Monthly Archives: July 2007

Outsourcing FEMA

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The State of Texas plans to look towards the private sector for relief when the next big hurricane hits. “If FEMA shows up, good,” said Jack Colley, chief of the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management. ”But we’re not waiting.” Call … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

Dynamo Stadium deadline extended

Posted on July 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in May, when it was announced that the city was officially negotiating with the Houston Dynamo about a stadium for the team, a mid-July deadline was set for the talks. Seeing as how today is July 16, you might … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on Dynamo Stadium deadline extended

Bush Promises To Veto CHIP Expansion

Posted on July 15, 2007 by admin

Apparently, Bush has not seen SICKO. And, no surprise here, he doesn’t give a damn about uninsured children. He plans to veto any expansion of CHIP. His excuses are mind numbing. Someone remind me of the cost per day of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

TYC outsourcing custody of 10-13 year olds

Posted on July 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Do you read the Texas Register? It’s the weekly notice bulletin for all state agency rulemaking published by the Secretary of State. Apparently, the Texas Youth Commission has decided that it’s the ideal place for public announcement of policy changes, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on TYC outsourcing custody of 10-13 year olds

Bunker Hill widening revisited

Posted on July 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I heard this story on KUHF on Friday evening, and it piqued my curiosity. Donna Freeman knows this area. She’s lived here for most of her life and is proud of a small creek and patch of woods just off … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Mackey draws SEC’s attention

Posted on July 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, a CEO posting information on message boards under a pseudonym that may affect the stock price of his company or that of a rival company that his firm hopes to acquire is something that regulators frown on. Who knew? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

Classroom blogging

Posted on July 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a course being taught this summer on Texas State and Local Government at Austin Community College that requires students to set up and write a blog as part of their grade. Establishing a Texas-oriented political blog counts for 16.6% … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Fundraising: Lampson and Cornyn

Posted on July 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We know Rep. Nick Lampson is one of the top targets for the GOP in 2008. The good news is that Lampson is off to a good start in fundraising. U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson has raised twice as much as … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Fundraising: Lampson and Cornyn

What about that smoking ban?

Posted on July 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the expanded smoking ban that the city passed in October of 2006, which forbade smoking in bars? The ordinance contained a few exceptions, including one for “bars that promote cigar smoking and derive significant revenue from tobacco sales”. Unfortunately, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on What about that smoking ban?

Wind power for the city

Posted on July 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of this. Hoping to stabilize a $150 million annual electricity bill, Houston officials have negotiated a contract to ensure that a third of the city’s power is generated by wind. If approved, the contract would make … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Wind power for the city

More on inmate outsourcing

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorializes about the great outsourcing of inmates to Louisiana. A number of factors put Harris County jail managers in the position of having to ship prisoners out of state to lower the inmate population. Some district judges continue … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Report from the Tejano Democrats endorsement meeting

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Stace attended last night’s Tejano Democrats endorsement meeting and has a report on what happened, along with pictures. Although there were several contested races for the coveted endorsement, the most competitive turned out to be, as expected, the Houston City … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 6 Comments

When CEOs blog badly

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Remember John Mackey of Whole Foods, the renegade CEO blogger? Turns out he’s been a presence on the Internet for awhile, and some of it is coming back to bite him. Whole Foods Market Chief Executive Officer John Mackey criticized … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 1 Comment

Fundraising numbers – Grant and Jaworski

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Mikal Watts isn’t the only Democratic hopeful for 2008 who has announced good fundraising numbers for the second quarter of 2007. Here’s Dan Grant, one of the contenders for CD10: Foreign policy expert Dan Grant today announced that he will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Fundraising numbers – Grant and Jaworski

Don’t wear your iPod in a thunderstorm

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this makes sense, even if it is something I’d rather have remained ignorant about. Listen to an iPod during a storm and you may get more than electrifying tunes. A Canadian jogger suffered wishbone-shaped chest and neck burns, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 3 Comments

Outsourcing inmates

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

What happens when our jails get too full? We ship inmates to Louisiana. Harris County on Friday will begin shipping the first of as many as 400 of its prisoners to a private jail in northeast Louisiana, costing taxpayers up … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Trees cut down at River Oaks shopping center

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Well, so much for being designated as landmarks. Contractors removed a line of trees, including several large oaks, from the edge of the River Oaks Shopping Center Wednesday as Weingarten Realty Investors continued its preparations to demolish part of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Trees cut down at River Oaks shopping center

Cornyn attacks Watts

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Well, somebody thinks we’re gonna have ourselves a real Senate race next year. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn‘s political money-raising operation has wasted no time in playing the trial lawyer card against potential Democratic opponent Mikal Watts, an attorney from San … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 5 Comments

A tour of the freight trains

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Christof has an interesting announcement. We’ve all seen freight trains. Many of us have them in our neighborhoods. But where are they coming from? Where are they going? And why do they spend so much time sitting still? These are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Astro-Whirled

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As someone who’s spent a few hours in the past couple of years photographing the demolition of various local landmarks, I can totally relate to this guy. Every March for almost 30 years, David Purdie waited in the same line … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Astro-Whirled

Harris County Tejano Democrats meeting tonight

Posted on July 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

A major event in the 2007 campaign season occurs tonight as the Harris County Tejano Democrats get together to make their endorsements for November. One race in particular stands out, that for the open District I seat being vacated by … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | Comments Off on Harris County Tejano Democrats meeting tonight

Noriega on Lady Bird

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Rick Noriega has issued the following statement on the passing on Lady Bird Johnson: “Melissa and I were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Lady Bird Johnson this afternoon. She represented the best of Texas – … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Noriega on Lady Bird

RIP, Lady Bird Johnson

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Former First Lady and all around national treasure Lady Bird Johnson has passed away at the age of 94. In recent years, the widow of Lyndon Baines Johnson was virtually silenced by a stroke. She was nearly blinded by macular … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

But, Do We Need To Stock Up On Duct Tape?

Posted on July 11, 2007 by admin

Michael Chertoff’s “gut” is telling him we are facing a heightened terrorist threat this summer. Has his gut turned red? Orange? Has he made a Home Depot run for duct tape? I’m confused by his remarks as they sound awfully … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

Better times at BARC

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve read this story on Kent Robertson, the new boss of the Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care (BARC), and it occurs to me that I just hadn’t realized how bad things had been there. “We hear it all the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Better times at BARC

Noriega to announce tomorrow

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Rick Noriega will officially announce the creation of the “Rick Noriega for Texas Exploratory Committee” for the U.S. Senate tomorrow morning in Austin. Miya Shay has the press release. Details are as follows: Thursday, July 12, 2007 11:00 a.m. CDT … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Noriega to announce tomorrow

The Hill on Noriega and Watts

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Via Muse comes this article in The Hill on the emerging and exciting Democratic primary for Senate between Mikal Watts and Rick Noriega. I’ll leave it to Muse to highlight the best parts, I just want to note that for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 3 Comments

Take the train to the plane (someday)

Posted on July 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Tory relates a story of a quick but expensive cab ride from the airport to his hotel in Boston versus a cheap but slower trip back via mass transit, and asks: What do you think Metro’s trip times to IAH … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 3 Comments

Frew settlement okayed by judge

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Back in April, a settlement was reached in the Frew v. Hawkins lawsuit, which had to do with the state of Texas failing to meet its Medicaid obligations. Yesterday, that settlement was approved by the judge, which brings this long … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Frew settlement okayed by judge

More on tollway congestion pricing

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that I don’t have any theoretical objections to the concept of congestion pricing for the various toll roads and HOT lanes that cross or will cross our metro area. But the more I read about the “thinking” … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 9 Comments

Giving bloggers credit

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

My friend Stephanie forwarded me this AOL Fanhouse blog post about the relationship between sports bloggers and the media. I think the main thing I got out of it is that those of us in the political ‘sphere appear to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

County bonds and staffing issues

Posted on July 10, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve blogged before about a proposed $900 million county bond package that would go towards various courthouse/jail/family law projects. One of my concerns has been that the underlying issue of a serious guard shortage at the county jail needs to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

Watts raises $1.1 million

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

We knew Mikal Watts would have a lot of money available to him for his Senate race, both his own and money that he raised. According to RG Ratcliffe, that total is a pretty impressive $1.1 million for this quarter. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Watts raises $1.1 million

Four for Senate?

Posted on July 9, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Via BOR, I see that there’s a fourth potential contender for the Democratic nomination for Senate next year. With Rick Noriega and Mikal Watts in the race for the U.S. Senate the Gossips hear that former State Senator and Head … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Four for Senate?