Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Extending parking meter hours downtown

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m okay with this. Houston City Council will vote to extend the time residents will have to pay city parking meters on Wednesday. The current ordinance requires drivers who park in metered spots to pay between 7 a.m. and 6 … Continue reading →

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

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 1

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s one, two, three strikes you’re out at the old Texas Progressive Alliance weekly roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of April 1

One more whiny election loser lawsuit

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know, we all thought we were done with these. Nearly five months after Harris County’s November 2022 election results were upheld in court, another unsuccessful Republican judicial candidate laid out a similar set of facts before the same judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The judge-shopping will continue for the foreseeable future

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’re gonna have to make them stop. The chief judge of the northern district of Texas, home to infamous Trump judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, has informed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that the district will not change its case assigning … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The judge-shopping will continue for the foreseeable future

And the seas will rise

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’re so not ready for this. Cities along the Gulf Coast are bracing for 10 to 12 inches of sea level rise by 2050, and data from a study in the journal Nature last week showed those risks will be … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on And the seas will rise

The SD15 special election is now a two candidate race

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From Campos. Commentary said this after the Democratic Party Primary about three and a half weeks ago: “For what it is worth, according to the Texas Secretary of State website, Michelle Bonton, Molly Cook, State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, and Todd … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Influencer disclosures

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. Texas’ top campaign finance watchdog gave initial approval last week to a proposal that would require social media users to disclose if they are being paid to share or create political advertisements. The Texas Ethics Commission’s … Continue reading →

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

Hearing the eclipse

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is cool. Blind and low-vision people across North America will be able to experience the upcoming total solar eclipse, thanks to a handheld device that translates light into sound. The LightSound Box is a tool designed specifically to help … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Hearing the eclipse

Woman arrested on abortion charge sues Starr County DA

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good for her. When a Texas woman was arrested and jailed for self-inducing an abortion in 2022, her name and mugshot were quickly broadcast around the world. Three days later, the Starr County prosecutor dropped the charges and was later … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Woman arrested on abortion charge sues Starr County DA

San Antonio responds to “Reproductive Justice Fund” lawsuit

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck. A lawsuit over the City of San Antonio’s controversial but still undefined Reproductive Justice Fund made its way to a courtroom Thursday. While the city’s legal team tries to get the case thrown out of court, the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on San Antonio responds to “Reproductive Justice Fund” lawsuit

Travis Scott wants out of Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I would too if I were him. Whether he should or he will is another matter. Houston-born rapper Travis Scott said he should not be held personally responsible for the deaths of 10 people who died in the crushing crowds … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Travis Scott wants out of Astroworld lawsuit

Weekend link dump for March 31

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is giving away $640 million to 361 nonprofits, her organization — Yield Giving — and Lever for Change announced”. “Spies, War, Trump: We Still Don’t Really Understand What Paul Manafort Is Up To”. “What’s needed is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Of course Ted Cruz is getting paid to podcast

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is so stupid. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s office has repeatedly dismissed ethical questions about his three-times-a-week podcasting gig, saying he makes no money from the venture with a company that lobbies Congress. But over the last year, iHeartMedia, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course Ted Cruz is getting paid to podcast

HISD’s current goals

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They have ’em. Some I totally agree with. Others, well, we’ll see. Houston ISD is expected to expand several of its controversial reforms during the 2024-25 school year, according to a preliminary version of the district’s plans shared earlier this … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD’s current goals

“If you’ve ever gardened, you know you have to weed”

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What Allyn West says. I moved to Montrose in 2008, just in time for Hurricane Ike to welcome me to the Gulf Coast formally, and I lived on Crocker at Avondale during the pandemic. When Hurricane Harvey claimed the Honda … Continue reading →

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

Crystal Mason’s conviction for illegal voting overturned

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Justice at last. A Texas appeals court on Thursday overturned the illegal voting conviction of Crystal Mason, who was given a five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for federal tax … Continue reading →

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

Appeals court upholds injunction that halted DFPS investigations of trans kids’ families

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, the Texas Court of Appeals, Third District, upheld injunctions in two related cases against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and Commissioner Masters, barring them from implementing the agency’s rule expanding the definition … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court upholds injunction that halted DFPS investigations of trans kids’ families

The continuing problems of At Large-only school boards

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Landing take a look at the big picture. In Katy and several Houston-area districts, school boards have employed an election system — known as “at-large districts” — that has contributed to most trustees living in wealthier neighborhoods, a Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The continuing problems of At Large-only school boards

More on the Paxton deal

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story goes into some detail about how we ended up with the deferred adjudication deal that brought an abrupt end to the Ken Paxton securities fraud trial. Special prosecutors assigned to the case said years-long procedural delays made … Continue reading →

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

Hardy Toll Road connector approved

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very different project than what was first proposed. A planned extension of the Hardy Toll Road through the Near Northside into downtown Houston will proceed, but with various community-driven design elements. Harris County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a … Continue reading →

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

Dispatches from Dallas, March 29 edition

Posted on March 29, 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: Ken Paxton gets off with a slap on the wrist; repercussions from the election including a Big … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dispatches from Dallas, March 29 edition

Fifth Circuit leaves SB4 block in place

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal appeals panel late Tuesday night declined to put Texas’s migrant deportation law back in effect, saying the state law seizes powers that are “likely reserved to the United States.” The 2-1 opinion from the 5th Circuit Court … Continue reading →

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

Controller Hollins puts firefighter settlement tab at up to $1.3 billion

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That’s once you factor in interest payments over the life of the bonds that will be issued to cover this. Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed settlement with the firefighters union could cost significantly more than previously advertised, City Controller Chris … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Troy Nehls

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Could be something. We’ll see. U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, the bipartisan panel announced Tuesday. It did not specify the focus of the investigation, but Nehls said it was related to his … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 25

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance doesn’t want to think about California bookies as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of March 25

Paxton gets his deal

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will have his felony securities fraud charges dismissed in exchange for doing 100 hours of community service and meeting other requirements, according to a last-minute deal announced Tuesday. The agreement requires Paxton, 61, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

SCOTUS seems likely to dump the mifepristone ban case

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news. For this Supreme Court to reject abortion restrictions, the argument has to be pretty bad. “That it?” Justice Amy Coney Barrett cut in tersely as anti-abortion group lawyer Erin Hawley (yes, that Hawley) enumerated the supposed harms … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTUS seems likely to dump the mifepristone ban case

Secretaries of State and AI

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope our SOS is ready for this. A false call from a secretary of state telling poll workers they aren’t needed on Election Day. A fake video of a state election director shredding ballots before they’re counted. An … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Secretaries of State and AI

PFLAG wins injunction against Paxton’s intrusive data requests

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, as I have not seen any news stories about this yet: The Travis County District Court today granted a temporary injunction blocking the Texas Attorney General’s Office’s latest effort targeting transgender Texans — its demand that PFLAG … Continue reading →

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

Some AstroWorld defendants try to get out

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots going on here. Apple, Drake and other defendants targeted have asked a Harris County court to dismiss them from a sprawling lawsuit filed by victims of the 2021 Astroworld disaster. A flood of new motions and documents filed in … Continue reading →

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

Hope we have enough water this summer

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not looking great for some parts of the state right now. Two consecutive summers of brutal heat and drought have left some parts of Texas with notably low water supplies going into 2024. A wet year or a well-placed hurricane … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hope we have enough water this summer

Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They definitely have an interest in this. The Mexican government is urging a federal court to block Texas’ migrant deportation law, arguing it will trample the country’s right to regulate its own borders, terrorize the 2.4 million Mexican nationals living … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

The ITC fire five years later

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We learned some things from this. The Intercontinental Terminals Co. fire that broke out March 17, 2019, did not just lead to a massive black plume of smoke lingering for days over east Harris County, before spreading 20 miles to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The ITC fire five years later

Are you ready for some World Cup cricket?

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s here for you if you want to see it. The United States men’s national cricket team will play two series this spring at Prairie View Cricket Complex ahead of June’s historic 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Are you ready for some World Cup cricket?