Monthly Archives: April 2013

Look out, Lamar

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s big money coming after you. The anti-incumbent super-PAC Campaign for Primary Accountability is coming back for 2014 after shutting down last election cycle — and it’s already making a wish list of targets, including Reps. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Questions about the Memorial Park part of the Uptown/Memorial TIRZ

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg reports that some people have raised questions about the Memorial Park part of the Uptown/Memorial TIRZ. Reforestation is sorely needed in a park devastated by hurricane damage and drought. This is a great deal, city leaders and supporters … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Abbott opines against domestic partnership benefits

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This should not come as a surprise to anyone. The state Constitution prohibits government entities from recognizing domestic partnerships and offering insurance benefits to those couples, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott wrote in an opinion on Monday. In the nonbinding … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

UH goes smoke-free

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The University of Houston, which educates more than 40,000 students each year on its 667-acre campus, will become tobacco-free June 1, school officials announced Thursday. The new policy, approved by UH Chancellor Renu Khator, bans the use … Continue reading →

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

Not just Austin, dammit

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

What Flavia Isabel says: The single purpose of this post is to eradicate the phrase “Oh yeah, Austin is a blue dot in a sea of red” from the vocabulary of anybody who cares about turning Texas blue. I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The 2013 Houston Area Survey

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The 2013 Houston Area Survey shows that tolerance is prevalent in our region. The results, according to institute co-director Stephen Klineberg, may reflect the region’s growing ethnic diversity, younger residents’ acceptance of change and the emergence of live-and-let-live “tolerant traditionalists.” … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 2013 Houston Area Survey

HISD to begin laptops for all program

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Starting small, and presumably growing from there. Houston ISD officials announced Thursday that they are prepared to give students at up to 18 high schools their own laptops next school year, becoming among the first big-city districts to launch a … Continue reading →

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

Statement from Jim Henley

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

On Sunday afternoon, I received the following statement from Jim Henley, who submitted his resignation as HCDE Trustee earlier this year: I submitted my resignation as Trustee of The Harris County Department of Education in January of 2013. The Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Statement from Jim Henley

Weekend link dump for April 28

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Better music through data. Metadata, that is. It’s hard to find a scripted drama that hasn’t used rape and/or murder as a plotline at least once. I will note that their list is incomplete – by my reckoning, “Royal Pains” … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for April 28

HCDE Trustee Jim Henley to resign

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Got this in my inbox late Friday afternoon: Trustee Jim Henley (Democrat at-large) submitted his resignation from the Board earlier this year.  The Harris County Department of Education Board will have an open application process to fill the remainder of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Veasey v Garcia, Round Two?

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like we’ll have at least one high profile Democratic primary next year. Domingo Garcia’s pursuit of the national presidency of the League of United Latin American Citizens has just as much to do with politics as activism. The former … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Check this out

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Scan while you shop, and other technological advances to get you checked out faster. In February, San Antonio-based H-E-B invited customers to try out a new scanning “tunnel” for the first time at its McCreless Market location on South New … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Check this out

Saturday video break: You Really Got Me

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #22 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “You Really Got Me”, originally by The Kinks and covered by Van Halen. Here’s the original: Man, I love these old black and white videos – you can tell this … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: You Really Got Me

Tweet My Jobs Houston

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

On Friday, Mayor Parker delivered the State of the City 2013. Her address was heavy on accomplishments from the past year – there are a lot of them, and there is an election coming up – but there were also … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tweet My Jobs Houston

Weekend legislative threefer

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you heard on Friday was Rick Perry stamping his feet if he doesn’t get his way. Gov. Rick Perry is warning state legislators that it could be a long, hot summer in Austin if they don’t pass his … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate examines pensions

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This sort of thing always makes me nervous. Legislative proposals to shore up Texas’ two largest public pension funds could require teachers and state employees to work years longer than they must today to get full retirement benefits. For example, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who’s afraid of Battleground Texas?

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Republican Party of Texas for one, if you believe their fundraising appeals. In a heated fundraising letter sent this week to donors statewide, the Texas GOP calls the new Democratic voter-mobilization effort “a clear and present threat to you … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Friday random ten: The city never sleeps, part 3

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just a city boy with some city songs… 1. Dallas, Texas – Austin Lounge Lizards 2. Detroit Rock City – KISS 3. Do You Know The Way To San Jose? – Dionne Warwick 4. The Duke of Dubuque – Manhattan … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: The city never sleeps, part 3

Revamped Chapter 42 ordinance finally passes

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Strangely enough, in the end it was not very contentious. Houston City Council on Wednesday voted 14-3 to allow greater single-family home density outside Loop 610, while also strengthening the proposal’s already robust protections for neighborhoods concerned about unwelcome development. … Continue reading →

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

MBIA lawsuit against Sports Authority dismissed

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t seen a story about this in the print edition for whatever the reason. A state district court judge on Tuesday ruled that the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority cannot be sued by the company that insures the $1 billion … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Improved payday lending bill passes the Senate

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, if it goes anywhere. The Texas Senate approved a bill to regulate short-term lenders on Monday night, a milestone some thought the chamber wouldn’t reach after a personal and divisive floor fight on Thursday. But with the measure’s … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

For the Uptown/Memorial TIRZ

Posted on April 26, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Ed Wulfe never mentions Mattress Mack or his recent diatribe in the Chron about the proposed Uptown/Memorial Park TIRZ, but his op-ed in the Chron is clearly aimed at countering naysayers like Mattress Mack. Uptown is one of the most … Continue reading →

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

Senate officially taps the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Well done. Texas senators hammered out a sweeping deal to increase state funding for water and transportation projects and schools on Tuesday, tackling some of the thorniest issues of the legislative session all at once. The senators voted 31-0 for … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Medicaid “expansion” bill passes out of House committee

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Forgive me for tempering my excitement about this, but it’s not that much to be excited about. Despite opposition from conservative Republicans, the House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday advanced a proposal that would reform Medicaid by allowing the state to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Medicaid “expansion” bill passes out of House committee

Legislative quick hits

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is the time of the session where there’s lots happening, and there isn’t always the time or space to stay on top of it all. So here are a few quick updates on things that are happening in an … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 22

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The thoughts and prayers of the Texas Progressive Alliance are with the people of Boston and West as we bring you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of April 22

On HCAD and rigging the system

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This Houston Press cover story on the Harris County Appraisal District is provocative, to say the least. A months-long investigation by the Houston Press finds that Brookfield isn’t the only mega-dollar company that’s sitting pretty with a momentous tax break. … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On HCAD and rigging the system

Today is Chapter 42 day

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Actually, today is almost certainly the day that the Chapter 42 revisions get tagged by multiple members of Council, thus pushing it back for a week. Nonetheless, this is the beginning of the end of a long, long journey. Here’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Today is Chapter 42 day

Texas Lottery Commission dies and is reborn

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And we have our first curveball of the legislative session. The House voted Tuesday to defeat a must-pass bill reauthorizing the Texas Lottery Commission, a stunning move that casts doubt on the lottery as a whole and may potentially cost … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Craft beer bills pass out of House committee

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Open The Taps. After waiting in a long queue of bills that were sent from the Senate to the House, the Craft Beer Bills (SBs 515-518 and 639) should see some movement again this week. Our team in Austin … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who resigns after a DUI arrest?

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman asks the question and gets some answers. In 2006, District Attorney Tim Cole had a decision to make. The then-chief prosecutor for Montague, Clay and Archer counties had been arrested for drunken driving after a day of July … Continue reading →

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

That’ll just about do it for gambling this session

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. Carona calls the chances “slim”, but it sounds like slim just left town to me. [Sen. John] Carona, chairman of the Senate’s Business and Commerce Committee, said last week he expected to vote his sweeping gambling bill out of … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on That’ll just about do it for gambling this session

SBOE passes anti-voucher resolution

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The Texas State Board of Education voted 10-5 on Friday to urge the Legislature to reject proposals that would result in public funds being allocated for private educational institutions. The resolution, authored by Board of Education member … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SBOE passes anti-voucher resolution

Online voter registration bills advance

Posted on April 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news. House Bill 313, which received praise from committee members in a Monday hearing, and Senate Bill 315, which was voted out of committee Thursday, propose allowing voters to register online and have that application automatically authenticated rather … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Online voter registration bills advance