KERA North Texas

A prison guard at an east Texas prison has been terminated for "reckless endangerment" after an inmate escaped with a loaded pistol that had been smuggled to him. Full Story »

The economy may play The Grinch" this Christmas as charities that provide toys and assistance to needy families find themselves struggling as well. KERA's BJ Austin says that's the case with the Salvation Army's annual Angel Tree program. Full Story »

Dallas just got bumped up to a Tier One city by the Department of Homeland Security, which determines terror threats. That's the top rank, and means additional millions in federal dollars to beef up North Texas security. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports Full Story »

Retail gasoline prices held steady across Texas this week at an average $2.50 a gallon. AAA Texas on Thursday reported the nationwide price at the pump remained at about $2.63. Full Story »

The Texas Christian University Horn Frogs football team is unbeaten this season. It plays the Fiesta bowl against Boise State January 4th. But many TCU fans say the Frogs deserve a shot at the BIG championship game. Arlington Congressman Joe Barton, who represents parts of Fort Worth - though not TCU - agrees a change is needed in the BCS rankings. He scored a point with fans in his bid to shake ... Full Story »

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is asking the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to withdraw its finding that greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare of Americans Full Story »

The Snowball Express has arrived in Dallas. Yesterday, 8 charter jets delivered children of service-members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan to DFW Airport. Full Story »

Dallas City Council members as expected have put an "option to buy" on the vacant JC Penney property at Southwest Center Mall. Full Story »

A new coal-fired power plant in Central Texas now has the necessary air pollution permit. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the TCEQ, approved the permit for the NRG Limestone plant, about 100 miles south of Dallas. Full Story »

The Dallas Independent School District has installed Chief Financial Officer, Steve Corby, as the interim I-T Chief. Full Story »

The Dallas School Board will have 2 new trustees after Tuesday's runoff election, and they could make Superintendent Hinojosa's path a little rougher. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports. Full Story »

A DNA exoneree unhappy with a $1 million attorney's fee is accusing his ex-lawyer of participating in an illegal kickback scheme with an Innocence Project of Texas official. Full Story »

Commentator Matthew Broyles wonders what bothers us so much about dead air. Full Story »

Ten North Texas Chambers of Commerce, and three medical associations, are challenging people to get fit in the New Year. Full Story »

The George W. Bush Presidential Center at SMU has to re-think its plan for parking. University Park neighbors and the Planning and Zoning Commission wants alternatives. Full Story »

The unemployment tax next year is tripling for nearly two-thirds of Texas businesses, and going up for all of them. KERA's Shelley Kofler has details. Full Story »

An appeals court is allowing one of the state's longest-serving death row inmates to proceed with claims that he had poor legal help and is mentally impaired and ineligible for execution. Full Story »

The Dallas Independent School District is holding a pair of trustee runoff elections today. Voters say they're most concerned about last year's budget deficit, and today's results could shift the board's focus. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports. Full Story »

Kinky Friedman may be bowing out of the Democratic race for Governor. KERA's Shelley Kofler has an update. Full Story »

An official says ex-FBI director William Webster will conduct an independent review of the FBI's probe of the Fort Hood shooting suspect. Full Story »

The Dallas City Council is getting into the shopping mall business at least for a little while. The Economic Development committee has approved a plan to spend 97 thousand dollars for a six-month option to buy the vacant JC Penney store at Southwest Center Mall. Full Story »

It's runoff election day for two Dallas School Board seats, where turnout's expected to be low. Voters and candidates say their top priority involves watching the budget. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports Full Story »

The Federal Trade Commission has signed off on Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s proposed $26.3 billion acquisition of railroad operator Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. Full Story »

Farouk Shami, Houston businessman and democratic candidate for Governor, says Texans are tired of the same old politics, and want new leadership. KERA's BJ Austin says Shami opened his Dallas campaign headquarters yesterday. Full Story »

On this date, 68 years ago, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. KERA's Bill Zeeble talked to an 88 year old former Navy man who was, at the time, a new 3rd class petty officer on Pearl Harbor. Full Story »