Tag Archives: Dallas

Our still-smoggy skies

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We’re being called on the carpet for them. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday sought to list the Houston and Dallas metro areas as “severe” violators of 2008 federal ozone pollution standards, kicking off a process that will likely impose … Continue reading →

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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 →

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Here comes Waymo on I-45

Posted on February 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve actually been on this road for a couple of months, but now they’re doing more. Waymo will begin hauling freight for North America’s largest logistics firm on autonomous big rigs traveling between Dallas and Houston on Interstate 45. The … Continue reading →

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A broader look at the Houston project to track COVID in wastewater

Posted on December 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN tells me things I did not know about my current favorite public works project. The [Houston] health department is conducting the wastewater surveillance for COVID-19 in partnership with researchers at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine. Wastewater … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why do driverless trucks love I-45?

Posted on December 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For a combination of reasons. Texas, particularly the stretch of highway between Houston and Dallas, has emerged as one of the nation’s main proving grounds for autonomous trucking, with freight trucks driving themselves from pickup destinations to shipping warehouses hundreds … Continue reading →

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Last chance to make a good FIFA impression

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Coming to the end of this very long process. Houston’s diversity is being played up in the city’s recent push to host the 2026 men’s World Cup. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner joined forces with … Continue reading →

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Still more driverless trucks

Posted on October 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A familiar story by now. Some trucks hauling FedEx deliveries from Dallas to Houston may soon be missing a key feature: drivers. Autonomous vehicle company Aurora announced this month it has partnered with FedEx and truck-manufacturer PACCAR to begin testing … Continue reading →

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No vax needed to see a Rockets game

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

No, thanks. The Rockets will not have any entry or seating restrictions beyond those required by NBA health and safety rules this season, according to Rockets president of business operations Gretchen Sheirr. The team does provide an option for fans … Continue reading →

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The electoral dress code lawsuit

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Still interesting. A U.S. magistrate judge this week recommended striking down parts of Texas law that prohibit wearing political apparel within 100 feet of a polling place as unconstitutionally vague — but upholding a narrower provision that specifies that clothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

There actually is still a court order that allows for mask mandates in place

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember that other lawsuit filed against Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates, by the Southern Center for Child Advocacy? I noted it in passing in this post, and then like you I forgot about it. And then on Sunday … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Bexar County mask mandate back on

Posted on August 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

And in an update to the original mask mandate lawsuit story, the district court that issues the temporary restraining order that was later stayed by the Supreme Court has now issued a temporary injunction, barring the state from forbidding San … Continue reading →

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Dallas ISD to require masks

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Starting Tuesday, Dallas ISD will require students and teachers to wear masks at its campuses, defying Gov. Greg Abbott’s order that bars districts from issuing mask mandates. Superintendent Michael Hinojosa announced the change during a Monday morning … Continue reading →

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The non-high speed rail option

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here comes Amtrak. Amtrak is all aboard the Texas Triangle, but there is a long way to go before more trains roll into Houston, headed for San Antonio and Dallas. The national rail system’s new plan for expanding service, released … Continue reading →

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More May election post-mortems

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

From the DMN: Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson bet the second half of his first term on these two council seats. Here’s how it looked after polls closed. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson bet the second half of his first four-year term … Continue reading →

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The best time to buy a house in Houston was last year

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or the year before that, or the year before that… The O’Neals are part of a nationwide real estate frenzy playing out in Houston that is propelling prices to new highs. Houses are frequently drawing multiple offers, often above the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is there an infrastructure boost in the works for Texas Central?

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe! The federal government is serious about spending money on high-speed rail, and Texas could be among the first beneficiaries. The recent interest in investing in bullet trains capable of going 200 mph or faster comes at a time when … Continue reading →

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NCAA warns Texas about anti-transgender bills

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not just the voter suppression bills that will do great harm to the state of Texas and its people if the Republicans ram them through. Amid all the talk of boycotts and corporate criticism of election bills going through … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

Houston’s scooter problem

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Wait, when did we get scooters? A plan in Houston to prohibit vendors from renting motorized scooters on city sidewalks has suppliers of the two-wheel contraptions revved up, and city officials holding the line to have scooters clear the way. … Continue reading →

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

Take me out to the ballgame?

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for this. The Texas Rangers plan to open Globe Life Field to a full-capacity crowd of 40,518 for their final two exhibition games and their regular-season home opener on April 5. … Continue reading →

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Bills to allow casinos filed

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t bet on them, that’s my advice. Two Texas lawmakers on Tuesday filed legislation backed by the gaming empire Las Vegas Sands that would legalize casino gambling in Texas. The legislation was filed by Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, in the … Continue reading →

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More maskless mandate stuff

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of a roundup, because there’s so much out there. Three of Gov. Greg Abbott’s four coronavirus medical advisers say they weren’t directly consulted prior to lifting mask mandate In April 2020, an optimistic Gov. Greg Abbott announced at … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

On informing the public during an emergency

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing the state didn’t do well. As millions of Texans fought to survive brutal winter weather without power and water, Gov. Greg Abbott told residents Wednesday to search for emergency warming shelters on Google and to call 311 for … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

We can get back to vaccinations

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Federal vaccination super site opening this week. COVID-19 vaccination efforts are about to significantly ramp up next week in Houston. The region’s first vaccination “super site” will open on Tuesday at NRG Stadium, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced on … Continue reading →

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The home stretch for the World Cup

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We will soon learn whether or not Houston gets to host 2026 FIFA World Cup games. Houston’s bid to be one of the 10 host cities in the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup is entering the stretch run. Since … Continue reading →

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Here come the super-sites

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Texas is working with the federal government to open vaccination “super sites” that could administer upward of 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines per day, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday. Houston and Dallas will likely host the initial two sites, Abbott said, … Continue reading →

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Is Greg Abbott now an obstacle for Texas Central?

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This Texas Monthly story suggests that maybe the answer to that question is Yes. Earlier this year, after six years of legal battles brought by property owners and local governments, the rail project finally looked to be chugging along. Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

More on police oversight boards

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ours in Houston isn’t very good. Some other cities do it better. We can learn from them. Houston’s police oversight board is the weakest among Texas’ five largest cities and suffers from “a complete lack of transparency and public reporting,” … Continue reading →

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So what’s up with that National Guard story?

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Hell, I don’t know. Governors can deploy troops for numerous reasons, from natural disasters to border security. But observers found it rare to the point of extraordinary when the Texas National Guard revealed that Gov. Greg Abbott has directed troops … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments

Here comes another rideshare company

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a less than optimal time to be expanding, but here we are. Alto, a new rideshare company based in Dallas, will roll into view in Houston as it looks to expand its reach and compete with Uber and … Continue reading →

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Texas Central gets federal approvals

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A big step completed. Federal officials have issued final approvals to backers of a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, clearing the way for construction of the proposed line, in a move almost certain to face challenges from opponents. Texas Central Railroad, … Continue reading →

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Dallas ends its scooter experiment

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Over in Dallas, never started in Houston. Tis better to have scootered and stopped than to have never scootered at all. That is the consensus of a handful of Houston proponents of rental scooters as they watched Dallas this week … Continue reading →

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We’re trending in the right direction, but…

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still a ways to go. The number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in the Houston area have improved significantly since July, but the pandemic remains a serious threat here. The Houston region added 1,957 cases on Saturday, … Continue reading →

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The cities still need COVID relief

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, in case you’d forgotten. As Congress resumes work on a new coronavirus financial relief package, nearly 100 Texas mayors are pressing the state’s congressional delegation for more funding to address revenue losses incurred due to the economic … Continue reading →

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We’re still not doing great with the Census

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still time, but we have a lot of work to do. Despite an extended deadline, local government cash infusions and grassroots campaigns to improve Houston’s 2020 census response rate, almost half of Houston households are still missing from the … Continue reading →

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