Monthly Archives: December 2013

Council hears the Mayor’s payday lending ordinance

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Reaction was mixed, though it appears likely there is enough support to pass. The proposed ordinance would limit payday loans to 20 percent of a borrower’s gross monthly income and auto title loans to 3 percent of the borrower’s gross … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rest of Larry Marshall lawsuit dismissed

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That’s that. The three-year legal drama involving HISD trustee Larry Marshall has ended after a federal judge again ruled against a construction contractor alleging it was harmed by a bribery scheme. U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison agreed last week to … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rest of Larry Marshall lawsuit dismissed

Runoff Q&A: Roy Morales

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Note: As we know, the runoff election in At Large #3 is not what many people were expecting. In particular, Democratic voters have been trying to make a choice in that race. While both candidates have been busy reaching out … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Back to private investors for the Dome

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? Commissioner El Franco Lee, whose Precinct 1 is home to the county-owned Dome, said Commissioners Court is “not under any time constraint” in deciding what to do with the vacant stadium. “The only constraint we’re under is … Continue reading →

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

Same-sex divorce in other states

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas isn’t the only state where this is playing out. Lauren Beth Czekala-Chatham wants to force Mississippi, one of the America’s most conservative states, to recognize her same-sex marriage. She hopes to do so by getting a divorce. She and … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 2

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance thinks all workers deserve paid time off during the holidays as we bring you this week’s roundup.

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LaCroix files in SD15

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As of the Monday candidate filing update from the HCDP, Damian LaCroix has made official his primary challenge to Sen. John Whitmire in SD15. He announced his challenge in August, and what I said at that time still holds true … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Working to solve the food desert problem

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is a success story on two levels. A number of area grocery stores like Jim’s Super might not be around if it were not for a little-known local Vietnamese immigrant family. John Vuong took over his first store in … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who watches the private police departments?

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not good. A veteran state lawmaker said Monday he is outraged by televised images of Rice University police officers striking a suspected bicycle thief with batons and appalled the university can refuse to release details because it is a private … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Early voting begins today for Council and HCC runoffs

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the map. Note that only City of Houston locations are open, since the only runoffs are for City Council and HCC Trustee. Early voting runs from today through next Tuesday, December 10, from 7 AM to 7 PM each … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fort Worth and Tarrant County

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Between Wendy Davis’ campaign for Governor, and the campaign to succeed Wendy Davis in SD10, there’s going to be a lot of attention focused on Forth Worth in the next twelve months. The two scenes capture the split political personality … Continue reading →

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

Will Texas wind up advancing the cause of same sex marriage?

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not voluntarily, of course, but it could happen. One couple wants to get married, while the other just wants theirs recognized. A third couple wants a divorce, while the fourth wants theirs finalized. If all win their lawsuits, they could … Continue reading →

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Probation and drug testing update

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds like good news. Late last summer, the director of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department resigned, and the Harris County District Attorney’s office said it would stop using the agency’s drug tests as evidence after revelations that … Continue reading →

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

Still rocking at KACC

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Alvin Community College’s little radio station that could is a welcome bright spot in an increasingly bleak terrestrial radio landscape. With only 5,600 watts of power and a staff made up almost … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

And then there were three Democrats running for the Senate

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This one has run for something before and spent a bunch of money doing it, though he was not very successful at it. Democratic dental center mogul David Alameel has confirmed he will run for the seat held by Texas’ … Continue reading →

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What happened to the hurricanes?

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This had been predicted to be one of the busier hurricane seasons of recent years. It turned out to be one of the quietest. What happened? “A combination of conditions acted to offset several climate patterns that historically have produced … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Bob Stein on the District I runoff

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll cut to the chase and just excerpt the conclusion of Rice poli sci prof Bob Stein’s analysis of the District I runoff between Graci Garces and Robert Gallegos. The runoff election in District I should be highly competitive with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Time to ponder how the Hall of Fame voters will screw things up this year

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Pinstripe Alley reviews this year’s Hall of Fame ballot and heaves a sigh. If I was given a ballot and asked to name at most 10 players for induction, I would first complain that I can’t add more, then submit … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for December 1

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling… You may have to wait a few more years for that self-driving car you’ve been lusting after. Do you want to see what a bunch of music stars who died young might look like … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

How to assess the odds in HD134

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texpatriate informs us that two-term Rep. Sarah Davis will be getting a primary challenger in HD134 – Bonnie Parker, who lost to Davis in the 2010 primary, and who will unsurprisingly be attacking Davis from the right. There are three … Continue reading →

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The lost canopy

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Very disappointing. Metro officials on Thursday scaled back plans for an iconic downtown Houston transit hub where three rail lines will cross after board members grew frustrated with what they called inexcusable delays and cost overruns. “This has been mismanaged … Continue reading →

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

Bringing the NWSL to Houston

Posted on December 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. The Dynamo are in talks about securing an expansion franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League, which features U.S. national team stars Alex Morgan, Hope Solo and Abby Wambach. The eight-team NWSL played its inaugural season … Continue reading →

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