Monthly Archives: December 2018

UT issues report on Schwertner

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It raises more questions than it answers, honestly. The University of Texas at Austin has ended its investigation of state Sen. Charles Schwertner, concluding that the “available evidence does not support” a finding that the Georgetown Republican, accused of sending … Continue reading →

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

Beto v Julian?

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. The presidential race could force Texas Democrats to choose between two of their brightest rising stars, in El Paso’s O’Rourke, 46, and San Antonio’s Julián Castro, 44. Castro, like O’Rourke, has never won a statewide race in … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Trash fee to pay for Prop B?

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hard pass. Houston City Councilman Dwight Boykins on Thursday proposed charging property owners a monthly garbage collection fee to finance raises for firefighters while avoiding job cuts for other city staff. Under the proposal, most Houston homeowners would be charged … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The next eminent domain fight

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Coming to a Lege near you. Holly Reed, Texas Central’s managing director of external affairs, said the company prefers not to use eminent domain “at all” and would rather work out amicable sales agreements for the thousands of parcels needed … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: Beto in the city

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Last week I got an email from Christopher Busby, who is a regular commenter here. He had previously asked about doing an analysis of Beto O’Rourke’s performance in Houston by City Council district. I told him that the canvass data … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Here come the e-bikes

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

To Dallas. Uber is about to jump into Dallas with a brand-new rent-a-ride for this market: rechargeable electric bikes. Jump, which Uber bought in April for $200 million, has filed an application with Dallas City Hall to bring 2,000 stationless … Continue reading →

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

Rep. Joe Pickett to resign

Posted on December 17, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We will now need two special House elections to get to full membership. State Rep. Joe Pickett of El Paso will leave his post effective Jan. 4. Pickett, a Democrat, made the announcement Saturday morning that he will step down … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018, Election 2019, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for December 16

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

“These power grabs highlight one of the most disturbing facts about American politics today: The Republican Party has become institutionally indifferent to the health of democracy. It prioritizes power over principle to such an extreme degree that it undermines the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 3 Comments

The ACA decision

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Utterly ridiculous, and likely to be short-lived. A federal judge in Texas threw a dagger on Friday into the Affordable Care Act, ruling that the entire health-care law is unconstitutional because of a recent change in federal tax law. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

It really is all or nothing for HISD

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I hope we’re ready for this. Barring a change to the sanctions law, litigation or a change of heart by the board of trustees — none of which are expected — HISD will learn in August whether the district will … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Blake Farenthold Memorial Sexual Harassment Bill

Posted on December 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what this should be called. Less than a year after Corpus Christi Republican Blake Farenthold left Congress behind with an $84,000 settlement for sexual harassment, the House and Senate have agreed to make lawmakers pay their own misconduct judgments. … Continue reading →

Posted in National news, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Oh Lord, it’s Bill King again

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh Bill King, a Houston businessman who narrowly lost his bid for mayor in 2015, filed paperwork with the city secretary Wednesday marking his likely intent to challenge Mayor Sylvester Turner again in 2019. King lost to Turner, then a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

HISD rejects partnership idea

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The die is cast. Houston ISD trustees narrowly voted Thursday to not seek proposals from outside organizations to run long-struggling schools, a decision that keeps those campuses under local control but sets the stage for a possible state takeover of … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

No cannabis for you

Posted on December 15, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck getting your hands on medical marijuana in Texas. It’s been about a year since the first legally grown marijuana plants were harvested in Texas for their medicinal oils. But since then, fewer than 600 patients have seen any … Continue reading →

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An early look at bills about voting

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the Texas Civil Rights Project. Below are some bills to keep an eye on going forward. SB74: Slashing early voting by seven days In 2018, early voting in Texas surged, with over 4,514,000 Texans casting in-person ballots. To paraphrase more festive … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Of course we could have done more on flood mitigation before now

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: Harris County faces challenge, opportunity managing $2.5B flood bond program. I want to focus on this bit. Jim Blackburn, co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters Center at Rice University, estimates the bond … Continue reading →

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One Stockman aide sentenced

Posted on December 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

He cooperated. A federal judge Wednesday sentenced an ex-GOP congressional aide to prison for 18 months for helping former U.S. Rep. Steve Stockman illegally pilfer $1.25 million in campaign funds from wealthy Republican political donors. Thomas Dodd, a 40-year-old Houstonian, … Continue reading →

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Julian Castro takes his first step forward

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Towards the Presidency. Julián Castro is taking another step toward a 2020 presidential campaign. The former U.S. housing secretary and San Antonio mayor announced Wednesday that he has formed an exploratory committee to consider a bid and will make an … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Mayor moves forward with city-led school partnership

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. A nonprofit formed by city of Houston leaders may seek temporary control of up to 15 Houston ISD campuses in neighborhoods with historically low-performing schools, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday. The nonprofit, created by Turner’s education … Continue reading →

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

The Karolyis and Larry Nasser

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Ouch. A report commissioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee into the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal was strongly critical of the culture created by longtime coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi, saying that the atmosphere at the couple’s Walker County ranch … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 10

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance knows the value of cooperation as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Alvarado wins SD06 special election

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

No runoff! Hurray! State Rep. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, won the Senate District 6 special election Tuesday, finishing far ahead of a four-candidate field and grabbing a narrow majority of the votes needed to avoid a runoff. She received 50.4 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Cagle and Garcia hire Morman and Shaw

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Jack Morman, who was defeated for re-election as Harris County Precinct 2 commissioner in November, will remain on the county’s payroll in January as an employee of Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, a fellow Republican. Morman, who … Continue reading →

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

Driverless taxis have arrived

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In Phoenix. Google offshoot Waymo announced it is launching the nation’s first commercial driverless taxi service in this and other Phoenix suburbs. The 24/7 service, dubbed Waymo One, will let customers summon self-driving minivans by a smartphone app, a la … Continue reading →

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

Precinct analysis: The two types of statewide candidates

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

When we look at the precinct data in Harris County, we can separate the statewide candidates into two groups. Here’s the first group: Dist Abbott Valdez Tipp Abbott% Valdez% Trump% Clinton% =============================================================== CD02 146,399 112,272 4,345 55.66% 43.40% 52.38% 43.05% … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

From the “It’s never too early to make candidate announcements” department

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Three sitting District Judges from Dallas County plan to run for the Fifth District Court of Appeals in 2020. Judge Bonnie Goldstein of the 44th Civil District Court will campaign for Place 3. Judge Craig Smith of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harold Baines? Seriously?

Posted on December 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m stunned. Harold Baines was given a save as big as any Lee Smith ever posted. In a vote sure to spark renewed cries of cronyism at Cooperstown, Baines surprisingly was picked for the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Early voting concludes in SD06

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow is Election Day. Early voting concluded Friday in the special election to replace Sylvia Garcia in Senate District 6, and the low turnout is about what the Harris County clerk expected. More than 1,097 voters cast ballots Friday either … Continue reading →

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Yolanda Ford

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

History is made in Missouri City. Missouri City voters Saturday elected Yolanda Ford as their next mayor, the first woman and African American ever selected for the city’s highest office. Ford narrowly defeated incumbent Allen Owen, who has been Missouri … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Emmett to teach at Rice

Posted on December 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Fitting. Outgoing Harris County judge Ed Emmett said Tuesday he will teach at Rice University, his alma mater, starting in January. Emmett made the impromptu announcement after a Rice University undergraduate spoke during the public comment portion of Commissioners Court, … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for December 9

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

“The trade war between the U.S. and China is obscuring a key fact: economic growth for both countries will be significantly slower than in the past, for the simple reason that their populations are aging rapidly.” You should have the … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

From the “Needlessly overstated answers to simple questions” department

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this: Tony Buzbee, a Houston lawyer who recently announced his plan to run for mayor next year, has offered to “mediate” a long-running pay dispute between the city and firefighters, one week after … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Spec’s sues TABC

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Another lawsuit to watch. The state’s largest liquor chain — Spec’s Wine, Spirits and Finer Foods — is suing the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission for “abusive regulatory overreach” over an enforcement action that dragged on for almost two years before … Continue reading →

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

Houston to get XFL 2.0 team

Posted on December 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you that need more football. TDECU Stadium at the University of Houston will be the home field for Houston’s team in the XFL, the spring football league owned by WWE chairman Vince McMahon that will begin play … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment