AUSTIN — The 83rd session of the Texas Legislature was called to order in the House and Senate on Jan. 8. State Rep. Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, was elected speaker of the House, setting in motion his third consecutive term as leader of the chamber and his fifth two-year term as a state representative.

AUSTIN — After passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 by Congress on Jan. 1, “98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of small businesses will not see their income taxes go up,” President Obama said. The act, signed by the president on Jan. 2, extends unemployment benefits for 2 million Americans who are looking for work, makes no cuts to Social Security and Medicare and expands Medicaid benefits.

AUSTIN — As Congress jousts with itself and the White House in the closing days of 2012 over the federal budget, the Texas Legislature and other state legislatures can only guess what federal dollars will be coming when budget-writing time comes. Every two years, the Texas Legislature’s main job is to write and pass a state budget.

AUSTIN --- The Texas Education Code requires that Texas public schools conduct safety audits once every three years. According to a Dec. 17 news release produced by the state attorney general’s office, the Texas School Safety Center reported that of the 1,025 public school districts that are required by law to submit their safety audits, 38 did not do so and another 40 reported but did not meet full compliance. Attorney General Greg Abbott urged school districts to review their safety plans ...

Surprisingly, gas prices around town have fallen below $3 per gallon. Average retail gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 5.4 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $3.02/g yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 13,114 gas outlets in Texas. This compares with the national average that has fallen 8.0 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.25/g, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. Including the change in gas prices in Texas during the past week, prices yesterda ...

After a strong start this past week, stocks tumbled slightly after fiscal cliff negotiations seem to have stalled. The Dow ended at 13135.01 on Friday, all this despite the fact that the FED has promised to keep interest rates low. The FED announced a bold move by tying rates to the U.S.

Boerne Champion HS Auditorium will be home to three large stage productions normally experienced only in larger international venues as Boerne Performing Arts presents their second season of bringing the world of performing arts to our community by providing easy ticketing, easy transportation, and easy parking for every event. Online ticket services for both single events and for the three-concert series are now available at boerneperformingarts.com.

AUSTIN — Soon after news broke of a mass shooting by a lone gunman at a Connecticut elementary school on Dec. 14, Gov. Rick Perry asked Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams to direct Texas school districts to review their emergency operation plans. “It is essential that we ensure all Texas schools are equipped and ready to carry out a strategic plan to secure the safety of students and staff in the event of a threat such as the one that occurred today,” Perry said. Perry also r ...

Stocks rose as talks regarding the “fiscal cliff” progressed this past week and economic data came in better than expected. The Dow rose 1% for the week and closed on Friday at 13155, marking its third consecutive weekly gain. The U.S unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent just last month despite Superstorm Sandy, which hit the northeast coast in late October and was expected to slice tens of thousands of jobs from the tally.

AUSTIN — Texas should spend some of its “rainy day fund” on water issues, state Sen. Bob Deuell, R-Greenville, suggested in a letter to Gov. Rick Perry last week. Deuell pointed to U.S. Drought Monitor data that say 94 percent of Texas is classified as abnormally dry, adding that the state climatologist called the months of October and November the driest in Texas history.

Stocks rose slightly this past Friday as investors were waiting on news regarding Congressional leaders’ latest attempt at solving the fiscal cliff before year’s end. The Dow closed at 13025.58 for the week. Investors could be in for a long wait if they expect both sides to agree on certain aspects of a deal.

AUSTIN — Legal proceedings to seize Yearning For Zion Ranch, a 1,700-acre property in Schleicher County, are under way, the Office of the Texas Attorney General announced Nov. 28. That day, the state filed an affidavit for a search-and-seizure warrant in the 51st District Court of Schleicher County. The state claims the property is contraband and therefore subject to forfeiture “because it was acquired with proceeds of or was used or intended to be used in the commission of sexual assault, ...

The stock market closed at 13009.69 this past Friday, marking a 172.79 point jump because of news overseas and retail sales numbers from Black Friday. Stock traders were encouraged by positive economic news from Germany and China, two engines of global growth. Technology stocks soared after a few weeks of selling.

Soon the lobby of Hill Country Memorial (HCM) hospital will shine even brighter as the Tree of Lights honors and remembers loved ones. Each $10 gift will add a light to the tree. The Tree of Lights may be seen in the HCM main lobby from November 26 through December 31. Gifts are tax-deductible and help support the hospital through the Hill Country Memorial Hospital (HCMH) Foundation and enable HCM to continue providing remarkable health care to the Texas Hill Country. Since its inception in 1 ...

AUSTIN — To pass a budget bill is the Texas Legislature’s main job, but it is the 10-member Legislative Budget Board’s job to propose how much money the state may spend. At a Nov. 15 public hearing, the Board offered up a 2014-2015 two-year state budget capped at $78 billion per year, observing the constitutional spending limit.