Tag Archives: Harris County

May 2024 special election early voting, Day One: Why are we doing this again?

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Landing has another look at the HCAD elections and just how weird this all is. The county Democratic and Republican parties have endorsed and are campaigning for candidates in each of the three races. Accusations of nefarious intentions … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on May 2024 special election early voting, Day One: Why are we doing this again?

Appeals court rejects Paxton appeal on Uplift Harris

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A state appeals court on Monday ruled Harris County’s guaranteed income program may move forward, paving the way for checks to be sent out to low-income residents as soon as Wednesday. An appeal by Attorney General Ken Paxton to … Continue reading →

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

A brief history of May elections in Harris County

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

As previously noted, early voting begins today for the special HCAD and SD15 elections. I have said before that we are not used to voting in May in Harris County and that because of that and because of the annoyingly … Continue reading →

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interview with Austin Pooley

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We continue with our interviews for the three now-elected At Large positions on the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) Board. The first person I heard from after I had posted about the HCAD announcement of the race and how to … Continue reading →

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

Paxton sues over Uplift Harris

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Harris County over Uplift Harris, its new guaranteed income pilot program, calling the effort to administer $500 monthly payments to low-income residents the “Harris Handout.” Though participants … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Interview with Pelumi Adeleke

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I hope by now you are aware of the May 4 election for three At Large positions on the Harris Central Appraisal District (HCAD) Board. These positions have existed before as appointments but thanks to the constitutional amendment about property … Continue reading →

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

Wife of Harris County Justice of the Peace arrested on murder charge

Posted on April 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. A woman who is accused of fatally shooting her nephew following a fight in northwest Harris County made her first court appearance early Saturday morning, according to documents. Mei Wolfe, 48, is facing a murder charge after a deputies … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Wife of Harris County Justice of the Peace arrested on murder charge

The Paxton prosecutors’ personal dispute

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m just going to leave this here. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton never would have been sent to prison if his fraud case had gone to trial, the prosecutors now say. In the week since Paxton, a Republican, cut a … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Paxton prosecutors’ personal dispute

Still waiting on details for paying the firefighters

Posted on April 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of the same stuff we’ve heard before here, but a little bit more details. Houston Mayor John Whitmire detailed his last three months as the fourth-largest city’s top boss and outlined some of his ongoing projects in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

Hey look, it’s a story about the HCAD elections

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

About damn time. A question you are unlikely to hear at any bar, diner or dinner table over the next month: Who are you voting for the county appraisal district board? Few area residents are aware of the election, even … Continue reading →

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

The Fifth Circuit has its merits hearing on SB4

Posted on April 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is the big one. A federal appeals court heard arguments Wednesday from Texas and the federal government about whether it should continue blocking a new Texas law that would let state police arrest migrants suspected of entering the U.S. … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Fifth Circuit has its merits hearing on SB4

One more whiny election loser lawsuit

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I know, we all thought we were done with these. Nearly five months after Harris County’s November 2022 election results were upheld in court, another unsuccessful Republican judicial candidate laid out a similar set of facts before the same judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Travis Scott wants out of Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I would too if I were him. Whether he should or he will is another matter. Houston-born rapper Travis Scott said he should not be held personally responsible for the deaths of 10 people who died in the crushing crowds … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Travis Scott wants out of Astroworld lawsuit

More on the Paxton deal

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story goes into some detail about how we ended up with the deferred adjudication deal that brought an abrupt end to the Ken Paxton securities fraud trial. Special prosecutors assigned to the case said years-long procedural delays made … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hardy Toll Road connector approved

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very different project than what was first proposed. A planned extension of the Hardy Toll Road through the Near Northside into downtown Houston will proceed, but with various community-driven design elements. Harris County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a … Continue reading →

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

Fifth Circuit leaves SB4 block in place

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal appeals panel late Tuesday night declined to put Texas’s migrant deportation law back in effect, saying the state law seizes powers that are “likely reserved to the United States.” The 2-1 opinion from the 5th Circuit Court … Continue reading →

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

Paxton gets his deal

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will have his felony securities fraud charges dismissed in exchange for doing 100 hours of community service and meeting other requirements, according to a last-minute deal announced Tuesday. The agreement requires Paxton, 61, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Some AstroWorld defendants try to get out

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots going on here. Apple, Drake and other defendants targeted have asked a Harris County court to dismiss them from a sprawling lawsuit filed by victims of the 2021 Astroworld disaster. A flood of new motions and documents filed in … Continue reading →

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

Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They definitely have an interest in this. The Mexican government is urging a federal court to block Texas’ migrant deportation law, arguing it will trample the country’s right to regulate its own borders, terrorize the 2.4 million Mexican nationals living … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

The ITC fire five years later

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We learned some things from this. The Intercontinental Terminals Co. fire that broke out March 17, 2019, did not just lead to a massive black plume of smoke lingering for days over east Harris County, before spreading 20 miles to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The ITC fire five years later

Teare says he will recuse the DA’s office from the Hidalgo aides case

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve already said this was the right thing to do, so I obviously agree with it. Whether politics played a role in the criminal indictment of three of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s former aides was hotly debated during the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Teare says he will recuse the DA’s office from the Hidalgo aides case

Paxton could be getting a plea deal

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to say. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is nearing a resolution to the 9-year-old securities fraud charges that have dogged his tenure as the state’s top attorney through a special agreement with prosecutors, the American-Statesman has … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments