Antonio. "I'm cautiously optimistic we're seeing economic signs of a recovery," said John Duca, a vice president and senior policy advisory at the Dallas fed. "But it's just a start."More

DFW Home Prices Fall Only 1.6 Percent in Latest Measure
The Dallas Morning News
Dallas-Fort Worth home prices fell by the smallest percentage in almost two years in the latest housing market snapshot. DFW prices were down only 1.6 percent in July from a year earlier in the closely watched S&P/Case-Shiller home price index.More

Perry Removes Panel Appointees Before Hearing on Flawed Arson Inquiry; New Chair Delays Session
The Dallas Morning News
Gov. Rick Perry was blasted Wednesday after he swept three appointees from their jobs just two days before they were set to critically examine a flawed arson investigation that contributed to the execution of a Corsicana man. The hearing of the Texas Forensic Science Commission, scheduled for Friday in Irving, was abruptly canceled by the new chairman the governor chose, Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley.More

Nonprofit Perry Founded to Receive Stimulus Funds
The Dallas Morning News
A nonprofit charitable organization founded by Gov. Rick Perry was awarded $250,000 in federal economic-stimulus funds Wednesday. A Perry spokeswoman said accepting the money doesn't conflict with the Republican governor's criticism of the stimulus law.More

Hutchison Signs Norquist Pledge
The Austin American Statesman First Reading Blog
Gov. Rick Perry is to appear with anti-tax activist Grover Norquist to sign Norquist's pledge not to raise taxes - a direct appeal to conservatives as he tries to fend off a GOP primary challenge from U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Hutchison is not appearing with Norquist, but her campaign said late Wednesday that she had signed Norquist's pledge and sent it to him.More

Perry's Online Campaign Event Hit by Technical Glitches
The Fort Worth Star Telegram
Gov. Rick Perry was "Talkin' Texas" on Tuesday, but a lot of supporters weren't able to hear the governor's highly touted online campaign event. Perry's staff said the webcast, during which the governor touted Texas' economic strength, was hacked and countless people were unable to view it.More

Ebby Halliday: A Friend in Deed
Neighbors Go
In the Aug. 7 print edition of White Rock neighborsgo,we published a story about 97-year-old Raymond Ogas of Vickery Place. He has lived in the same house he bought from Ebby Halliday herself - just below the M Streets area - since 1956. Ebby, 98, read about Mr. Ogas and decided that she wanted to see him again.More

Border Task Force Urges More Customs Officers for Ports of Entry
The Associated Press via The Fort Worth Star Telegram
The federal government should hire more Customs officers and increase scrutiny of outbound traffic at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to recommendations presented Wednesday by a border task force created by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.More