The Texas Senate overwhelmingly confirmed Jay Kimbrough as conservator of the Texas Youth Commission on Thursday, and he promptly vowed to usher the troubled agency from the darkness that has shrouded it in a continuing abuse scandal…. Agency officials said Wednesday that 101 employees had been charged, arrested or convicted of felony offenses….

He also wants to figure out who among the agency's 35 or so executive staff would be allowed to keep their jobs. All are being forced to reapply.

The one-time Marine known for his straight talk assumes sweeping authority to transform an agency swarming with allegations that staff sexually abused youths at units throughout the state and that officials — at all levels of state government — did little or nothing about it….

Lisa Sandburg, Houston Chronicle, March 29.