Monthly Archives: April 2008

Mount Rush Hour

Posted on April 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I finally got the chance to photograph those giant Presidential heads that you can see on I-10 eastbound just past I-45: Here’s a map to where they are, in case you want a closer look that doesn’t involve highway speed. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

How not to register a complaint

Posted on April 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Not smart. A month before complaints about problems at his apartments were disclosed publicly, state Rep. Hubert Vo used his government letterhead to complain to Houston police commanders about the department’s scrutiny and accuse officers of harassment. “What I am … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 1 Comment

The Libertarian lineup

Posted on April 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The local Libertarian Party, which nominates by convention and not primary, has its slate of local candidates up. There are a few familiar names – Susan Delgado has apparently decided to follow the Mike Gravel career path; Drew Parks has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on The Libertarian lineup

For a public defender’s office

Posted on April 13, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Criminal defense attorney Mark Bennett endorses the idea of a public defender’s office in Harris County. Among other things, a public defender’s office can maintain standards in the area of investigations. Ad hoc lawyers are at the mercy of the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on For a public defender’s office

Watch those construction costs

Posted on April 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

In light of our recent discussion about the costs of transit, I thought I’d flag this story about the general rise in construction costs and how this is affecting capital projects. Rising prices for steel, concrete and oil are swelling … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

Interview with Michael Skelly

Posted on April 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Josh Berthume has a nice chat with CD07 challenger Michael Skelly. For those of you who first heard about Skelly from his awesome fundraising numbers and wondered if he was for real, here’s your chance to hear for yourself. Meanwhile, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Interview with Michael Skelly

Meet the new Solicitor General

Posted on April 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Supreme Court of Texas Blog points out a little news item that likely won’t get much notice but really ought to: the hiring of a new Solicitor General, a man named James Ho. Why should anyone care about this? … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Comments Off on Meet the new Solicitor General

San Antonio to jump on board the school zone cellphone ban bandwagon

Posted on April 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So far, the only places to ban cellphone use while driving through school zones have been small cities-within-cities like Highland Park and West University Place. That’s about to change in a big way. Soon you might not only have to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

The nurse’s union

Posted on April 12, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I missed this story from last week about the new nurses’ union in town, but having been reminded of it, I thought it was worth pointing out. It’s only been a few days since the California Nurses Association won its … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on The nurse’s union

Hubert Vo

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Marc Campos: Commentary has noticed that local Dems have been eerily quiet on the not so good run that Harris County Dem State Rep Hubert Vo has received in the Chron. There is another Chron article today plus an E-Board … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | 5 Comments

Big media me

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I have often said that I have a face for radio and a voice for blogging. Tonight you will have the chance to judge that for yourself, as I make my debut appearance on The Connection: Red, White, and Blue. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 6 Comments

Metro costs revisited

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So last week, the Chron’s Rad Sallee wrote about a jump in cost projections for Metro and the Southeast and Harrisburg light rail lines, which were reverted back to LRT from BRT late last year. That column got some people … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 8 Comments

Interview with Craig Watkins

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Radley Balko has a fascinating interview with Dallas County DA Craig Watkins in reason magazine. One point I’d like to highlight: reason: How should a prosecutor balance his time and resources between prosecuting present-day cases and looking for cases of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Interview with Craig Watkins

West U stands firm against AT&T

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Despite the pushback they have gotten from AT&T over the proposed ban on cellphones in school zones, with or without hands-free gadgets, the city of West University Place is holding firm in its desire to pass that ordinance. West U … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

Active hurricane season predicted: Film at 11

Posted on April 11, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. Like most other forecasters who have, or will soon, released their predictions, [hurricane season prognosticator Bill] Gray sees an active year, meaning the Atlantic should see more storms than usual. Gray said … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Comments Off on Active hurricane season predicted: Film at 11

Countdown: Urban parks and organic produce

Posted on April 10, 2008 by

Many of you may have wondered, “So he’s married, right? And she gets mentioned sometimes, but we’ve never actually HEARD from her…” So here I am to rectify that! As CK has mentioned before, I’ve been involved with the Board … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 5 Comments

New billboard ordinance delayed

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The deal with Clear Channel to take down over 800 billboards has been delayed for a week by City Council. The council is expected to take up the agreement at next week’s meeting. It calls for the company to dismantle … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on New billboard ordinance delayed

Bradford identifies the issues

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, GOP DA runoff winner Pat Lykos wants the November campaign to be about “issues”. I think we can all get behind that, so here’s the issues Democratic candidate C.O. Bradford wants to talk about, according to an … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Grade separation for Harrisburg in the works

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Recently, Metro ran into a roadblock – more of a tracks-block, actually – with its East End light rail line, which was denied permission to cross a freight rail track at grade on Harrisburg. That meant that the East End … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Comments Off on Grade separation for Harrisburg in the works

Public defender’s office gets OK to be studied

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a step in the right direction. Commissioners Court agreed Tuesday to study whether Harris County should create a public defenders office and what kind of program might work. The court voted 4-0 to instruct Budget Officer Dick Raycraft to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

Wind power to the people

Posted on April 10, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

From last week, a proposal to connect the wind farms in West Texas to the rest of the state. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees most of the state’s power grid, was asked by the Public Utility Commission … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Wind power to the people

More on Katy tollway congestion pricing

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that I don’t have a problem with the concept of congestion pricing, but there’s something about this that doesn’t feel right to me. Four toll lanes that will open on the rebuilt Katy Freeway in October will … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

KTRK wins injunction in Sheriff’s email deletion case

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office policy of automatically deleting e-mails after 14 days violates state law, a judge has ruled. State district Judge David J. Bernal issued a permanent injunction on Monday, preventing the department from implementing the policy … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Runoff wrapup

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Most of this I covered last night, but just to be official and all, here are the results of races of interest. – Pat Lykos won the DA runoff, and as soon as she did, the race for November began. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

If at first you don’t privatize, try try again

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

You have to hand it to Governor Perry. He never gives up, no matter how bad the idea is. Texans could buy lottery tickets at the checkout lines in supermarkets and big-box department stores, at coffee shops and cabarets. They … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | 1 Comment

The DMN writes about the HHSC

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

From yesterday, a familiar litany. Lawmakers are worried that a partly privatized system for determining who receives public assistance is still shaky and may not be salvageable. Paperwork for applicants has been lost. Needy Texans have received little help from … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on The DMN writes about the HHSC

Oh Danny Boy, you can come back now

Posted on April 9, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that pub in New York that banned Danny Boy last month? Well, they have now lifted the ban, as Saint Patrick’s Day is safely in the rearview mirror for the year. Danny Boy is back in the musical fold … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

Open results thread

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Early results are trickling in, some good, some not so good. Let’s have a look, Democrats first: – Who are these people that are voting for Mark Thompson? We had two excellent candidates for Railroad Commissioner at the start of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Updated billboard reduction plan set for Council

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Back in December, a plan to get Clear Channel to take down 800+ billboards was proposed by Mayor White, but it ran into resistance and was ultimately put off till later because of concerns that it would allow existing billboards … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Updated billboard reduction plan set for Council

Get ready for congestion pricing on I-10

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The new toll lanes on the finished I-10 product may cost more to drive during rush hour. The Harris County Toll Road Authority is recommending the court set a rate of $1.25 during nonpeak hours for the trip between Texas … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Free Starbucks At 11 AM Today!

Posted on April 8, 2008 by admin

Starbucks is giving away 8 oz cups of its new “everyday” coffee at all its locations at 11 a.m. CDT today. This freebie only lasts 30 minutes, so don’t be late or you’ll turn into a pumpkin latte. There has … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot! | Comments Off on Free Starbucks At 11 AM Today!

RIP, PinkDome

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

So long, PD. I’ll miss your liveblogging from the Capitol, your keen sense of fashion, and of course your crush on former Rep. Carter Casteel. Enjoy your retirement – you will be missed. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on RIP, PinkDome

Last chance to vote

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Today is Runoff Day, which is the last time anyone like me will nag you to vote until November, barring special elections such as the one we may get in SD17. If you’re a Democrat, you’ll be voting in whichever … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

The two DA runoffs

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron overviews the Travis County DA runoff, which is the hottest contest on the Democratic side of the ticket for tomorrow. A sharp debate over who would be the best public watchdog at the state Capitol has overshadowed the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on The two DA runoffs