Monthly Archives: August 2009

Burton for Land Commissioner

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via BOR, we have a report of a new statewide Democratic candidate, former Henderson County Justice of the Peace Bill Burton, who is running for Land Commissioner. I don’t know the man, but I hope to learn more about him. … Continue reading →

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Interview with Council Member Sue Lovell

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member Sue Lovell is running for re-election to her third term in At Large #2. She chairs the Quality of Life committee, from which the recent ordinances about billboards, signage, and attention-getting devices originated, as well as the Transportation, … Continue reading →

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KHOU polls the Mayor’s race

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We have a data point going into the Labor Day weekend. “The vast majority of voters are still undecided about who to vote for,” said 11 News political expert Bob Stein. “They’re simply unfamiliar with the candidates.” In the poll, … Continue reading →

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Three candidates so far for HISD Trustee in District I

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We know that Natasha Kamrani, the incumbent Trustee in HISD District I is not running for re-election. One candidate to replace her is Alma Lara, who was in the race before Kamrani announced that she was stepping down. According to … Continue reading →

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More on the city-county TIRZ deal

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron does a kind of big picture overview story of the city-county TIRZ deal that we heard about earlier this week. If successful, the months-long negotiations between the city and Harris County could provide a solution for problems that … Continue reading →

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Terry and Abe

Posted on August 31, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another get-to-know-Terry Grier story, focusing on his time in San Diego. The most interesting bit to me is right here: Abelardo Saavedra, the man Grier is in line to replace in Houston, endured more than his share of criticism … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for August 30

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, strep throat killed Mozart. Eric Bruntlett’s game-ending unassisted triple play. The publisher of “Reader’s Digest” has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It’s a good question: How do you deal with mass market crankery? We may need a Genius … Continue reading →

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Please go ahead and leave

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the real America haters. And remember that even though he wants nothing to do with them now, because it would look bad, these are the people Rick Perry was speaking to when he spoke about seceding. You can run … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The state of the Governor’s race

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

So we know that Tom Schieffer is in. So are Mark Thompson and Felix Alvarado. Ronnie Earle may or may not be in. Hank Gilbert now says that he’s in. Kinky (sigh) is fixing to be in. Some people think … Continue reading →

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Grand juror disagrees with dismissal of arson charge against Francisca Medina

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Given the grand jury issues that surrounded the original indictment of Supreme Court Justice David Medina in the matter of the fire that destroyed his house, this seems only fitting. A grand juror who sat on one of two panels … Continue reading →

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Do we have too much police?

Posted on August 30, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One thing that every candidate I talk to about crime in Houston agrees on is that we need for the various law enforcement agencies in Houston to work together better. Via Grits, it would seem that this is a statewide … Continue reading →

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More on Judge Jackson

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prosecutors aren’t done investigating Harris County Criminal Court Judge Don Jackson, who was indicted this week on charges of official oppression. Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, said investigators in the public integrity division want … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Saturday video break: Billie Jean doo-wop

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I think we’ve had enough time since Michael Jackson’s passing to pay video tribute to him here. I daresay you’ve not heard him done in this style before: Thanks to Mark Evanier for the tip.

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DA drops arson charges against Justice Medina’s wife

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You may recall the saga of State Supreme Court Justice David Medina, who was indicted on a charge of arson after his house burned down, then had that charge dismissed by Chuck Rosenthal amid much controversy – see here for … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From the “Term limits for thee, but not for me” department

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Write down the date and time, kids, because this doesn’t happen very often: I agree with Rick Perry about term limits. In seeking to retire the state’s longest-serving governor, Hutchison wants to limit Texas governors to eight years in office, … Continue reading →

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Always go to the source

Posted on August 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If you find yourself in the position of needing to file for unemployment insurance from the state of Texas, be sure you go to the Texas Workforce Commission page to do it. Do not go anywhere else. As if it’s … Continue reading →

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Filings and endorsements

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve added several updates to my recent endorsements list. It’s not comprehensive, as it doesn’t include earlier endorsements, but it’s what I know of the recent activities. Endorsement lists added today were the Spring Branch Democrats and the Greater Houston … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Right back at you

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The word of the week is “Back”. 1. Back Door Santa – Bon Jovi 2. Back Home Again in Indiana – Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins, and Stan Getz 3. Back In Baby’s Arms – Patsy Cline 4. Back In Love … Continue reading →

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Harris County criminal court judge indicted

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. A Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law judge was indicted Thursday on a misdemeanor charge of official oppression, accused of offering to get a DWI defendant in his court help getting her case dismissed in exchange for a sexual relationship. According … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Brown’s energy plan

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Completing our trifecta of Mayoral policy examinations, we come now to Peter Brown’s energy plan. As with other policy matters, Brown goes into more detail than the others – David Ortez recently wrote that Brown is “winning the policy campaign”, … Continue reading →

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Parents get their vote on HISD school construction projects

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The battle between a parents group and some HISD trustees had been waging with HISD Board President Larry Marshall over getting a vote for some school construction projects that the parents said had been promised during the 2007 bond referendum … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sparkless?

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know that I would say that the Mayor’s race has lacked spark, but it’s been relatively low key so far. I agree with this: What does it all mean? That the race remains a toss-up going into the … Continue reading →

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More from neoHouston on the new transit corridors ordinance

Posted on August 28, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Andrew Burleson, also known as neoHouston, was quoted in the Chron story on the new transit corridors ordinance. They only used a few words from him, however, and we all know he had more to say on the topic than … Continue reading →

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The Sheriff and the deputies

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had mentioned before that there was some discontent from the Sheriff’s deputies bubbling up, mostly in the form of emails sent to Carl Whitmarsh’s listserv. Earlier today, the following was sent out: SHERIFF GARCIA, KEEP YOUR PROMISES A Labor … Continue reading →

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Interview with Rick Rodriguez

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today’s interview subject is Rick Rodriguez, who is running in At Large #1. Rodriguez is a 24-year veteran of HPD, where he has worked in a variety of divisions and units, and is now in the Criminal Intelligence Division. He … Continue reading →

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Parker’s education plan

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up for review we have Annise Parker’s education plan. I should note that while the press release about this plan came out last week, a lot of the ideas within the plan have been on the table for awhile. … Continue reading →

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Forensic Science Commission gets its report on Willingham case

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to be a lot harder for anyone to claim with a straight face that the state of Texas has never executed an innocent man. Key testimony that sent a Corsicana auto mechanic to the execution chamber for setting … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Bonding Metro

Posted on August 27, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It wouldn’t be Metro if there weren’t drama. Metro has not obtained performance or payment bonds to cover all the planned construction of four new light rail lines, and some officials say that could put taxpayer dollars at risk. Metro … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wilshire Village Apartments…gone

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hair Balls, Swamplot, and Robert Boyd document the final demise of the Wilshire Village Apartments. Boyd wonders what will replace them. I wonder how long the land will lie vacant, given how long some other lots have remained empty following … Continue reading →

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Gilbert for Governor?

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hank Gilbert, the 2006 Democratic candidate for Ag Commissioner who had been up till recently running for that office again, is now thinking about running for Governor. [A]ccording to multiple sources that have confirmed this to Burnt Orange Report, Hank Gilbert, … Continue reading →

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Let the games begin

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The filing deadline for Houston municipal offices is one week from today – Martha has been keeping track of who has filed yet and who has not. What could be better to do immediately after the deadline than get together … Continue reading →

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Interview with Mills Worsham

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up is Mills Worsham, who is a candidate in District G. Worsham is the Houston Community College Trustee representing District 6, succeeding Jim Murphy after the latter’s election to the State Legislature in 2006. He is a native Houstonian … Continue reading →

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Locke’s crimefighting plan

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In the past week or so I’ve had several Mayoral candidate issue papers hit my inbox. As there was one from each campaign, I thought I’d try to do a little analysis of each of them. We’ll start today with … Continue reading →

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No vote from HISD on several school upgrades

Posted on August 26, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last week, I noted that a parents group and some HISD trustees were complaining about there not being a vote on three school construction projects that were promised as part of the 2007 bond referendum. Even though we now have … Continue reading →

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