Articles by April Castro

Texas Texting Study Finds Slower Driver Response Times

New findings from a Texas study show texting while driving is more dangerous than previously thought. Reading or writing a text message behind the wheel can more than double a driver’s reaction time, according to a study released by the …

Texas Governor Vetoes Texting While Driving Bill

Texas Gov. Rick Perry vetoed 23 bills on June 17, including legislation that would have outlawed sending or reading text messages while driving. Lawmakers approved the texting ban last month, but Perry called it an “overreach” and “government effort to …

Austin, Texas, Fire Contained; 18 Homes Damaged

A wildfire in Austin, Texas, believed to have been sparked by a homeless man’s campfire, has burned 100 acres and damaged at least 18 homes. Austin Fire Department spokesman Chayer Smith said he expected the damage estimates to move “substantially …

Texas Lawmakers Outline Hurricane Mitigation Recommendations

The state of Texas should require certain businesses like gas stations and nursing homes to have backup power generators to avoid the massive disruptions caused by Hurricane Ike, according to recommendations released by a special House committee. The House Select …

Officials: Texas Governor’s Mansion Fire Politically Motivated

Investigators believe someone angry with the government set the fire that severely damaged the Texas Governor’s Mansion on June 8, and they offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado said previously that …

Texas Businesses Studying Governor’s Proposed Tax Structure

As the owner of his family’s 28-year-old company, Kurt Summers is one of the few Texas businessmen that pay state business taxes. The roughly $8,000-a-year that he pays on Austin Generator Service is a tax that Gov. Rick Perry recently …