Monthly Archives: March 2017

Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 39

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This list is so fine it will blow your mind. 1. Dancing In Isolation – Terri Nunn 2. The Waltz – Theresa Andersson 3. Road To Nowhere – Theresa Miller 4. Voices Carry – ‘Til Tuesday (Aimee Mann) 5. Cacophony … Continue reading →

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O’Rourke to announce for Senate today

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here he comes. U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke will launch a campaign to challenge U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 on Friday, according to a colleague with direct knowledge of the El Paso Democrat’s thinking O’Rourke’s campaign team sent an email … Continue reading →

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Paxton case gets moved out of Collin County

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well, well. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s upcoming trials will be moved out of Collin County, the judge presiding over his criminal fraud case decided Thursday. The ruling is a major victory for the prosecutors, who have for months argued … Continue reading →

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North Carolina “repeals” HB2

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s “repeal” in a mostly meaningless sense. Late Wednesday night, for the second day in a row, North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (R) and Senate leader Phil Berger (R) held a press conference announcing that they’d established yet another … Continue reading →

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Commissioners get testy over bail practices lawsuit

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hash it all out. Tensions flared at Harris County Commissioners Court Tuesday after new Commissioner Rodney Ellis filed legal papers supporting civil rights groups in their high-profile federal lawsuit against the county and its bail system. In a rare … Continue reading →

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Senate passes its budget

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the one bill that has to pass. The Texas Senate unanimously approved a two-year budget on Tuesday that would shift nearly $2 billion in public education costs from the state to local taxpayers. The Senate’s $218 billion document now … Continue reading →

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Busy day in the Senate

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They got stuff done, I’ll give them that. Whether it was stuff worth doing or not, I’ll leave to you. 1. Senate bill would let Houston voters weigh in on fix to pension crisis. The Senate on Wednesday voted 21-10 … Continue reading →

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Metro still fixing rail car issues

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Someday this will all be over. Houston’s light rail system is fully open, but closing out a complicated rail car purchase that nearly derailed the new lines remains a challenge for transit officials. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials continue withholding $12.9 … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 27

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance promises to repeal last week’s roundup and replace it with something better and cheaper this week. It’ll be easy.

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Harris County’s growth slows

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re still growing, we just didn’t grow as fast last year as we had in previous years. After eight straight years of boom – adding more new residents than any county in the nation – Harris County in 2016 felt … Continue reading →

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House hearing for pension bill

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another step in the process. Houston’s pension reform plan got its first hearing Monday in the state House, where rows and rows of current and retired firefighters appeared to voice opposition to the plan. Municipal and police leaders testified in … Continue reading →

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The North Carolina bathroom bill price tag

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How does $3.76 billion, at a minimum, grab you? Despite Republican assurances that North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” isn’t hurting the economy, the law limiting LGBT protections will cost the state more than $3.76 billion in lost business over a dozen … Continue reading →

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Stockman indicted

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

And here the troubles begin. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman and a former congressional aide were indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges they stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from charitable foundations to fund campaigns and pay … Continue reading →

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Voter ID 2.0 passes out of the Senate

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meh. The Texas Senate tentatively approved legislation Monday that would revamp the state’s voter identification rules, a response to court rulings that the current law discriminates against minority voters. Following more than an hour of debate, the chamber voted 21-10 … Continue reading →

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First shenanigan spotted

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There will be more to come, I’m sure, but this will be happening today. A Tuesday debate over the future of the state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry could instead become a showdown over immigration and where … Continue reading →

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A tale of two Congressmen

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Ted Poe has a status update. U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, a Republican from Humble, announced Sunday afternoon he is resigning from the hardline Republican group that helped sink GOP attempts to repeal former President Obama’s 2010 health care law. … Continue reading →

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Two for HISD V

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In the past week or so, I have become aware of two candidates for HISD Board of Trustees, District V, which is the seat that is now held by Trustee Mike Lunceford but will be open in November as Lunceford … Continue reading →

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January 2017 campaign finance reports: Harris County officeholders

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We may or may not have City of Houston elections this year, but we will definitely have Harris County elections next year. Here’s a brief tour of the finance reports for Harris County officeholders. First up, Commissioners Court: Rodney Ellis … Continue reading →

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This is not how you put the interests of the child first

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the opposite of that, honestly. Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, vice chairman of the House Human Services Committee, has authored House Bill 3859, which would protect faith-based providers from retaliation if they assert their “sincerely held religious beliefs” while … Continue reading →

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An ironic might-have-been on redistricting

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From Rick Casey. The three judges who decided the case include one Democrat and two Republicans. Ironically, the decision may have gone the other way if one of the judges hadn’t been punished for joining in an earlier ruling in … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for March 26

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Air pollution denial is the new climate change denial. This is why I always use the Oxford comma. That’s Sir Ray Davies to you, bub. “Did you agree that FitBit owns your information? You probably didn’t think about that when … Continue reading →

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Stockman’s first day in court

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, this is going to be so much fun. Appearing carefree and relaxed with his wife by his side, former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman told reporters outside a court hearing downtown Friday that he expected “to be vindicated” on allegations … Continue reading →

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When your gender doesn’t match your birth certificate

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Daily Beast looks at what it means in practice to be a transgender person in Texas facing the prospect of having to use your birth certificate to use the bathroom. According to the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank … Continue reading →

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Major League Rugby in Houston

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the Houston Strikers. A group of rugby supporters are kicking around plans to build a rugby stadium in the area. The ownership group behind the new Major League Rugby franchise the Houston Strikers is finalizing plans to develop a … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Over You

Posted on March 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For the second week in a row, here’s Roxy Music: Sorry, couldn’t find a good live version, so I have no idea if there’s an oboe player on this one. Add Bryan Ferry to your list – OK, my list … Continue reading →

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Straus is a big No on SB6

Posted on March 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Very good to hear. Texas House Speaker Joe Straus on Friday gave perhaps his harshest condemnation yet of the controversial “bathroom bill” championed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Straus said the bill, which has drawn the ire of Texas businesses … Continue reading →

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Bail practices lawsuit wraps up

Posted on March 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s up to the judge now. The call by two civil rights groups for an immediate fix to Harris County’s bail system is now in the hands of a federal judge after high-stakes arguments over whether poor people should remain … Continue reading →

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Let’s use mutant mosquitoes to fight Zika

Posted on March 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

What could possibly go wrong? The Bayou City’s teeming mosquito population spawns in dark, wet nooks and carries a slew of deadly tropical diseases that could ravage the region. So Houston is pondering a sneak attack, something akin to a … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 38

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The boogie fever, it is going around. 1. Blue Shadows On The Trail – Syd Straw 2. Boogie Fever – The Sylvers (Olympis, Charmaine, Angelia, and Patricia Sylvers) 3. Heartbeat – Taana Gardner 4. Sweet Child O’ Mine – Taken … Continue reading →

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Motion filed to block current Congressional map

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Lone Star Project. Moments ago the Plaintiffs in the ongoing Texas congressional redistricting case filed a joint motion asking the San Antonio Federal District Court for an injunction to block the use of the current congressional map during … Continue reading →

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Vouchers get their Senate hearing

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again with this nonsense. Senate Bill 3, authored by Republican Sen. Larry Taylor of Friendswood, would establish educational savings accounts and tax credit scholarships to fund various costs associated with parents moving their children from traditional public … Continue reading →

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“It’s harder to paint us as monsters when there’s a human face on it”

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Words of wisdom from one very dedicated and engaged citizen. Monday marked Stephanie Martinez’s 12th time participating in a lobby day hosted by Equality Texas at the Capitol. But this session, in response to Senate Bill 6, the 48-year-old transgender … Continue reading →

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More on the Stockman arrest

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to leave this here. Former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman, a Republican whose district stretched from Houston to Beaumont, allegedly conspired with two staffers to bilk conservative foundations out of at least $775,000 in donations meant for charitable … Continue reading →

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What might it take to beat Ted Cruz?

Posted on March 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Roll Call considers the question. As Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro mulls a challenge to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Democrats and Republicans both say it would be a tall order in a deep-red state with little Democratic power. “I think what … Continue reading →

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