Monthly Archives: April 2007

TYC: Indictments handed down on Brookins and Hernandez

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Last month, a grand jury heard evidence against accused former TYC employees Ray Brookins and John Paul Hernandez, who were accused of sexual assault against minor inmates at the Pyote facility, but did not take any action against them. Today … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

TYC: Reynolds’ removal sought

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a strange twist in the TYC saga: Petitions to remove do-nothing District Attorney Randall Reynolds and County Attorney Kevin Acker were filed yesterday, with the latter being filed by Reynolds himself. A three-page petition to remove Ward County District … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on TYC: Reynolds’ removal sought

Pearland kids get anti-smoking measure on the ballot

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in March, an intrepid group of sixth-graders in Pearland decided to do something about the city’s lack of a smoking ordinance for public places. A group of sixth-grade science students got a standing ovation at a Pearland City Council … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Friends of the Center at City Council

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

According to Houstonist, today’s City Council meeting should be interesting: Join the Friends of Cullen (Cullen is the residence hall at The Center) in going to the City Council meeting on Tuesday April 10th at 2pm. City Council members have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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RIP, Johnny Hart

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get to this yesterday – Johnny Hart, the creator of the comic “BC” and co-creator of “The Wizard of Id” has passed away at the age of 76. I haven’t read either strip in years, partly because I couldn’t … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 2 Comments

Ben Barnes for Senate?

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I have three words to say to the sudden flurry of Ben Barnes for Senate reports that have popped up: Just say no. Let’s put aside for a moment his call girl issues and his Carole Keeton Strayhorn issues. I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Ben Barnes for Senate?

Why you can’t use your cellphone on an airplane

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t actually have a problem with the ban on cellphone use on airplanes. Like any normal person, I’d rather not have to overhear however many one-sided conversations – it’d be a smorgasbord of TMI, which (let’s face it), we … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 2 Comments

Zoning in the Heights?

Posted on April 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a provocative subhead if ever I saw one: Houston panel urges zoning on development in neighborhoods. The reality sounds a lot less scary, though. As the city continues to struggle with the impact of new development on its older … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

What the city hopes to do with its WiFi

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot of “coulds” in this story about how the city of Houston hopes to integrate its new WiFi network into existing functions, but there’s some meat to it as well: Richard Lewis, the city’s director of information technology, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 1 Comment

Diane Zamora revisited

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Diane Zamora, one half of the infamous “Cadet Killers”, sat for her first interview in prison, which aired on Dateline last night. Among other things, she agreed to take a lie detector test. It’s fascinating reading whether you think she’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

The Chron talks trash

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorializes about the trash task force report and its recommendations. Derided by Councilman Michael Berry as “less service, higher cost,” the proposal actually would be a bargain. It would create a dedicated fund of as much as $19 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Speed trap!

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The only thing that surprises me about this article regarding small town speed traps in Texas is that the town of Selma isn’t on it. That place, just north of San Antonio on I-35, was notorious back in the day … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 5 Comments

Harris County jails: Deadlier than ever

Posted on April 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in February, the Chron reported that an average of 17 inmates had died in the Harris County jails between 2001 and 2006, with the latter seeing 22 prisoner deaths. If the first three months of this year are any … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Harris County jails: Deadlier than ever

The Mayor talks about the Center

Posted on April 8, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor White has an op-ed in the Chron about the current unpleasantness surrounding the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation. I haven’t done a word-for-word comparison, but I believe it’s the same as the memo he sent to City Council … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

“The Sopranos In Seven Minutes”

Posted on April 8, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

There are two awesome things about this story. One is that it exists at all: [W]here “The Sopranos” has so far taken around 77 hours to deliver the dark saga of family and crime in New Jersey, this other “Sopranos,” … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on “The Sopranos In Seven Minutes”

Throws right and left

Posted on April 8, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s something you don’t see every day: a switch-throwing pitcher. The pitch was nothing remarkable: Pat Venditte, Creighton University’s temporarily right-handed pitcher, threw a fastball past a Northern Iowa batter for a called strike three. It was his next windup … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Throws right and left

Toll road moratorium passes Senate committee

Posted on April 7, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

When last we checked, State Sen. John Carona had flipflopped on the two-year toll road moratorium bill SB1267, saying it would not get heard in committee. In the end, however, Carona did bring the bill up, and it passed out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Toll road moratorium passes Senate committee

Frew settlement

Posted on April 7, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get to this yesterday, but we appear to have a settlement in the Frew lawsuit, pending approval of the judge. A source close to the negotiations, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the state would spend more than … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Frew settlement

Bad baby names

Posted on April 7, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

It’s probably a good thing I didn’t come across this before we decided on Audrey’s name. Not because there’d have been any danger of us adopting any of the wonderfully weird baby names contained therein, but because I’d have been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | 2 Comments

City responds to Jones again

Posted on April 6, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As Matt Stiles notes, the city has filed its response (PDF) to Ray Jones’ appeal to the Supreme Court to get on the ballot for the May 12 special election. I don’t know if the Supremes will act as quickly … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 1 Comment

More on the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation

Posted on April 6, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

When I first read about the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation, I said I needed more information to know how I’d feel about the issue. I’m at that point now, having seen more news and yesterday’s Chron editorial, with … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

MLB returns to InDemand cable

Posted on April 6, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Since this was the very first thing my mother asked me about when I picked my parents up at the airport yesterday, the least I can do is blog about it. Extra Innings will return to cable television under a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Please pardon the interruption

Posted on April 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

My site has been basically inaccessible to me all day – I don’t know what was going on with my webhost, but I was last able to use Movable Type around 9 AM this morning. I think they must have … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia | 1 Comment

No deal yet in Frew lawsuit

Posted on April 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Frew lawsuit over Medicaid has been the subject of negotiations between the victorious plaintiffs and various legislators with budget responsibilities, but as of yesterday there was no deal yet. Susan Zinn, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said she had … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on No deal yet in Frew lawsuit

The giant Presidential heads get set to move to Pearland

Posted on April 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

sniff It won’t be the same driving by on Sawyer and not seeing the Giant Presidential Heads once they’ve been moved to their new home in Pearland. “This is a natural,” [developer Richard] Browne said. “We can make this the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

A chat with Berke Breathed

Posted on April 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a chat with Opus artist Berkeley Breathed, who has a new children’s book out. There’s a TMI-style Q&A with him, and this interesting tidbit from the story: His latest children’s book, Mars Needs Moms! (Philomel, $16.99), which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Comments Off on A chat with Berke Breathed

Red light camera bills pass out of Senate

Posted on April 5, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Carona bill, which would limit the revenue cities can collect on tickets generated by red light cameras, has passed the Senate. The provision requiring cities to spend some of the resulting revenue on trauma care and traffic safety is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Council members back Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The recent news about the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation has now brought the first wave of backlash, from some members of City Council. “We are going to do the right thing,” Councilwoman Ada Edwards assured the six people … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 3 Comments

Petition for hearings on campaign finance bills

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Over on BOR, the John Courage PAC 501(c)(4) nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy and education organization True Courage Action Network has a link to a petition that they plan to hand delivery to Elections Committee Chair Leo Berman asking him to give … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Petition for hearings on campaign finance bills

RIP, Eddie Robinson

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Legendary coach at Grambling University Eddie Robinson has passed away at the age of 88. Robinson’s was a career that spanned 11 presidents, several wars and the civil-rights movement. His older records were what people remembered: in 57 years, Robinson … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on RIP, Eddie Robinson

CHIP bill passes House

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

On its second attempt, the CHIP restoration bill by Rep. Sylvester Turner passed out of the House. The bill would end some of the eligibility and enrollment restrictions that helped shrink the number of recipients by about 182,000 since 2003. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on CHIP bill passes House

Read the reports

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Want to know more about the WiFi contract or the task force report on solid waste management? The City Hall blog has you covered here and here, respectively, with a comparison to how other cities do the latter as a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Read the reports

Van Chancellor elected to Basketball Hall of Fame

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations, Coach Chancellor! Van Chancellor’s chest swelled with pride when the national anthem played for his undefeated United States women’s team at the Athens Olympics, and there was an overwhelming sense of achievement when the Comets won each of their … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Seventeen named hurricanes predicted

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Last year, the official estimate for the 2007 hurricane season was 14 named storms. Then we heard that La Nina was active, which would tend to increase the number of hurricanes. And sure enough, that esitmate has now been bumped … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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