Headlines

• Attorneys from three different firms have been hired to see whether the city can get out of the agreement city legal signed with BFI Waste Systems not to oppose their landfill expansion; see "Council Blindsided on Landfill Deal."

• Solid Waste Advisory Commission Vice Chair Rick Cofer and Downtown advocate Chris Riley have both announced they are running for City Council Place 1; see "City Hall Hustle."

• Two members of the Texas Railroad Commission – Chairman Michael Williams and Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones, both Republicans – and Democratic Houston Mayor Bill White are the latest to announce plans to run for Kay Bailey Hutchison's U.S. Senate seat if she stands down to challenge Gov. Rick Perry in 2010.

• Republican Joan Huffman beat Democrat Chris Bell 56%-44% in Dec. 16's low-turnout special run-off election in Houston's Senate District 17. The GOP now holds the Texas Senate 19-12.

Quote of the Week

"Happy New Year, Austin! We'll be home for Christmas, if only in our dreams."

– Jennifer Gale, scheduled to speak Dec. 18 before City Council. Gale, a homeless transgender person and perennial political candidate, was found dead Wednesday morning outside a North Campus church.