Tag Archives: activism

Guest post: Cornyn Houston Office Protest Week 400

Posted on October 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The following is a guest post from my friend and blogging colleague Neil Aquino, who has led and maintained a civil protest in front of the office of Sen. John Cornyn for nearly eight years. Today he celebrates a milestone … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

“Family events” announced so you can learn more about what the hell is going on at HISD

Posted on June 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars. Superintendent F. Mike Miles announced dates for a series of family events to share more information about his vision for HISD and to meet families from schools across the district. “When I accepted this appointment two weeks … Continue reading →

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

HISD students walk out in protest of TEA takeover

Posted on April 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. Five minutes into her second-period class, Elizabeth Rodriguez and her classmates at Northside High School stood up and walked out to protest the Texas Education Agency’s planned intervention in Houston’s sprawling, diverse public school district. The 18-year-old … Continue reading →

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

Chron story on HCC redistricting

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This focuses on one district, which seems to be the main and possibly only point of contention in the process. I’d like to know more than what was in this story. Houston Community College trustee Reagan Flowers had to receive … Continue reading →

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Spring Branch ISD to discuss a book ban today

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t post stuff like this often – it’s not really my remit, and timeliness usually works against me – but this one really annoyed me, so here it is. Via Facebook: PLEASE CONSIDER SPEAKING ON TUESDAY @ 1PM! (If … Continue reading →

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HCC redistricting update

Posted on January 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I got this email from HCC Trustee Reagan Flowers, which has prompted me to remind you that HCC redistricting is also happening, and per the Redistricting Info page, there are community events going on right now to help you understand … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Winter Street Studios fire

Posted on December 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is so awful. A fire that broke out Tuesday morning at Winter Street Studios has damaged countless works of art and left many Houston artists without workspaces or gallery space. The fire, which began around 6:30 a.m., is being investigated as arson, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Community meetings about the Harris County bond referenda

Posted on September 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Ask your questions, get some answers. Harris County voters will decide in November whether to approve a bond package totaling $1.2 billion, with the vast majority aimed at road construction. On Monday, the county [began] a series of 24 community … Continue reading →

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Whole Woman’s Health moving to New Mexico

Posted on July 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sad, but inevitable. One of the nation’s largest independent abortion provider said Wednesday that it is pulling out of Texas and opening a clinic in New Mexico to support Texans and others facing limited abortion access after the Supreme Court … Continue reading →

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Please don’t ever talk to me about “a good guy with a gun” or “hardening the schools” again

Posted on May 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The police were there but did nothing. A gunman who killed 19 children and two teachers at a South Texas elementary school walked unopposed onto school grounds, state law enforcement officials said Thursday — and once he was inside, it … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

Uvalde

Posted on May 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t have anything clever or original to say about the horrible tragedy in Uvalde. There’s a vast amount of stories and heartbreaking photos out there, so go and look to the extent that your heart and mental health can … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Here’s your public meeting schedule for Houston City Council redistricting

Posted on April 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Attend one and be In The Know. Houston residents will have a chance to preview potential changes to Houston’s 11 City Council districts at a series of public town hall meetings in April and May. […] The town hall meetings … Continue reading →

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How to help the AstroWorld victims

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Very straightforward. Houstonians hoping to help the victims can contribute to their verified GoFundMe accounts. The fundraising platform has created a hub for Astroworld victims with direct links to verified campaigns to help families cover funeral expenses and medical bills. “We prioritize balancing … Continue reading →

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

Going after the snitch sites

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. When an anti-abortion group last week created a “pro-life whistleblower” website encouraging people to anonymously report violations of Texas’ new six-week abortion ban, a group of politically active Texans noticed one potentially fatal flaw. “They’re trying … Continue reading →

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The march for voting rights

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good work, but it can’t be the end. Saturday marked the third time in as many months that former U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke has headlined a voting rights rally at the Texas Capitol, as Democrats hope to keep momentum with … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The “public service” part of being a public servant

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not that hard, though obviously some people make it look easier than others. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [flew] to Houston [Friday] with more than $2 million to help Texas recover from a week of catastrophic blackouts and water … Continue reading →

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

Give Pancho Claus a hand

Posted on December 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Tis the season. He doesn’t come the night before Christmas in a miniature sleigh with reindeer like St. Nick, but instead parades along city streets with an equally number of low-riders, often surrounded by a festive jazz band. “To the … Continue reading →

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Will we have redistricting hearings?

Posted on September 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not looking great for it right now. In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas Republicans have quietly halted plans to hold a series of public input hearings across more than 20 cities, slated to occur earlier this year, to … Continue reading →

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NBA agrees to offer its arenas as voting centers

Posted on August 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. “What was the plan?” was always the wrong question to ask of striking NBA players; what they wanted was to not play basketball, and they got it. But they used that time not playing to talk, to think and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Sherrie Matula of Sisters United Alliance

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Sherrie Matula is a longtime Democratic activist (she was a founder of the BAAD Women club) and two-time candidate (for HD129 in 2008, and for HCDE in Precinct 2 in 2016, which she lost by 0.2 percentage points), but that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Let’s talk “meaningful reform”

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Chief Acevedo brought it up, so let’s go there. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo’s voice cracked several times and his eyes welled as he railed against the death of George Floyd beneath a policeman’s knee and implored protesters to demonstrate … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The George Floyd March

Posted on June 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Impressive. Sixty thousand people joined the family of George Floyd as well as elected officials and religious leaders today in a peaceful Houston march from Discovery Green to City Hall organized by rappers and civic activists Trae tha Truth, Bun … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 45 Comments

Abbott issues disaster declaration following protests

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Where we are now. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday afternoon that the entire state of Texas will be placed under a disaster declaration in response to demonstrators in several Texas cities protesting the death of George Floyd, a black man … Continue reading →

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Justice for George Floyd

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I stand with the people who are rightfully demanding justice for George Floyd and the many many (far too many) other black men and women like George Lloyd who have been killed by police officers. I join those in being … Continue reading →

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Bad bill alert: SB9

Posted on May 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We’re a bit more than two weeks out from the end of this legislative session. It feels like it’s been pretty quiet, but perhaps that’s just in comparison to the last session when it was a nonstop fight over the … Continue reading →

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

“Families Belong Together”

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Make some noise, then make sure everyone you know gets out and votes. As the temperature inched to the triple digits and sweating crowds swarmed the south lawn of the Texas State Capitol, speakers declared with grief, hope, indignation and … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

You got something to say about the Harris County bond referendum?

Posted on June 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You’ll get a chance to say it. Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Wednesday announced a series of public meetings to seek input from residents on an estimated $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond that commissioners plan to put before voters … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Houston Youth Walkout

Posted on April 22, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good work, y’all. Chanting for gun-law reform and reduced firearm violence, an estimated 2,000-plus students marched to City Hall Friday morning as part of nationwide school walkouts. The Houston Youth Walkout, believed to be the largest local out-of-class gathering to … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 13 Comments

Scenes from the March For Our Lives

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston: Nearly 15,000 descended Saturday morning on downtown Houston for the city’s March For Our Lives, advocating for greater gun control in light of last month’s Florida school shooting. A mix of children and adults gathered in Houston’s Tranquility … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

March For Our Lives rally

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

On Saturday, March 24, community members from Houston will gather for a “sibling march” as part of the March for Our Lives movement. The march is one of hundreds happening around the country planned by students and survivors of gun … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Action alert: Rally at Culberson’s office for a clean DREAM Act

Posted on February 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mothers, children, and other allies will gather in front of John Culberson’s office to demand a Clean DREAM Act this Thursday at 4 PM. The gathering will feature remarks from children of mixed status parents and mothers … Continue reading →

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Public meetings for Texas Central draft EIS

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

You got something you want to say about the proposed high speed rail line and its possible routes, here’s your chance. Houston residents are being asked to weigh in on a plan to build a $12 billion high-speed train between … Continue reading →

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

Rally against the GOP tax scam

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Are you upset about the terrible tax giveaway passed by the Senate last week? (If you aren’t, you should be.) Here’s one action you can take to channel those feelings. Rally Against Robbery! The People Fight the Tax Scam. Hosted … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s about the domestic violence

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You want to do something to reduce gun violence, here’s the place to start. Domestic violence cases have risen sharply across the state, with more than 210,000 wives, girlfriends, husbands and others suffering death or injury at the hands of … Continue reading →

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