Customers are flocking to Radio Shack stores to take advantage of bargains and have one last look at a dying Texas tradition.  The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports on the demise of the long-running brand.  Many folks bought there first personal computer (a Tandy) at from the Fort Worth-based company.  Radio Shack is the latest in a long line of traditional retail failures as more and more purchasing moves to internet-only retailers.

RadioShack plans to sell up to 2,400 of its 4,000 stores to hedge fund Standard General, with Sprint planning to set up operations along with RadioShack in as many as 1,750 stores. But other proposals are expected in an upcoming bankruptcy court auction, where the fate of the stores will be determined.  Several customers interviewed outside stores Friday afternoon felt a sense of inevitability that the RadioShack name could soon become a thing of the past.

The Texas Observer has its own take on Rep. Dan Flynn’s Teacher’s Protection Act (HB 868) making an early decision in declaring its Bad Bill Award.  The Act would immunize teachers who use deadly force in the classroom to defend themselves, students or school property.  The Observer’s John Savage takes the Bill apart.

The 84th Texas Legislature has been in session more than three weeks and the Observer has yet to bestow our most dubious legislative accolade: the Bad Bill. We shall dally no more. We present to you House Bill 868 by Rep. Dan Flynn (R-Canton).

Promisingly dubbed the Teacher’s Protection Act, the bill authorizes teachers to use “force or deadly force” to defend themselves, students, or school property. Flynn’s bill expands the Castle Doctrine—the 2007 law that has led to a rash of justifiable homicides in Texas—to include teachers.

As a former public school teacher, I  understand the frustration of catching a student tagging a bathroom wall or having to break up a fight. But suggesting that teachers use deadly force underestimates the potential for hallway misfire. French teachers aren’t trained to use lethal force. Think back to your middle school P.E. teacher. Do you want him locked and loaded?

Cougar pride over the opening of UH’s new football stadium has turned sour.  UH administration, long known for taking a bad situation and making it worse, continues that tradition with a disastrous roll out of TDECU Stadium.  The Houston Chronicle reports that numerous problems have plagued the supposed show piece in UH’s attempt to return to intercollegiate athletic relevance.

Five months after Cougars fans cheered its first kickoff, the University of Houston’s $128 million football stadium has drummed up as much anger and recriminations as school spirit. Students are calling for the resignation of a top UH official they contend hired an unqualified contractor to run events there. Audits are underway to investigate stadium funding and the bidding process for the contract in question. And emails  . . . show that the companies responsible for running events have butted heads with administrators.

The disclosures in the emails, which shed light on the contracting process in question, are the latest in a series of concerns that have arisen about TDECU Stadium, which opened last August with great fanfare.  A top UH administrator,  Carl Carlucci, did not heed warnings from a UH attorney and a top athletics official when he signed a five-year contract with the companies last year, the emails show. Carlucci, the executive vice president for administration and finance, runs day-to-day operations at the flagship campus as a key aide to Renu Khator, the president and system chancellor.

Much of the problem centers around  Aramark and VenuWorks, which operate at UH as Sports & Entertainment and now control food and services at the stadium.  Those companies submitted a bid that did not conform with the university’s request for proposals.  This was pointed out by a UH assistant general counsel and an assistant athletics director who both complained that about the VenuWorks proposal.  UH awarded Sports & Entertainment the contract despite the fact that it had never operated a facility larger than 22,000 seats even though TDECU seats more than 45,0000.  The issue boiled over when the UH Band classrooms at the new stadium were vandalized putting Sports & Entertainment on the hot seat as to its management of the $150 million facility.

The Stephenville Empire-Tribune reports unusually tight security at the historic Erath County courthouse in Stephenville as jury selection gets underway in the trial of Eddie Ray Routh.  Routh is accused of murdering Chris Kyle.  Kyle, the former Navy SEAL whose best-selling autobiography was turned into the hit movie “American Sniper” was killed along with his friend Chad Littlefield at local shooting range in February of 2103.

Security was tight Thursday as the first group of potential jurors showed up for a qualifying round in the trial of Eddie Ray Routh.  Routh was stoic throughout the morning, occasionally speaking to his attorney, Shay Isham, reading paperwork and glancing around the courtroom. Those who entered the courthouse were forced to go through metal detectors, open bags for inspection and place digital equipment aside.  Bomb-sniffing dogs were led inside and outside the building throughout the day.

During the first round of qualifications, two were disqualified, three were found to be exempt and nine were excused for various reasons. Six potential jurors said they might be biased toward Routh because of the movie American Sniper or pre-trial publicity.