Monthly Archives: January 2009

Round and round we go with City Council redistricting

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Vidal Martinez made the case in yesterday’s Chron for tackling the task of City Council redistricting in time for the 2009 elections, on the grounds that this is the deal the city agreed to with the Justice Department back in … Continue reading →

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Round and round we go with City Council redistricting

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Vidal Martinez made the case in yesterday’s Chron for tackling the task of City Council redistricting in time for the 2009 elections, on the grounds that this is the deal the city agreed to with the Justice Department back in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Round and round we go with City Council redistricting

Senate committees

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Elise Hu has the list of committees and members for the State Senate, which came out yesterday. Not much drama here – as she noted, Sen. John Carona, the on Republican vote against changing the rules for voter ID bills, … Continue reading →

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Senate committees

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Elise Hu has the list of committees and members for the State Senate, which came out yesterday. Not much drama here – as she noted, Sen. John Carona, the on Republican vote against changing the rules for voter ID bills, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Senate committees

Healthcare Workshop

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Public service announcement: Next Saturday, February 7, from 9 AM to 1 PM at Covenant Baptist Church (4949 Caroline, see map), the group Health Care For All Texas will be holding a workshop on “Health Reform: An Opportunity to Address … Continue reading →

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How much would you pay for that post office?

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The US Postal Service would like to make you a deal. The U.S. Postal Service is unloading as many as 200 facilities in an effort to offset some of its huge financial losses. In Houston, just two properties have been … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, National news | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Healthcare Workshop

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Public service announcement: Next Saturday, February 7, from 9 AM to 1 PM at Covenant Baptist Church (4949 Caroline, see map), the group Health Care For All Texas will be holding a workshop on “Health Reform: An Opportunity to Address … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 1 Comment

How much would you pay for that post office?

Posted on January 31, 2009 by Greg Wythe

The US Postal Service would like to make you a deal. The U.S. Postal Service is unloading as many as 200 facilities in an effort to offset some of its huge financial losses. In Houston, just two properties have been … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, National news | 2 Comments

Friday random ten: Still more new music

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Once more to the new music. I’ll probably take another tour through Genius-land starting next week, but for now we’re still mining the new music. 1. Fancy Footwork – Chromeo 2. Everybody Hurts – Elk City 3. Running Away – … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 2 Comments

Friday Random Ten: Still more new music

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Once more to the new music. I’ll probably take another tour through Genius-land starting next week, but for now we’re still mining the new music. 1. Fancy Footwork – Chromeo 2. Everybody Hurts – Elk City 3. Running Away – … Continue reading →

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Critics claim camera study shenanigans

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So what else is new? The Houston Police Department tried to influence the outcome of a controversial city-commissioned study by changing how crashes at intersections with red-light cameras were counted, according to documents included in a lawsuit. HPD’s request was … Continue reading →

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Critics claim camera study shenanigans

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Greg Wythe

So what else is new? The Houston Police Department tried to influence the outcome of a controversial city-commissioned study by changing how crashes at intersections with red-light cameras were counted, according to documents included in a lawsuit. HPD’s request was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 1 Comment

Another lawsuit filed against DPS

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

That makes two such suits over the new DPS policy of verifying residency status in order to get a drivers license. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the lawsuit in state district court in Austin. It’s on … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Another lawsuit filed against DPS

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Greg Wythe

That makes two such suits over the new DPS policy of verifying residency status in order to get a drivers license. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the lawsuit in state district court in Austin. It’s on … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Comments Off on Another lawsuit filed against DPS

A SUPERTRAIN for Texas?

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. The idea of high-speed rail is being pushed again in a big way in Texas, and backers hope to have $12 billion to $18 billion high-speed trains running by 2020. This time, they say they have taken … Continue reading →

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A SUPERTRAIN for Texas?

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Greg Wythe

It could happen. The idea of high-speed rail is being pushed again in a big way in Texas, and backers hope to have $12 billion to $18 billion high-speed trains running by 2020. This time, they say they have taken … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 6 Comments

Let’s always elect our Senators

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, having seen what a farce the gubernatorial-selection process for replacing Senators has been this year, proposes to do something about it: The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant Senate seats make it … Continue reading →

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Let’s always elect our Senators

Posted on January 30, 2009 by Greg Wythe

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, having seen what a farce the gubernatorial-selection process for replacing Senators has been this year, proposes to do something about it: The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant Senate seats make it … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 3 Comments

Blogging for “Houston Have Your Say 2.0”

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m at KUHT along with Ree-C Murphey and Mike Reed of the Examiner newspapers, and we’re getting ready to begin doing our stream-of-consciousness thing for Houston Have Your Say. You can follow us there, and I’m sure I’ll post a … Continue reading →

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Blogging for “Houston Have Your Say 2.0”

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

I’m at KUHT along with Ree-C Murphey and Mike Reed of the Examiner newspapers, and we’re getting ready to begin doing our stream-of-consciousness thing for Houston Have Your Say. You can follow us there, and I’m sure I’ll post a … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Blogging for “Houston Have Your Say 2.0”

House adopts rules

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Once again, not much drama in the lower chamber. After an all-day debate, the House approved its rules for the 2009 legislative session in a relaxed atmosphere overseen by new Speaker Joe Straus. The most intense squabble came when the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on House adopts rules

House adopts rules

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, not much drama in the lower chamber. After an all-day debate, the House approved its rules for the 2009 legislative session in a relaxed atmosphere overseen by new Speaker Joe Straus. The most intense squabble came when the … Continue reading →

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Houston Have Your Say 2.0

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

So last year I got to serve as an on-the-spot blogger for KUHF’s production of Houston Have Your Say, which was about immigration. I blogged some of it at Kuff’s World and some of it at a blog that was … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 5 Comments

Houston Have Your Say 2.0

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So last year I got to serve as an on-the-spot blogger for KUHF’s production of Houston Have Your Say, which was about immigration. I blogged some of it at Kuff’s World and some of it at a blog that was … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston Have Your Say 2.0

Election date set for District H

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

City Council has officially set the date for the District H special election. As noted in Item 42 of the Council agenda, the special election date is Saturday, May 9, which is the next uniform election date. If there are … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Comments Off on Election date set for District H

Election date set for District H

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

City Council has officially set the date for the District H special election. As noted in Item 42 of the Council agenda, the special election date is Saturday, May 9, which is the next uniform election date. If there are … Continue reading →

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California breathin’

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We may get some cleaner air to breathe here in Texas thanks to California and President Obama. Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to review the Bush administration’s refusal to allow California and 13 other states to set the nation’s … Continue reading →

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California breathin’

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

We may get some cleaner air to breathe here in Texas thanks to California and President Obama. Obama ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to review the Bush administration’s refusal to allow California and 13 other states to set the nation’s … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on California breathin’

Fish farming in the Gulf?

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Greg Wythe

Not sure what I think about this. Regional fishery managers have a plan to open the Gulf to the first industrial-scale fish farms in federal waters. The proposal — intended to help reduce the nation’s reliance on imported seafood — … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Fish farming in the Gulf?

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what I think about this. Regional fishery managers have a plan to open the Gulf to the first industrial-scale fish farms in federal waters. The proposal — intended to help reduce the nation’s reliance on imported seafood — … Continue reading →

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Don’t fear a fight with KBH

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Greg Wythe

I want to take a minute to recommend Karl-Thomas’ analysis of the Governor’s race, and why Democrats seem to be working towards a self-fulfilling prophecy of Kay Bailey Hutchison’s inevitability and unbeatableness. I’ve talked about some of this stuff before, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | 5 Comments

Don’t fear a fight with KBH

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I want to take a minute to recommend Karl-Thomas’ analysis of the Governor’s race, and why Democrats seem to be working towards a self-fulfilling prophecy of Kay Bailey Hutchison’s inevitability and unbeatableness. I’ve talked about some of this stuff before, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Don’t fear a fight with KBH

So much for the wine bar

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The battle between Weingarten and its neighbors over the changes to the new River Oaks Shopping Center, which reached a resolution two weeks ago, may end up as having been over nothing. Houston restaurateur Tony Vallone said he’s canceled plans … Continue reading →

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So much for the wine bar

Posted on January 28, 2009 by Greg Wythe

The battle between Weingarten and its neighbors over the changes to the new River Oaks Shopping Center, which reached a resolution two weeks ago, may end up as having been over nothing. Houston restaurateur Tony Vallone said he’s canceled plans … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on So much for the wine bar