Tag Archives: local control

Is there one last twist in the West 11th Street saga?

Posted on June 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was posted as an update to the change.org petition in support of the West 11th Street project: The opposition to making 11th street safer is asking TXDOT to stop the project-we need your help! The group that has organized … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

There’s only so much that Austin (or any other Texas city) can do to protect abortion rights

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate this, I really do, but it’s important to remember that it can only ever be a band-aid, and very likely a temporary one. The city of Austin is attempting to shield its residents from prosecution under a Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Appeals court upholds school district mask mandates

Posted on March 19, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe not the most timely ruling ever, but still nice. An appellate court on Thursday sided with Texas school districts in their dispute with state officials over mask mandates, which numerous school systems have already lifted as pandemic conditions have eased. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appeals court upholds school district mask mandates

More school districts dropping mask mandates

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Unsurprising. Some of Texas’ biggest school districts are lifting mask mandates for students just weeks before spring break. Houston Independent School District, the state’s largest district, and Dallas ISD announced Monday that they would not require students to wear masks. … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More school districts dropping mask mandates

Two new polls of the Governor’s race

Posted on February 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

One is in the news. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is running 11 percentage points ahead of Democrat Beto O’Rourke in this year’s race for Texas governor, according to a Dallas Morning News-University of Texas at Tyler poll released Sunday. Buoyed … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Two new polls of the Governor’s race

Back to Code Red

Posted on January 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not for too long. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Monday moved the county again to its highest COVID-19 threat level, her office said. The announcement should be old hat for Hidalgo, who has moved to Level Red each … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Back to Code Red

Third Court of Appeals upholds Harris County mask mandate

Posted on January 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Savor the win, for it’s off to SCOTx next. A state appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower-court injunction that allowed Harris County to impose mask requirements despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning such mandates. The Austin-based 3rd Court … Continue reading →

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

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 →

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

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 →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Our year in COVID

How’s that city push to get its employees vaccinated going?

Posted on December 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not bad, actually. Nearly three months after Mayor Sylvester Turner signed an executive order requiring Houston’s 21,000 city employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, receive a medical or religious exemption, or submit COVID-19 test results every two weeks, compliance with … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

HISD will keep its mask mandate

Posted on December 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is in response to that recent Fifth Circuit ruling about mask mandates in schools and whether Greg Abbott’s ban on them violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Houston Independent School District will keep its mask mandate in place, … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD will keep its mask mandate

Appeals court upholds Dallas mask mandate

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still mask mandate litigation going on, and Greg Abbott keeps getting his ass handed to him. Mask mandates will be allowed in the State of Texas. The Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas issued the ruling during the late … Continue reading →

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

Bexar mask mandate back on

Posted on November 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Abbott and Paxton take another L. A temporary order that allows the City of San Antonio and Bexar County to require masks in their buildings will stay in place until a lawsuit challenging an executive order goes to trial in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bexar mask mandate back on

People still support mask mandates

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

One more tidbit from the UT/Trib poll for October. A majority of Texas voters support requiring masks at schools and indoor public places and allowing businesses to require their employees to be vaccinated, according to a new University of Texas/Texas … Continue reading →

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

NAACP tells athletes to steer clear of Texas

Posted on November 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

At least someone is willing to take a stand. The NAACP is urging professional athletes who are free agents to boycott Texas over recent restrictive voting and abortion laws as well as policies stopping local governments from enacting coronavirus containment … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SCOTx puts San Antonio ISD’s vaccine mandate on pause

Posted on October 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Ken Paxton finally gets what he wants. The Texas Supreme Court temporarily halted San Antonio Independent School District’s staff vaccine mandate on Thursday, a day before the deadline for all employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. The ruling comes two … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on SCOTx puts San Antonio ISD’s vaccine mandate on pause

The Constitutional amendments

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember how in odd numbered years there are some number of constitutional amendments to vote on in November? This is the one thing that guarantees you have a reason to turn out regardless of what your city or school … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: Vote No on Prop 3

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall. Most of them are pretty innocuous, but one of them is not, and you should vote No on it. Proposition 3, on this year’s ballot, would enact a constitutional amendment … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

El Paso mask mandate blocked

Posted on October 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is a city mask mandate. It does not affect the El Paso ISD mask mandate. El Paso’s mandate requiring masks in indoor spaces, including schools, was ended on Thursday by the 8th Court of Appeals. The ruling does not … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on El Paso mask mandate blocked

More on the San Antonio ISD vaccination mandate litigation

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’m a little confused at this point, but I’ll cope. Judge Mary Lou Alvarez of the 45th District Court denied the state of Texas’ request for a temporary injunction Friday, allowing the San Antonio Independent School District to continue requiring … Continue reading →

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

COVID continues to run amuck at the schools

Posted on October 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is our reality. Students in Texas public schools are facing another year upturned by COVID-19 as the highly contagious delta variant spreads, mask mandates are inconsistent and children under 12 cannot yet be vaccinated against the virus. Less than … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

SAISD vaccine mandate update

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Still in place for now, but clearly on shaky ground. San Antonio Independent School District can continue requiring its staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19, despite a judge ruling against the district Thursday in a case filed by the Texas … Continue reading →

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

Feds officially investigating Texas mask mandate ban

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday launched a civil rights investigation into Gov. Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates in schools, making Texas the sixth state to face a federal inquiry over mask rules. The investigation will focus … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Feds officially investigating Texas mask mandate ban

El Paso is doing all right with Delta

Posted on September 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them, let’s hope it lasts. While some other metro areas like Austin reported record high numbers of COVID-19 patients in their area hospitals just last month, and while statewide hospitalizations came close to eclipsing the January peak of … Continue reading →

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

Galveston ISD mask mandate remains, Round Rock gets halted

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Galveston County judge Thursday denied an attempt by Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop Galveston ISD from requiring masks, according to a court document. Judge Kerry Neves ruled against Texas’ request for a temporary restraining order on mask … Continue reading →

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

Paxton sues more school districts

Posted on September 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Another rampage by the morally bankrupt felon in the AG’s office. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has unleashed another wave of lawsuits against school districts over their masking policies — but one of them says it doesn’t even require face … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Paxton sues more school districts

Paxton sues again over SAISD’s vaccine mandate

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, vaccine mandate. For teachers and staff. For the second time in a month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued San Antonio Independent School District and Superintendent Pedro Martinez for requiring all staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Martinez issued … Continue reading →

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

Our COVID failures and our economy

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Remember when the goal was to get the economy going again? The recent surge in COVID-19 cases is not only hitting the state in terms of lives lost, but it’s taking its toll on the Texas economy. That’s according to … Continue reading →

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

Paxton sues several school districts over mask mandates

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever, dude. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday that he filed a lawsuit against Richardson ISD, following through on his pledge to sue school districts who mandate masks. The district defied Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting local entities … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Mayor Turner orders unvaxxed city employees to get tested twice a week

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So maybe get vaccinated, and avoid all the hassle. Unvaccinated city workers must get tested for COVID-19 twice a month and report their results to the human resources department, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Wednesday. Turner signed an executive order implementing … Continue reading →

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

We really need a mask mandate at every school district

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or we can just accept a lot more hospitalized kids. Easy choice if you ask me. The number of Texas children hospitalized with COVID-19 hit an all-time high over the weekend, with 345 on Saturday and 307 on Sunday, the … Continue reading →

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

Special session 3.0

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, we knew it was coming. Still too soon. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a third special legislative session that will begin on Sept. 20 and tackle redistricting, restrictions on transgender student athletes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Just a reminder, no one is enforcing Abbott’s mask mandate ban

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In case you had forgotten. While Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is speaking out against mask mandates in schools and suing to stop some Texas school districts from enacting them, in reality his order banning such mandates has gone largely unenforced … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

A rough start to the school year

Posted on September 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For some districts more than others. Angleton and Livingston ISDs announced this week they temporarily were shutting down their schools, the first Houston-area districts to halt all in-person learning amid rising numbers of COVID-19 cases among students and staff, but … Continue reading →

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