Monthly Archives: July 2012

More to the story on Bikinis, TX

Posted on July 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Well, what do you know? Bikinis Sports Bar and Grill CEO Doug Guller didn’t buy Bankersmith, but rather a piece of land nearby. Tax records show the actual town site is owned by Rudy Klinkseik, an adjacent landowner. And it’s … Continue reading →

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July finance reports, other legislative races of interest

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a roundup of campaign finance reports for other legislative races of interest from around the state. Dist Candidate Raised Spent Cash Loans =============================================================== SD10 W Davis (D,I) 824,871 405,628 1,097,238 0 SD10 Shelton (R) 53,293 35,916 301,146 0 SD25 … Continue reading →

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What will the excuse for austerity be now?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We’re in the money, as it were. Comptroller Susan Combs on Wednesday released updated details of how much money Texas is expected to collect in taxes and fees in fiscal year 2013, which begins on Sept. 1. The report, prepared … Continue reading →

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Who gets to use the water?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot more demand for an increasingly limited supply. More than miles separate the rice farms of the Texas coast and the Highland Lakes, where the outward march of Austin is marked by each new house, strip mall and … Continue reading →

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Your vote is worth 30 times what it usually is

Posted on July 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

A little runoff math from the Trib. It is easy to lament low voter turnout. Only 11 percent of the state’s voting age adults showed up for the May primaries. But look at their clout: Every actual voter was making … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 22

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’m still full from National Junk Food Day yesterday. When you absolutely, positively need a quote from an industry shill to make your story sound more genuine. “I think all the people in the … Continue reading →

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We better hope Amazon sticks to its deal with Texas

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Remember that deal Amazon made with the state to start charging sales tax here and to commit to creating 2,500 jobs in return for having back taxes forgiven? Apparently, there’s not much in the deal to make them regret it … Continue reading →

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Waiting for Rick (and Greg, and David)

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Ross Ramsey breaks out his crystal ball and looks ahead to the 2014 election. Remember this: In his long history in state politics — closing in on three decades — [Rick] Perry has run for everything he said he was … Continue reading →

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More on Latinos and marriage equality

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Twenty-one of the nation’s leading Hispanic organizations announced today their endorsement of a first-of-its kind, comprehensive public-education campaign called Familia es Familia aimed at strengthening Latino voices to build support within the Latino community for acceptance of … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: An opponent for Culberson

Posted on July 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets around to another race it ignored in May, the Democratic primary in CD07. The winner of the Democratic primary runoff for Texas’ U.S. House 7th District will face quite a battle against incumbent Rep. John Culberson on … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Song #59 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, by Peggy Seeger and covered by Roberta Flack. Here’s the original: Another original I can’t say I’m familiar with. It’s OK, but … Continue reading →

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HCDE sues for new election

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) today filed suit in federal court seeking new elections for Trustees whose district boundaries were wrong in the May 29th primary. HCDE officials learned earlier this week that outdated boundaries … Continue reading →

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It’s what comes after the rain that’ll get you

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

All that rain we got was great and badly needed to finally kill off last year’s drought. But we know what comes next. In the last three weeks, Harris County has confirmed three cases of this potentially deadly disease in … Continue reading →

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Big East settles up with departers

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Everyone who wants to leave the Big East is now free to do so. Well, maybe “free” isn’t exactly the right word. Pitt and the conference announced that the school will pay $7.5 million to join Syracuse in leaving the … Continue reading →

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Bikinis, Texas

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I got nothin’. Bikinis isn’t just a restaurant anymore. Now it’s a city, too. Doug Guller, owner of the Austin-based bar and restaurant chain, has purchased Bankersmith, a long-abandoned town in northwestern Kendall County, renaming it Bikinis, Texas. The purchase … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Honky Tonk Angels and more

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Country music pioneer and superstar Kitty Wells passed away this week. She was the first woman to break through as a solo performer in country music, and the first to have a hit song written from a distinctly female perspective. … Continue reading →

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July finance reports for area State House candidates

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a brief look at the July campaign finance reports for candidates in area State House races of interest. HD23 Raised Spent Cash Loan Wayne Faircloth 8,320 31,139 36,655 30,000 Bill Wallace 0 0 507 20,500 Craig Eiland 0 0 … Continue reading →

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Perry versus the insurance companies

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Quien es mas macho? Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he rejects the “Obamacare power grab” and will block measures expanding health insurance to millions in his state. The country’s second-biggest health insurer is betting he won’t succeed. The same day … Continue reading →

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HISD graduation rate up

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. Students in the Houston Independent School District are graduating at a higher rate for the fourth straight year, thanks in part to better tracking and online make-up courses, Superintendent Terry Grier said Monday. The district reported a graduation … Continue reading →

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How’s that can ban going?

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Depends who you ask. The so-called can ban doesn’t prohibit alcohol, but that message hasn’t been sticking. “People are calling saying, ‘You can’t drink in New Braunfels, so why am I coming?“’ said Shane Wolf, general manager of Rockin’ R … Continue reading →

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Joshua Sanders: Required Referendum Does Not Need To Be A Bump In The Road For A New Metro

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. The METRO Board should not risk its newfound goodwill by raiding its member entities’ General Mobility Program (GMP) funds after the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Smith in HD137

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes its second runoff endorsement in a race where its original endorsee failed to make it out of the first round. Whoever wins the race for Texas House District 137 will have big shoes to fill, replacing longtime … Continue reading →

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Poli Sci profs against voter ID

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Rice political science professor Mark Jones writes an op-ed in the Chron that does a thorough job of dissecting Texas’ contentious voter ID law. Nearly one out of every three Texas counties lacks an operational DPS office, and no office … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of July 16

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance wants you to know that it has never worked for Bain Capital as it brings you this week’s blog roundup.

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Boundary screwup could affect HCDE race

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is just freakin’ great. Because of a mix-up with the new district boundaries, not everyone who was qualified to vote in a school trustee race was able to and some voters who weren’t supposed to, were allowed to cast … Continue reading →

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Looking back at Romo versus Doggett

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Former CD35 candidate Sylvia Romo does a post-mortem on her unsuccessful run for Congress. “Texas is ready for a qualified Latina congresswoman,” she said. “If I wasn’t the first one, then I hope I opened the door for another woman … Continue reading →

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Water conservation task force

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker has put together a water conservation task force. “This task force will be forward-thinking in its approaches to addressing water conservation and water supply diversification,” Parker said, “taking into consideration Houston’s climate, existing water supply and alternative approaches … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Christof Spieler: Deciding the future of Houston’s transit

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. We as a region are facing a huge decision about our future. If we don’t increase transit use by offering more … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How many bonds are too many?

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We may find out this November. Houston voters may face a dizzying array of decisions in November as the city, school district and community college system seek authority to borrow more than $2 billion for construction work. The multiple measures … Continue reading →

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Toll hike

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Starting in September, that jaunt on a Harris County toll road might save you time, but it won’t spare your change. Unless Commissioners Court intervenes, rates at main-lane toll plazas on the … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Better late than never

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron finally gets around to making an endorsement in the HCDE race for Precinct 1, Position 6. If you’ve never heard of the Harris County Board of Education, don’t feel bad. Even among people who care about school boards, … Continue reading →

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Laura Spanjian – From Industrial to Green Revolution: The New Houston

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The following is from a series of guest posts that I will be presenting over the next few weeks. Bike Share kiosks in downtown. Electric vehicle charging stations at the grocery store. Over 15 miles of new rail lines being … Continue reading →

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Medicaid expansion: Not as expensive as the state claimed it would be

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Remember last year when the state Health and Human Services Commission claimed that Medicaid expansion would cost the state of Texas $27 billion over ten years, causing every Republican in the state to have a fainting spell and a hissy … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Mayor’s office on the homeless feeding ordinance

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I have been running a series of guest posts on a variety of topics. When I invited Nick Cooper to write about his experiences with the homeless feeding ordinance, I also contacted the Mayor’s office to ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments