Monthly Archives: April 2024

Second complaint filed over Ted Cruz’s podcast payments

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Bring ’em all on. The Campaign Legal Center (CLC), a money-in-politics watchdog group, has filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee alleging that U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz violated the upper chamber’s ban on members taking honoraria for speeches or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Don’t hold your breath waiting for the WNBA to come back to Houston

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The WNBA will be expanding from 12 to 16 teams by 2028. Houston is not on their list of potential new locations. The WNBA is looking to continue growing in the next few years. The league intends to reach 16 … Continue reading →

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

Dispatches from Dallas: Special school edition for April 21

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a special edition of the weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger, focused on school districts and the May election. Let us know what you think. Welcome to a special schools edition of Dispatches from Dallas. A number … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff, School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Early voting for the May 4 election begins Monday

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth announced that early voting for the May 4 Uniform and Special Elections for Texas Senate District 15 and the Harris County Appraisal District begins on Monday, April 22, and runs through Tuesday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Amtrak pushes for Texas Central

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of that. Booming demand, Texas’s rapidly expanding population and growing political will have converged to create the right environment to move high-speed rail ahead, Amtrak leadership said Tuesday. Andy Byford, Amtrak’s senior vice president of high-speed … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Sidney Powell’s disciplinary lawsuit stays dismissed

Posted on April 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A bummer, and a black eye for the State Bar. A Dallas appeals court on Thursday upheld a decision not to discipline Sidney Powell, former lawyer for Donald Trump, for her role in seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election, … Continue reading →

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

Is Ted Cruz ever going to feel some pressure about abortion?

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Whatever happens in Arizona in November, we got a preview of the difficulty Republican candidates will have in states where high-stakes ballot initiatives literally put abortion on the ballot. Shortly after Arizona’s high court ruled that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Uplift Harris can proceed

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

So says a judge. A district judge on Thursday ruled Harris County’s new guaranteed income program can proceed, denying the Texas Attorney General’s office request for a temporary injunction. The state sued Harris County earlier this month, arguing the initiative … Continue reading →

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

SD15 rounds two and three

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

If it weren’t for the HCAD elections on May 4, the SD15 special election would be the headliner. Molly Cook and state Rep. Jarvis Johnson both say they take every election seriously, and that includes their head-to-head matchup on May … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dispatches from Dallas, April 19 edition

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth: news about the upcoming election, including what we know and don’t know; the bond package here in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Dispatches from Dallas, April 19 edition

Good luck finding any info about those county appraisal board elections

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’ve written a bunch about the HCAD Board elections, including doing interviews with four of the candidates, so that you my readers and anyone else who stumbles across this page can hopefully know a little something about … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Chron covers the HCAD elections

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

At long, long last. Most Houston-area property owners likely are unaware that the amount of taxes they owe is decided, in part, by a group of local appraisers overseen by a little-known board of directors. But for the first time … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Book ban law stays blocked

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Key portions of a law signed last year by Gov. Greg Abbott requiring booksellers to rate books for sexual content when selling to schools will not go into effect after the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday declined … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of April 15

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is ready for some Stormy court action as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of April 15

Interview with Kathy Blueford-Daniels

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We come to the end of my interviews with candidates for the HCAD positions. I might have tried to broaden the field under some other circumstances, but in this case I felt it best to concentrate on the candidates who … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Allred maintains his fundraising pace

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna need to keep that going. U.S. Rep. Colin Allred raised over $9.5 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in this year’s first quarter, surpassing the campaign of his rival Sen. Ted Cruz. Notably, Allred has also raised more money … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Allred maintains his fundraising pace

Travis Scott makes his argument to get out of the Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He has a reasonable case. Not saying I’d buy it, but it’s not ridiculous. Superstar rapper Travis Scott should not be held responsible for planning failures before the 2021 Astroworld tragedy or the delayed process of ending the show as … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some Tarrant Appraisal District drama

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A candidate for the Tarrant Appraisal District board alleges County Judge Tim O’Hare tried to pressure him into dropping out of the race. Colleyville City Council member Chuck Kelley, who is running for Place 3, said O’Hare first … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

City workers gear up for their next contract

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, the city has employees who are not with the police or the fire department, and they like earning a decent salary, too. Houston’s municipal employees union, HOPE AFSCME Local 123, is expected to begin its contract … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City workers gear up for their next contract

A brief robotaxi update

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Cruise is back on the streets, but with human drivers for the time being. Cruise has announced that it’s resuming tests for its fleet of self-driving taxis in Phoenix, Arizona , though not with passengers just yet. The autonomous vehicle … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A brief robotaxi update

Interview with Melissa Noriega

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have two more interviews for you for the now-elected HCAD Board positions, for which I remind you that election day is May 4 and early voting begins a week from today on April 22 and runs through April 30. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Trying again on judge shopping

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… U.S. Senate leaders introduced legislation to end “judge shopping” — a practice that’s made a federal courthouse in Amarillo with a Trump-appointed judge a destination for conservative litigants challenging Biden administration policies. Senate Majority … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Trying again on judge shopping

Bastard cabbage update

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Because I still like saying “bastard cabbage”. There’s a war raging in Texas this spring — between wildflowers and bastard cabbage. Officials say bastard cabbage, also known by its proper name, rapistrum rugosum, poses a threat to the livelihood of … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Bastard cabbage update

Weekend link dump for April 14

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Just as Trump’s mixture of insecurity, anger and grievance bonded him with small-town, white, declining America, his hunger for power and the punishment of enemies bonded him with America’s rising authoritarian movement.” An interview with 7th Circuit Court of Appeals … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

Astroworld lawsuit update

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Drake got himself removed as a defendant. A Harris County district court judge on Wednesday dismissed Drake from the sprawling civil lawsuit over the deadly Astroworld concert. The Canadian rapper was a guest performer at the November 2021 concert, appearing … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chron overview of the HD139 runoff

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

While I hope that the Chron runs overviews of all of the primary runoffs, I really hope they run at least one freaking story about the HCAD special election. Angie Thibodeaux is an affordable housing consultant who wants to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron overview of the HD139 runoff

Fertitta still interested in an NHL team

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Also possibly a WNBA team. For the second time in more than a month, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has stated his interest in bringing an NHL team to Houston. Fertitta, in an interview Wednesday on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” was asked … Continue reading →

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

Ted Cruz is still trying to make people believe he has “bipartisan accomplishments”

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We return to the Department of Obvious Reactions to Dumb Things. Heading into the heat of his reelection race against Dallas Congressman Colin Allred, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is testing the waters with a rebrand. Cruz, who has made a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

So what is HISD going to do with this bond proposal?

Posted on April 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea. I’m not sure they have any idea, either. Houston ISD officials are considering asking taxpayers to approve a multibillion-dollar bond in November, but Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration has yet to go through a widely used process … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Lawsuit filed to stop the Boca Chica land swap

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. A coalition of Rio Grande Valley organizations have filed a lawsuit against the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, seeking to block the state agency from pursuing a land swap with Elon Musk’s SpaceX spacecraft company. Last month, the Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed to stop the Boca Chica land swap

Parking meter extension proposal sent to Prop A committee

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We sure do live in a different world now. City Council voted on Wednesday to send a proposal extending parking meter enforcement times to committee following a clash between council members who introduced the agenda item and those who expressed … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Parking meter extension proposal sent to Prop A committee

RNC scales down Hispanic outreach efforts

Posted on April 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. A Hispanic outreach center that the National Republican Committee opened on San Antonio’s Southeast Side in 2021 is among numerous minority outreach offices across the country that have been shuttered for the 2024 election cycle. Democrats say … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on RNC scales down Hispanic outreach efforts

County leaders defend Uplift Harris

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate the passion and intensity in this response, but overall it does not leave me feeling optimistic about the outcome. Harris County leaders are defending their new guaranteed income program after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office sued to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Some of those dropped HPD cases were connected to other cases

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Shocking, I know. Of the suspended sex crime incident reports submitted by the Houston Police Department to the Houston Forensic Science Center, nearly 100 came back with links to other cases, Chief Troy Finner said Monday evening. […] In HPD’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Some of those dropped HPD cases were connected to other cases