Monthly Archives: May 2013

Beautifying Buffalo Bayou

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really looking forward to seeing how this winds up. The nonprofit Buffalo Bayou Partnership is overseeing $58 million in ecological restoration and enhancement to upgrade the 2.3-mile stretch between Shepherd and Sabine into a green gem with a slew … Continue reading →

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

Redistricting hearing set in San Antonio

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: The San Antonio court entered an order this afternoon setting a hearing for May 29 at 9 a.m. to decide what to do with the Texas maps – or, more exactly, to decide how to decide what to … Continue reading →

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Medicaid expansion is now double secret illegal

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. In a surprise turn in the House on Monday evening, a bill to reform Medicaid long-term and acute care services became a vehicle for the GOP’s platform against Medicaid expansion. “Many of us are very weary of Medicaid expansion,” … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of May 20

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is counting down the minutes until sine die as we bring you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff comments on another Battleground Texas story, and what it says about how the organization is doing so far. … Continue reading →

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Your feedback requested on Chapter 9

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox, from CM Noriega: Council Member Melissa Noriega announces a Special Called Transportation, Technology & Infrastructure Committee meeting Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. TTI committee members will review the changes to Chapter 9, Stormwater Design Requirements, Chapter 13, … Continue reading →

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The fight over domestic partnership benefits is just beginning

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Stuff like this was inevitable. Leaders of two Christian groups want City Council to stop extending benefits to domestic partners of city employees, now that the state attorney general has called the benefits unconstitutional. City officials reject the demand, at … Continue reading →

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Houston gets Super Bowl LI

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

All right! NFL owners voted today to give Houston Super Bowl LI in 2017. At their spring meeting at the Hyatt Harborside, the owners voted the coveted Super Bowl L to San Francisco over South Florida. South Florida took another … Continue reading →

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

Shark fins

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure why the practice of shark finning wasn’t illegal already. Texas lawmakers are considering a ban on the sale and possession of shark fins, a move that reflects a growing trend to protect the imperiled creatures at the … Continue reading →

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Alexan Heights trying again

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Leader News reports that the proposed mid-rise apartment complex for Yale at 7th Street has been reworked in a way that would avoid the need for a variance. The deed restrictions involved single-family homes within the proposed complex — … Continue reading →

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PAC Plus polls Latinos in Texas

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

BOR reported last week on a poll of Texas Latinos conducted by PAC Plus. They zeroed in on the questions that had to do with Latinos’ impressions of Republicans and Democrats. For the survey PAC+ interviewed 2,685 randomly selected registered … Continue reading →

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Better late than never, I guess

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Way to be ahead of the curve, y’all. A resolution endorsing the expansion of Medicaid was approved by Texas Medical Association delegates Saturday at the group’s annual meeting in San Antonio. “The patients need the care and, if we pass … Continue reading →

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Bike trails bill signed

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a brief blurb about Rick Perry signing the bill that will allow the CenterPoint rights of way in Harris County to be used as hike and bike trails. See here for the background, and here for a … Continue reading →

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Are we too hip for our own good?

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Craig Hlavaty notes Houston’s current status as the It City of the national media, and wonders if that’s necessarily a good thing for us. But with the praise and accolades, lots of Houstonians are fearful that the Bayou City will … Continue reading →

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

The 2013 Mayor’s race just got real, y’all

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Look who’s back: Need I mention that it was posted on the fence surrounding an empty lot? Look for other signs just like it on a utility pole near you. And be sure to tell anyone who wants to vote … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Still no support for term limits

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. The full House, for the second time in eight years, drove a stake through the chance of imposing term limits on the governor and other statewide officeholders. The proposed constitutional amendment that would have gone to voters … Continue reading →

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Amazon has a strange idea of what constitutes “erotica”

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In last week’s Texas blog roundup, we saluted Amy Valentine for successfully turning her blog about surviving breast cancer into a book about surviving breast cancer. Amy is a friend of mine from my class at Trinity University, and I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

290 toll lane opens

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You solo drivers on US 290 can now take advantage of the HOV lane to make your daily commute a little less grim, beginning today. Based on time of day, drivers will pay between $1 and $5 for using the … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for May 19

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out “tiger” parenting isn’t such a good idea. When pirate costumes go wrong. “Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. Oh, and they should put those damn smartphones down and get … Continue reading →

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House approves charter expansion bill SB2

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A big step forward for those who would like to see more charters. Senate Bill 2 passed on a 105-34 vote on second reading. It now faces a third reading before it can be reconciled with a similar version the … Continue reading →

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Michael Morton Act signed into law

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent news. With exoneree Michael Morton by his side, Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday signed a measure that aims to avoid wrongful convictions by preventing prosecutors from suppressing evidence. “This is a major victory for integrity and fairness in our … Continue reading →

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

Making downtown parking easier

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Makes sense. In downtown Houston, there are about 3,200 parking spaces on the street – and a whopping 5,800 signs drivers must decipher to use them without getting towed or ticketed. Aiming to fix this “confusing mishmash of signs,” as … Continue reading →

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Where are all the teenage drivers?

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot less of them than there used to be. Between 2001 and 2010, Texas added only 2,578 drivers age 16 to 21 while the age group grew by more than 238,000 statewide, dropping the percentage with a license … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Saturday video break: Crossroads

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #19 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Crossroads”, originally by Robert Johnson and covered by Cream. Here’s the original: Robert Johnson was just an amazing pioneer of blues music, who had a huge influence on rock and … Continue reading →

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Budget deal reached

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And the crowd goes wild. Top House and Senate negotiators agreed to a two-year budget for the state of Texas Friday that restores about $4 billion of $5.4 billion in cuts to public education made in 2011. It also creates … Continue reading →

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Craft beer bills pass the House

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Hallelujah! A raft of bills that would dramatically alter the way beer is sold and consumed in Texas sailed through tentative approval from the House on Friday after a lengthy and disputatious process between brewers and beer distributors. If finally … Continue reading →

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Abbott predicts special session for redistricting

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

For the first time, someone says out loud the rumor of a special session on redistricting. Attorney General Greg Abbott let House members know in the Republican caucus meeting on Tuesday that he expects and is hoping for a special … Continue reading →

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Laptops for fewer, at least for now

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

HISD’s proposed laptops for all proposal has been scaled back from an 18 school pilot to a ten school pilot in response to concerns that they weren’t quite ready yet for anything bigger than that. Lenny Schad, chief technology officer … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: The city never sleeps, part 6

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

More Memphis and more foreign places. 1. Leningrad – Billy Joel 2. Lisdoonvarna – Ceili’s Muse 3. Liverpool Sunset – Gerald Jay Markoe 4. London Homesick Blues – Flying Fish Sailors 5. (Making The Run To) Gladewater – Michelle Shocked … Continue reading →

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Craft distilling

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We’re all familiar with the craft brewing industry in Texas, but did you know there is also a growing number of craft distillers in the Lone Star State? Whether you knew that or not, you will probably not be surprised … Continue reading →

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Mike Anderson reveals that he has cancer

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Very sorry to hear this. Mike Anderson, Harris County’s district attorney, informed his staff Thursday that he has been diagnosed with cancer. “I have great doctors and am undergoing treatment. I fully intend to beat this,” said a brief email … Continue reading →

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We still have the Railroad Commission to kick around

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

State Impact Texas tells us that there will be no sunset bill, and thus no reforms, for the Texas Railroad Commission this session. After a lengthy review of the agency, required by state law under the Sunset review process, the Railroad … Continue reading →

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Now there will be an app for your auto insurance

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Legislation allowing Texas drivers to prove their insurance coverage with a wireless communications device is on its way to the governor after winning final approval from the Senate on Thursday. The measure by Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, would bring … Continue reading →

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It sure is nice to budget when you have money

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker has released her FY2014 budget, and it’s great news for those of you that have been waiting for their single-stream recycling bin. More than 100,000 Houston homes will be added to the city’s single-stream recycling program by this … Continue reading →

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Dark money

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a small step, if it’s allowed to be taken, but the bill to require donor disclosure on so-called “dark money” is a step in the right direction. Senate Bill 346 takes direct aim at the cloak of anonymity that … Continue reading →

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