Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Some tiny trimming of Miles’ wings

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t much, but I guess it’s something. Houston ISD has quietly published a new document draft that would reduce state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ authority in appointing members to the committee overseeing the potential $4.4 billion school bond if approved. According … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Kristen Hawkins

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am continuing the series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested November elections. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. Much more information … Continue reading →

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HCDP opposes the HISD bond

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea where they’re going to get the votes for this thing. Both the Harris County Democratic and Republican Party executive committees have unanimously voted in favor of resolutions opposing the largest school bond in state history, which … Continue reading →

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RIP, Judge Frank Aguilar

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry to hear this. Judge Frank Aguilar, who presided over the 228th District Court, died Sunday, according to county officials. He was 66. Other judges were notified about Aguilar’s death around 9 p.m. in an email from 55th District … Continue reading →

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Interview with Katie Shumway of the League of Women Voters of Houston

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This week we’re going to spend some time with people who are working on the nuts and bolts of this election. For over 100 years, the League of Women Voters of Houston has been the premier organization for information about … Continue reading →

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Vote harvesting provision of omnibus voter suppression law SB1 blocked in federal court

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Very timely, even if it took forever to get here. A federal judge ruled on Saturday that part of a Texas law that enacted new voting restrictions violated the U.S. Constitution by being too vague and restricting free speech. The ruling, made by … Continue reading →

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More on Fertitta and the WNBA

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He does sound serious. The Houston Rockets are putting together a proposal to bring a WNBA franchise back to the city but are currently awaiting further instruction from the league’s representatives, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and president of business operations … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 29

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Parental Rights Face a Surprising Moment of Truth at the Supreme Court”. “Immigrants are unsung heroes of global trade and value creation”. “Elon Musk, from behind a massive army of bodyguards, now tweeting 150+ times a day”. Lost was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 4 Comments

Is the Texas Republican Party actually worried?

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I hope so. The Republican Party of Texas has vowed a “major investment” in South Texas legislative races amid ongoing criticism from county-level leaders over its fundraising and voter outreach efforts. On Monday, the party announced a commitment to knock … Continue reading →

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Court reform has to be about more than just SCOTUS

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Exhibit A. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton returned to court on Thursday to press his case against the Biden administration’s workforce protections for transgender employees. Texas’s lawsuit, filed in federal court on Thursday against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and … Continue reading →

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PAC-12 sues Mountain West over exit fees

Posted on September 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Realignment season keeps heating up. The Pac-12 is suing the Mountain West over what it calls an unlawful and unenforceable “poaching penalty” that would cost the rebuilding conference more than $40 million for adding Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State … Continue reading →

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SCOTx rejects Paxton’s State Fair appeal

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Game over, you lose. The Texas Supreme Court denied a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block a gun ban by the State Fair of Texas, meaning the fair will go forward this weekend with the gun ban … Continue reading →

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KP George indicted on charges of misrepresenting his identity

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a misdemeanor, but still. As a general rule, you don’t want “indicted” to be the verb in a sentence where your name is the subject. Fort Bend County Judge Kyle Prasad (KP) George was indicted Thursday on a misdemeanor … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Another immigration nonprofit sues Paxton

Posted on September 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He just can’t quit harassing them. An El Paso nonprofit that provides legal services to immigrants and migrants has filed a lawsuit that attempts to block an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who has increasingly targeted groups on … Continue reading →

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Get ready for a lot more Allred and Cruz ads on TV

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Keep the remote nearby so you can hit “mute” as needed. U.S. Senate Democrats are sending millions to Texas in a new round of investments to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced Thursday. The DSCC will … Continue reading →

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The students are leaving and they’re not coming back

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Down, down, down… Houston ISD is on track in 2024-25 to see its largest single-year enrollment loss since the pandemic, with the majority of student departures coming from campuses overhauled under a controversial new model implemented by state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. Records … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Endorsement watch: Two good ones

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gives an enthusiastic endorsement for a full term for the newest State Senator, Molly Cook. Maybe only an emergency room nurse could think that a 14-hour day working at the Capitol is easy. That seems to be the … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, September 27 edition

Posted on September 27, 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, more on Eddie Garcia’s departure from the Dallas Police Department and the resignation (ahead of the sack) … Continue reading →

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Some Bexar County polling

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

New pollster alert, checking in on Bexar County. A survey conducted by the UTSA Center for Public Opinion Research suggests San Antonio residents are tepid about plans for a new sports complex for the San Antonio Spurs — a project … Continue reading →

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Cards Against Humanity against Elon Musk

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We live in such strange times. The game company Cards Against Humanity is suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX for $15 million, accusing the corporation that launches rockets from Texas of illegally trespassing on South Texas land and destroying property. The lawsuit, … Continue reading →

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City reaches collective bargaining agreement with HOPE

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston municipal workers will get raises of 12.5 percent over three years under a tentative contract announced by the mayor and union officials Monday. Under the proposal, all employees will receive an additional $116 per pay period, about $3,000 … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 23

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with the people of Springfield, Ohio (who among other things deserve to have a Senator that actually represents them) as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Ruth Kravetz

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

On Monday you heard the case for the HISD bond referendum. It’s fair to say there’s a lit of loud opposition to the referendum, with most of that opposition coming from people and organizations that are normally big boosters of … Continue reading →

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One “Trump Train” defendant found liable

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The rest were cleared. An Austin jury cleared all but one of six Donald Trump supporters who were accused of breaking federal law when they surrounded a Joe Biden campaign bus driving down a Texas highway days before the 2020 … Continue reading →

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Appeals court rejects Paxton in State Fair gun case

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Texas court of appeals has denied the request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block a gun ban by the State Fair of Texas. The fair will go forward this weekend with the gun ban in place. … Continue reading →

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

Paxton appeals State Fair ruling

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Days before the State Fair of Texas is set to begin, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is again seeking to block enforcement of the fair’s new policy banning most people from bringing guns to the fair this year. … Continue reading →

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The yarn-based activists against the HISD bond

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know how big this group is, but they are visible. Jessica Catrett sat cross-legged on the grass beside Sophie Grace-Rojas, a Project Chrysalis Middle School student, with bundles of yarn on a breezy Sunday morning outside the Houston … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Still catching up

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A couple of endorsements of interest for you. First, the Chron stuck with incumbent Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. A routine inspection of the state’s largest jail really shouldn’t garner headlines. Meeting “minimum safety standards” should never be cause for celebration for … Continue reading →

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Interview with Plácido Gómez and Dani Hernandez

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This week we are talking about the HISD bond referendum. We’ve already had plenty to say about this referendum, whose level of public support is unclear because of the questionable polling that’s been done so far. There are plenty of … Continue reading →

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Some Republicans consolidate around one Speaker candidate

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As is always the case, the field has narrowed. In the most concerted attack to date on Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan from within the GOP House ranks, 48 representatives and nominees for House districts selected Rep. David Cook … Continue reading →

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Fertitta to bid on a WNBA expansion franchise

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Rooting for him to succeed. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta on Thursday confirmed his intention to bid on an WNBA expansion franchise, a step toward returning the league to Houston at a time the WNBA is setting ratings and attendance records. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 22

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Ultimate World Cruise made its final stop in Miami, returning to where it started. How do the passengers feel now that they’re returning to their normal routines? And what will they miss (or not) about … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

A curious thing about the polls of Texas

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

You’ve probably seen this headline by now. For the first time in their hotly contested campaign, a poll shows U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, trailing challenger U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. The Morning Consult poll, conducted between Sept. 9 and 18, places … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Taral Patel and KP George

Posted on September 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. Investigators believe Fort Bend County judge KP George coordinated with his former chief of staff, Taral Patel, in posting from fake social media accounts in 2022 to influence the outcome of an election, a new search warrant … Continue reading →

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