What can you really say about the news over the weekend regarding Toby Futrell – the allegation her brother-in-law got hired at Austin Energy thanks to her?

As countless political scandals have shown us, it's not the crime but the maneuvering behind the scenes that spins out of control. Futrell's quick to point out the hiring wasn't illegal under city nepotism rules (although her "we're not related" defense is pretty lame) – more damaging is the perception created by city e-mails that the hiring was a fait accompli the moment Futrell brought it to bear, that blowback would ensue if the hire wasn't made. But what's far more astonishing – and practically unparalleled – are the quotes from current Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza ("The expectation is that it was something we do pretty quickly") and Austin Energy general manager Juan Garza (recalling former AE Vice President Al Lujan felt pressured to hire Futrell's kin.) Instead of soft-pedaling the accusations – Futrell compares it to some municipal version of the telephone game, where she makes a suggestion that's read as a dictate by the time it winds down the food chain – Rudy and Juan practically go out of their way to finger her, the latter dragging in an outside figure (Lujan) to make her look bad when he couldn't give Statesman reporter Tony Plohetski the goods himself. It has the hallmarks of a cover-your-ass operation; wary that the info would get out making them look bad, they freely admit they felt pressured by Futrell.

Bad business, bad religion, and bad science may be about to take a pummeling in the Texas courts in a bizarre and disturbing case.

Attorney General Greg Abbott is going after a marketing scheme that he says uses questionable research and religiosity to shift nutritional supplements. He filed charges Thursday in Travis County against Mannatech Inc., MannaRelief Ministries, the Fisher Institute for Medical Research, Mannatech CEO/MannaRelief founder Sam Caster, and MannaRelief medical director Dr. Reg McDaniel. He's charging them with multiple violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, with fines of $20,000 per violation. Abbott and the Texas Department of State Health Services are also after Mannatech for breaking the Texas Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, with fines of $25,000 per day per violation.

Here's the gist of the case: Coppell-based nutritional supplement firm Mannatech touts the benefits of what they call "glyconutrients, or plant-based 'health sugars.'" They use "educational" materials, mostly written by McDaniel, from the Fisher Institute (whose medical director happens to be McDaniel's wife, Candace). MannaRelief, also based in Grand Rapids, then takes donations to provide Mannatech products to children in developing nations. However, Abbott's arguing that the firm and its cohorts have knowingly made false claims that their pills and potions will relieve or cure everything from cancer to AIDS to Down’s syndrome.

More good news for water lovers: The Lower Colorado River Authority has announced that Lake Marble Falls is scheduled to re-open for recreational boating Sunday Morning.

For those of you keeping track, here's highlights of what will be open and what's closed on the river system as of 8am Sunday:

Open: Lake Marble Falls (provisionally), Inks Lake, Lake Buchanan and Lake LBJ, plus Barton Springs Pool.

Closed: Lake Travis, Lake Austin, Town Lake, and the Colorado River below Longhorn Dam, plus Bob Wentz at Windy Point, Cypress Creek, Hippie Hollow, Pace Bend, Turkey Bend, Shaffer Bend, Grelle, Gloster Bend, and Muleshoe Bend and Narrows.

However, the LCRA remind any boat users, water skiers or swimmers to be aware of debris, pollution, and raised bacteria levels.

There's a Nixon back in the news, and it's not just because (alleged) presidential hopeful Fred Thompson was leaking Watergate inquiry secrets to Tricky Dicky.

No, former Republican Carthage Sen. Drew Nixon has been indicted by a Panola County grand jury for the serious crime of abuse of office. His offense? Trying to manipulate an election. However, there's no DeLay-style plan for a thousand-year statewide Republican majority here. Nixon was caught trying to rig the ballot for the Panola County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1. While serving as the board's accountant and self-appointed election officer, he came up with the ingenious technique of telling potential challengers to the incumbents that they weren't allowed to file their paperwork. Which, after recent GOP attempts to manipulate the democratic process on a grand scale, seems a little amateur night.

Of course, Austinites may recall Nixon better for his little run in with the law back in 1997. That's when he got busted for trying to get some late-night action off an undercover cop on South Congress and carrying a gun in his car. That got him 60 days in the slammer out of a six-month sentence, but this time he could be looking at a $4,000 fine and up to a year of jail time.

Here's one for the Infowarriors and "truthers" in the comments section to wrap their heads around (please, Louis; don't feed them any more!): In the Pink tips us to the fact that KXAN found federal homeland security plans for a border-crossing station … in their Dumpster.

First conspiracy theory tying in Jim Spencer's weather-controlling machine gets a free T-shirt.

Despite some early distractions, the 2007 legislative session was declared fairly healthy for the Travis County Healthcare District, lobbyist Marsha Jones told the district’s board of managers last Thursday night. Overall, funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program is up, as well as hospital reimbursement rates for Medicaid. Most significant to the district, however, was the district’s local legislation, Senate Bill 1107, which did a number of things: addressed retirement benefits for district employees, authorized regional affiliations and entities, and authorized the collection of revenue anticipation notes, among other things. The board of managers has been especially interested in creating some type of regional health-care insurance product, so the cost burden of the growing uninsured population, particularly those who take advantage of Brackenridge Hospital’s trauma services, can be shared with surrounding counties.

Finally, some good news from the Lower Colorado River Authority on the floods.

Lake LBJ and Inks Lake will reopen for recreational use at 8am on Saturday morning. That makes three big bodies of water open this weekend (Lake Buchanan stayed open throughout).

Lake Travis remains closed, partially because it's still so high (even the flood pools are 20 feet deep), fast, and debris-filled and partially because the wake from speeding boats could damage submerged homes and docks. The city of Austin is also keeping Lake Austin, Town Lake, and the Colorado River below Longhorn Dam closed until the floodgates on Mansfield and Tom Miller dams close. Bad news there: The LCRA says they may be keeping them open for several weeks and may have to open more with no or little warning.

On the newly opened lakes, the LCRA does warn boaters and water-skiers to keep an eye out for any potential floating debris and reminds swimmers that the bacteria levels in the water are way elevated. So no speeding and no drinking the lake water.

In the latest edition of "news from the shameless," Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Peter M. Holt, chairman and principal owner of the San Antonio Spurs, to become presiding officer of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.

However, environmentalists may blanch a little at Holt's day job. He's chief executive officer of Holt Cat, the biggest U.S. Caterpillar dealership. That means he makes his money selling earthmoving vehicles like backhoes and excavators.

The commission is supposed to set policies for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Holt currently serves as an ordinary member for the nine-member commission and will replace outgoing chair and wildlife rancher Joseph B.C. Fitzsimons.

The beleaguered agency briefly became a cause celebre for the Lege last session when it became clear that many parks and historic sites were crumbling due to a decade of woeful underfunding. But since Fitzsimons' term actually finished on Jan. 31, and Holt's appointment is just a desk-swap, it doesn't seem the governor really put much thought into a major talent search.

Press release from the Austin Police Department's Public Information Office regarding the arrest of Kurtiss Colvin in the beating death of David Morales, big news that, being out over the Fourth, we missed:

SUSPECT ARRESTED IN THOMPSON STREET HOMICIDE

Austin Police Department Homicide detectives have filed charges against a suspect in connection to the homicide that occurred on Tuesday, June 19th, at 900 Thompson Street. Kurtiss Colvin, 20 (DOB: 07-28-86) has been charged with Manslaughter, a second degree felony; Theft from Person, a state jail felony; and Assault with Injury, a class A misdemeanor. Bond was set at $215,000 for all three charges.

At approximately 9:31 p.m. Central East patrol officers responded to a person down call at 900 Thompson Street. Upon arrival officers located David Rivas Morales, 40 (DOB: 04-09-67) who was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. According to the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office, the cause of death was due to injuries received during the assault.

The on-going investigation indicates there was an auto pedestrian collision in the parking lot of 900 Thompson Street. Michael Hosea, Jr., 2 (DOB: 11-28-04) was accidentally struck by a Ford Taurus. Hosea was transported by private vehicle to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.