Monthly Archives: September 2011

Eversole pleads out

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Another saga comes to an end. Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole pleaded guilty this morning in federal court to a felony charge of making a false statement to FBI agents. The charge carries up to five years in prison and … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: So that’s what “random” means

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, here’s a radical idea: How about I hit Shuffle on my iPod and report the first ten songs that come up? You know, like they used to do in the old days? No theme, just ten randomly-played songs. What … Continue reading →

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Sonogram law still blocked

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas sonogram law, that was ruled unconstitutional before it could go into effect, will stay in legal limbo for the time being. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ordered the main provisions of the law were improper because they … Continue reading →

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Giving tax breaks to those that don’t need them

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You can add this to the list of things schools might have to pay for that they don’t have the money to pay for. Three environmental commissioners appointed by Gov. Rick Perry are considering whether to grant some of the … Continue reading →

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Today’s Republican Party is too radical even for Rick Perry

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Mark Jones states a few facts about the Texas version of the DREAM Act that Rick Perry signed in 2001, and what it says about the Republican Party now. In 2001 the Republican Party enjoyed a narrow majority over the … Continue reading →

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Jus’ what?

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the stupid lawyer tricks department: Heights-area restaurant Jus’ Mac, which boasts a variety of gourmet macaroni-and-cheese dishes mixed with anything from jalapenos to pineapple to Doritos, is in a trademark disagreement with the McDonald’s Corp. McDonald’s claims the “Mac” … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

TRO granted for redistricting plans

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The San Antonio panel this morning enjoined provisions of the Texas Election Code requiring counties to redraw precinct boundaries by October 1 and to issue new voter registration certificates to voters by December 6. The panel also enjoined … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jones saga comes to a close

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

At long last. A three-member panel led by Mayor Annise Parker has found insufficient cause to believe Councilwoman Jolanda Jones breached council ethics violations documented in a city investigation. In a four-page report, the panel also criticized the Office of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“How to Choose a Texas Electric Provider the Wrong Way”

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Recently, my friend Dan Wallach wrote a guest post here about how to find the best deal on electricity in Texas. Robert Nagle, another friend of mine, took issue with some of the things Dan wrote and penned a response … Continue reading →

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“Litter on a stick”

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I think the saddest thing about this story is that it’s basically the only mainstream media coverage the At Large #2 race has received. Houston Mayor Annise Parker announced a crackdown on so-called bandit signs Wednesday, pledging to issue fines … Continue reading →

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On spending and jobs

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

What exactly was the point of this story? About 600 workers already are on the job building the North, Southeast and East End lines, according Metro. “This is an opportunity for Metro to create thousands of jobs in Houston for … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 26

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks Alec Baldwin’s hair does a pretty decent impersonation of our Governor as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Laurie Robinson

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Concluding my interviews with Council candidates is a newcomer, Laurie Robinson, who is running for At Large #5. Robinson is a businesswoman and regulatory compliance expert in the health care industry. She has worked in the Department of Health and … Continue reading →

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Trouble with the trees

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The drought gets more expensive for the city of Houston. The drought is about to claim yet more of Houston’s green – this time $4.5 million in tax dollars to remove trees that have died of thirst. Houston’s driest year … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No funding for long term water needs

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We know what we need to do, we just don’t want to pay for it. On paper, at least, Texas is well-prepared to meet the water needs of its rapidly expanding population — even when Mother Nature lays down a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The can banners fight back

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve blogged before about New Braunfels’s new ordinance that bans disposable containers on the Comal River. Since then, those who oppose the ban have gotten organized and have succeeded in putting a referendum to repeal the ordinance on the November … Continue reading →

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TRO requested for redistricting plans

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: This morning, MALC and the Texas Latino Redistricting Task Force asked the San Antonio panel to enter a temporary restraining order to prevent the State of Texas from implementing its redistricting plans on the grounds that they have … Continue reading →

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Interview with Jack Christie

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in At Large #5 is a familiar face, that of Jack Christie, who is on his third run for this office. Christie came very close to winning in 2009, ultimately falling by 1500 votes in the runoff. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Evaluating Eversole

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we prepare to say good-bye and good riddance to Jerry Eversole, the Chron takes a look at what he has achieved in office and what his legacy might be. After more than 20 years as a Harris County commissioner, … Continue reading →

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More things that schools have to deal with that isn’t in their budgets

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Droughts and wildfires. The drought across Texas has lasted nearly 12 months, and it doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. In fact, La Niña, the intermittent Pacific Ocean phenomenon that caused the drought, is back and strengthening. … Continue reading →

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Ron Paul got no respect

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Poor dear. Ron Paul says Republican leaders in the Texas legislature asked him how he would like his district to be changed during the recently completed redistricting process. “So they did exactly the opposite,” the libertarian congressman told Texas on … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Jolanda Jones

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Our last look at a Council race is the most interesting race involving an incumbent, as once again CM Jolanda Jones faces some tough competition in At Large #5. If you follow Houston politics at all you are surely familiar … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2011 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Austin will keep May elections for now

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the city of Austin holds its municipal elections in May. They have three year terms for City Council, so half of their elections are held in even-numbered years. As we also know, a bill that was passed … Continue reading →

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Still room for discontent in the Big XII

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Texas A&M is on the way out, OU and UT are settling back in, but what’s left of the Big XII still isn’t quite a happy family. Contrasting pictures of the stability of the Big 12 were highlighted by OU … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Bike sharing comes to New York

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You’d have thought – or at least, I’d have thought – that New York City would have been a very early adopter of bike sharing. Turns out they’re just getting started now. At a press conference [last Wednesday] afternoon, the … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 25

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

“If there’s a bright center to the universe, you’re on the planet that it’s farthest from.” How much money recording artists make from the different ways of selling their music. Dinosaur feathers. Awesome. “These same Republicans who are dubious of … Continue reading →

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Still cleaning up Tommy Thomas’ mess

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Some stains take a long time to scrub out. The U.S. Justice Department is proceeding with an investigation of Harris County sheriff’s operations, after county leaders refused to enter into a civil rights settlement with the government or hire an … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hempstead commuter rail update

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a look at how commuter rail along 290 might work. Commuter trains from Hempstead to Houston could start running by 2019 if the Gulf Coast Rail District can secure $300 million and if Union Pacific Railroad lets passenger cars … Continue reading →

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Even in Midland

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Fact-based sex education replaces mythical thinking in Midland. And they said it couldn’t be done. In the spring, public school students in Midland will cross what until very recently was the political third rail of sex education. For the first … Continue reading →

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

What we lost in the wildfires

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going to take a long time to recover from the fires. The fire burned through the heart of the Lost Pines area, a unique ecological island encompassing some 64,000 acres of loblolly pine, the westernmost stands of the great … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Jersey Girl

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Song #99 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Jersey Girl”, originally by Tom Waits and iconically covered by Bruce Springsteen. Here’s Waits: No mistaking that voice. And here’s the Boss: Boy, watching Clarence Clemons play his sax never … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 1 Comment

DOJ says redistricting plans purposely discriminated

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Game on. The Justice Department said late Friday that based on their preliminary investigation, a congressional redistricting map signed into law by Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry appears to have been “adopted, at least in part, for the purpose of … Continue reading →

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Another Division I program in San Antonio?

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what the University of the Incarnate Word wants to be. UIW President Lou Agnese said Friday the Cardinals are considering joining the Southland Conference after less than two years in the Division II Lone Star Conference. UIW’s interest in … Continue reading →

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Rescuing fish

Posted on September 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Wildlife biologists [last week evacuated] two species of minnows from the shrinking waters of a West Texas river in the first of what could be several rescue operations involving fish affected by the state’s worst drought in decades. Smalleye … Continue reading →

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