Take an issue that's full of sometimes-complicated details like Texas public school finance, throw in an element of urgency like the need for better transportation solutions in Dallas-Fort Worth, add a healthy helping of local interest spiced with some controversy and you have the perfect assignment for Mike Norman to examine in depth. Mike is a 28-year veteran of the Star-Telegram staff. He is the newspaper's editorial director for Arlington and Northeast Tarrant County.

E-mail: mnorman@star-telegram.com

Poverty expands outside the loop in Tarrant County

| |Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009

Every county has its wealthy areas and its poor areas. Here, poor areas in the suburbs are growing.Read more

Fort Worth debate leads to protecting gender choice

| |Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009

Opponents decry "gay agenda," but council majority sees it as helping ensure an "inclusive" city.Read more

Education agency head shouldn’t match muscles with the Texas Legislature

| |Thursday, Nov. 05, 2009

Robert Scott says he’ll lift the cap on the number of charter schools in Texas.Read more

The Texas Constitution gets picked on every other year

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009

Most people don’t pay much attention, and that suits the people in power just fine.Read more

NRA members target Hurst mayor on gun issue

| |Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

Richard Ward has been called ugly names for his stance on sales at gun shows.Read more

Arlington’s transformation is more than a stadium

| |Thursday, Oct. 08, 2009

UTA’s president and civic leaders intend to energize the city with links between campus and downtown.Read more

Private interests hungry to seize Texas public beaches

| |Friday, Oct. 02, 2009

A 50-year-old law says that anything that impedes the public's access to Texas' Gulf beaches can be ordered removed -- unless that "anything" is a house owned by someone in power. Voters will soon be asked to put a stop to such exceptions.Read more

Picking Michelangelo over fried butter

| Thursday, Sep. 24, 2009

Museums in Fort Worth and Dallas may be the best reason for living here.Read more

Obama shouldn’t use fighting words

Thursday, Sep. 10, 2009

Barack Obama is better at inspiration than he is at confrontation. He should be proud of that.Read more

Government transparency is only for those who want to look

| Thursday, Sep. 03, 2009

Several state agencies, but few local governments, show online where their money is going.Read more