Tag Archives: Houston

WNBA to expand to 18 teams

Posted on July 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

None of which will be in Houston. The WNBA is expanding to 18 teams over the next five years, with Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia all set to join the league by 2030. Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit in … Continue reading →

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Can we say we’re sure we know CM Plummer’s intentions by now?

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Tell me you’re running for County Judge without triggering the “resign to run” provision, somehow. For the second time in two weeks, information has inadvertently emerged hinting that Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer intends to run for Harris County … Continue reading →

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Flock responds

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Reporting gets results. Or at least a response. The CEO for Flock cameras has pushed back on recent reporting, including a Chronicle investigation, about the surveillance technology used by Houston police, saying it’s up to local law enforcement to decide … Continue reading →

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RIP, Graffiti Park

Posted on June 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is such a Houston story. A piece of Houston’s cultural identity and history is being erased. This week, demolition crews began tearing down two buildings on Leeland Street as part of the Texas Department of Transportation’s I-45 North Houston … Continue reading →

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NES schools are accelerating HISD’ enrollment decline

Posted on June 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’s just going to leave this here. Most Houston ISD campuses have reported sharper enrollment declines since the controversial state takeover, with New Education System schools reporting some of the largest drops compared to previous years. HISD, like many urban school … Continue reading →

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Introducing Houston City College

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t hate it. Houston Community College will be renamed Houston City College, holding onto the ‘HCC’ moniker yet marking a major shift for the 54-year-old institution as it seeks to provide broader educational opportunities. The college system’s board of … Continue reading →

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The Montrose texts

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A look behind the curtain at what was happening with the Montrose TIRZ as the original plan for redoing Montrose Blvd got significantly changed by Mayor Whitmire. For over a year, Montrose residents have fiercely debated redesign plans for their namesake boulevard, … Continue reading →

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Yes, make the Mayor report on cancelled projects

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I support this plan. As Houston City Council prepares to vote on a whopping $16.7 billion plan for city projects over the next five years, one council member is proposing a greater level of transparency from Mayor John Whitmire when … Continue reading →

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A “home rule school district” inside HISD?

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Today I Learned there is such a thing as a “home rule school district”, and some HISD parents want to form one. A small West Houston group wants to create its own charter-governed district within the state’s largest school district, … Continue reading →

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Beware of Flock

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It started with this. Flock, the automatic license plate reader (ALPR) company whose cameras are installed in more than 5,000 communities in the U.S., is building a product that will use people lookup tools, data brokers, and data breaches to “jump from … Continue reading →

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Recall Houston sets a petition timeline

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. The group aiming to oust Mayor John Whitmire has set a timeline for its efforts to petition for a recall election. Recall For Houston announced it is eyeing to begin collecting signatures in the fall. In the meantime, the … Continue reading →

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San Antonio to start construction on its first BRT line

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Exciting times. Work starts next month on VIA Metropolitan Transit’s biggest construction project to date — a system of corridors designed to get riders faster to their destination using dedicated bus lanes, prioritized traffic signals, and more frequent pickups and … Continue reading →

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LurkingHouston

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t be too mad at this. The Astrodome hasn’t seen a crowd in over a decade—but it got some unexpected visitors this week when three 18-year-old urban explorers slipped inside the iconic, long-shuttered stadium, exposing the eerily dilapidated “Eighth … Continue reading →

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No Kings

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good stuff. Thousands of demonstrators crowded into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump, marching through downtowns and blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights. Governors across the U.S. … Continue reading →

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Is CM Plummer running for County Judge?

Posted on June 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe! Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer might be entering the race for Harris County judge, according to a copy of a now-deleted document posted by the Spring Branch Democrats Club that was shared with the Houston Chronicle. The Spring … Continue reading →

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Measles update: Maybe I should call this the “RFK Rampage update”

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Wednesday eight new members to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s independent vaccine advisory committee, some of whom have been critics of shots — especially during the … Continue reading →

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Miles given five-year contract extension

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is some bullshit. With no public discussion, Houston ISD’s Board of Managers on Thursday approved a five-year contract extension for state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. The five-year term will ensure that Houston ISD “can continue its transformation for the duration … Continue reading →

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HISD enters its AI slop era

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Harlem Renaissance produced a rich tapestry of poems, novels and paintings of Black life in the early 20th century, all expressing the artistry and brilliance of people whose equal citizenship and full humanity had long been denied. Yet … Continue reading →

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The weather folks are doing their best

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hold space in your hearts for them, because our safety depends to some extent on their success. With hurricane season underway and an above-normal activity forecast, some National Weather Service offices like Houston — where as many as 44% of positions are vacant … Continue reading →

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A former Board Manager speaks

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Who knows why he and three others were streeted. But we can speculate. Adam Rivon, one of the four recently ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers, won’t speculate on why he was suddenly removed from his role … Continue reading →

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It’s more than just FEMA

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The 2025 hurricane season is underway. It won’t be just the storms that determine how bad it is. FEMA leads the federal response when disaster strikes. It coordinates rescue efforts, provides temporary housing and medical help, and offers financial assistance to … Continue reading →

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The THC ban and the Houston retail market

Posted on June 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. The bright lights of Bahama Mama’s flagship store along Lower Westheimer turned on a year ago, welcoming passersby into a hemp shop unlike anything else in Houston. A red carpet rolled into a mirrored showroom stocked with nearly every … Continue reading →

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Wisk gives a virtual demo

Posted on June 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’d want to see the real thing, but I suppose that wasn’t practical under the circumstances. Saemi Poelma eagerly posed for a photo Tuesday inside a model autonomous air taxi, impressed by the possibility of a new way of traveling … Continue reading →

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Measles update: There’s nowhere to go but down

Posted on June 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What a depressing headline. Amid a widespread decline in childhood measles vaccination rates since before the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States, a study published Monday found that coverage can vary substantially within a state. Looking at county-level data in 33 states, researchers at … Continue reading →

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Whitmire’s budget passes

Posted on June 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

On to the next thing. The City Council approved Mayor John Whitmire’s nearly $7 billion budget on Wednesday after months of strenuous efforts to cut costs and streamline services as officials contended with the largest deficit in Houston’s history. The … Continue reading →

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Why are we messing with pension reform?

Posted on June 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I do not understand this. The Texas Legislature, with Mayor John Whitmire’s support, is on the cusp of rolling back reforms to Houston’s police and firefighter pensions, worrying experts who call the changes premature, ill-considered, even “stupid.” The proposal comes … Continue reading →

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Two more years of Mike Miles

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Worst Groundhog Day ever. The state takeover of Houston ISD will continue for two more years before the Texas Education Agency announces the timeline for the transition back to elected board members overseeing the district. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said … Continue reading →

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Morath replaces half the Board of Managers

Posted on June 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

For reasons. The Texas Education Agency has removed and replaced four of the appointed members of Houston ISD’s Board of Managers two years into the state takeover. TEA Commissioner Mike Morath wrote that he removed board Vice President Audrey Momanaee, … Continue reading →

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Rice seeks naming deal for Rice Stadium

Posted on June 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I dunno about this. Rice Stadium opened in 1950, once held a maximum capacity of 70,000, and has played host to a Super Bowl and presidential speech. It’s also one of the most direct and to the point names for any venue out there. … Continue reading →

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Measles update: Never forget who RFK Jr is

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

He’s a liar. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says his “Make America Healthy Again” Commission report harnesses “gold-standard” science, citing more than 500 studies and other sources to back up its claims. Those citations, though, are rife with errors, from broken links to misstated … Continue reading →

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Judge approves the Whitmire drainage settlement deal

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay then. A Harris County District Court judge on Friday approved Mayor John Whitmire’s settlement agreement with plaintiffs to phase in payments to the city’s drainage fund, his office said. The final confirmation comes after more than a month of tension among … Continue reading →

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The death of bad bills is always worth celebrating

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, good, good. A handful of bills that would have stopped local governments from enacting their transportation priorities and hamstrung local transit efforts are likely dead. The measures failed to pass before key deadlines as the legislative session draws to … Continue reading →

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Storm recovery group challenges Whitmire’s drainage deal

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Plot twist coming, maybe. I’m skipping the first part of this story in which we rehash the 2010 ReNew Houston vote, the ways that Houston made use of the drainage fee revenue that were later challenged in court, the court … Continue reading →

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Controller Hollins has some questions about the budget

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This hit my inbox on Tuesday evening, so I didn’t see it in time to queue something up for yesterday. Ahead of Wednesday’s City Council vote on the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget, City Controller Chris Hollins has released a … Continue reading →

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