Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Bill to ban cellphones at schools proposed

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s got a lot of support early on. Lawmakers want Texas to join a growing number of states in restricting public school students from using their cellphones during the school day, answering calls from educators who say the state needs … Continue reading →

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

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 17

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with Mahmoud Khalil as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff notes that the Trump “Justice” Department has dropped the redistricting lawsuit filed by the Biden Justice Department after the 2021 redistricting. SocraticGadfly … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of March 17

Third Houston measles case documented

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Again, we hope that’s all there is. The Houston Health Department has confirmed the city’s third measles case, months after identifying two cases in adults which marked the first measles cases since 2018. The Houston Health Department Sunday reported an … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Third Houston measles case documented

More on Paxton’s abortion arrests

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From Mother Jones. In what appears to be the first arrests of healthcare providers for allegedly violating a post-Roe v. Wade state abortion ban, Maria Margarita Rojas, a midwife working in the region around Houston, and her employee, medical assistant … Continue reading →

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

It’s always the highrises

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We have such a weird history of them in this town. A proposal to build a mixed-use tower in Montrose has hit a roadblock after the Houston Planning Commission rejected a variance request needed for the project, sending developers back … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s always the highrises

Menefee files, Martin announces for CD18

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I woke up to this on Monday. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee announced on Monday his bid for the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Democratic U.S. Rep. and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “I’m running because working … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Waller County midwife arrested on abortion charges

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Yikes. A Houston-area midwife has been arrested on allegations she performed illegal abortions, the first criminal charges brought under the state’s near-total abortion ban, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Monday. Maria Margarita Rojas, 48, was charged with the illegal … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Waller County midwife arrested on abortion charges

And here comes the voluntary retirement plan

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like the obvious move. In a letter sent to city employees Thursday, [Mayor John] Whitmire wrote that the city will be offering a “one-time Voluntary Municipal Retirement Payout Option” to employees who are eligible for retirement. The plan will … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The federal buildings that may or may not get sold

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who can even tell with these incompetent wannabe evildoers? The General Services Administration, landlord for federal government, said Tuesday it planned to sell more than 440 buildings across the U.S., including three in Houston and 21 others in Texas. The … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The federal buildings that may or may not get sold

An overview of our state water situation

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s pretty bad. Texas officials fear the state is gravely close to running out of water. Towns and cities could be on a path toward a severe shortage of water by 2030, data compiled in the state’s 2022 water plan … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You reap what you sow

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have one thing to say to this. In early February, the Texas Farm Bureau defended President Donald Trump as he moved to enact tariffs on foreign goods coming into the United States, saying they trusted him to “protect the … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Weekend link dump for March 16

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“The history of the present King of Great Britain President of the United States is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

Paxton opines against birth certificate and drivers license changes

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This fuckin’ guy… State agencies should not honor court orders to change the sex on someone’s driver’s license or birth certificate, according to an opinion filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Friday. He also said state agencies should retroactively … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The cost of the warming centers

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this last week. The City of Houston spent about $6.5 million as the January winter storm brought freezing temperatures and snow to the region. Mayor John Whitmire’s chief of staff, Chris Newport, told the city’s resilience committee Thursday that the 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Polk Street connection

Posted on March 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Closing off streets is a tough thing to do. On Feb. 1, signs went up announcing the city’s plan to abandon Polk Street between St. Emanuel and Hamilton streets. The closure is part of Houston First Corporation’s $2 billion overhaul … Continue reading →

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

Measles update: Hello, Oklahoma

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas count tops 250 and keeps on climbing. The measles outbreak that began in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 259 cases and spread to two more counties on Friday, health officials said. The latest update from … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Get rid of the delinquent tax collectors

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m glad Harris County is out of this business. Texas has the seventh-highest property taxes in the nation, according to the Tax Foundation, an unwelcome distinction state officials have for years tried to shed as they have repeatedly promised to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get rid of the delinquent tax collectors

Go Ashos! Go Tetas!

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious. WHO APPROVED THIS?!?! 💀 — Rangers Nation (@rangers__nation) 6:04 PM – 09 March 2025 The dawn of a new MLB season has spawned a myriad of new collectible merchandise, from baseball cards to jerseys. But right now, caps are … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Go Ashos! Go Tetas!

Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. The U.S. Justice Department withdrew from a lawsuit alleging that Texas’ legislative and congressional district maps drawn after the 2020 U.S. census discriminated against Latino and Black voters by denying them an equal opportunity to participate … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Justice Department drops Texas redistricting lawsuit

Of course some companies will make bank on school vouchers

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That’s just how this works. In August 2024, the business magazine Inc. released its annual list of the top 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States. At 815th, a burgeoning upstart called ClassWallet cracked the list’s top 20 percent for the third straight … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course some companies will make bank on school vouchers

Dispatches from Dallas, March 14 edition

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth, we have updates around the May elections and moving them to November; Mayor Johnson turns up in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dispatches from Dallas, March 14 edition

Once again, don’t bet on expanded gambling

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the safest wager out there. A dozen Texas House Republicans who replaced pro-gambling lawmakers said this week they would oppose “any attempt to expand gambling” this session — a setback for efforts to legalize casinos and sports betting in … Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Once again, don’t bet on expanded gambling

Chron calls for Abbott to get on with it in CD18

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I doubt he’ll listen, but it can’t hurt to try. When the Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee died in July, the 18th Congressional District mourned the loss of a dedicated and longtime public servant. Fortunately, there was already a well-publicized election … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 10

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with Rep. Al Green as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of March 10

Texas measles case count up to 223

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just a brief update this time. Texas’ measles outbreak has grown to 223 cases, the state reported Tuesday morning. The outbreak began in Gaines County, near the New Mexico border. The reported cases have not spread outside of West Texas and the Panhandle, according … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texas measles case count up to 223

Remembering Sylvester Turner

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A fine sendoff for a dedicated public servant. Sylvester Turner represented Houston on a national stage for decades as a state representative, mayor and congressman, but on Tuesday he was “Uncle Sylvester.” Turner received one of Houston’s highest honors Tuesday … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Remembering Sylvester Turner

Repair Cafés

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is very cool. The Harris County’s Katherine Tyra Branch Library [was] crowded with toolboxes, sewing machines and piles of spare parts from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m on Saturday, as volunteer fixers help area residents mend everything from broken appliances to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Repair Cafés

Rural Texas’ scramble to respond to the measles outbreak

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have a lot of sympathy during these trying times, but there’s a reason for all this, and we should be clear about it. Five years ago, Melanie Richburg used a roll of duct tape, a HEPA filter and a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We’ve got tourists

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Yes we do. Houston continues to attract more visitors, setting records in 2024 for number of visitors, air passengers and hotel revenue. More than 54 million people visited the city last year, 6% more than the estimated 51 million in … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Duckees responds to Buc-ee’s

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Time for a litigation update. It’s been nearly three months since Texas gas station giant Buc-ee’s, which has a rapidly growing presence and fanbase outside the state, accused another animal-faced brand of ripping it off. Now, the duck-centric competitor rivaling … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bill to fix joint primary problem introduced

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Worth watching. What happened? Texas state senators Thursday held a public hearing on legislation crafted to update a 2023 law requiring certain counties to drastically increase the number of polling locations if they use vote centers for countywide voting. Last … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bill to fix joint primary problem introduced

The GRB gets bigger

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Houston First head Michael Heckman on Thursday unveiled plans for a $2 billion overhaul of the George R. Brown Convention Center, a project they said would “transform” the city’s downtown and east side while … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The GRB gets bigger

“A bigger threat to U.S. federal government information systems than China”

Posted on March 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Brian Krebs assesses the DOGE madness from a cybersecurity perspective. The Trump administration has fired at least 130 employees at the federal government’s foremost cybersecurity body  — the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Those dismissals reportedly included CISA staff dedicated to securing U.S. elections, … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “A bigger threat to U.S. federal government information systems than China”

Weekend link dump for March 9

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Speaker Johnson, do you believe there should be a multi-story golden statue of Donald Trump in Gaza?” “A Study of Mint Plants. A Device to Stop Bleeding. This Is the Scientific Research Ted Cruz Calls “Woke.”” I assure you, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment