Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Dispatches from Dallas, March 2 edition

Posted on March 2, 2024 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 a grab bag of election news, school news, Dallas city politics, school district news, eclipse … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Ten: Down to the wire

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go, the penultimate day and the day where we really see the uptick in early voting: Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 7,458 23,080 30,538 2016 12,202 53,302 65,504 2020 21,658 82,365 104,023 2024 14,002 65,756 79,758 2012 … Continue reading →

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SB4 blocked by federal court

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge in Austin on Thursday halted a new state law that would allow Texas police to arrest people suspected of crossing the Texas-Mexico border illegally. The law, Senate Bill 4, was scheduled to take effect Tuesday. U.S. … Continue reading →

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Firefighter back pay update

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Just tell me what the bill’s gonna be. The city of Houston and its firefighters are nearing an agreement to resolve their bitter, yearslong pay dispute, with specifics expected to take additional weeks or months to finalize, according to city … Continue reading →

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NASA needs more Mars simulation astronauts

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Your next job opportunity. NASA is seeking applicants to participate in its next simulated one-year Mars surface mission to help inform the agency’s plans for human exploration of the Red Planet. The second of three planned ground-based missions called CHAPEA … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Nine: Two more to go

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A slight uptick yesterday in early voting, with the two big days to come. Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 6,719 19,324 22,752 2016 11,367 45,552 56,919 2020 19,400 66,322 85,722 2024 12,448 55,456 67,904 2012 15,239 39,482 54,721 2016 … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues Pornhub under the currently-enforceable state anti-porn law

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this week sued a major online porn distributor in an effort to enforce a new state law mandating age verification and purported health warnings on adult websites. The lawsuit, filed in state court … Continue reading →

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The state of robotaxis in 2024

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good read. In 2023, it almost felt as if the promise of robotaxis was soon to be fulfilled. Hailing a robotaxi had briefly become the new trendy thing to do in San Francisco, as simple and everyday as ordering a … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of February 26

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance knows that banning IVF won’t be the end of it for the forced-birth zealots as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Eight: That was Tuesday

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We are at the point of the early voting calendar where I begin to run out of clever intros. Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 6,381 16,371 22,752 2016 10,970 34,419 45,389 2020 18,503 54,325 72,728 2024 10,440 47,185 57,625 … Continue reading →

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The HPD suspended cases situation

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to make of this. A review of sex crimes cases suspended with an internal code citing a lack of personnel has expanded department-wide to include more than 264,000 cases, Police Chief Troy Finner said Monday. The … Continue reading →

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You’re not going to fall for Greg Abbott’s BS about IVF, are you?

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s count the ways in which he dodged and weaved. Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that he supports Texas families having access to in vitro fertilization treatments and has “no doubt” the state will address issues raised by a recent … Continue reading →

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Preparing for the World Cup

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

FIFA requires real grass for its World Cup stadia, so NRG will be installing grass in 2026. The World Cup won’t hit Houston for another 28 months, but NRG Stadium and city officials already are preparing for the seven matches … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Seven: Week 2 begins

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Week Two is where the action really begins, though usually you don’t see the first hint of it until Wednesday. Let’s check the board: Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 6,295 13,763 18,058 2016 10,180 28,367 38,547 2020 16,651 44,349 … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS has its hearing on the stupid social media censorship law

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some modest hope, perhaps, that we’ll get a not-terrible ruling. The Supreme Court cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s revenge against the CCA

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The three incumbents running for their seats on Texas’ highest criminal courtwere not well known political figures outside of the legal community. That was until they earned the ire of Attorney General … Continue reading →

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Are we talking hockey in Houston again?

Posted on February 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It appears we are. Billionaire restaurateur and casino magnate Tilman Fertitta sees a professional hockey team as the next building block for the downtown Houston economy. The owner of the National Basketball Association’s Houston Rockets and the Golden Nugget casino … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Six: On to week 2

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Five more days of early voting to go. Here’s where we are after the weekend: Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 6,055 11,580 17,635 2016 8,850 23,384 32,234 2020 15,101 36,719 51,820 2024 7,643 33,276 40,919 2012 12,915 24,000 36,915 … Continue reading →

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El Paso rallies around Annunciation House

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They will need all this support and more. El Paso leaders on Friday denounced Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s threat to shut down Annunciation House, a network of migrant shelters that has been in operation for almost 50 years. “An … Continue reading →

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That other guy in CD18 drops out and endorses SJL

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Obviously earth-shaking news. Robert Slater, the longshot candidate challenging U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in the upcoming March primary, said he will suspend his campaign Sunday and endorse the incumbent congresswoman. Slater, a Houston chef and businessman, faced long odds … Continue reading →

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The Houston Avenue hullabaloo

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It seems like every new Mayor makes at least one dumb self-inflicted error early on in their tenure, because being Mayor is hard and there are lots of things that need to be done with priority. I’d say this goes … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 25

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin is a most unfortunate 39-minute program centered on the first Black character introduced by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz. The Peanuts franchise has programmed the show for Black History Month, that much is clear. But are … Continue reading →

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We have our HCAD candidates

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here they are, from the County Judge’s office: Place 1 Ramsey Isa Ankar Katherine Ballard Blueford-Daniels Era N. Ford William Reinhardt Frazier Place 2 Jevon German Janice W. Hines Melissa Louise Noriega Austin Ryan Pooley Kyle Anthony Scott Place 3 … Continue reading →

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Let them fight

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Let them fight. A $95.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan that passed the Senate overnight has sparked a battle between two of Texas’ most prominent Republicans, with Attorney General Ken Paxton calling U.S. Sen. John Cornyn an … Continue reading →

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At long last, the KLOL documentary

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

IYKYK. As announced exclusively in the Houston Chronicle, the long-awaited 101 KLOL Houston rock documentary, “Runaway Radio,” directed/produced by first-time filmmaker and Texas media blogger Mike McGuff, will be released this month with a special Houston screening in early March. … Continue reading →

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“Facial authentication”

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still thinking about how I feel about this. The Astros will be one of four Major League Baseball teams using facial authentication technology at this year’s opening day in an effort to speed up fans’ entry through the gates … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Four: Heading into the weekend

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

One sort-of full week of early voting down, seven more days to go. Let’s check the board: Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 6,055 8,242 14,297 2016 8,850 14,554 23,404 2020 15,101 25,260 40,361 2024 6,663 24,646 31,309 2012 12,915 … Continue reading →

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So what happened with the original Woodfill investigation?

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good question. Five years ago, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg appeared poised to prosecute Jared Woodfill, a prominent local attorney and Republican activist, for serious financial crimes. Ogg’s office received a judge’s permission to conduct a raid of his … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Constables

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron runs its endorsements in the Democratic primaries for Constable, in what I believe is now the last of their recommendations. They didn’t get off to a good start, however: Harris County Commissioners Court draws the constable precinct lines … Continue reading →

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2024 Primary Early Voting, Day Three: Settling in

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry I didn’t get to this yesterday. Too damn much news. Here we go. Year Mail Early Total ============================== 2012 5,875 6,317 12,192 2016 8,167 10,231 18,398 2020 13,793 17,735 31,528 2024 4,447 17,897 22,344 2012 12,450 13,464 25,914 2016 … Continue reading →

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More Dem primary polls from UH/Hobby Center

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I asked, and I received. Just months after a bruising campaign for mayor of Houston, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is leading her top challenger in the 18th Congressional District by five points, suggesting the closest race for the position … Continue reading →

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The Mike Miles “efficiency report”

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to reserve judgment on this for now, but it is fair to say that I start out with a nontrivial amount of skepticism. Nearly a year into the state takeover, appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles says he … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, February 23 edition

Posted on February 23, 2024 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: the Dallas City Manager resigns; the Mayor gets divorced; the City of Dallas passes a bond package; … Continue reading →

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The Shawn Thierry situation

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib covers one of the more important primaries in Harris County this cycle. That Senate Bill 14 would pass was not in doubt. The legislation, which would bar gender-transitioning care for children and teens, had universal Republican support and … Continue reading →

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