Monthly Archives: May 2020

Comparing the April finance reports

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In my roundup of April finance reports for Congress, I said I’d do a comparison of the 2018 numbers to 2020. I’m a blogger of his word, so let’s have that look. Dist Year Name Raised Spent Loans On Hand … Continue reading →

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How to become a coronavirus hotspot

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It can happen to you, wherever you are. Barely a week ago, rural Lamar County in Texas could make a pretty good argument for reopening on Friday. Less than a dozen of the 50,000 residents of the area, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

You got to dance with them what brung ya

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Kenny Boy Paxton is looking out for you. If you are one of his rich donors. When a small county in the Colorado mountains banished everyone but locals to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, an unlikely outsider raised a … Continue reading →

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From the “Shit happens” department

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I apologize, I couldn’t help myself. City health officials and Rice University scientists have begun testing Houston wastewater samples for COVID-19, a process they hope will reveal the true spread of the new coronavirus as clinical testing continues to lag. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for May 3

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

If you are reading this, then we have not been obliterated by an asteroid. Whether that’s good news or bad news is a matter of opinion. A delightful Twitter thread featuring the creepiest objects in various museum collections. “Many security-conscious … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Paxton threatens county clerks over vote by mail instructions

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems to me this should get a bit more attention. Attorney General Ken Paxton informed county judges and election officials Friday that if they advise voters who normally aren’t eligible to apply for mail-in ballots due to a fear of … Continue reading →

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

More on coronavirus and meat processing

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: To understand powerlessness in a pandemic, trace a northbound path from Amarillo up State Highway 87. Not too far shy of the border where Texas meets Oklahoma lies Moore County. There are few easy ways to make … Continue reading →

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Houston’s Climate Action Plan

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We have one, with goals for 2050. Houston’s first Climate Action Plan calls on the city’s 4,600 energy companies to lead the transition to renewable sources, while residents are asked to swap car rides for mass transit and work to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Well, they do serve food

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Presented (mostly) without comment: A strip club in Houston has won a temporary order from federal court Friday night allowing it to resume business after a confrontation with police over the governor’s order to allow certain types of businesses to … Continue reading →

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

Day One of reopening

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, this is where we started. Texas reported 50 more COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the most in any one day since the state reported its first deaths in mid-March. The state also reported it had added more than … Continue reading →

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Down go the sales tax receipts

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad. Expected, but bad. Texas collected $2.58 billion in state sales tax revenue in April — a roughly 9% drop from what the state collected the same month last year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Friday. That drop, from $2.8 … Continue reading →

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All beaches are now open

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Again, ready or not. Galveston Mayor Jim Yarbrough isn’t worried about Texas beaches reopening to the public on Friday. He’s worried about where people will go after they leave the beach. “If Houston people want to come and congregate on … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 1 Comment

The NBA takes a baby step towards coming back

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This may not amount to much, but it’s a potential sign that there may be more like it coming. The NBA is reopening team practice facilities beginning on Friday for players in states and municipalities that are loosening stay-at-home restrictions … Continue reading →

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Ready or not, here we reopen

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Who cares what the data says? As he moves to reopen the state Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has cited data and science as his guiding lights. But Texas has yet to meet most of the … Continue reading →

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The TDP motion for a fast ruling in their federal vote by mail lawsuit

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned this in passing in yesterday’s post, so here are some more details. Updating an ongoing lawsuit, the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday asked a federal judge in San Antonio to issue an order by May 15 requiring state … Continue reading →

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Reopening the beaches

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Galveston has opened its beaches again. Galveston beaches were reopened to pedestrians Monday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. after being closed for nearly a month due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The Galveston City Council voted 4-3 on the … Continue reading →

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