By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – The nonpartisan Texas Lyceum is releasing its final set of findings from its 2010 poll.
The state leadership group is issuing the poll results Thursday.
They delve into the attitudes of Texans on the federal government, the president's job approval and other federal topics such as the economic stimulus, the health care bill and the Tea Party movement.
The Texas Lyceum already has released polls this week on state legislative issues and on the Texas governor's race. The telephone surveys were done from Sept. 22-30 and included Spanish-speaking interviewers.
Transgender student's homecoming queen bid blocked
A transgender teen at a Dallas high school says the administration is thwarting her bid to run for homecoming queen.
Andy Moreno is a feminine-looking 18-year-old student at North Dallas High School who was born male but identifies herself as female. She says that after friends nominated her for queen, her principal suggested she run for king instead.
She told KDFW-TV of Dallas and Fort Worth that she feels discriminated against. Her parents and friends all say they support her bid for queen.
The Dallas Independent School District says no policy addresses this matter, so they let the principal decide and stand behind her decision.
School administrators declined to comment.
DPS employees plead guilty driver's license case
A prosecutor says two former Texas Department of Public Safety employees have pleaded guilty to selling driver's license documents to unqualified applicants.
U.S. Attorney Jose Angel Moreno said Wednesday that Mark DeArza, a 39-year-old from Houston who was a state trooper, and Lidia Gutierrez, a 37-year-old from Galena Park who was a DPS clerk, have been convicted of conspiring to sell driver's licenses to unqualified applicants for a fee.
DeArza pleaded guilty Wednesday. Gutierrez pleaded guilty Sept. 30.
Each faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000. Sentencing for both is set for Jan. 7
A person who operated a Houston gas station has also been charged in the case and will go on trial later this month.