Monthly Archives: September 2016

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 15

And on we go… 1. Criminal – Fiona Apple 2. Tusk – Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie) 3. Kiss With A Fist – Florence And The Machine (Florence Welch) 4. Prisoners Of Their Hairdos – Four Bitchin’ Babes (Patty … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 15

More on Republican turnout concerns

It’s a thing that is happening, though it’s hard to say to what extent. On Monday, one of the most prominent Republicans in Texas has a warning for supporters that Texas could go blue this election. Governor Greg Abbott is … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Clean Power Plan’s day in the DC court

We’ll see how it goes. Dozens of lawyers from the government, industry and public interest groups packed the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, to hear the divisive case that comes just weeks before a heated presidential election … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Clean Power Plan’s day in the DC court

More lawyers for the bail practices lawsuit

I’m still not thrilled about this. Harris County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to add another law firm to the county’s court fight against bail reform, a group whose job will be representing 16 county criminal judges who were recently added … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More lawyers for the bail practices lawsuit

Endorsement watch: Continuing a trend

The Chron makes their criminal district court endorsements, and in doing so they stick to a pattern. 174th Criminal District Court: Hazel B. Jones In this race to replace Judge Ruben Guerrero, voters should go with Democratic candidate Hazel B. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Continuing a trend

Taco the vote

Now you’re talking. MI FAMILIA VOTA is accustomed to registering voters in unusual places, such as the food court at the UH Student Center where we caught up with Maria Villenas last month. Villenas is Houston’s civic engagement lead for … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Early eminent domain dispute for Texas Central

It was over before it started. Lawyers for a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas withdrew their request for entry to a local landowner’s property, after opponents and the landowner opposed it in front of a Harris County … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Commissioners Court approves Astrodome parking plan

Here we go. Harris County commissioners approved the first piece of a $105 million plan to transform the stadium into part parking garage and part event space for things like concerts and trade shows. After years of indecision, advocates for … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Commissioners Court approves Astrodome parking plan

Texas blog roundup for the week of September 26

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes Tom “Smitty” Smith a happy and healthy retirement as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of September 26

Judicial Q&A: Judge Mike Engelhart

(Note: I ran a series of judicial Q&As for Democratic candidates in contested primaries earlier this year. I am now doing the same for the candidates who were unopposed in March, which includes most of the sitting incumbent judges. As … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s not just Precinct 4

There are problems with evidence rooms in other Constable precincts as well. With Harris County’s Precinct 4 Constable’s Office mired in scandal over the improper destruction of 21,000 pieces of evidence, serious evidence cataloging and control problems also have been … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Coming back to the US90A rail extension

Lots of talk, and a case for action sooner rather than later. A Metro rail extension from southern Houston to Missouri City is gaining momentum, fueled by rare near-unanimous support from local, state and federal officials who represent the area. … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Coming back to the US90A rail extension

Endorsement watch: Sung in the special

The Chron endorses Anne Sung in the HISD special election. Out of the four names on the ballot, Anne Sung is the only candidate who will be prepared to do a good job immediately. Sung, 38, a product of HISD … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Sung in the special

Voter registration way up statewide

That’s a lot. Nearly 15 million people are now registered to vote in Texas, a state record. Texas currently has more than 14.8 million voters registered — over 1 million more than were registered in the 2012 presidential election, according … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Rep. Dawnna Dukes to resign

Our first special election for 2017 is now on the clock. State Rep. Dawnna Dukes, who is facing a criminal investigation over her use of state funds, will resign from her seat in the Texas House in January, according to … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rep. Dawnna Dukes to resign

Back to court for the Clean Power Plan

Here we go. One of the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s final acts on Earth may have been to doom it. Last February, on the final Tuesday of Scalia’s life, the Supreme Court handed down a 5–4 decision suspending the Obama … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: Against recapture

The Chron recommends a No vote on the forthcoming HISD referendum to authorize recapture. Voters will face a test on Election Day, and whether they answer correctly will determine the future of the Houston Independent School District. It should be … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Ben Rose

There are basically two interesting legislative races in the Houston area this November. The first is HD144, where former Rep. Mary Ann Perez should reclaim her seat against 2014 winner Rep. Gilbert Pena. I did an interview with Perez for … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Astrodome parking proposal is about to get real

Here it comes. Harris County commissioners are poised to make their largest investment yet in the Astrodome’s future next week. They are slated to vote on the first piece of a $105 million plan to raise the ground level two … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The next abortion lawsuit should be on its way

We were warned it would need to happen. Despite intense outcry from the medical community, reproductive rights advocates and funeral directors, Texas isn’t budging on a proposed rule to require the cremation or burial of fetal remains. Following an initial … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

McMullin will “appear” on the ballot

To the extent that a write-in candidate “appears” on the ballot, anyway. Texas voters will be able to vote for former CIA operative Evan McMullin for president in November. The Texas secretary of state’s office on Friday certified McMullin, who … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on McMullin will “appear” on the ballot

Weekend link dump for September 25

Density is easier said than done. Beware of ransomware, and know how to protect yourself. If you want to know how much time you’re going to spend watching TV this fall, this can tell you. You’re on your own for … Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for September 25

Kinder Institute analyzes Mayor Turner’s pension reform plan

From the inbox: Rice University’s Kinder Institute has done the preliminary math on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s historic pension reform plan and determined the numbers appear to add up if all of the components are implemented as envisioned. The institute is … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Internal report on Precinct 4 evidence destruction

The more you look, the worse it appears. One of the first hints of anything awry in the Precinct 4 property room came in an email from evidence manager Christopher T. Hess. Harris County District Attorney “Investigator Kerry Gillie called … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

School district to join lawsuit over STAAR test

Interesting. Ben Becker, the Houston father who helped organize a legal fight over last year’s STAAR exams, has repeatedly challenged superintendents over the last few months to join him in court to fight for their students. Becker describes his group … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on School district to join lawsuit over STAAR test

Rice prof wins MacArthur grant

Awesome! Babies were dying in the Malawi hospital and there was little Rebecca Richards-Kortum could do about it. For Richards-Kortum, a bioengineering professor at Rice University, it was a heartbreaking realization, one that haunted her as she toured the modest … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Rice prof wins MacArthur grant

Saturday video break: Mele Kalikimaka

We’re going to have a little Christmas in September these next couple of weeks, starting with this oldie from Bing Crosby: I believe that’s the Andrews Sisters joining him as well. This is one of those songs, which were fairly … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Mele Kalikimaka

State files inevitable voter ID appeal to SCOTUS

As expected. Texas wants to take its voter identification battle to the U.S. Supreme Court. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday asked the justices to hear his arguments about why the state’s photo ID requirements for voting do not … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on State files inevitable voter ID appeal to SCOTUS

Good riddance to a bad judge

Meet federal district judge Walter Smith. Now say a long overdue goodbye to him. One of Texas’ strictest federal judges — serving a year’s ban from hearing cases after being slapped hard by a panel of appeals court judges last … Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

ACLU intervenes in transgender health care suit

Good for them. The ACLU and ACLU of Texas are getting involved in a lawsuit over a regulation in the Affordable Care Act. In August, Texas filed a lawsuit against federal regulations that prohibit healthcare discrimination against people who are … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on ACLU intervenes in transgender health care suit

Endorsement watch: Let your conscience be your guide

That Ted Cruz sure does stay firm to his principles, doesn’t he? U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz endorsed Donald Trump on Friday after months of withholding his support from the Republican presidential nominee who defeated him in the primaries. “After many … Continue reading

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 14

Girl groups of old and of new this week. 1. Didn’t Leave Nobody But The Baby – Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss & Gillian Welch 2. Pony (It’s OK) – Erin McCarley 3. I’d Rather Go Blind – Etta James 4. … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 14

UH Hobby School (Harris County only): Clinton 43, Trump 34

I have many thoughts about this. Between September 1 and September 20, 2016, the University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs conducted a telephone survey of 550 Harris County registered voters as part of a larger Hobby School study … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

More on the Precinct 4 evidence destruction scandal

Lots of cases have been compromised. District Attorney Devon Anderson’s office first learned in April that the mistaken destruction of evidence in Harris County’s Precinct 4 had likely compromised more than a thousand criminal cases, including more than 400 in … Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment