States cut spending, put projects on hold
By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press Writer
      With the economy in a slide and the credit markets seized up, states are slashing budgets, eliminating jobs, putting major construction projects on hold and nervously waiting to see whether their shriveled pension funds recover.
More ...

Jet fire under investigation
      David Kidder, Gregg County fire marshall, and investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration, Bombardier and Lear Jet are investigating the cause and origin of a flash fire to a Lear Jet 45 that occurred Wednesday at Aerosmith Aviation at the East Texas Regional Airport. A worker was burned and remains hospitalized today.
More ...

Wall Street seen adding to global rout
By JOE BEL BRUNO AP Business Writer
      NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street appeared headed to a sharply lower open Friday, extending a global sell-off on concerns that even low interest rates won't help end the worsening credit crisis. Dow Jones industrials futures plunged 282 points ahead of the opening bell in New York.
More ...

Cornyn requests investigation into Army suicides
      HOUSTON (AP) — Sen. John Cornyn is asking the Army for an independent investigation into a string of suicides among recruiters from the same Houston-based battalion. Cornyn, a member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, wrote of his concerns in a letter to Secretary of the Army Pete Geren that was released Thursday.
More ...

Education boss warns that pizza parties break law
      AUSTIN (AP) — The state's education boss is warning school superintendents that pizza parties, field trips and other rewards for students who pass the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills may violate education privacy laws by inadvertently outing students who fail.
More ...

Texas gasoline prices keep falling
      HOUSTON (AP) — Retail gasoline prices keep plummeting across Texas as crude oil prices fall on world markets. The weekly AAA Texas survey released Thursday finds regulargrade self-serve gasoline averaging $3.28 per gallon statewide. That's 22 cents lower than last week and about 12 cents less than the national average.
More ...