Monthly Archives: December 2021

Judicial Q&A: Lema Barazi

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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An early look at the primary for Commissioners Court, Precinct 4

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I have a few thoughts about this. With a new Harris County precinct map in place, Democrats may have their best chance in a dozen years of capturing Precinct 4. That’s set up a fierce, three-way contest in the Democratic … Continue reading →

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Nobody bullshits like Greg Abbott

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some stories I blog about require subtle thought and detailed analysis. Others pretty much speak for themselves. The two most powerful people overseeing Texas’ electric grid sat next to each other in a quickly arranged Austin news conference in early … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Law firm representing Spring Branch ISD withdraws from redistricting lawsuit

Posted on December 31, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The law firm Thompson & Horton LLP has represented Spring Branch ISD in multiple legal matters since 2005. While Thompson & Horton were originally representing SBISD in the Voting Rights Act lawsuit that Virginia Elizondo filed against the district … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Herbert Alexander Sanchez

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit over Harris County Commissioners Court redistricting tossed

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Missed this over the holidays. A Harris County Judge on Wednesday tossed a lawsuit from Republican commissioners and voters over new county maps that favor Democrats. Judge Dedra Davis ruled in favor of Harris County, finding that Republican commissioners Jack … Continue reading →

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Got to keep an eye on the hospitalizations

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They’re up, but for now we’re still in reasonably decent shape. More than 1,200 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Houston area on Monday, according to data released by the state Tuesday afternoon. The Department of State Health Services … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 27

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes that all is calm and bright with you as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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The Shepherd and Durham Major Investment Project

Posted on December 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready for some major construction, but the end result will be well worth it. Beginning next month, those who travel along North Shepherd Drive and Durham Drive in the Heights are going to have to cope with road construction … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Porscha Natasha Brown

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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Preliminary injunction sought against mail ballot restrictions

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Today in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and the Harris County Attorney’s Office moved for a preliminary injunction in Longoria v. Paxton, their challenge … Continue reading →

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Another look at the Aguirre/Hotze debacle

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Man, do I ever want this to be the end of Steven Hotze as a political force. A well-funded far-right group—that made inroads with Stop The Steal organizations, paid a former police captain more than $200,000 to hunt ballots, and became entangled in a … Continue reading →

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Hey, if libraries are fair game…

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Why stop at school libraries? When the Llano County Library shuts down for three days this week, starting Tuesday, it won’t be for the holidays. Instead, a group of six librarians in this small Central Texas county will be conducting … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Scot Dollinger

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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How’s that online voter registration thing going?

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty well, it seems. So well, perhaps, that the state of Texas doesn’t want to tell you how well. Since a federal judge forced Texas nearly a year and a half ago to offer limited online voter registration, 1.5 million … Continue reading →

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HISD will not lift its mask mandate

Posted on December 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like an easy call at this point. The Houston Independent School District will maintain its mask mandate and offer free COVID testing at campuses for students and staff in 2022, Superintendent Millard House II announced last week. House previously … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judge Chip Wells

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. This is intended to help introduce the candidates and their experiences to those who plan to vote in … Continue reading →

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Congressional committee has some questions for Live Nation

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A congressional committee is investigating the promoter of the Astroworld music festival, where 10 people were killed in a crowd surge as rapper Travis Scott performed last month. The House Oversight and Reform Committee sent a letter Wednesday to … Continue reading →

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What Harris County could maybe do to counter SB8

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From last week. I have my doubts much of it will happen, though. Three months after Democrats on Harris County Commissioners Court sought advice on how to counter Texas’ new abortion ban, policy analysts for the court on Tuesday advised … Continue reading →

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We need to get more kids vaccinated

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

C’mon, y’all. Now is very much not the time to be hesitant. Most Houston parents have not rushed out to inoculate their children against COVID-19, new data show, the latest indication that achieving widespread immunity among the young may be … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 26

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“The difference in death rates from COVID between Republicans and Democrats is becoming even more striking.” “Tornadoes and the severe storms that create them are far below the typical scale that climate models can predict. What we can do instead … Continue reading →

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The state of the state redistricting lawsuits

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A good update, and a reminder that not all of the action is in federal court. In two cases heard [December 14 and 15], a group of mostly Democratic, Hispanic lawmakers from both chambers challenged the legality of when and … Continue reading →

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Saint Arnold whiskey

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For those of you that like spirits. Houston’s oldest craft brewery has quietly launched a new venture that could bear some tasty results. Speaking on this week’s episode of CultureMap’s “What’s Eric Eating” podcast, Saint Arnold Brewing Company founder Brock … Continue reading →

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Say goodbye to 2021, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We have our traditions at this here weblog, and this is one of them. Enjoy, as I know you will, my favorite Christmas story. And may 2022 be better than 2021. Stay safe and be well, y’all.

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It’s never to early to wish you all a good night

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And yet another viewing of my favorite Christmas Eve video: May you have a safe and joyous holiday. See you on the flip side.

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Simply having a COVIDful Christmastime

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry not sorry. Houston has surpassed 300,000 COVID-19 cases, just days after the highly contagious omicron variant leapfrogged delta to become the dominant viral strain circulating in the region and around the United States. The staggering milestone reached Thursday, when … Continue reading →

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The COVID College Football Playoffs

Posted on December 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. If a team is unavailable to play in College Football Playoff semifinals on New Year’s Eve because of COVID-19 issues, the game will be forfeited and the available team will advance to the championship. With COVID-19 cases spiking across … Continue reading →

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Our year in COVID

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It was bad. How it is next year is at least partially up to us. Texas recorded a 35 percent increase in COVID-19 deaths in 2021, compared to the first year of the pandemic, even though vaccines have been available … Continue reading →

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The “prison gerrymandering” lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of the many lawsuits filed so far over Texas redistricting, this is the one I know the least about. Nearly a quarter of a million people were incarcerated in Texas when the Census was taken last year. When lawmakers redrew … Continue reading →

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Here comes that Universities BRT map

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Show me the route! The largest and most-sought segment of Metro’s planned bus rapid transit expansion in Houston is poised next week to officially move from being just lines on a map to the starting line — even if construction … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 20

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance knows exactly how nice or naughty everyone in this week’s roundup is. Off the Kuff lets you know about the absolutely bonkers primary election that Republican voters in Potter County are fixing to have. SocraticGadfly offers … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The new SBOE map

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: New State House map, New Congressional map I probably care more about the SBOE than most normal people do. It’s not that powerful an entity, there are only 15 seats on it, and their elections go largely under the … Continue reading →

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From the “Keeping track of all these lawsuits is hard” department

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Spotted on Democracy Docket: Today, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas denied a motion to dismiss Vote.org v. Callanen. The case, filed earlier this summer, challenges Texas’ “wet signature” law that requires individuals who submit … Continue reading →

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Apparently, we’re still litigating whether Texas Central is a railroad

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I admit, I’m a bit confused by this. The Texas attorney general’s office has put its weight behind a landowner’s case against the companies developing a controversial Dallas-Houston bullet train, arguing they can’t force people to sell parcels needed for … Continue reading →

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