Dallas, TX – UNMANNED DRONE AIRCRAFT TO PATROL COASTLINE
A Texas congressman says unmanned drone aircraft are on track to begin patrolling the state's border with Mexico and coastline this fall.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo said the Federal
Aviation Administration is working on provisions that will allow
U.S. Customs and Border Protection to fly patrols from El Paso to
Brownsville and on up the coast past Galveston. Cuellar met with
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
Cuellar said a drone already being used in another area would
likely be based in Corpus Christi until a new one could be
delivered specifically for that mission. Two types are being
considered, including one outfitted for work over water.
GAS PRICES DROP AGAIN
Retail gasoline prices fell across Texas for a second week in a row this week.
The weekly AAA Texas gasoline price survey released Thursday shows the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular fell 5 cents this week to $2.74. Nationally, the average price fell 5
cents to $2.84 per gallon
The lowest gasoline prices in the survey this week are in
Houston, where the average price fell 5 cents to $2.69 per gallon.
The most expensive is in El Paso, where the average price fell a
penny to $2.80 per gallon.
The auto club statement cites sharp price drops over the past
three weeks in crude oil prices, while oil and gasoline inventories
remain abundant.
LANCE ARMSTRONG DENIES DOPING ALLEGATIONS
Lance Armstrong has denied allegations made by disgraced American cyclist Floyd Landis, who admitted to systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs. Landis also accused the seven-time Tour
de France champion Armstrong of doping.
Armstrong says "it's our word against his word. I like our
word."
He spoke Thursday in Calif. before the fifth stage of
the Tour of California bike race.
Landis has sent a series of e-mails to cycling officials and
sponsors acknowledging and detailing his long-term use of banned
drugs. He was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title for doping
but had always denied cheating.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the details of the
e-mails.
STATE REWRITES MORE ENTERPRISE FUND CONTRACTS
Gov. Rick Perry's office has rewritten three more contracts for companies that are struggling to create the promised number of jobs after getting millions of taxpayer dollars from the Texas Enterprise Fund.
The Associated Press has been tracking troubled enterprise fund
companies for more than two years.
In response to questions from the AP, Perry's office said Lee
Container Corp., Albany Engineered Composites Inc. and Vought
Aircraft all fell short on job creation goals and got their enterprise fund contracts amended this year. The governor said in January that 11 other job creation contracts were changed.
Perry's Democratic rival, Bill White, has this week become the
latest of the governor's campaign opponents to criticize him over
the money he doles out to businesses from the fund.