Monthly Archives: September 2007

A bit more about the candidates

Posted on September 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I complained before that we don’t know a whole lot about many of the candidates for the various City Council offices beyond their names. While this story from the This Week section doesn’t go into much detail about anyone, it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Last call for comments to Metro on Universities line

Posted on September 16, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The DEIS has been filed, the public hearings have been heard, and the final decision about the route for the Universities line is imminent. You have one last chance to tell Metro what you think, and that’s by filling out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Chron on carpetbagging

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I have to say, I was appalled by this Chron editorial about “carpetbagging” in City Council races. In 2003 the council rolling stone was M.J. Khan, whose $2.3 million family residence was in Piney Point Village but who rented a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 3 Comments

Three strikes for Christie

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

First residency, then homestead exemptions, and now swimming pools. This is not been an auspicious campaign for Jack Christie. It appears City Council candidate Jack Christie’s residency isn’t the only thing that’s cloudy. So is the swimming pool at a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 6 Comments

Crossley on the Kirby construction

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

If you haven’t already attended the Upper Kirby public meeting on the upcoming construction of Kirby Drive north of 59, it’s probably too late to do so before reading yet another blog post about the project. But regardless, you should … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Allen House: Getting ready to go away

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve noted before that the Allen House Apartments are not long for this world. While there’s been a construction fence around the property for several weeks now, you can’t really tell how close they are to meeting their doom from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Adopt-A-Beach 2007

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

From the office of the Land Commissioner: The 21st Texas General Land Office Adopt-A-Beach Fall Cleanup will take place Saturday, September 22nd at 26 sites along the Texas coast announced Jerry Patterson, Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Teaching children to fear

Posted on September 15, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

This is the most depressing article I’ve read in awhile. Last month, I wrote about how our culture teaches children to fear men. Hundreds of men responded, many lamenting that they’ve now become fearful of children. They said they avert … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 2 Comments

Noriega racks up endorsements in Cameron County

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

In writing about Mikal Watts’ recent appearance before the University Democrats, Paul Burka opined that “The Democratic primary may well come down to a Houston/Dallas versus San Antonio/Valley fight for the Hispanic vote.” If that’s true, then I’d say Rick … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Mario Gallegos’ Very, Very Good Idea

Posted on September 14, 2007 by admin

Senator Mario Gallegos has a great idea to require all new schools built in Texas to meet strict building codes that would allow them to serve as temporary shelters during a hurricane. Florida has laws in place for this. He … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

More on the non-residency story

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever you thought of yesterday’s story regarding the questionable residencies of two City Council candidates, this is a more serious issue for one of them. City Council candidate Jack Christie could have to pay about $5,000 in back property taxes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 1 Comment

What’s so bad about a food fight?

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t get a chance to blog about the airport concessions contract yesterday, which wound up getting tagged for a week in Council, so here we go now: Mayor Bill White said Wednesday he was confident he had the votes to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 4 Comments

I Love Lucy

Posted on September 14, 2007 by admin

I got to see Lucy at the Houston Museum of Natural Science this week – free entry as a part of a science education leadership meeting – along with a tour by the exhibit’s curator, Dirk Van Tuerenhout. Dirk is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on I Love Lucy

HOPE in Houston

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

You already know that I love the TV show Dirty Jobs. One of the dirty secrets about a lot of these jobs, the ones that Mike Rowe says “make civilized life possible”, is that a lot of them don’t pay … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

I for one welcome our new arachnid overlords

Posted on September 14, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Ever wonder what might happen if the spiders got organized? Well, now you know. A variety of spider species built on one another’s work to create a sprawling web that blanketed hundreds of yards of trees and shrubs at a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Welcome, new citizens. Now get ready to vote!

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Whenever I think I’ve become too cynical, I find it’s a good tonic to read stories like this. Minutes after being sworn in Wednesday morning as a U.S. citizen, Roger Negron had already registered to vote and was filling out … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Welcome, new citizens. Now get ready to vote!

(Not) in residency

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a front page story today about two candidates for the crowded At Large #5 race who may or may not actually live in Houston, depending on how you look at it. City Council candidates Zafar Tahir and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2007 | 1 Comment

Rick Noriega’s Tribute to Sgt. Omar Mora

Posted on September 13, 2007 by admin

A Tribute to the Courage of Sgt. Omar Mora (1979-2007) A Statement from Lt. Col. Rick Noriega Yesterday, the greater Houston area lost another of its sons in uniform. US Army Sergeant Omar Mora died in a rollover accident while … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 6 Comments

Noriega on Cornyn and the surge

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t think I can really add anything to that. I know I’ve already mentioned one fundraising drive going on, but as we’re approaching the end of the quarter, this stuff grows in importance. The next person to donate to Rick … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

TexBlog PAC fundraiser

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Star Telegram has a story about the TexBlog PAC, of which I am a board member. The newly formed TexBlog Political Action Committee will hold its first fundraiser this month in Austin and has tapped five sitting Democratic House … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Goodbye, Humberto

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Now-Hurricane Humberto took a right turn last night and hit Beaumont and Louisiana instead of Houston. Hurricane Humberto blasted Beaumont with wind gusts up to 84 miles an hour this morning after forming suddenly and making landfall in Southeast Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | 1 Comment

More on the upcoming Upper Kirby renovation

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

After you’ve finished reading Robin’s post about the upcoming work on Kirby Drive north of US 59, be sure to also read Tory’s take, which focuses on a dispute between the Upper Kirby District TIRZ and Trees for Houston over … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The spread of red light cameras: Sugar Land and Missouri City

Posted on September 13, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting to be that you can’t run a red light anywhere around here without zooming past a red light camera. Sugar Land City Council unanimously voted in June to join Houston and other area cities in installing cameras designed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Hello, Humberto

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, this sure developed in a hurry. Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to reach shore late tonight just south of Galveston, dumping heavy rain from Victoria to eastern Louisiana. Some spots along the upper coast could receive 10 inches or … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Gone

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

And the River Oaks Shopping Center is officially gone: There was a small remnant of the old Black Eyed Pea this morning, but it didn’t last the day. Here’s a view from the rear: You can see the River Oaks … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Chang named District Clerk

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

As predicted, the District Court judges have named Assistant County Attorney Theresa Chang to be the replacement for outgoing Clerk Charles Bacarisse. The county’s state district judges unanimously backed Chang, who heads the county attorney’s compliance division, over three others … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The Chron on Weingarten and preservation

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorializes in favor of preserving the River Oaks Theater and the Alabama Bookstop. Since the city has no stick with which to force the owner to preserve the buildings, the mayor is offering carrots in the form of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Meet The Candidates In Clear Lake Tonight

Posted on September 12, 2007 by admin

Yes, Clear Lake is in the City of Houston and in Harris County. And, contrary to “urban legends” (take that Mike Griffin), it’s not the center of the red universe that it once was. The Clear Lake area has turned … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Interview with Joe Trevino

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing with my series of interviews with City Council candidates for the November election, today I bring you Joe Trevino, who is running for the open At Large #5 seat. Trevino is a retired educator – he’s been a principal … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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More on Bradford v Rosenthal, the Sequel

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Grits takes a closer look at the upcoming Harris County DA campaign and sees a good chance for former HPD Chief C.O. Bradford to knock off Chuck Rosenthal. He also reminds me of another good issue that Bradford could use … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 3 Comments

Ya no puede caminar

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

I confess to being somewhat ambivalent about Stace’s call to action regarding the comic strip La Cucaracha, which has disappeared from the dead-tree edition of the Chron, though it’s still online. It was never a regular read for me, though … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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King v Kenedy, still fighting it out

Posted on September 12, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

Yet another update in the King v Kenedy battle over wind farms, which last we visited here. Environmental groups will appeal a judge’s ruling that denied a public hearing into construction of a transmission line for two proposed wind farms … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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More grumbling about the HISD bond vote

Posted on September 11, 2007 by Charles Kuffner

More negative feedback for HISD regarding its bond proposal. Residents of Acres Homes and other predominantly African-American neighborhoods said Monday they won’t support the Houston school district’s $805 million bond issue if the schools in their communities remain earmarked for … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Lampson, Al Green, Jackson-Lee And Others Comment on Bringing The Troops Home

Posted on September 11, 2007 by admin

The Houston Chronicle got the reaction of local lawmakers to the Petraeus and Crocker testimony on Capitol Hill this week – and how they view bringing the troops home: Congressman Nick Lampson is up first (he’s going to hear from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Iraq attack | 2 Comments