Monthly Archives: December 2014

RIP, Bob Lanier

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Houston’s iconic Mayor of the 1990s has passed away. Bob Lanier, a 6-foot-4 cowboy boot-wearing, sports-crazy political sharpshooter who rose from modest beginnings in blue-collar Baytown to become one of Houston’s biggest developers and most influential mayors, died Saturday. He … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

More on revamping Secure Communities

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Stace responds to me. The involvement of local law enforcement has always been a sticking point for me. I’ve never been a fan of the federalization of local cops for the purpose of rounding non-criminal working brown people; I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More on revamping Secure Communities

Weekend link dump for December 21

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Happy winter solstice, y’all. Now let’s have some longer days, please. The pros and cons of science stories and their pedagogical value. Instant replay in baseball hasn’t prevented managers from getting ejected for arguing calls. It’s about time – way … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for December 21

Urban Land Institute report on the Astrodome

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Is this, at long last, The Plan for the Astrodome? The iconic, yet aging Astrodome is worth saving from the wrecking ball and could find new life as a massive indoor park and green space, a national land use group … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Urban Land Institute report on the Astrodome

Feldman resigns

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker loses a key member of her team going into her final year as Mayor. City Attorney David Feldman on Friday announced that he plans to resign next month, citing, among other reasons, that he could better defend the … Continue reading →

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

Metro gets some new rail cars online

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Finally. Eight of the long-delayed railcars needed to expand light rail service in Houston are expected to start ferrying passengers in the first week of 2015, promising some relief from rush-hour crowding, transit officials said Thursday. The cars, the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Metro gets some new rail cars online

Et tu, nickels?

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve blogged a few times before about pennies and the effort some people have made to eliminate them. Now it looks like we may need to add the nickel to the endangered coin list. The U.S. Mint has some good … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Et tu, nickels?

Saturday video break: Dumbledore

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And now for something a little different. We love Weird Al Yankovic here. You know that Weird Al does a lot of original songs in addition to his trademark parodies. Well, what do you get when someone parodies one of … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Dumbledore

Commissioners Court approves body camera purchase

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously approved District Attorney Devon Anderson’s plan to spend $1.9 million in seized assets to equip Houston police officers and Harris County sheriff’s deputies with body cameras. County officials also said they would … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Landfill opponents win in Hempstead lawsuit

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. A jury on Thursday found that Waller County commissioners met illegally in closed sessions among themselves and with developers of a controversial landfill proposal over more than two years before agreeing to host the project. After a three-week … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Landfill opponents win in Hempstead lawsuit

Plastic bag makers fight back

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I expect they will be busy during the legislative session working to block municipal laws that tax, limit, or ban single-use plastic bags. For years, Superbag in northwest Houston quietly manufactured the sacks that grocers and retail chains hand out … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plastic bag makers fight back

Friday random ten: Yes, there are Christmas songs I like

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Quite a few of them, really. Here are ten from my collection: 1. Another Christmas Song – Stephen Colbert 2. Blue Christmas – Asylum Street Spankers 3. Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses 4. The Eleven Cats of Christmas – Trout … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Ty McDonald for HD17

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the special election to replace Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt in HD17 has been set for January 6, with early voting to begin on December 29. This is the same schedule as the elections in HD123 and SD26. As … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Treating all fares the same

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good idea. A six-month test starting in February will gauge the effects of letting cash-paying rail riders switch to buses for free. The vast majority of riders use a Q card, day pass or some other form of Metro payment. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Treating all fares the same

Lane Lewis announces for At Large #1

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Harris County Democratic Party chair Lane Lewis will run for an at-large city council position, he told Democratic activists Wednesday evening. Lewis, who has led the county’s party operation since 2011, is running to succeed Stephen Costello in At-Large … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

I’ll see you in C-U-B-A

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Among the many likely winners of the new US policy towards Cuba will be the city of Houston. As an established travel gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean, Houston is positioned to benefit from any potential easing of tourism … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world, Baseball, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on I’ll see you in C-U-B-A

Lawsuit filed against the office of Rep. Blake Farenthold

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Um, wow. A woman who worked for U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold filed a federal lawsuit against his congressional office, alleging she experienced gender-based discrimination and that a hostile work environment prompted her termination in July. Former Communications Director Lauren Greene … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed against the office of Rep. Blake Farenthold

Bill to reduce pot penalties filed

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. A coalition of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans introduced a proposal Monday to make possession of a small amount of marijuana in Texas a civil infraction, instead of a crime. House Bill 507, filed by state Rep. … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bill to reduce pot penalties filed

On game rooms and gambling

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like Fort Bend County wants to follow in the footsteps of Harris County when it comes to dealing with game rooms. Last weekend, Fort Bend County sheriff’s deputies raided the H-90 Game Room on U.S. 90A east of Richmond, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on On game rooms and gambling

Texas blog roundup for the week of December 15

Posted on December 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is dusting off its recipes for wassail and figgy pudding as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of December 15

Romo to run in SD26

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The race to succeed Sen. Leticia Van de Putte just got a little more interesting. Sylvia Romo, former tax assessor-collector for Bexar County, on Tuesday morning entered the race to replace state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, bringing … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Romo to run in SD26

Valero’s special deal

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry, I just can’t get behind this. Companies routinely relocate to the city or state that lures them with the best tax break, but Valero wants Houston City Council to give its eastside refinery the same treatment without having … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Valero’s special deal

Repair or replace?

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Consider this an object lesson in the cost of deferring maintenance. A new Houston police headquarters and courthouse complex, discussed for decades, could reach a key turning point this week as Mayor Annise Parker seeks to force City Council members … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HSPVA groundbreaking

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Looking forward to seeing how this turns out. A slab of cracked cement painted over with yellow parking lines sits at the corner of Rusk and Austin – with downtown skyscrapers looming overhead. Come Tuesday, the cement will be ripped … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HSPVA groundbreaking

Three thoughts on the state of the Mayor’s race

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Inspired by this story, which doesn’t name any potential additions to the ever-large field of Mayoral wannabes for 2015 but which does put some things in context. Most observers consider Rep. Sylvester Turner, with his support base from the African-American … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Legislative special elections set

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Gear up quickly, here they come. Gov. Rick Perry on Monday afternoon set three special elections for Jan. 6, including the race to replace state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio. Van de Putte, who lost her bid for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Promote equality, promote the economy

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a simple enough formula. When the courts finally declare Texas’ ban on same-sex marriage illegal, which most people think they will, it could mean a boost for the wedding and hospitality industry as 23,200 couples tie the knot, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Promote equality, promote the economy

Houston gets a Bitcoin ATM

Posted on December 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Just what you were waiting for, I’m sure. Houston unveiled its first bitcoin ATM on Wednesday, hoping to attract international travelers and more conventions to the George R. Brown Convention Center. Bitcoin is like digital cash. And this ATM, on … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston gets a Bitcoin ATM

Republicans will push pro-discrimination bills

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Two days after the Plano City Council approved an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people, a Texas legislator filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would limit the ability of cities to enforce … Continue reading →

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

A better way to cut taxes

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Grits has a suggestion for the Legislature. Reduce local jail costs – which have been a big driver of tax increases in many Texas counties – by reducing penalty categories for low-level marijuana possession (currently a Class B misdemeanor for … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tesla is back

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them better luck this time, but I wouldn’t expect anything to come of it. Proposals to allow direct car sales in Texas stalled during the 2013 legislative session, but the Pala Alto, California-based automaker appears poised to rev … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla is back

Please get a flu shot

Posted on December 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s always a good idea, even if it’s more effective in some years than in others. The flu vaccine may not be very effective this winter, according to U.S. health officials who worry this may lead to more serious illnesses … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Please get a flu shot

Weekend link dump for December 14

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

“Indeed, evidence continues to mount that [Obamacare] is working extremely, even shockingly, well.” “And that’s what I’m writing about here—parents who believe that they need to nurture, protect, and encourage their children, especially when they’re still impressionable and very, very … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

DA’s office to help buy body cams

Posted on December 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news. Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson plans to purchase hundreds of body-worn cameras for Houston police officers and sheriff’s deputies, weeks after widespread protests erupted when a white Missouri police officer was not charged for fatally shooting … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment