Top Stories Today: 5.15.2013

The top 5 stories on Statesman.com at 5 p.m.

1. Perry email to UT regents invokes Battle of the Bulge: State lawmakers who gained access to emails sent by Gov. Rick Perry to University of Texas System Regents (and grilled the regents over the contents of those letters) share some emails with the Statesman.
   
   
2. Former San Marcos mayoral candidate arrested: A man who ran for mayor in San Marcos last year at a planning and zoning commission meeting Tuesday.
   
   
3. Officials: Lightning may have sparked Lago Vista tower fire: During overnight storms, a three-story clock tower in a vacant strip center caught fire.
   
   
4. Elderly man killed in crash near Round Rock High
   
   
5. Affidavit: Man charged after Fire Department equipment found in wreck: Officials say they recovered stolen Austin Fire Department equipment from a vehicle involved in a wreck this week. 

Top Stories Today: 4.25.2013

The top 5 stories on Statesman.com at 5 p.m.

1. At memorial for West, Obama: “You are not alone, you are not forgotten:” Thousands of firefighters were joined by Gov. Rick Perry and President Barack Obama for a memorial service for the victims of the explosion in West, Texas.
   
   
2. Twin Liquors executives: Company cooperating fully with authorities: After federal authorities were confirmed investigating at the Twin Liquors headquarters in Austin, leaders of the company said they were unsure why the investigation was happening, and said the company has nothing to hide
   
   
3. Time Warner Cable plans city-wide WiFi network: The company said Wednesday it has begun rolling out a free citywide Wi-Fi network for its customers in Austin at some hotspots and would add hundreds more this year
   
   
4. Lawyers voice support for Lehmberg: More than 100 lawyers from several political parties have come to the defense of Travis County DA Rosemary Lehmberg after her drunken driving arrest and sentencing.
   
   
5. Acevedo: Man killed by officers may have wanted to be killed: Police said Wednesday they are investigating whether a 54-year-old man intentionally provoked officers to shoot him Tuesday night in a so-called “suicide by cop.”

Rick Perry, feds at odds over artificial reef program

The Texas governor and federal officials are in a disagreement over an initiative in place to remove offshore oil rigs that are no longer being used.

In 2010, the U.S. Department of the Interior began requiring offshore oil-producing companies to remove nonproducing platforms within five years. However, the state-run created the Rigs to Reefs program, which sinks capped and nonperforming oil platforms to create artificial permanent reefs.

Report: Perry rarely in governor’s office since return from campaign

AP — In the first 16 days since suspending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, Perry had been to his office just three times and stayed no longer than three hours each time, The Dallas Morning News reports.

Ousted A&M System executive lands another state job, this time at DPS

A twist of irony?

The former Texas A&M System executive and close friend of Gov. Rick Perry who made headlines last fall for brandishing a pocket knife as he was being fired has landed a new state job as an assistant director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. MORE

Perry presidential security cost taxpayers $800,000

Texas taxpayers were billed almost $800,000 in travel costs for a security detail to travel with Gov. Rick Perry largely on out-of-state events tied to his presidential campaign from September through November, state figures show.

Poll: Perry approval rating lowest ever

Gov. Rick Perry’s ill-fated presidential campaign left a sour taste with many Texans and damaged his standing with Republican voters, according to a new poll commissioned by the American-Statesman and other state newspapers.

Running for re-election as Texas governor “is certainly a strong option as would be maybe doing this again in four years if the president wins,” communications director Ray Sullivan said after Perry’s announcement.

Photo by Luke Sharrett THE NEW YORK TIMES