Monthly Archives: August 2016

Still considering the possibility that Hillary could win Texas

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Josh Barro looks at recent national poll numbers and contemplates the possibilities. If things get just a little bit worse for Trump nationally, he could start losing a lot of states we normally think of as very safe for Republicans … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Rangers hand off Miller case to Travis County DA

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office has begun reviewing the findings of a criminal investigation into Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s travel, a top prosecutor said Friday. “We received the investigation (from the Texas Department of Public … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Rangers hand off Miller case to Travis County DA

Turner endorses Ike Dike

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has endorsed the “Ike Dike” storm surge protection proposal, raising the possibility that Houston could be one of the last cities in the Galveston Bay area to endorse the $6 billion project. If the Houston … Continue reading →

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

“Just Like Every Other Kid”

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the Observer: Texas’ child welfare apparatus is in a shambles. Zika virus threatens to put some of our most vulnerable in danger. Low oil prices have fiscal leaders worried about the future of the state’s budget. State lawmakers are … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on “Just Like Every Other Kid”

Weekend link dump for August 14

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Derek Jeter celebrates Ichiro Suzuki and his pursuit of 3,000 hits. Easily my favorite Ichiro story is how he learned Spanish phrases so he could banter with/trash talk Latino players. There’s a new world record for mattress stacking, and it … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for August 14

Beatty’s memo

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: Texas Democrats are being told they have their “greatest opportunities in a generation” this November with Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee and majorities of voters viewing corruption as a major problem in state government. Austin-based … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Auditor asked to investigate Heidi Group health care grant

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The left-leaning nonprofit Progress Texas is asking the state auditor’s office to investigate a $1.6 million state contract awarded to an anti-abortion group under the state’s new Healthy Texas Women program. […] The Heidi Group does not currently provide … Continue reading →

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

Land acquisition for the high speed rail line

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going great, according to the CEO of Texas Central High Speed Railway. Realty News Report: When will Texas’ first high-speed passenger railway between Dallas and Houston actually begin service? Tim B. Keith: We expect to begin construction on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Land acquisition for the high speed rail line

The Food Bank’s new home

Posted on August 14, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them all the best at their new address. The giant “End Hunger” message emblazoned in green on the Houston Food Bank building just north of downtown will soon go away as the charitable organization plans to start cooking … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Food Bank’s new home

Saturday video break: Love On The Air

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to indulge my Pete Townshend fixation for the next two weeks. First, here’s former Pink Floyd guitarist and friend of Townshend David Gilmour with a single from his 1984 CD “About Face”: And here he is performing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Saturday video break: Love On The Air

No ruling yet in potty lawsuit

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We should get one soon, at least as far as the request for an injunction goes. U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor did not issue a ruling from the bench after an almost two-hour long hearing during which state attorneys … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on No ruling yet in potty lawsuit

KTVT/Dixie Strategies poll: Trump 46, Clinton 35

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s poll #3 for Texas. Most national presidential polls have put Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in front of GOP nominee Donald Trump by as much as 15 percentage points. But the latest KTVT-CBS 11/Dixie Strategies Poll shows that the Lone … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

El Paso revises its rideshare rules

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Uber gets its preferred regimen. The El Paso City Council approved an ordinance designed to ease regulations and fees on taxis and ride-sharing companies like Uber. Amendments to the Transportation for Hire Ordinance, which Council approved unanimously on Tuesday, requires … Continue reading →

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

Endorsement watch: Still not wasting any time

Posted on August 13, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes a Civil Court endorsement, way ahead of when they normally do this sort of thing. Harris County Civil Court at Law 1 doesn’t handle the big-money issues that are bread and butter for white-shoe law firms. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Still not wasting any time

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 8

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Folk songs and disco. What more could you want? 1. Doctor’s Orders – Carol Douglas 2. I Feel The Earth Move – Carole King 3. Snowden’s Jig – Carolina Chocolate Drops (Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla) 4. Momma Don’t Like My … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 8

Texas finds a new way to be hostile to women’s health

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like it must be someone’s job somewhere to come up with stuff like this. A group led by an anti-abortion advocate appears to be one of the largest recipients of state funding from the “Healthy Texas Women” program, … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who’s willing to pay for more flood mitigation?

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Harris county’s four commissioners said Wednesday they could support either a property tax increase or reallocation of funds in the county budget to better fund flood control projects after a series of … Continue reading →

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

Transgender rights are about more than bathrooms

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

There’s also drivers licenses. A Texas appeals court ruled last week that a transgender man isn’t entitled to change the gender marker on his driver’s license from “female” to “male.” However, LGBT legal experts say they don’t expect the decision … Continue reading →

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

Grimes County takes its own steps against Texas Central

Posted on August 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Another day, another obstacle. In a rebuke of a private firm’s plans to build a bullet train between Houston and Dallas, local officials in rural southeastern Texas moved Tuesday to restrict high-speed rail development in their corner of the state. … Continue reading →

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

Heights alcohol rule change petitions verified

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The item will be on the ballot, pending Council approval. City Secretary Anna Russell confirmed that the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition gathered 1,759 valid signatures for its petition submitted last month, 248 more than required by law. The Houston City … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Voter ID changes approved

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

We’re all set. Texas’ voter ID law, cast as the strictest in the nation, will be substantially watered down during November’s election after a federal judge Wednesday approved a deal that allows those lacking required identification to cast a ballot … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Where are the chiefs?

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

People are beginning to wonder. Six months after Houston’s top cop retired and 10 months after Houston’s fire chief resigned to take another job, both departments remain without permanent chiefs, prompting concerns that public safety could suffer during the transition … Continue reading →

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

Texas blog roundup for the week of August 8

Posted on August 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is feeling the Olympic spirit as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of August 8

State Bar dismisses other complaint against Paxton

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

No matter what else happens, our ethically challenged Attorney General can say he beat at least one rap against him. Attorney General Ken Paxton telling county clerks they do not have to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is not … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Did Steve Radack really say that?

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently so. Precinct 3 Commissioner Steve Radack recently said some people want to get flooded so they can cash in, and he’s not backing down from his comments. Radack says this was one minute of a 90-minute community meeting in … Continue reading →

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

RIP, Lone Star Rail

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This really does appear to be the end of the line. On a 17-1 vote late Monday, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board decided to kick off a two-month process to remove from its official 25-year transportation plan the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on RIP, Lone Star Rail

UT and AG ask for campus carry lawsuit to be dismissed

Posted on August 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty standard procedure. The Texas Attorney General’s Office and University of Texas at Austin on Monday asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by three UT-Austin professors seeking to keep guns out of their classrooms despite the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on UT and AG ask for campus carry lawsuit to be dismissed

Once more on HD146

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Christopher Hooks from the Observer was at Saturday’s festivities, and he files his report. And on Saturday, 24 precinct chairs met in a small room full of folding chairs at the Sunnyside Multi-Service Center in south Houston to pick Miles’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2016 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Family of Ahmed Mohamed files lawsuit against his former school

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I’d sue, too. Nearly one year after 14-year-old Ahmed Mohamed was arrested for bringing a “suspicious-looking” homemade clock to class, his family has filed suit against his former Texas school district, the principal of the high school and the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Law enforcement versus open carry, round 2

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. After two shootings targeting police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, there’s been an uptick in the national conversation about how best to support law enforcement. Politicians and lawmakers such as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: P for Trump

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Better to be P’ed off than P’ed on, as they say. Land Commissioner George P. Bush, who has not endorsed Donald Trump, is now asking Texas Republicans to support the party’s presidential nominee. Addressing state GOP activists Saturday, Bush said … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: P for Trump

The Lege will look at voter ID again next year

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This isn’t over. Local representatives said the [agreed-upon changes to the voter ID law are] fine for a quick fix, but they fully expect to revisit the issue next session. The proposed Texas changes would require registered voters who don’t … Continue reading →

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

School finance can always get worse

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Now here’s a brilliant, why-didn’t-we-think-of-that-before idea: Give schools less money as incentive to do better. Depending on whose measure you’re using, Texas is somewhere between 38th and 49th in the nation when it comes to per-student funding. Instead of wallowing … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on School finance can always get worse

Legislation to ban the jailing of rape victims proposed

Posted on August 8, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to argue with, I must say. The controversial jailing of a rape victim to ensure her testimony could lead to a new state law protecting victims’ rights to an appointed attorney. State Sen. Joan Huffman is joining with Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Legislation to ban the jailing of rape victims proposed