Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Intellectual property lawsuit against DeLorean dismissed after settlement reached

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Whew. A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing the heads of San Antonio-based DeLorean Motors ReImagined of stealing intellectual property from a previous employer, according to an Express-News report. Last August, electric-vehicle maker Karma Automotive sued DeLorean CEO Joost … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of October 2

Posted on October 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance weekly roundup is best served with ketchup and seemingly ranch.

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Interview with Lesley Briones about the Harris Health System bond referendum

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s interview is about a vital issue that I suspect has gotten far less attention than it deserves. I’m speaking of the $2.5 billion bond issue to expand, improve, and renovate the public hospitals and other facilities of the Harris … Continue reading →

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More Paxton evidence released

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A little late, but here it is. Documents released Tuesday by the House impeachment managers reveal closer ties between the contractor who renovated Attorney General Ken Paxton’s home and Nate Paul, the financially troubled Austin real estate investor who was … Continue reading →

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Judge Hidalgo returns

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome back. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo thanked Harris County residents for their support Monday in a statement announcing her return to work after an extended leave of absence to receive mental health treatment. Hidalgo said in the statement that … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Kamin for C, Jackson for B

Posted on October 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets to two more endorsements, both for incumbents, the first being in District C. Abbie Kamin was the city’s first pregnant council member, a title she wore proudly and that informed her own advocacy around the horseshoe at … Continue reading →

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Interview with Fair for Houston, which is now Yes on Prop B

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I trust you are familiar by now with Fair for Houston, for which there was a successful petition drive to put an item on the Houston ballot this November. That item, which will be City Proposition B, aims to reform … Continue reading →

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And now we have a hue and cry about Whitmire’s campaign treasury

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m surprised it took this long, to be honest. U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee and former Metro Chair Gilbert Garcia have requested the city attorney to investigate alleged campaign contribution limit violations by State Sen. John Whitmire, hinting at a … Continue reading →

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HISD update threefer

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t keep up with all of the HISD stories, so I’m going to just highlight a couple of recent ones. Rumors of closure spark third rally at HISD campus as parents consider options. The family joined a Wednesday afternoon … Continue reading →

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Interview with Richard Cantu

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have one late-breaking interview for At Large #3 before I bring you some interviews for other items in this election. Richard Cantu is another familiar name, having been elected to serve on the HCDE Board of Trustees in 2018. … Continue reading →

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A Loving County update

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The country’s smallest county has the biggest election contest lawsuits. Most people can tell you where they live. But here in the least-populated county in the United States, “Where is your home?” can be a trick question laced with dark … Continue reading →

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Metro moves forward with its bike plan

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Really interested to see what this looks like. Metro’s board of directors voted Thursday to negotiate a contract with a Canadian company to launch Houston’s second bike-share program, but left unclear how – or whether – the two bicycle rental … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for October 1

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

“[Clarence] Thomas has attended at least two Koch donor summits, putting him in the extraordinary position of having helped a political network that has brought multiple cases before the Supreme Court.” “Here’s a rule of thumb: If you have to … Continue reading →

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The young activists of today

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Keep track of these names, or better yet get to know them. Olivia Julianna typed “#johnnyboywhitmire” into TikTok’s search bar. To her delight, her five videos critiquing Texas state senator and Houston mayoral hopeful John Whitmire had garnered a combined … Continue reading →

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From the “Idiots file dumb lawsuit” department

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I hesitate to give this any attention, but I feel it needs to be noted. Five people filed a lawsuit with Harris County District Court on Friday to remove Judge Lina Hidalgo from office, days before she is scheduled to … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Letitia Plummer

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I guess we’re rolling these out one at a time, and in no particular order. When some politicians shift their positions on high-profile issues, they get tagged with the dreaded “flip-flopper” label. So when At-Large Position 4 Councilmember Letitia Plummer … Continue reading →

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SCOTx rules whistleblowers’ lawsuit can proceed

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Supreme Court has sided with former top deputies of Attorney General Ken Paxton and cleared the way for their whistleblower lawsuit to move forward. The all-Republican Supreme Court on Friday rejected Paxton’s request to dismiss the lawsuit … Continue reading →

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New criminal courts coming online

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Three new felony courts with a $9.2 million budget are expected to open next week, in what officials say is the final stretch in tackling a backlog of criminal cases that have piled up over the past six years. … Continue reading →

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Sarah Stogner to run for RRC again

Posted on September 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

But not as a Republican. This could be interesting. Sarah Stogner announced Saturday at The Texas Tribune Festival that she is mounting her second campaign for the Texas Railroad Commission — this time, leaving the Republican Party to run as … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Mary Nan Huffman

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I had not planned to do an interview for District G this cycle – I only have so much time and capacity, and as of the July reporting deadline, incumbent CM Mary Nan Huffman did not have an opponent. And … Continue reading →

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Cruise cars are out on our streets

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From Axios. Cruise is testing autonomous vehicles without safety drivers in Houston ahead of a planned expansion into commercial nighttime service by the end of the year. Driving the news: A spokesperson for the autonomous vehicle company confirmed to Axios … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For the hospital bond

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good call. It’s unacceptable for a public hospital whose mission is to save lives to instead endanger them due to aging infrastructure that’s been neglected for too long. The pipe break was the second of three in 2020. Just weeks … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, September 29 edition

Posted on September 29, 2023 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 mayor of Dallas has jumped parties, quelle surprise. Also, some local follow-up on the Paxton impeachment, … Continue reading →

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Interview with James Joseph

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

One more interview in At Large #3, then I’ll have a bonus interview for you tomorrow. Today we speak with James Joseph, a native Houstonian, Fifth Ward resident, and newly minted PhD. A public relations consultant with a long background … Continue reading →

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Two book ban updates

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Bad news. A state law banning “sexually explicit” books from Texas schools will now go into effect, after an appeals court temporarily blocked a lower court ruling. The three-judge panel did not offer any reasoning. Their decision is temporary until … Continue reading →

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City Council approves B-Cycle lifeline

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this as a stopgap, but a real plan needs to be in place. Houston’s floundering bike sharing system has a little more life, after city officials approved $500,000 to keep the system operational, at least until a … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 25

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is rooting for as much Republican division post-impeachment as possible as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Casey Curry

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on in At Large #3, we come to another candidate with an interesting former job, longtime TV meteorologist Casey Curry. After a decade of weather reporting on the local news, Curry is now working in philanthropy and communications. She … Continue reading →

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Drag ban officially ruled unconstitutional

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas cannot enforce a new law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal judge said Tuesday in declaring the legislation unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge David Hittner found Senate Bill 12 “impermissibly infringes on the First Amendment and chills … Continue reading →

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Lots of people will not get that latest COVID shot

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Sadly not a big surprise. We could move this at the margins, but not as long as any part of government is in Republican control. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends new covid-19 booster vaccines for all — … Continue reading →

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Interview with Twila Carter

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with At Large #3, today we meet Twila Carter, who among other things has had one of the best jobs of anyone I’ve interviewed: For over a decade, she served as Senior Vice President of Community Relations of … Continue reading →

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The whistleblowers say they aren’t going away

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear it. In a Monday filing to the Texas Supreme Court, the whistleblowers [Blake Brickman, David Maxwell, Mark Penley and Ryan Vassar] argued that Paxton has failed to uphold key parts of the settlement agreement, including the $3.3 … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Picking someone in District E

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes their first candidate endorsement for November 2023. Houston City Council races are officially nonpartisan, but since just about everything seems partisan these days, let’s go ahead and say it: District E, the bizarrely shaped district that conjoins … Continue reading →

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Interview with Donnell Cooper

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last open At Large seat is At Large #3, which also has the biggest field of nine candidates. I have interviews with four of them this week, beginning with Donnell Cooper. Cooper is a Houston Community College Acres Homes … Continue reading →

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