Below you’ll find city releases about the new partnership:

San Angelo, TX - Jan. 29, 2014. The mayors of San Angelo, Abilene and Midland pledged their dedication to complete transparency in the deliberations of the West Texas Water Partnership, a unique collaborative effort through which the leadership of the three sister cities are combining resources to plan for the region’s long-term water needs.

Before formally pursuing any water supply project, the partnership will present proposals to the other cities’ governing bodies and to the public, and consider all input. Every project will be evaluated using several criteria, including affordability, environmental impact and the effects of the project on the state or community from which the water is sourced. Only projects that meet with public approval and benefit all involved parties will be undertaken.

“The importance of the work this...

Here is some info from the Texas Water Development Board asking for input this Friday about making rules to prioritize water supply projects (pipelines, aquifers and such) now that the state has set aside $2 billion in seed capital for those projects.

TO: TWDB Stakeholders
FROM: Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)
WHAT: A stakeholder meeting to address issues related to SWIFT.
WHEN: Friday, January 31, 2014, 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Stephen F. Austin Building, Room 170, 1700 N. Congress, Austin, TX 78711

WHY:
Texas Water Development Board invites interested parties to attend the stakeholder meeting on issues related to the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT). Input is also needed to help the Board develop rules for prioritizing which state water plan projects will be constructed.

WHO:
TWDB staff will be on hand to answer questions and accept public comments on SWIFT...

By Matthew Waller

[Photo by Michael Zamora]

AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst came out of 2012 wounded and vulnerable.

He lost the Republican primary U.S. Senate race to the dynamic and, at first, mostly unknown tea party darling Ted Cruz — even after spending nine years as the second-highest elected official in the state.

In a special session after the 2013 legislative session, he lost control of the state Senate’s abortion legislation filibuster to an unprecedented rowdy crowd in the galleries — the “unruly mob,” he called them.

Three heavy-hitting primary opponents have stepped in to take his place as lieutenant governor: State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, a radio show host and the chairman of the Senate Education Committee; Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples; and General Land Office Commissioner Jerry Patterson.

All three endorsed him in his run against Cruz. Now all three...