Monthly Archives: July 2008

Metro makes change to east end of Universities line

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

One more change for the route of the Universities Line. The Metropolitan Transit Authority board voted Thursday to reroute the planned University light rail line away from a half-mile stretch of Wheeler Avenue following months of entreaties by residents and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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John Edwards in town

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Former Senator and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards was in town this week to promote his anti-poverty agenda. Edwards, from North Carolina, said he would “fight with every fiber of my being” to help low-income Americans. The former Democratic vice-presidential … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on John Edwards in town

More motorcycles

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose an increase in the number of motorcycles was inevitable. Though data on new motorcycle registrations are not yet available, there are already nearly 400,000 of them on Texas roads. “We’re seeing an increased number of motorcycles, no doubt … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The next Mayor of San Antonio

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Before Houston elects a new Mayor next November, San Antonio will do the same in May. Ken Rodriguez takes a look at what is shaping up to be a historic race. “So,” my friend wanted to know, “what do you … Continue reading →

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“Money should NEVER stand in the way of health care”

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to reiterate the title of this post, and then urge you to follow the link to understand what it’s about and maybe take action to help: Money should NEVER stand in the way of health care. Just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 2 Comments

More flagships

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This is a step in the right direction. Lawmakers on Wednesday took one step closer to anointing a third public flagship by inviting leaders of Texas’ seven “emerging” research institutions to pitch a case for why they should become the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 3 Comments

Obama’s Latino outreach

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Julia Pippert was on a conference call yesterday with the Obama campaign, which had to do with their Latino outreach strategy. The good news is that they have one: Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) [hosted the call and] unveiled the new … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | 4 Comments

Metro gets another approval from the feds

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Haven’t seen this in the papers, but according to Metro, they have received final federal approval for the Southeast line. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) granted its final approval of the Southeast Corridor Supplemental Final Environmental Statement (SFEIS) through a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The new Examiner

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Check out the new look at the West U Examiner, which debuted this past week. It’s much slicker, with user comments in stories, and apparently will have more frequent updates – see, for example, this story about the ongoing Kirby … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | 1 Comment

The costs and effects of mass imprisonment

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a long, detailed article that summarizes the current research on crime and imprisonment and the costs of the latter on society. There’s way to much to try to encapsulate here, but I do want to highlight these three paragraphs, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 2 Comments

Brimer will appeal

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I guess State Sen. Kim Brimer hasn’t lost in court often enough yet, because he wants to try again with the appeals court. “We are in the process of both: campaigning for the fall election and appealing the district court’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Culberson: Let me revise and extend those remarks

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, when Rep. John Culberson criticized NASA by saying it had “failed us miserably” and “wastes a vast amount of money”, I wrote that I expected Culberson would wind up walking back his remarks. Looks like I was right. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

The Harris County money race

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve referred to the 2008 elections here as being very different from what we’re used to seeing. One simple reason for that is that there will be ample funding available for local Democratic campaign efforts. Disclosures on a complicated web … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

One more race on the ballot

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Due to the untimely death of Harris County Probate Judge Russell Austin last month, there will be one more race on the ballot this fall. As of yesterday, the Harris County GOP has chosen its nominee for that bench. About … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

Where’s your report, Chuck?

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Harris County Clerk Beverly Kaufman says she will ask District Attorney Ken Magidson to look into the fact that former District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal apparently hasn’t filed his semi-annual campaign finance report. The deadline was July 15. Rosenthal resigned … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Where’s your report, Chuck?

Homes for the homeless

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Given the previous story about the problem of dealing with mentally ill homeless folks that the jails have, this article about a proposed shelter for them is quite timely. The list of those who support Magnolia Glen, a project that … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Kos comes to Houston

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned before that I had the chance to meet Markos Moulitsas Zuniga from Daily Kos. He mentioned to me as we chatted that he’d be back in Texas soon, Houston in particular, as part of his book tour. Turns … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff, Books | 1 Comment

Judge rules for Davis in ballot access case

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Democrat Wendy Davis is eligible to run against state Sen. KimBrimer, R-Fort Worth, in November, according to a civil court ruling. When asked if Brimer planned to appeal the ruling, his lawyer, Nick Acuff, said “I think so.” Outside … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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A billion short

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We first heard about this last month, and now it seems certain: The new business tax will fall well short or revenue projections. “It’s almost certain we’re going to come in about a billion dollars below what we estimated,” Sen. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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State of Play

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a Texas Monthly article by Paul Burka that takes a look at how the Presidential race might affect various key downballot races in Texas. It’s pretty comprehensive, and very Burka-esque, with all the good and bang-your-head-against-a-wall-ness that implies. One … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | 5 Comments

Density and transit go hand in hand

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This recent article about a new high-end 236-unit apartment at Richmond and Dunlavy in Montrose contains a point that I wish would get mentioned more often. David Robinson, president of the Neartown Association, said his group realizes change, specifically higher … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Steffy runs against the wind

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I would have had respect for Loren Steffy’s dissenting opinion on wind energy had he acknowledged any of the following: The externalities imposed by coal- and gas-powered plants cost us a boatload of money, too; factoring in those externalities makes … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Comments Off on Steffy runs against the wind

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 21

Posted on July 22, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We’re back from Netroots Nation, and we’ve got a lot to talk about. There’ll be a special roundup of NN coverage at another time, but for now, here are the Texas Progressive Alliance blog highlights from last week. Read on… Continue reading →

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The jails and the mentally ill

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Tough story to read in the Chron today about mentally ill folks and the role the county jails have played as de facto health care provider for them. At the Harris County Jail, deputies and health care workers have a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

Incentivizing recycling

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Though there’s been some recent good news on the recycling front, the city of Houston still has a long way to go to bring its program up to an acceptable level, which has been having problems for years now. “Everything … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment

Bell’s launch

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

And it’s official: Chris Bell has his formal campaign kickoff yesterday. In a rally held in a sweltering tent outside his new campaign headquarters just blocks from his southwest Houston home, Bell said he sees the seat as “a golden … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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The bypass blues

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The bypass giveth, and the bypass taketh away. If motorists on a new branch of Texas 249 glance out their windows as they zip past Tomball, they’ll see a blur of restaurants and shops that soon will be framed in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Check your citizenship

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

MSNBC recently asked the question “Could you pass the latest citizenship test?” Naturally, I had to find out. Here’s the answer: I thought it was pretty easy, and I think most people reading this will find it easy as well, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

A few random thoughts on my trip to Netroots Nation

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

We departed Austin yesterday at 2 PM. That’s earlier than we’d originally planned, but when the kids announce they’re ready to go home, the couple of extra hours you’d thought you’d stay start to look optional. So we’re back, and … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for July 19

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Had a good time at Netroots Nation. Happy to be sleeping in my own bed again. Dumping links for your weekend amusement. Yes, I meant to do this yesterday. Lawn zombies. I need to get one of them. Via the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Commissioners Court to try, try again

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Commissioners Court could vote Tuesday on whether to take another shot at asking voters to approve a bond proposal for a new jail. County administrators scaled back plans for the downtown facility after the electorate rejected … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 1 Comment

You there! Go play outside!

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Do you have a teenager at home? If so, he or she probably isn’t exercising enough. One of the largest studies of its kind shows just how sluggish American children become once they hit the teen years: While 90 percent … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | 1 Comment

From the “Things are tough all over” department

Posted on July 20, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The repo man cometh. In a bad economy, fun is often the first casualty. For James Hedrick, that means it’s a busy time in his line of work. He’s one of those dreaded repo men. He spends his days scanning … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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Bell’s campaign kickoff

Posted on July 19, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

The official campaign kickoff for Chris Bell is tomorrow at his new campaign headquarters. The details: WHO: Chris Bell and friends open Texas Senate campaign HQ WHEN: Sunday, July 20th, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. WHERE: 4019 S. Braeswood Blvd … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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