Monthly Archives: May 2020

Weekend link dump for May 31

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

“Prince Andrew has not had a good six months. But can it get worse? In Andrew’s case, the answer is: Always.” “There have also been hints, inferences from different countries’ mitigation strategies and some initial studies suggesting that mask wearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Hotze and pals still crying to the Supreme Court

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s hard to keep track of it all. Houston GOP activist Steve Hotze and a coalition of business owners and conservatives have launched a legal challenge claiming Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency orders related to the coronavirus violate the Texas Constitution. … Continue reading →

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

RNC sues to halt California mail ballot expansion

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Put a pin in this. The Republican National Committee and other Republican groups have filed a lawsuit against California to stop the state from mailing absentee ballots to all voters ahead of the 2020 general election, a move that was … Continue reading →

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Please wear a mask

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t be that person. Seriously. Kara McIntyre remembers the day she likely contracted COVID-19 — she wasn’t wearing a face mask. She was at Target and began to feel dizzy. Later she checked her temperature and had a fever. So … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 20 Comments

Justice for George Floyd

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I stand with the people who are rightfully demanding justice for George Floyd and the many many (far too many) other black men and women like George Lloyd who have been killed by police officers. I join those in being … Continue reading →

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More people are requesting mail ballots

Posted on May 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a trickle and not a flood so far, but I suspect that will change as we get closer to Novemner. The legal status of mail-in voting for virus-related reasons has gone back and forth — earlier this month, one … Continue reading →

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Reopening 3.0

Posted on May 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants to go to a water park? Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation Tuesday announcing additional services and activities that can resume under his second wave of reopenings, allowing food courts in shopping malls to reopen immediately and giving … Continue reading →

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

Sharing is CARES-ing

Posted on May 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to understand this. The state of Texas and its 12 largest counties are in a tug-of-war over who is responsible for handing out federal coronavirus relief funding for some small cities. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic … Continue reading →

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NWSL will be the first American sports league to return to play

Posted on May 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how it goes. The National Women’s Soccer League will become the first U.S. team sport to resume play June 27 with a month-long tournament in suburban Salt Lake City, and the rebuilding Houston Dash hope the unique format … Continue reading →

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We will have more early voting time in November

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That’s good. Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday he will extend the early voting period for an unspecified amount of time during the November election as concerns continue to persist around in-person voting during the coronavirus pandemic. Abbott has already doubled … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How about some antibody tests?

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That would be good. After months of emphasis on diagnostic screening, contact tracing and research into possible treatments, Houston is about to deploy a new tool in the effort to contain COVID-19: antibody testing. Baylor College of Medicine researchers last … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A note about voter ID and vote by mail

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

See if you can detect the same theme I’m detecting. From Houston Public Media: Rice University recently surveyed Harris County voters. And nearly 70 percent of respondents preferred voting by mail if that’s an option. “We found that a large … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Constable Rosen tests positive for COVID-19

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, his office confirmed Wednesday. Rosen is the second local elected official known to have contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by … Continue reading →

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State Supreme Court issues confusing ruling in vote by mail case

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s unpack this. The Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a lack of immunity to the new coronavirus does not qualify a voter to apply for a mail-in ballot. In the latest twist in the legal fight over voting … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Our students need laptops

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The pandemic has made this clear. Houston ISD officials hope to provide every student with a district-issued laptop in 2020-21 and beyond, an ambitious target that would deliver much-needed technology to children but require voters to approve a bond package … Continue reading →

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MLB’s latest startup proposal

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The league still wants to stick it to the players. Major League Baseball drew the ire of the players’ union Tuesday with an economic proposal that called for a significant cut in salaries that would affect all players and particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of May 25

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance has a nervous eye on those post-reopening projections as it brings you this wee’s roundup.

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Have you missed having Stan Stanart to kick around?

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Well then, I have good news for you. Former Harris County Clerk Stan Stanart will run again for his old job, he confirmed Wednesday, joining two other Republicans seeking their party’s nomination for the November special election. Incumbent clerk Diane … Continue reading →

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

Voter, sanitize thyself

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

WTF? With voting in the primary runoff election starting next month in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, the Texas secretary of state on Tuesday issued “minimum recommended health protocols” for elections, including a suggestion that voters bring their own … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

The COVID models remain pessimistic about Texas

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Make of this what you will. The coronavirus may still be spreading at epidemic rates in 24 states, particularly in the South and Midwest, according to new research that highlights the risk of a second wave of infections in places … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

By the way, it’s hurricane season again

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just FYI. An above-normal Atlantic hurricane season is expected this year, including three to six major storms with winds over 111 mph, according to a forecast released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This would make 2020 the … Continue reading →

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

Here come the electric bikes

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Houston’s growing bike share system will jump into over-drive in the coming months, fueled by $250,000 in Harris County funds that will put 100 new electric bikes on city streets. An amended plan by Harris County Precinct One Commissioner … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Rep. Eddie Rodriguez

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We’re about a month out from the start of early voting for the July 14 elections, which are the primary runoffs and at least one special election, to fill the vacancy in the State Senate left by Kirk Watson’s resignation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

School districts set to get financial relief for coronavirus

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas will distribute the vast majority of a $1.29 billion federal stimulus package to school districts this summer, using it to deliver on a promise that schools will remain fully funded this school year despite statewide closures due to … Continue reading →

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Nothing but gray skies ahead

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You want a small sign that things are returning to “normal”, here you go. Houston’s air pollution is returning to normal levels, following a period of cleaner skies during the stay-at-home orders put in place to slow the spread the … Continue reading →

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So you want some flood bond project money?

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County plays a little hardball. Harris County on Tuesday plans to restrict flood bond projects to municipalities that meet its floodplain development standards, effectively forcing the 34 cities within its borders to adopt stricter rules to access the $2.5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Abbott expects there to be college football this fall

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty optimistic, if you ask me. Gov. Greg Abbott said he believes college football will begin on schedule in Texas with some fans in the stands, he told KXAN during an interview Friday. “My prediction is yes we’re going to … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Weekend link dump for May 24

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

“Strong Social Distancing Measures In The United States Reduced The COVID-19 Growth Rate”. “A politician who desperately wanted re-election would’ve been hard at work, from the moment he or she was alerted to the danger, attempting to contain the pandemic … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick gets all hysterical about voting by mail

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Poor Dan. You know how emotional he gets. Could someone get him a nice cup of chamomile tea, to help him calm down a bit? Thanks. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday said that efforts to expand mail-in voting during … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

That’s not how you test

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Texas health officials made a key change Thursday to how they report data about the coronavirus, distinguishing antibody tests from standard viral tests and prompting slight increases in the state’s oft-cited daily statistic known as the positivity rate. The … Continue reading →

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

The NBA inches closer to a return

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll know more soon. NBA teams are expecting the league office will issue guidelines around June 1 that will allow franchises to start recalling players who’ve left their markets as a first step toward a formal ramp-up for the season’s … Continue reading →

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Hidalgo extends stay-at-home order

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Well, sort of. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday issued new guidelines urging residents to stay home when possible, even as Gov. Greg Abbott reopens most businesses. The extended Stay Home, Work Safe order is in effect through June … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Are we headed towards a coronavirus spike?

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

One set of researchers thinks we may be. Houston is one of several cities in the South that could see spikes in COVID-19 cases over the next four weeks as restrictions are eased, according to new research that uses cellphone … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The 2020 Kinder Houston Area Survey

Posted on May 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We were a pretty optimistic bunch earlier this year, in the Before Times. Houstonians are expressing a deeper sense of mutual trust, compassion, and solidarity than ever before, with many also calling for policies that will reduce inequalities and improve … Continue reading →

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