Monthly Archives: August 2017

No charter amendments on the fall ballot

Just bonds, school board and HCC races, and the mostly boring constitutional amendments. Oh, and Heights Alcohol 2.0, if you live there. Houston voters will face $1.5 billion in city bonds and nine community college or school board races this … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Two more for CD23

Officially a crowd now. Jay Hulings, a federal prosecutor from San Antonio, said Sunday he could no wait no longer to launch a challenge to U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes. Hulings is an ally of the Castro brothers — U.S. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Two more for CD23

The “run over a protester” bill

This was from a day or two after the racist violence in Charlottesville, which included the vehicular murder of a counterprotester. Last month, Rep. Pat Fallon filed legislation to protect motorists who hit demonstrators “blocking traffic in a public right-of-way” … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Houston part of bid for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Nice. Houston and NRG Stadium are on an official list for cities and venues that may be considered to host a FIFA World Cup match if the event comes to North America in 2026. The United Bid Committee of the … Continue reading

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beto on the road

A great chance to meet our Senate nominee, if you haven’t already. Looking to overcome the long odds in his U.S. Senate campaign, U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has hit the road for an aggressive 34-day tour of Texas. … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fifth Circuit rules against Texas’ voter interpreter law

Good. Texas ran afoul of the Voting Rights Act by restricting the interpretation assistance English-limited voters may receive at the ballot box, a federal appeals court found. In an opinion issued Wednesday, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Circuit rules against Texas’ voter interpreter law

Confederate monuments in the Capitol

Get rid of them, too. A state lawmaker wants all Confederate symbols removed from the Texas Capitol grounds, including a plaque that is 40 steps away from his office that rejects the idea that the South seceded from the Union … Continue reading

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

Weekend link dump for August 20

Good. Actions have consequences. “Republican lawmakers in at least 18 states have introduced bills to crack down on protesters. Among those proposals are bills that would allow cities to sue protesters in order to collect money to pay police forces … Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

What’s next for the now-canceled white nationalist rally at A&M

The legal experts are weighing in. Saunie Schuster, an attorney for The NCHERM Group, which provides consulting for schools on First Amendment issues, said that was the organizer’s big mistake. “You can be here and you can speak even if … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The long view of the bathroom bill

The Chron considers the future of the bathroom bill. Texas’ controversial bathroom bill, championed by Gov. Greg Abbot and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, may have been declared dead, but some say it could be revived soon enough. “Like Frankenstein, the … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

In defense of hyperloops

Eric Holthaus at Grist writes in defense of Elon Musk’s hyperloop idea in general, and the proposal for a New York to Washington, DC hyperloop plan in particular. Assuming hyperloop costs of $100 million per mile, and tunneling costs of … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on In defense of hyperloops

Saturday video break: Shake Your Booty

Fluff up your hair, put on your dancing shoes, turn your HiFi up to max volume, and get down to KC and the Sunshine Band: Now that, my friends, is what I’m talking about. It’s too much awesomeness for any … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Shake Your Booty

Texas to appeal redistricting ruling

Here we go. If Gov. Greg Abbott calls a second special legislative session this summer, it won’t be for redistricting. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton revealed Friday that Abbott won’t ask lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map — found … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Houston signs memorandum of understanding with Texas Central

This makes a lot of sense. At City Hall, Houston and Texas Central Partners announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding, which commits both sides to share environmental surveys, utility analysis and engineering related to the project and surrounding … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston signs memorandum of understanding with Texas Central

HISD gets some improvements, needs some more

Mostly good news. State school ratings released Tuesday showed academic gains across Houston ISD this year, but enthusiasm over the results was tempered by 10 struggling campuses again falling short of state standards, leaving the district under threat of state … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Typhus in Texas

One more thing to worry about, in case you needed it. Strickland spent four days in a hospital receiving treatment and needed about a year to fully recover from the potentially fatal disease transmitted by fleas believed nowadays to be … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Friday random ten – Back to back, part one

I’m baaaaaaaaaack… 1. Back Door Santa – Bon Jovi 2. Back Home Again In Indiana – Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins & Stan Getz 3. Back In Baby’s Arms – Patsy Cline 4. Back In Love Again – LTD 5. Back … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten – Back to back, part one

Bond issue set for November

Should be pretty straightforward, though I suppose you never know. November’s ballot will feature $495 million in public improvement bonds after City Council agreed Wednesday to send the package to Houston voters. The general bonds, which would not require a … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

RK Sandill for State Supreme Court

Very good news, from the inbox: The Supreme Court of Texas is elected to serve all of the nearly 28 million residents of our great state. Yet, after more than two decades of one-party rule, today’s Court is increasingly out … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas Central picks builders

Noted for the record. Backers of a Texas bullet train are moving to the next stop, selecting a team to build the Houston-to-Dallas line, despite not having a clear shot – yet – at construction. Texas Central on Monday morning … Continue reading

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Let’s play two?

Oh, God, please, no. Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday put blame on the House — particularly Speaker Joe Straus — for the shortcomings of the special session and left the door open to calling another one. “I’m disappointed that all … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hacking voting machines

I’m just going to leave this here. Google and Apple invite hackers to find flaws in their code and offer hefty rewards to those who find them. It’s a common practice in the industry. The government’s done it too, with programs like “Hack … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hacking voting machines

Mayor Turner requests study of Confederate statues

From the inbox. Mayor Sylvester Turner has asked top staff members to study whether statues related to the Confederacy should be removed from city property. The mayor commented about the statues Tuesday at a City Council meeting after members of … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 36 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of August 14

The Texas Progressive Alliance strongly condemns the racist Nazi violence in Charlottesville as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of August 14

Court invalidates CDs 27 and 35

We are one step closer to having a new Congressional map. Federal judges have invalidated two Texas congressional districts, ruling that they must be fixed by either the Legislature or a federal court. In a unanimous decision Tuesday, a three-judge … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Smell ya later, Senate

How about that? The special legislative session is over — in one chamber, at least. The Texas House abruptly gaveled out Sine Die – the formal designation meaning the end of a session – on Tuesday evening after voting to … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

HISD board fills Manuel Rodriguez’s seat

The HISD Board of Trustees is back to full strength. The Houston ISD Board of Education voted to appoint José Leal to fill the seat left vacant after the death of longtime District III Trustee Manuel Rodríguez Jr last month. … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HISD and the TEA

Still catching up on things. Texas education officials are warning that Houston ISD could be placed under the jurisdiction of state-appointed managers as early as next year if 13 district schools don’t show improvement. The warning was issued during a … Continue reading

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Houston city employees file their own lawsuit (again) on spousal benefits

A shame it’s had to come to this, but this is where we are. On Thursday, three married couples from Houston filed a lawsuit in federal court aimed at forcing the city to preserve health coverage and other benefits for … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston city employees file their own lawsuit (again) on spousal benefits

White nationalist rally at A&M canceled

I’ve been on the road with limited Internet access, so I’m just now catching up on recent events. Unlike our garbage president, I wholeheartedly condemn the appalling racist violence committed in Charlottesville by a bunch of Nazi scum. As such, … Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , | 52 Comments

July 2017 campaign finance reports – HCC

Welcome to the last and least interesting of these campaign finance report posts. This one is about the HCC Trustees, and there’s not much to see. Take a look at what there is – you can find all available reports … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fran Watson for SD17

Awesome news. It’s OFFICIAL! I have launched my campaign for TX State Senate District 17. The campaign slogan is People First. “When the people are part of the legislative process instead of a few leaders in Austin, our laws are … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Fran Watson for SD17

Paxton joins defense of Wisconsin partisan gerrymandering

Of course he does. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is backing Wisconsin in a high-profile case asking the U.S. Supreme Court whether lawmakers can go too far when drawing political maps to advantage one party. Paxton, a Republican, filed an … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton joins defense of Wisconsin partisan gerrymandering

Weekend link dump for August 13

The National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year contest for 2017. Go see gorgeous photos. Donald Trump could have been president in Sharknado 3. Which would have been infinitely preferable to current reality. “Now that the Republican Party has won … Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment