Eyes on Texas: A Dog in the Fight

A roundup of news, columns and features about the state, from media around the world.

A fugitive from a federal prison in West Texas was captured after he took a 17-story slide down the trash chute of a building in downtown Denver. Wanted for bank fraud charges, Donnie Griffin, 30, made the escape attempt when U.S. Marshals approached his apartment on the 20th floor, UPI reports. He used a sheet to lower himself a few floors, then took the trash chute the rest of the way. After the capture, police found evidence Griffin may have been impersonating law enforcement officers.

Dylan, a 10-year-old Westie terrier, began his campaign for mayor of Irving, Texas, on Monday, according to the New York Daily News. Mike Howard, his 70-year-old retiree owner, cites lack of leadership in city government and a publicity-hungry mayor as reasons for submitting paperwork for his dog to run for office. The city clerk likely won’t allow the dog to run because he lacks the required 60 signatures on his petition and hasn’t signed the paperwork. Howard said he hopes the pooch’s political pursuit will highlight some issues in the city’s government. Dylan made no comment to the Daily News.

A Nigerian church is expanding in Texas, according to a Public Radio International story published in BBC News Magazine. The Redeemed Christian Church of God in North America, a Pentecostal movement that started in Nigeria in 1952 and claims 5 million members worldwide, has a 10,000-seat auditorium northeast of Dallas. Using Starbucks as his model, Pastor James Fadele said his goal is to have a church building every 10 miles in the U.S. to take as many people as possible to heaven.