Monthly Archives: January 2008

Trees on Kirby may be doomed after all

Posted on January 27, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This is a bummer. Despite a compromise that reclaimed 7 feet of paved width from a plan to revamp Kirby Drive, it now appears that all of the trees between Richmond Avenue and Westheimer Road will be lost to construction. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Trees on Kirby may be doomed after all

Red light camera watch: Hello, Amarillo!

Posted on January 27, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

At some point I’m going to have to ask if there’s anyplace left in Texas that doesn’t have red light cameras. Amarillo city commissioners approved installing red-light cameras at five intersections Tuesday after debating whether the cameras will increase rear-end … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

San Marcos balks at municipal WiFi

Posted on January 27, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The city of San Marcos is having second thoughts about a citywide WiFi plan due to the potential cost. Two years ago, San Marcos city leaders were eager to get a wireless network started. Like leaders of other cities, they … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 6 Comments

The state of the city 2008

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here is Mayor White’s State of the City address for 2008, which was delivered yesterday to the Greater Houston Partnership, and here is a brief summary of it in the Chron. The Mayor covered a lot of ground, and I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

LaRhonda Torry reinstated to primary ballot

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Via Carl Whitmarsh’s email list, the State Supreme Court has ruled that LaRhonda Torry, who had filed to run against State Rep. Garnet Coleman in HD147, should be restored to the ballot. I wasn’t aware that the First Court of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Los candidatos latinos

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Came across this Spanish-language story on the Chron’s front page about Latino candidates this year, and being interested in what it said but extremely limited in my Spanish proficiency, I plugged the text into Google’s translator to see what I’d … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Los candidatos latinos

Hooray for the No Call List!

Posted on January 26, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the best news you’re likely to read today. It wasn’t very long ago that Americans often had lunch and dinner — and sometimes even breakfast — interrupted by phone calls from sales people. Such nuisance calls were sharply reduced … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Hooray for the No Call List!

The GOP’s woes, or lack thereof

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Depending on who you ask, either 2008 is going to be another successful year for the Harris County GOP, or it’s gonna suck. As he tries to keep the job of Harris County judge, Republican Ed Emmett is warning that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 4 Comments

Friday random ten: Same name, different song

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

One thing that bedeviled me as I put together my cover-related Random Tens was running into songs that were definitely not the same, but bore the same name. To apply the final bludgeonings to this expired equestrian, here’s a Random … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

Countywide smoking ban proposed

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, one of the arguments against the expanded smoking ban that the city of Houston passed last year was that watering holes out near unincorporated areas would be put at a disadvantage. Well, it looks like the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 5 Comments

Dukes and Craddick

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that there really isn’t aren’t any relevant issues beyond Tom Craddick’s Speakership in most contested House primaries. Along those lines, via BOR comes this AusChron story about Travis County Craddick Dem Rep. Dawnna Dukes and her TPA-endorsed … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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And speaking of planning…

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Miya reminds us that the ongoing planning/anti-planning debate is more than just theoretical, because the anti-Ashby highrise ordinance, which was put off in November, is set to come back before Council soon. Of interest to me is her connection of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Paper, no plastic

Posted on January 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good for Whole Foods. Natural and organic grocer Whole Foods Market announced [Tuesday] it will stop using disposable plastic grocery bags at supermarket checkouts and encourage reusable bags instead. The decision affects all of the company’s 270 stores in the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on Paper, no plastic

At long last, the Governor’s emails

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I know the saga of the Governor’s purged emails feels like it’s been going on forever (see here and here for the last updates), but your wait has paid off. Via Elise Hu, we now have our first official peek … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 6 Comments

Ethics complaints filed against Medina and Hecht

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Watch goes for a threefer. A watchdog group filed ethics complaints today against two Texas Supreme Court justices alleging they illegally used political contributions to pay for personal travel. Justices Nathan Hecht and David Medina face complaints with the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 2 Comments

Medina grand jurors want to keep the ball rolling

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

You have to admire their determination. A day after finding out they didn’t have the legal authority to indict Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina and his wife in an arson case, former grand jurors said Wednesday they plan to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Medina grand jurors want to keep the ball rolling

No extension for Astrodome Redevelopment

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I confess, this is a bit of a surprise to me. A company’s bid to reinvent the Astrodome as a convention hotel suffered a major setback Wednesday when a county board refused to give it more time to negotiate a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on No extension for Astrodome Redevelopment

Candidate Q&A: Sam Houston

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you and what are you running for? My name is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate Q&A: Sam Houston

Did you save the receipt?

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I see that Justice Paul Green is trying to get a handle on the ethics complaint that has been filed against him. Texas Supreme Court Justice Paul Green said Tuesday that he would try to locate records showing that 272 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Did you save the receipt?

Farmers Branch does it again

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We knew it was coming, and now here it is: Farmers Branch passed another ordinance aimed at undocumented immigrants and rental housing. City officials whose previous attempts to keep out illegal immigrants have been blocked by the courts took another … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

“Thanks, Tom”

Posted on January 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Craddick Factor looms large in several primaries in the Fort Worth area. As Tom Craddick spoke to area Republicans on Jan. 14, he was greeted by dozens of supporters wearing “Thanks, Tom!” stickers. Not everyone wanted a sticker. As … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on “Thanks, Tom”

Texas Monthly and me

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So the February issue of Texas Monthly is on the newsstands, and they’ve got a feature story called 35 People Who Will Shape Our Future, one of whom is their cover boy, Lance Armstrong. And one of whom, amazingly enough, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 18 Comments

Court hearing on Wendy Davis’ ballot eligibility

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As noted before, today was the day for the court hearing regarding SD10 candidate Wendy Davis’ ballot eligibility. PoliTex has a nice liveblog of the proceedings, which to my layman’s eyes look like they went favorably for Davis. It appears … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Oh, those performance enhancers

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I see that Chuck Knoblauch has been invited to talk to Congress. Knoblauch, who played at Bellaire High School and Texas A&M, was asked to appear Thursday for the first of five depositions scheduled by the House Oversight and Government … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Oh, those performance enhancers

Ask about the Dome hotel, and ye shall receive an update

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I had wondered where we stood with the Astrodome convention center/hotel deal. Now we know. The Harris County Sports and Convention Corp. expects to work out a proposed lease within two weeks with the company that wants to turn the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Ask about the Dome hotel, and ye shall receive an update

Time for another S-CHIP veto override effort

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Another attempt to override President Bush’s veto of expanding S-CHIP is on the agenda for today. The struggling economy gives Democratic lawmakers another weapon in their effort to expand a popular children’s health insurance program. In the end, however, they … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Candidate interview: Ron Reynolds

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Note: This entry is part of a series of recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing written Q&As with judicial candidates. Today’s interviewee is Ron Reynolds, who is running for State Representative in House … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate interview: Ron Reynolds

Is this town big enough for all those convention center hotels?

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I just have one question regarding this story about another proposed convention center hotel for downtown: “The current convention center hotel is filling up, and Houston can attract more conventions if it had more hotel rooms in the Central Business … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

The circus is coming to town

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

That’s about the most succinct way I can think of to summarize this story about the court hearing next week in which Chuck Rosenthal has to explain his email deletions or risk facing contempt of court charges. The hearing, which … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on The circus is coming to town

The planning and anti-planning debate continues

Posted on January 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a little tidbit from anti-planner Randall O’Toole’s op-ed on Sunday that caught my eye: Cities with strong planning authority, such as Portland, Ore., and San Jose, Calif., almost invariably have the least affordable housing, the fastest growing traffic congestion … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Medina grand jury disbanded, judge criticizes DA

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I saw an earlier version of this story and was all set to get indignant about it, but now I think I’ll let the judge speak for me. A judge criticized the Harris County District Attorney’s Office today for not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Another Supreme Court judge facing campaign finance questions

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Add Paul Green to the list of State Supreme Court justices facing questions about campaign finances. A judicial watchdog group said Monday it will pursue an ethics complaint against Texas Supreme Court Justice Paul Green over his use of political … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Tough times in the DA’s office

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I do have a fair amount of sympathy for the folks who are stuck working for Chuck Rosenthal. “It’s awful,” said Luci Davidson, one of Rosenthal’s division chiefs. “You never know when you wake up and turn on the news … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

Candidate Q&A: Andres Pereira

Posted on January 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you, and what are you running for? My name is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate Q&A: Andres Pereira