Monthly Archives: January 2025

Of course the Paxton investigation is dead

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I strongly disagree with the use of the word “could” in this story. When President Donald Trump appeared in a New York courtroom last spring to face a slew of criminal charges, he was joined by a rotating cadre of … Continue reading →

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What happens now with Colony Ridge?

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Probably nothing good, but how much of that remains to be seen. A newly elected state representative this week suggested Colony Ridge, a 33,000 acre majority-Latino residential development in Liberty County, will be a focus of immigration enforcement for President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

HISD cancels classes

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox. Dear Houston ISD Families, The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Based on the most up-to-date weather information available to the District at this time and to provide families with adequate time to plan … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 19

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“The Rio Treaty’s Security Pact and Unintended Consequences of Threatening Canada, Greenland, and Panama”. “Bringing this all together, the technologies through which we see the public shape how we understand it, making it more likely that we end up in … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Next assault on mifepristone gets the rubber stamp

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. The Texas judge who previously halted approval of the nation’s most common method of abortion ruled Thursday that three states can move ahead with another attempt to roll back federal rules and make it harder for people across … Continue reading →

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James Helton and Wavery Guidry

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What an amazing story. On Galveston Island lies a story that could have been forgotten if not for the efforts of local historians. Two Black lifeguards, James Helton and Wavery Guidry, who made over 30 rescues combined between 1935 and … Continue reading →

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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Posted on January 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We all have a role to play in slowing its spread. Communities in Texas are being urged to take action to slow the spread of bird flu in the avian population. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) offers suggestions … Continue reading →

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HISD approves those previously unapproved expenses

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Cleanup on Aisle 3! Houston ISD’s Board of Managers voted Thursday to retroactively approve up to $870 million in purchasing agreements after the state’s largest school district admitted to violating procurement policy for approximately 16 months. State-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles … Continue reading →

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

DA’s office recused from Hidalgo aides’ case

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Done and done. A judge signed off on Harris County prosecutors handing their case against three former employees for County Judge Lina Hidalgo to the Texas attorney general, effectively ridding District Attorney Sean Teare’s office of the politically fraught charges … Continue reading →

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Another flying taxi overview

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As I’ve said before, every time I read a story about flying taxis, I learn something new. Flying taxis have made enough regulatory inroads with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to result in the recent creation of a new aircraft … Continue reading →

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Justice Department asked to investigate GLO’s screw job of Houston on Harvey funds

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure that late is actually better than never in this case, but here we are. A complaint stemming from the Texas General Land Office’s allocation of Harvey disaster recovery funds, which originally awarded no money to Houston or Harris … Continue reading →

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Paxton asks SCOTx to get him off the State Bar hook

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As the sun rises in the east. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office wants the Texas Supreme Court to throw out a State Bar ethics complaint against him — two weeks after the court dismissed a similar complaint against his assistant attorney general. … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, January 17 edition

Posted on January 17, 2025 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 from the Lege and about the upcoming May elections in North Texas. Also: the Dallas City … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS hears the Texas anti-porn case

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot on the line here. The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared conflicted over whether a Texas law regulating adult entertainment websites infringes upon First Amendment free speech rights of adults seeking to access online pornography. At issue … Continue reading →

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Nate Paul takes a plea

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Another anticlimactic end to an ongoing saga. Nate Paul, a prominent Austin real estate developer and head of World Class Holdings, has pleaded guilty to a single count of making false statements to a lending institution. The plea, entered Wednesday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters, Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on the Women’s Pro Baseball League

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good overview of the things this new league will need to do to have a good chance of success. For the first time since the Eisenhower Administration, women dreaming of playing baseball professionally in the United States will have the … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 13

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance sends its love to the people of Los Angeles as it brings you this week’s roundup. A portal of verified fundraisers for people affected by the fires is here for anyone who might like to make … Continue reading →

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Burrows elected Speaker

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Gotta admit, I’m a little surprised. Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was voted speaker of the Texas House on Tuesday, elevating him to one of the most powerful positions in state government. Burrows’ win marks a disappointing defeat for the insurgent … Continue reading →

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El Paso doctor responds to Paxton’s gender affirming care lawsuit

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Dr. Hector Granados felt puzzled when he first heard of the allegations. The El Paso pediatrician had just finished his hospital rounds early in the morning last fall when he received a call from a friend. The friend … Continue reading →

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

Just a little reminder

Posted on January 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This story asks a question that it doesn’t quite answer but is worth pondering. There are rolling hills west of Los Angeles and stretching to the Pacific Coast covered with homes — many now charred by recent wildfires. North and … Continue reading →

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SCOTx hears Paxton’s appeal of the Annunciation House case

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A big one. The Texas Attorney General’s Office told sometimes skeptical Texas Supreme Court justices Monday that El Paso’s Annunciation House migrant shelters are harboring undocumented immigrants and can’t use Catholic religious beliefs as a legal justification for its actions. … Continue reading →

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Oh, who needs board approval anyway?

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Heck of a job, y’all. Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration greenlit about $870 million in spending over the past 16 months without receiving required school board approval, breaking district policy and frustrating some board members. HISD administrators did not … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

I-10 elevation project is now underway

Posted on January 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I had managed to forget that this was out there. And then I had to get on I-10 west on Monday morning and was rudely reminded. A major construction project off Interstate 10 has kicked off with the intent to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: County races 2024 part 1

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: President Senate Railroad Commissioner I’m going to break up the countywide race analyses into two posts, to make my life a little easier. I’m also going to reduce the overall amount of information I’m putting in them, to make … Continue reading →

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Harris County passes backup power rule for nursing homes

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes in the unincorporated areas of Harris County now are required to install backup power generators to keep heating and cooling systems operational during electrical outages, making the county among the first in Texas … Continue reading →

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Comet alums unite in support of Fertitta’s WNBA bid

Posted on January 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They’re getting the band back together. Cynthia Cooper did not get closure when the Houston Comets folded. One minute, she was a star player on Houston’s four-time championship-winning WNBA team. The next minute, her phone was blowing up with texts … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 12

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“It may be a foolish optimism, but if Trump can be nudged in the right direction and convinced, he came up with the idea, as he did with the successor to NAFTA, he might not be quite the disaster so … Continue reading →

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Where the Lege might go next on abortion

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

There’s always further to go. Last legislative session was the quietest in decades for abortion. After successfully banning nearly all abortions, Republicans were wary about continuing to push an issue that is widely unpopular with voters. This session, coming off … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Very few minors actually get gender-affirming care

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. How many transgender teens in the U.S. are receiving medical care related to gender transitions? According to a peer-reviewed research letter published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics, the answer is very, very few. It’s a key data point as Republican lawmakers in Congress … Continue reading →

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Tesla seeks permit for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on January 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who wants this? Tesla is in early talks with the authorities in the city of Austin, Texas, about its autonomous vehicle technology, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. A Tesla employee has been in touch with the city’s autonomous vehicle task … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues TikTok

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Feels like this is about to be moot, but here we are. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Thursday sued TikTok for the second time in recent months, accusing the social media company of violating deceptive trade law by downplaying … Continue reading →

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Hotze’s desperation

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What a loser. Republican activist Stephen Hotze asked a federal judge to step in on a civil case against him, saying the lawsuit was part of a Democrat-led conspiracy. Hotze on Dec. 31 asked the U.S. District Court for the … Continue reading →

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

More lawsuits involving Tony Buzbee

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He sure stays busy. Houston attorney Tony Buzbee is once again suing Jay Z’s Roc Nation, alleging that the entertainment company and others encouraged one of his former clients to sue The Buzbee Law Firm in exchange for lucrative gain. … Continue reading →

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Republican State Rep accuses state GOP Chair of ethics violations

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, my. A Republican Texas House member is calling for the state party chair to be investigated, alleging that he illegally threatened and intimidated lawmakers who are not supporting the party’s preferred candidate for House speaker. In a complaint filed to the … Continue reading →

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