Special reports
Judge on trial
Our continuing series explores misconduct charges against Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller. Keller, the state's highest ranking criminal judge, is charged with five violations of judicial ethics rules and the Texas Constitution.
- 08.21.09: Keller trial wraps up with harsh criticism
- 08.19.09: Under questioning, Keller denies violating court rules in death row case
- 08.18.09: Fellow judge says Keller violated procedure in death row case
- 08.17.09: Death penalty debate peripheral to Keller trial
- 9.29.07: 5 p.m. closing time at Texas court a factor in execution
- 10.03.07: Ruling could halt Texas executions
- 10.11.07: Criticism grows for judge over execution
- 10.25.07: Lawyers: Alter policy in death penalty cases
- 11.11.07: Execution suit may move to Austin
- 02.20.09: Judge faces ethics trial
- 02.22.09: Judge's ethics case may hinge on phone calls
- 03.25.09: Keller denies charges she closed court to death row appeal
- 04.07.09: Keller trial to begin in mid-August
- 05.17.09: Keller court accepted after-hours filing in 2003
- 05.24.09: Court wrote down appeals policy after Richard execution
- 08.02.09: Keller to attack credibility of defense lawyers at her trial
Clean tech future
A continuing series on emerging industries and efforts to bring them to Central Texas.
- 09.12.09: Federal clean-energy officials meet with state leaders in Austin
- 08.21.09: Austin company part of new fat-fuel project
- 08.06.09: Texas misses out on U.S. green vehicle initiative
- 06.24.09: Leaders working to generate energy-saving ideas
- Editorial 02.01.09: Austin's sunny future, if it prepares
- 02.02.09: Tech companies enlist in Austin's smart electric grid initiative
- 02.02.09: New clean-tech leader sees Austin as a place for success
- 02.02.09: Lawmakers look for ways to build solar industry
- 02.07.09: Austin joins charge to land high-tech battery consortium
- 02.09.09: Energy startup moving to Austin
- 02.10.09: Company might build its own battery plant in U.S. or Europe
- 02.17.09: Lawmakers, others eye green-collar jobs
- 02.21.09: Austin, San Antonio could join forces in push for clean-tech stimulus cash
- 03.02.09: Clean tech is Silicon Valley's hope in tough economic times
- 03.22.09: Texas to submit battery consortium bid
- 03.25.09: Battery alliance to choose state for headquarters within a month
- 04.10.09: Texas' hopes for battery center fizzle
- 06.14.09: East Austin subdivision sets new bar for green design
- 06.23.09: McCracken: Austin should join race to be leader in clean energy
Hindu temple scandal
- 09.28.08: Infomercial executives help support Hindu temple
- 09.27.08: Barsana Dham foundation played role in California textbook debate
- 09.27.08: 5 women say temple gurus made sexual advances
- 09.28.08: Barsana Dham a magical place for worshippers
- Photos: Prakashanand Saraswati and the Barsana Dham temple, 09.27.08
Pedernales Electric Cooperative
- 10.10.09: Lawyers warned Fuelberg's attorney of potential conflict of interest
- 10.08.09: Removal of lawyer in PEC case sought
- 09.05.09: Lawyers for indicted co-op officials seek judge's removal in upcoming trial
- 07.18.09: Defendants plead not guilty in utility case
- 06.20.09: Indictments say pair directed co-op money to relatives of PEC executives
- Editorial, 06.20.09: Many enablers led to indictments in scandal
- 12.17.08: Report: PEC documents destroyed, $150,000 in payments unexplained
- Navigant Consulting LLC investigative report on PEC
- 04.01.09: Special grand jury hears from PEC directors and lawyers for Clark, Thomas
- 04.07.09: New accounting procedures reduce calculation of PEC's assets in latest audit
- 04.08.09: Bid to open co-ops' doors gets early OK
- Editorial, 04.13.09: Co-op members need lawmakers to act
- Editorial, 05.11.09: Pedernales co-op election matters to members
- 05.28.09: Nine more testify in Pedernales co-op inquiry
- Editorial, 05.29.09: Texas Legislature should approve reform bill
- 06.18.09: Grand jury indicts former Pedernales leader, longtime lawyer
Falling down
When a stadium light pole fell on Hays High School, we investigated.
- 08.25.09: Safety agency issues alert about light poles
- 04.26.09: Reports of more falling light poles surface
- 04.12.09: Eight light poles nationwide have fallen recently
- 04.12.09: After reported pole failures, area districts take precautions
- 04.08.09: Hays district buys replacement lights
- 03.10.09: Hays stadium light pole had cracks
Outsourcing public services
A continuing series about the privatization trend in state government.
- 02.16.09: Outsourcing lifts management costs of UT endowment
- 02.10.09: Health and human services are battleground for state privatization
- 02.01.09: TxDOT contracting more, at higher costs
- Editorial 02.03.09: Outsourcing road work drives up the state's bills
- Editorial 01.27.09: Contracts should serve public, not private sector
- 01.25.09: Private firms do government work with little scrutiny
- 01.25.09: Riding herd on state contractors isn't easy
The economy
More and more Central Texans are having to find ways to handle downturn.
- 10.19.08: Corporate recruiter says he saw signs that an economic slump was coming
- 10.19.08: How nine Central Texas families steer through a choppy economy
- 10.19.08: In a balancing act, the phone gives way to lights
- 10.19.08: Anxiety about retirement takes back seat to expenses for sons
- 10.19.08: At boutique, owner leaning on credit to pay cash-strapped clothes designers
- 10.19.08: Graduating to the ranks of the unemployed?
- 10.19.08: Entrepreneur sees his sales sink as costs soar
- 10.19.08: Her frugal way of life blunts the blows that are breaking many others
- 10.19.08: Down to one income with 2 mortgages, one new baby