Experts say Texas does a good job moving people out of nursing homes, but could do better keeping the elderly out of the homes in the first place.
The Texas House Committee on Human Services heard testimony Tuesday on how the state can improve care for the elderly. The commissioner of the Department of Aging and Disability Services said Texas has moved 27,000 people out of nursing homes since 2001. Chris Traylor added that his agency will do more to let people know there are alternatives to nursing homes.
Trey Berndt, representing AARP, said Texas could do better keeping people out of nursing homes in the first place.
What the committee learns will be used to make new laws when the Legislature meets again in 2013.
AP
Photo albums related to Nazi art theft unveiled
Two newly discovered albums containing photographs of art works and furniture stolen by the Nazis during World War II have been unveiled in Dallas.
The Dallas-based Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art announced the discovery Tuesday. It had been contacted by relatives of two World War II soldiers who took the albums from Hitler's home.
Foundation president Robert M. Edsel called the albums "key pieces of evidence taken from a crime scene."
They'll be donated to the U.S. National Archives. It will have a total of 43 similar albums, including two others previously donated by the foundation.
The Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art continues the work of those who helped Allied forces protect cultural treasures during World War II.
AP
Dallas man to die for slaying of 10-month-old boy
Jesse Joe Hernandez already was a convicted child sex offender when he was arrested for the horrendous beating death of a 10-month-old boy he was babysitting at a Dallas home.
Little Karlos Borjas had a skull fracture amid bruises to his head, thigh and abdomen when he was taken off life support after a week in a Dallas hospital. His 4-year-old sister also was attacked but survived injuries to her head, ear and right eye.
The 47-year-old Hernandez is set for execution Wednesday evening in Huntsville for the baby's death 11 years ago.
His lawyers are appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the punishment.
The lethal injection would be the fourth this year in Texas.
AP
Reps push Pentagon to move equipment to border
Two Texas lawmakers are pushing the Pentagon to hand off surplus combat equipment from Iraq to local law enforcement agencies along the U.S.-Mexico border. The equipment includes Humvees, weapons and night vision goggles.
The Houston Chronicle reports Texas Reps. Ted Poe and Henry Cuellar have been joined by 17 border sheriffs from Texas, New Mexico and Arizona in a letter to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta requesting that he move up delivery of surplus equipment.
The lawmakers said more than 1.5 million pieces of equipment have already been shipped out of Iraq over the last year and nearly 900,000 remain.
Poe also has a bill pending in Congress that would require the Department of Defense to make 10 percent of certain equipment returning from Iraq available to law enforcement agencies patrolling the southern border.
AP
Minor adjustment coming to hurricane wind scale
Government forecasters are making minor changes to several of the categories in the system for describing hurricane strength.
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale ranks hurricanes in five categories based on their wind speed.
The National Weather Service says an adjustment is needed to ensure the smooth conversion of units of wind speed measurement for public advisories.
The change broadens the Category 4 wind speed range to 130-156 mph, instead of 131-155 mph. That shifts the Category 3 range to 111-129 mph, instead of 111-130 mph.
Category 5 hurricanes will have top winds of 157 mph or higher, instead of a threshold of 156 mph.
Categories 1 and 2 remain unchanged. No historical storm records will be altered.
The change takes effect May 15.
AP