Monthly Archives: March 2020

More on Abbott’s stay-in-jail order

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s that more detailed Chron story I referenced yesterday. I’m just going to quote the newer information about Greg Abbott’s executive order that attempts to basically stop most releases of inmates from the jail regardless of the coronavirus situation. The … Continue reading →

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

Steven Hotze’s death wish

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A hardline conservative power broker and three area pastors filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court Monday arguing that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s stay-at-home order violates the Constitution by ordering … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Latest abortion ban halted for now

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We follow the script. A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked Texas’ ban on abortions, a prohibition state officials said was necessary to preserve medical resources during the coronavirus pandemic. The ruling came less than a week after Texas abortion … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

The federal stimulus package includes money for elections

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

What we’ll do with it remains unknown at this time. The $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package Congress is working to pass this week includes $400 million for election costs states face in wrestling with how to hold high-profile 2020 elections … Continue reading →

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The rest of the H-GAC region

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

As long as we’ve been talking about Waller County and Montgomery County, I thought I’d check in on the other members of the Houston-Galveston Area Council region. Harris County and six of its seven neighbors – Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Still trying to do something about the coronavirus risk in the jail

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Time is extremely limited for this. A federal judge Friday asked lawyers to hammer out a plan for releasing about 1,000 indigent inmates detained on bonds of $10,000 or less amid fear of a COVID-19 outbreak at the third largest … Continue reading →

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

Of course he thinks that’s “essential”

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t get any more on-brand than this. Gun stores are essential business and should be allowed to remain open during the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Friday. Paxton said in his nonbinding opinion that state law prevents … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Weekend link dump for March 29

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

“Copper is antimicrobial. It kills bacteria and viruses, sometimes within minutes. In the 19th century, exposure to copper would have been an early version of constantly sanitizing one’s hands. Since then, studies have shown that copper is able to destroy … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 19 Comments

So about those runoffs

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

They’re still happening in July. For now. Democrats and Republicans across Texas are settling in for the new normal that is campaigning in the time of the novel coronavirus. Not only has the pandemic upended how candidates campaign for the … Continue reading →

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What’s up, Waller County?

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the lone holdout county in the Houston area. Waller County Judge Trey Duhon says he expected to announce a stay-at-home order for his rural county this week, following the lead of other major counties in the region. But then … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The conditions under which baseball can return

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

If coronavirus cooperates. Cross your fingers and hope for the best. Major League Baseball owners have approved a plan to address salary and service-time issues amid the indefinite delay to the start of the regular season, according to ESPN and … Continue reading →

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The coronavirus doesn’t care about your rugged individualism

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Put a pin in this story, and let’s see how things are in a week, and in two weeks. Reports of COVID-19 cases might not be as prevalent outside of the metropolitan areas, and official actions have been slower and … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Montgomery County issues a stay-at-home order

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting real, y’all. After initially announcing he would not issue a stay-at-home order regarding the new coronavirus, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough is following other area counties and a stay-at-home order will go into effect at midnight Friday. The … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We are doing a good job of keeping our distance

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what our phone say, anyway. Harris County residents are doing a good job keeping their distance, according to location data culled from smartphones, earning an “A” on a nationwide scoreboard. The Social Distancing Scoreboard is a creation of Unacast, … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on We are doing a good job of keeping our distance

Metro slows its roll on system improvements

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. Houston-area transit officials will wait out a little more of the coronavirus crisis before soliciting bids on five of the first projects in their $7 billion construction bonanza for bus and rail upgrades. “Moving this by a … Continue reading →

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

The difference a week makes

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Imposing a stay-at-home order sooner rather than later ha a profound effect on how many people come down with coronavirus. The person-to-person spread of the coronavirus in the Houston region would peak in two weeks and burn out by mid-May … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Abortion providers file suit over Abbott executive order

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You can’t let crass opportunism go unchallenged. Texas abortion providers announced a lawsuit against top state officials, challenging an executive order earlier this week that included abortion in a ban of all procedures that are deemed to not be medically … Continue reading →

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

Coronavirus and the state budget

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t gonna be great. How bad, we don’t yet know. Comptroller Glenn Hegar briefed Texas House members on the state’s economy and budget Sunday night, saying that while it was too soon for specific forecasts, both are expected to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Games in the time of coronavirus

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I came across this story in Slate by Stefan Fatsis about a recent Scrabble tournament he attended, and it got me thinking. Before the tournament, I reminded players to wash their tiles and bags. (They’re an obvious germ vector, and … Continue reading →

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The Republican death wish

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It would be one thing if they were just putting their own lives at risk, but that’s not how viruses work. After Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins became the first to announce a mandatory stay-at-home rule, conservative groups including Empower … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Former Bloomberg staffers sue him

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. Four former workers for Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign in Texas are suing him for fraud, alleging that he went back on a promise to pay them through the November election. In lawsuits filed Monday in Tarrant County, the former … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Former Bloomberg staffers sue him

Coronavirus and the Census

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, man, does this have the potential to be devastating. In some corners of the state, the meticulous planning spanned more than two years. Detailed maps of Texas communities were pored over. A ground game to knock on doors was … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 23

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance remains grateful for nonstop Internet access as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Astros move to dismiss season ticket holder lawsuits

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

How about some non-coronavirus baseball-related news? I got some for ya. The Astros have asked Harris County district judges to dismiss the three lawsuits filed against the ballclub by ticketholders who claim they were defrauded by the sign-stealing scandal in … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Houston/Harris County stay-at-home order

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s hoping we won’t have to do this for too much longer. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo issued a stay-at-home order Tuesday morning closing most businesses and directing residents to stay put except for groceries and errands in the latest … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coronavirus and voter registration

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Time for Plan B. Texas was making record gains getting voters on the rolls. Now the coronavirus threatens to grind that progress to a halt, throwing up major hurdles to Democratic efforts to make the state’s November elections competitive for … Continue reading →

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

Go ahead and die, Dan

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just do it on your own time, and try not to take anyone with you. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, chiming in to support President Donald Trump’s new focus on the economy over fierce warnings from public health officials, suggested … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 31 Comments

Here come the shelter-in-place orders

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The shutdowns are getting shut-down-ier. Many of Texas’ biggest cities and counties are ordering residents to shelter in place whenever possible. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff on Monday evening ordered residents to stay in … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The weather effect

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe a little bit of hope. We’ll see. Communities living in warmer places appear to have a comparative advantage to slow the transmission of coronavirus infections, according to an early analysis by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

The looming unemployment insurance crisis

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Can we please not make the same egregious mistakes as last time? As businesses across the state close to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the mass layoffs that have followed could quickly drain the state fund that pays unemployment … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, The great state of Texas | 7 Comments

Harris County settles lawsuit about voter registration records

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure what to make of this. In a victory for government transparency, Harris County officials settled a lawsuit Tuesday with a conservative voting rights group, agreeing to disclose records of foreign nationals who voted in Texas elections and … Continue reading →

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The state of the state’s response

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, it’s something. Gov. Greg Abbott took multiple measures Sunday designed to expand hospital staffing and capacity in Texas, but declined to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order — even as calls for such an action increased as the new … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Worrying about the restaurants

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Alison Cook laments the potential fate for her favorite part of Houston. Depending on local or state strictures, to help stem the spread of Covid-19 restaurants in most major markets would be able to provide takeout, drive-thru or delivery rations … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Metro suspends fare collections

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Among other things. Transit in Houston will be free starting Monday and passengers will use the rear door to board and exit buses to limit exposure to drivers and other riders, Metropolitan Transit Authority officials announced Friday. The changes are … Continue reading →

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