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Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion
Yahoo ^

Posted on 06/08/2008 5:52:34 AM PDT by Sub-Driver

Fire destroys Texas governor's mansion

12 minutes ago

Texas state officials say a four-alarm fire has caused "catastrophic" damage to the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin.

Governor's spokesman Robert Black says said no one was inside the 150-year-old home when the fire began shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday. He says the cause is not yet known.

The mansion had been undergoing a $10 million renovation and Gov. Rick Perry and his wife had moved out last fall.

Black says the damage to the mansion "is extraordinary, bordering on catastrophic."

He says more than 100 firefighters are at the scene and the roof of the mansion is very unstable.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: txgovmansion
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To: CindyDawg
If the fire marshal has spoken, that's going to be a hard thing to cover up.

Plus, he didn't say "incendiary origin", which is what they say when they're suspicious but don't have proof. He said the "A" word . . . so he must already have solid evidence.

301 posted on 06/08/2008 6:29:52 PM PDT by AnAmericanMother (Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment))
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To: El Gato

Since the damage was so extensive, my thoughts were no one was assigned to watch over the mansion. Thank you for the update.


302 posted on 06/08/2008 6:37:04 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: CindyDawg
With all due respect Ma'am, I am also a citizen of this State ... with an independent mind and an independent vote. The Mansion does belong to the citizens of Texas, as does the Office of Governor. Our disagreement is with the the temporary resident who occupies that office presently, and he is just that ... a temporary resident. The Governor's boss is the 12 million or so registered voters of the State of Texas.

When our elected officials show that they have an over inflated value of themselves and act in ways contrary to the best interest of all citizens of the State ... they deserve to be temporary and they also deserve to be told of such displeasure by their constituency. Either while they are in office so they might change or every four years at the polls, let them find new lodgings.


303 posted on 06/08/2008 6:41:17 PM PDT by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: K-oneTexas
on a house while the Mansion is refurbished

They state he moved out in the fall Sept/Oct? and now it's June. Eight/nine months is a long time for refurbishing. Who decides the governor mansion needs to have extensive refurbishing?
304 posted on 06/08/2008 6:50:23 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: K-oneTexas

I’d be offended if this happened while Ann Richards was governor.

This isn’t about Rick Perry and it isn’t about illegal immigration no matter how many times folks want to change the subject.

This is about arson at a national historical site.

Period.


305 posted on 06/08/2008 6:58:15 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: K-oneTexas

I really don’t think we are disagreeing. This isn’t about the man, Perry. You won’t see me jumping to his defense. If this was an act against him though as governor, it is an act against the state of Texas . People have the right to disagree/dislike him.....no one has the right to burn our Governor’s mansion down though.


306 posted on 06/08/2008 7:00:03 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: presently no screen name

Most likely the Governor and the State Preservation Board. A previous structural restoration was begun in 1979 by then Governor Clements and took three years. This, second and recent, restoration was begun late last year by Governor Perry and one item to be added was a sprinkler system (it never had one).


307 posted on 06/08/2008 7:03:35 PM PDT by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: presently no screen name

I would have put him in the back yard in a mobile home...put down some concrete stepping blocks to the road .... I wasn’t asked though:’)


308 posted on 06/08/2008 7:05:44 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: CindyDawg
Agree ... the law will catch who ever did it. Hopefully the sentence is 20-Life for destroying a National Landmark. That is yet to be seen with the courts system.

Aside from the resident ... I'm wondering who had it in for Texas or the Governor to set a fire. I'd think even with the Gov. & family off the site, and contractors on site that the State Police or some other agency/firm had to protect the site (building, contractor's equipment, etc).


309 posted on 06/08/2008 7:10:45 PM PDT by K-oneTexas (I'm not a judge and there ain't enough of me to be a jury. (Zell Miller, A National Party No More))
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To: K-oneTexas
took three years

Wow - just to refurbish?
310 posted on 06/08/2008 7:50:48 PM PDT by presently no screen name
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To: Ditter
Do you mean that Willie is playing in Dallas? I love Willie Nelson I have every song he ever recorded

No, he has a place well south of Dallas, at Carl's Corner. A few miles north of the I-35 split north of Hillsboro. I thought it was open now, but actually it's supposed to open in late September.

311 posted on 06/08/2008 8:33:51 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Dog Gone
This isn’t about Rick Perry and it isn’t about illegal immigration

Well, we don;t really know what was in the so called mind of the arsonist. But for us, it's about arson of a historic building.

312 posted on 06/08/2008 8:57:28 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: K-oneTexas
Hopefully the sentence is 20-Life for destroying a National Landmark.

Texas Penal Code..Arson

An offense under Subsection (a) is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that: (1) bodily injury or death was suffered by any person by reason of the commission of the offense; or (2) the property intended to be damaged or destroyed by the actor was a habitation or a place of assembly or worship.

First degree felony is life or 5 to 99 years, and max fine of $10,000. Second Degree felony is 2 to 20 and max fine of $10,000.

In some cases it may be a state jail felony, 180 days to 2 years and max $10K) or a third degree felony 2-10 and max $10K. (The latter two probably don't apply in this case)

Punishments

313 posted on 06/08/2008 9:52:05 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: humblegunner
I had a DUH moment. It should read

JUST SAY NO
TO B. O.

314 posted on 06/09/2008 10:56:48 AM PDT by Arrowhead1952 (Typical white person, bitter, religious, gun owner, who will "Just say No to BO in Nov.")
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To: nmh

Luke 6:42
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.


315 posted on 06/09/2008 12:32:43 PM PDT by MEG33 (God Bless Our Military)
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To: MEG33
Luke 6:42
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

HUH?

Where did THIS come from?

Totally bizzare! I ma more concerned about what is happening to this country than a burnt down building. If that's a "sin" then so be it!

316 posted on 06/09/2008 2:50:30 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: MEG33
Luke 6:42
How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

HUH?

Where did THIS come from?

Totally bizarre! I ma more concerned about what is happening to this country than a burnt down building. If that's a "sin" then so be it! You mourn the building. I'll mourn for the tragic down slide of the U.S.. It's the first time I am totally repulsed at what the GOP offers as "our best" for President.

317 posted on 06/09/2008 2:54:53 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: AnAmericanMother
But if the fire marshal says it's suspected arson, it's definitely 'incendiary origin'. He's on the scene, and he's no doubt already got his samples in a jar.

Apparently not. They seem to be going on what they saw on a surveillance video. They had dogs in sniffing for accelerants. See this story from KVUE, Austin

They also interviewed more witnesses and viewed dozens of hours of video surveillance tapes that helped them initially conclude arson is to blame for the weekend blaze, said state Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado.
...
Investigators believe one person was on the premises and set the fire, but they haven't ruled out that more people were involved, Maldonado said.

Dog team searches will help locate possible fire accelerants inside now that all fire hot spots have been extinguished, he said.

There were other stories on other sites that also indicated that they had not yet found any accelerants, as of mid morning on Monday.

318 posted on 06/09/2008 3:18:14 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Ditter

If you are interested in Willie then you may check out his website for Willie’s Place which is supposed to open on June 30 if it’s still on schedule. I think he’ll be playing at times there along with some of his other buds. Ramble around the website for more info, pictures, etc.

http://www.biowillieusa.com/inner.php?editorpage=wpl_about


319 posted on 06/09/2008 3:31:29 PM PDT by deport
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To: deport

Thanks.


320 posted on 06/09/2008 3:44:19 PM PDT by Ditter
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