Monthly Archives: June 2018

The Lawrence decision, 15 years later

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Time flies, but society moves slowly. Theirs was an unlikely case. John Lawrence and Tyron Garner weren’t in love, they weren’t a committed couple and it’s not clear that they were even having sex one September 1998 evening in Lawrence’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t expect a Ken Paxton trial to happen this year

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Delays, delays, nothing but delays. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was indicted for fraud nearly three years ago but is unlikely to go on trial before Election Day. Paxton’s trials are on hold while the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals decides whether the prosecutors on the case are … Continue reading →

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Where the anti-vaxxers are

Posted on June 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of them are right here. Four Texas cities, including Houston, rank among the 15 metropolitan “hotspots” of vaccine exemptions, more than any other state, according to a new study. The study found Austin, Fort Worth and Plano also … Continue reading →

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The fruit of the poisoned tree

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If the discriminatory intent of the Texas redistricting was no biggie, then surely the discriminatory intent of the voter ID law is no biggie too. Right? In a motion filed Wednesday, the Texas attorney general’s office asked U.S. District Judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council approves initial Harvey housing aid

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Houston City Council has approved a plan to direct how the first long-term federal housing aid headed this way after Hurricane Harvey will be spent, targeting $600 million to repair or build single-family homes and $375 million … Continue reading →

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

Your Houston PAC

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a new player on the local scene. Bill Baldwin, a longtime real estate broker, volunteer and member of Houston’s planning commission, has launched a political action committee aimed at improving the city’s neighborhoods, schools and local governments. The tenets … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

The CD27 special election is almost upon us

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on Saturday, to be specific. Voters in the 27th Congressional District are preparing to go to the polls for a third time this year on Saturday for a sleepy special election in which both parties are working to rally … Continue reading →

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Uresti gets 12 years

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Harsh, but hardly unfair. Standing before a federal judge in a San Antonio courtroom on Tuesday afternoon, former state Sen. Carlos Uresti was contrite. “I truly feel remorseful, ashamed, disappointed, disgraced, angry at myself and sad,” Uresti told the court, … Continue reading →

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Texans cheerleader lawsuit update

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Couple points of interest here. A former Texans cheerleader who says cheer director Alto Gary derided her as “skinny fat” and applied duct tape to her stomach before a 2017 game added her name Friday to one of two lawsuits … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of June 25

Posted on June 28, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance deplores and condemns the continued brutalization of immigrant families as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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UT/Trib: Cruz 41, O’Rourke 36, part 2

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We pick up where we left off. Republican Ted Cruz leads Democrat Beto O’Rourke 41 percent to 36 percent in the general election race for a Texas seat in the U.S. Senate, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Eight for SD19

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Gentlemen, start your engines. Eight candidates have filed for the July 31 special election to replace former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, — including his brother, outgoing state Rep. Tomas Uresti, according to the secretary of state’s office. […] … Continue reading →

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HISD approves its budget

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, they took what they initially rejected. Houston ISD trustees unanimously passed a $2 billion budget Monday that is nearly identical to the one they narrowly rejected two weeks ago, signing off on significant cuts and agreeing to … Continue reading →

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Hempstead landfill officially dead

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hooray! Waller County leaders and residents on Monday cheered a Georgia company’s decision to abandon plans for a 250-acre acre landfill near Hempstead, saying they look forward to moving beyond an environmental fight that has dominated public debate for seven … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS upholds Texas redistricting

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Screw this. Extinguishing the possibility that Texas could be placed back under federal electoral supervision, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday pushed aside claims that lawmakers intentionally discriminated against voters of color when they enacted the state’s congressional and state … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

UT/Trib: Cruz 41, O’Rourke 36

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Well, what do you know? Republican Ted Cruz leads Democrat Beto O’Rourke 41 percent to 36 percent in the general election race for a Texas seat in the U.S. Senate, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Neal … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Scooters come to San Antonio

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Beware, y’all. Electric scooters started popping up on the streets of San Antonio early Friday morning as part of an initiative by Los Angeles-based scooter-sharing company Bird to provide an alternative mode of transportation, mostly for those downtown. The scooters, … Continue reading →

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CBS/YouGov: Cruz 44, O’Rourke 36 (RVs)

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Time for another poll. In Texas’ Senate race, incumbent Republican Ted Cruz has a 10-point lead over Democrat Beto O’Rourke among likely voters. Cruz benefits from strong support from his own party and has an advantage among independents as well. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Supreme Court affirms trashing Laredo’s plastic bag ban

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise. The Texas Supreme Court handed a loss to local government on Friday, striking down a Laredo ban on plastic bags. The decision imperils about a dozen other cities’ bans across the state. In a decision viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Achieve 180 schools show encouraging gains

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news we could all use. One year into Achieve 180, early results show marked improvement at many of the district’s chronically underperforming schools. After years of falling behind academically, the 42 schools covered under HISD’s targeted improvement plan … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for June 24

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

“You probably think you’re a Good Guy too. Well, you might be the good guy defending a potential rapist. You might be the good guy making your female friends feel silenced by insisting on interjecting jaunty anecdotes into a serious … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

SCOTUS and sales taxes

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This ruling will be good for Texas. Texas stands to gain hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue after the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that states may force online retailers to collect sales tax even when they … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

MJ Hegar introduces herself

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s her opening video: Fair to say it made a good impression, and USA Today, Daily Kos, Slate, Business Insider, and Political Animal all gushed about it. Nancy LeTourneau, who wrote that latter article, used it as a springboard to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

San Antonio to get pro football team

Posted on June 24, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not the NFL or the XFL but the AAF. “After talking to [league co-founder and CEO] Charlie Ebersol, I knew the Alliance of American Football was right for San Antonio, and that San Antonio was right for the Alliance,” said … Continue reading →

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“Indie Party” Senate candidate misses filing deadline

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is my heart breaking for him. Jonathan Jenkins, an independent candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas whose unconventional campaign has drawn Republican objections, has missed the deadline to submit the signatures needed to appear on the … Continue reading →

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“As the Board turns”

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

deep sigh Houston ISD Trustee Jolanda Jones publicly aired personal attacks and allegations against fellow school board members in online posts this week, chipping away at the board’s efforts to present a more collegial front in the face of administrative … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Dem primary loser in CD06 files “vote fraud” lawsuit

Posted on June 23, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is me banging my head on my desk. Democrat Ruby Woolridge has filed a lawsuit challenging her 717-vote primary runoff loss for the 6th Congressional District to Jana Lynne Sanchez. In the lawsuit, Woolridge claims that … Continue reading →

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The family separation crisis is far from over

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

For one thing: Although the zero-tolerance policy was officially announced last month, it has been in effect, in more limited form, since at least last summer. Several months ago, as cases of family separation started surfacing across the country, immigrant-rights … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Houston on the short list for the 2020 DNC

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

One in three shot at it. Democratic Party officials have culled the list of potential host cities for the 2020 Democratic National Convention from eight to four, and Houston is still in the mix, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Wednesday. The … Continue reading →

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

Texans move to dismiss one cheerleader lawsuit

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Standard stuff, I presume. Attorneys for the Houston Texans have asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the team by five former cheerleaders or to delay proceedings while the former cheerleaders’ complaints are submitted to arbitration. Team … Continue reading →

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Our typically feckless state leaders

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Way to set an example for the rest of us, y’all. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick frequently talk tough about illegal immigration, but they refuse to publicly support the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy that’s spurred outrage for … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

Abbott sets July 31 special election date in SD19

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

One way or another, we’ll have that slot filled in time for the start of the next session. Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a July 31 special election to replace state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. Uresti announced his resignation … Continue reading →

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In which we try again to eliminate a rape kit backlog

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

How exactly did we get here? The city’s independent crime lab on Tuesday announced an ambitious plan to clear a backlog of hundreds of rape kits and other DNA evidence, the latest effort to rein in a recurring problem that … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of June 18

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance strongly condemns the inhumane practice of separating families from their children as it brings you its weekly roundup.

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