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SAN ANTONIO (AP) A South Texas man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for using a shovel to beat one of his ex-girlfriend's male friends to death. Thirty-five-year-old Gabriel Reyes Castillo received his sentence yesterday in San Antonio. Authorities say Castillo beat 33-year-old Jesse Ramirez to death in December 2010 after he kicked down the door of the woman's apartment.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Former Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade has been named to the Texas Workforce Commission. Governor Rick Perry announced the selection yesterday. Andrade in November announced she was stepping down as secretary of state after four years on the job.

HOUSTON (AP) Some Houston jail inmates will help plant thousands of donated trees in a community service project to help reforest a park. The Harris County Sheriff's Office says the planting will take place today at Hershey Park. About 40,000 trees have been donated by Tree Town USA and The Home Depot.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The South by Southwest Interactive and Film conferences get under way in Austin this weekend. Attendees in the first weekend of the festival will hear from PayPal founder Elon Musk and Matthew Inman, who developed the comedy website "The Oatmeal." The musical portion of the festival begins next week and runs through March 17th.