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Farenthold drops reelection bid amid complaints of lewdness and hostile workplace in Congress
Besieged by allegations of crude and verbally abusive behavior, Corpus Christi Rep. Blake Farenthold announced Thursday that he will not seek reelection.
In an emotional five-minute video, the Republican apologized for unprofessional behavior in his congressional office and for his own fits of rage with staff. He said that while the most serious accusations against him are false, voters deserve better than a congressman distracted for months by an effort to clear his name.
The former conservative radio host-turned-lawmaker said Thursday that when elected, he had "no idea how to run a congressional office." And as a result, "I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional. It accommodated destructive gossip, off-hand comments, off-color jokes and behavior that in general was less than professional," he said.
'Pathetic': A top lawyer in the Texas Attorney General's office resigned Thursday after reports he wrote a Facebook post that called women's sexual misconduct allegations "pathetic."
Arrivederci: Some retailers are already responding to multiple allegations of groping and sexual misconduct made against celebrity chef Mario Batali by pulling his products off their shelves.
FCC votes on party lines to undo Obama-era 'net neutrality' rules
The Federal Communications Commission has voted on party lines to undo sweeping Obama-era "net neutrality" rules that guaranteed equal access to internet.
The agency's Democratic commissioners dissented in the 3-2 vote Thursday.
The FCC's new rules could usher in big changes in how Americans use the internet. The agency got rid of rules that barred companies like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon from playing favorites with internet apps and sites.
The broadband industry promises that the internet experience isn't going to change. But protests have erupted online and in the streets as everyday Americans worry that cable and phone companies will be able to control what they see and do online.
Confirmed: The Senate confirmed former Texas Solicitor General James Ho to a powerful appeals court overseeing Lone Star cases.
Not too late: If you haven't purchased a health plan yet, here's what you need to know by Friday.
Proposed development near UNT-Dallas in southern sector clears major hurdle
After lauding his revival of The Statler hotel downtown, the Dallas City Council nearly unanimously gave a powerful developer a new tool to push forward his plans to develop in the city's southern side.
With the vote, millions in tax revenue from Mehrdad Moayedi's University Center housing development in Far North Dallas can now help pay for his proposed University Hills project near the University of North Texas at Dallas. The creation of a tax increment financing district, known as a TIF, was a key first step to start on a type of mixed-use development long desired by some council members.
Moayedi said he hopes to get moving on the project in the spring once he gets other issues worked out.
Previously: A plan hatched by a developer and a politician to grow southern Dallas raises eyebrows at City Hall.
Commentary: Winter is coming, and Dallas is at war with itself instead of sheltering the homeless, writes Editorial Writer Sharon Grigsby.
Editorial: Dallas County's next sheriff needs to be more than a jailer.
Photo of the day
Jack Bridges, creator of Big Tex, sweats out the installation of a giant Santa for the upcoming Christmas in July Gift Show on June 27, 1980, when the temperature hit 113 degrees. Twenty-seven years earlier, Bridges took on the monumental task of creating an 82-foot Santa that sat atop an auto dealership — with a full-sized car in his lap.
Around the site
Accidental death: A 2-year-old died Thursday after his father ran over him while backing out of driveway in Saginaw.
Traffic fatality update: A Dallas firefighter, suspected of drunk driving, was showing off before he crashed into another vehicle, killing a pregnant woman and her unborn child, his passenger said.
Death investigation: An Oak Cliff church's pastor, The Rev. Darick Favors, was found dead Wednesday afternoon in a motel room.
Traffic stop video: A newly released video shows a drunken state Rep. Victoria Neave telling Dallas police over and over that she loved them and would fight for them.
Know before you go: A stretch of U.S. Highway 75 in rural Collin County will be closed from Friday evening until Saturday morning.
Finally,
Jina Kim got dressed up for what her dad said would be a family lunch last Saturday. Instead, she was surprised by a knock on the door from University of Texas officials carrying balloons and an oversized $48,000 check.
Jina, a Lewisville High School senior, was among a handful of Dallas-area students stunned by UT with the news that they had been accepted to the Austin campus and will receive Impact Scholarships that cover four years of tuition. Jina plans to pursue a social work degree.
"I've been really nervous about paying for college," she said. "I just felt good because that's going to put less of a burden on me and my parents. I just have a heart to help people. I know social work doesn't make a lot of money like the medical field, so this scholarship really helps me go after what I'm passionate about."
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