Kate Galbraith

Budget Logjam May Be Breaking

texastribune.org — Updated, May 22, 4 p.m.: The game of legislative chicken between the House and Senate over a complex budget deal continued for a third day on Wednesday but appeared to be headed toward a breaking point by early evening. Both the House and Senate are facing pivotal deadlines on measures central to a budget deal hashed out last week.

Texas House of Representatives

house.state.tx.us — Please Note: If the RealPlayer or RealOne Player is not responding or you are getting an error message, the meeting either has not started or has ended. Questions about Video/Audio, please visit our FAQ page. The RealPlayer or RealOne Player software from Real Networks is required to access video/audio broadcasts.

Frog, toad and salamander populations plummeting, U.S. survey finds

washingtonpost.com — The exact reasons for the decline in amphibians, first noticed decades ago, remain unclear. But scientists believe several factors, including disease, an explosion of invasive species, climate change and pesticide use are contributing. The study said the populations of seven species of threatened frogs, including the boreal toad and the yellow-legged frog, are decreasing at a rate of 11.6 percent a year.

An Expensive Celebration, Courtesy of the Lobby

texastribune.org — A remarkably expensive meeting of a key legislative committee took place this week: A $22,000-plus affair at an upscale downtown Austin steakhouse for the 15-member House Calendars Committee. That panel, which sets the daily lineup of bills for consideration in the House and thus holds life-or-death power over legislation, held its end-of-session dinner at Austin's III Forks restaurant this past Sunday.

In The Flow | The Texas Tribune

texastribune.org — The Southwest Stream Restoration Conference, which will feature workshops and presentations on stream and watershed management in the Southwest, will be held in San Antonio from May 28 to May 30. Full Story