By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX –
Newly revealed plans propose a two-story addition to the north of the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin. The plans revealed to the Texas Historical Commission meeting in El Paso today are part of the restoration plans for the arson-gutted mansion near the Texas Capitol.
Project officials say the addition would make the home "more livable" for the state's first families and add much-needed space. Project manager Dealey Herndon says the addition would add approximately 1,000 square feet of space, most all of it to be used as private quarters for the first family.
The addition would be connected to the house only by an enclosed walkway, not built onto the historic building.
Cost for the addition is expected to be about $1.2 million, to be paid for through a private fundraising campaign that has been under way for more than a year.
The mansion was heavily damaged by an arson fire in June 2008. Gov. Rick Perry and his wife had moved out for a $10 million renovation project to fix safety problems and structural degradation, so nobody was injured in the pre-dawn blaze.
Gas prices continue trend, up 9 cents in Texas
Retail gasoline prices in Texas have gone up 9 cents a gallon since last week. AAA Texas reported on Thursday that the average price per gallon at the pump was $2.56. Prices increased 7 cents nationally to $2.69.
Houston, Galveston and San Antonio had the lowest price at $2.53 a gallon; El Paso had the most expensive gas at $2.67, up 16 cents since last week.
The association says prices have increased 28 cents in the last month, but equal prices from April 2007. Rising oil prices and signs that the recession is over have contributed to gas price increases.
Receiver sets $1.5B target for Stanford investors
The lawyer charged with tracking down money lost in what authorities call R. Allen Stanford's Ponzi scheme says he hopes to gain control of more than $1.5 billion to return to jilted investors.
Court-appointed receiver Ralph Janvey filed a report in federal court in Dallas, outlining his plan to go after $1.5 billion. That would give allegedly defrauded investors a return of 20 cents on the dollar.
Janvey has about $71 million in cash on hand and is pursuing the rest through lawsuits and other means.
John Little, a lawyer appointed to represent investors, says Janvey's recovery goal is "something of a fantasy" and says investors should prepare to receive as little as 2 cents on the dollar.
Stanford is in jail awaiting trial on related criminal charges in Houston.
Texas law on children seeing porn being challenged
A 1970s-era Texas law that allows parents to show "harmful material" to their children has come under fire.
That's after an Amarillo prosecutor said he couldn't charge a man accused of forcing his 8- and 9-year-old daughters to watch hardcore online pornography.
Randall County District Attorney James Farren has asked the Texas attorney general's office to review his decision not to pursue charges in the case. That case has prompted at least one lawmaker to vow to change the state's public indecency law.
The law apparently was meant to protect the privacy of parents who wanted to teach children about sex education. But it states clearly that parents can't be prosecuted for showing "harmful material" to their children.
Farren said police reported the incident to his office after one of the girls told a counselor in June that her father made them watch adults having group sex and various other acts at his home in Amarillo. The parents of the girls, and their 7-year-old sister, are divorced and share custody.