Guy Fielder, the Republican nominee running against Sen. Kirk Watson in Senate District 14 has withdrawn from the race. Watson still faces Libertarian Ryan Dixon on the November general election ballot.
Kathy Walt, Gov. Rick Perry’s press secretary and deputy chief of staff, will leave the governor’s office September 4th to become executive manager of governmental affairs for the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). Prior to joining Perry’s staff, Walt worked as a reporter for the Houston Chronicle.
Watch out for shopping mall parking lots this weekend in Texas because August 17 through August 19 is the state’s annual tax holiday. State law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 from sales and use taxes during this period, which generally results in shoppers saving around $8 on every $100 they spend. All sales of qualifying items made during the holiday period qualify for the exemption, including items sold over the Internet, television or by mail. That includes Amazon, which recently began charging sales tax on purchases by residents of Texas.