While we were on break, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Esperanza "Hope" Andrade of San Antonio Secretary of State. She's the first Hispanic woman to hold that post in Texas, and she's the sixth SOS since Perry became governor (the answer to that trivia question, in order: Henry Cuellar, Gwyn Shea, Geoff Connor, Roger Williams, Phil Wilson). Andrade had been on the Texas Transportation Commission, and served as interim chair for a time there.
State Rep. Dianne White Delisi is dropping that title early; she resigned five months early and plans to work out of the offices of Delisi Communications — her son Ted Delisi's firm. That'll add a special election to the regular election already in progress in HD-55. Gov. Rick Perry hasn't called it yet, but most political speculators think he'll put the special election on November 4 to coincide with the general election. The candidates in the general: Republican Ralph Sheffield, Democrat Sam Murphey, and Libertarian Chris Lane.
Perry promoted Cathleen Parsley to chief administrative law judge at the State Office of Administrative Hearings. She's been general counsel there, and replaces Shelia Bailey Taylor, who retired.
Austin-based Biophysical Corp. hired former Sen. Kyle Janek, an anesthesiologist, as veep of business development.
Julie Caruthers Parsley is leaving the Public Utility Commission early next month after six years in that post. She's an attorney and before taking this job was the state's Solicitor General.
After 18 months working for Comptroller Susan Combs, Pete Slover is hopping to another frying pan. He'll join the Pedernales Electric Cooperative as "governance counsel" later this month, working on the utility's ethics and governance policies. Slover, a former reporter, was special counsel to the comptroller and more recently, head of the criminal investigation division there.
Rebecca Young is the new government affairs manager at the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas. She'd been at the Texas Education and had a variety of jobs at the Capitol before that.
Homero Lucero is leaving the Farm Credit Bank of Texas to head regulatory, legislative and external affairs for Embarq, the local phone company spinning off the Sprint-Nextel merger.
Brad Shields II is leaving the Texas Retailers Association to join the family outfit; he'll be with Shields Legislative Associates specializing in business taxes, telecom and retail regulations.
Terri Sprouse, who's been a public finance lawyer with the attorney general's office, is joining the Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta law firm to do similar work for their clients.
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst put Sen. Chris Harris, R-Arlington, on the Senate Finance Committee, filling the chair left empty when Kyle Janek, R-Houston, resigned a couple of months ago.
House Speaker Tom Craddick elevated Rep. Jodi Laubenberg, R-Parker, to chair the House Public Health Committee, a job opened when Delisi resigned (see above). Laubenberg had been vice chair.
Deaths: Former U.S. Ambassador Anne Armstrong, a Republican powerhouse, county commissioner and South Texas rancher, after a bout with cancer. She was 80...
Lobbyist, parliamentary wizard, political consultant, blogger, and former reporter Jim Warren, of complications from liver disease. He was 42. Services are tentatively set for Monday in Huntsville.