Monthly Archives: July 2005

Meet the municipal candidates

Posted on July 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll have more to say on this later (probably tomorrow morning), but I want to note today that Greg and I organized a brunch at Kaveh Kanes with a group of local bloggers and candidates for Houston city office in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Meet the municipal candidates

WiFi in the suburbs

Posted on July 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Nancy Sarnoff says that WiFi is beginning to get built in to new suburban housing developments. The developer of Seven Meadows, a new master-planned community in Katy, has made wireless Internet access available at its six-acre park and recreation area. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Comments Off on WiFi in the suburbs

New planet discovered

Posted on July 31, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Our little solar system has grown. Astronomers have discovered an object in our solar system that is larger than Pluto. They are calling it the 10th planet, but already that claim is contested. The new world’s size is not at … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 8 Comments

Some weekend reading

Posted on July 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Couple of articles of interest regarding the state of the special session… Via Aaron Pena, a very complimentary piece in the Star Telegram on his House colleague, Bob Griggs (R, North Richland Hills). One gets the feeling from the piece … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Some weekend reading

Crabb: Not retiring

Posted on July 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I posted earlier that I’d heard a report which indicated that State Rep. Joe Crabb would not be running for reelection after this session. One of Stace‘s readers contacted Crabb’s office and was told quite emphatically that this is not … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

Ten songs

Posted on July 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Memed again. List ten songs that you are currently digging … it doesn’t matter what genre they are from, whether they have words, or even if they’re no good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying right now. Post … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 4 Comments

Sheriff to do something about crowded jails

Posted on July 30, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Some action on the overcrowded jail front: Sheriff Tommy Thomas is going to ask for more monry to get more jailers. More than half of the 1,300 Harris County Jail inmates sleeping on mattresses on the floor because of crowding … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Sheriff to do something about crowded jails

Texans for Hackett update

Posted on July 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

When I checked the ActBlue page that we Texan bloggers had set up for Paul Hackett earlier this morning, it stodd at 11 donors and $295. At 4:45 PM, Richard Morrison sent an email to his list urging people to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Texans for Hackett update

RIP, Foley’s department stores

Posted on July 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Another piece of Houston history is biting the dust. Houston’s most famous homegrown retail name is officially disappearing. Federated Department Stores announced Thursday that 330 of the stores it’s acquiring in its $11 billion purchase of May Department Stores Co. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | 28 Comments

Save the leap second!

Posted on July 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a programmer versus astronomer smackdown over the nature of time! How can you not love a story like that? I can’t do it justice with an excerpt, so go read the whole thing. I actually don’t have any strong … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | 4 Comments

Senate tries again on school finance

Posted on July 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Senate is trying to salvage some form of school finance reform from this week’s special session wreckage, with Sen. Florence Shapiro doing the heavy lifting. Action planned Monday Late Thursday, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Senate Education Chairwoman Florence … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Senate tries again on school finance

K-Mart lawsuits can proceed

Posted on July 29, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It’s never a good thing for a police force defending itself against various lawsuits to be labelled almost totalitarian by the judge. Calling the operation “almost totalitarian,” a federal judge says a Houston police plan that led to 278 arrests … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in K-Mart Kiddie Roundup | 7 Comments

Texans for Hackett

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Still time to Continue reading →

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Bell’s announcement

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full text of Chris Bell’s official announcement that he’s in the race for Governor. And I must say I’m suitably impressed with the Chron story, which not only covered the reason for his long exploratory phase (his wife, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 1 Comment

The Chron and the Comets

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There’s quite a lively debate going on at James Campbell’s About:Chron blog regarding their level of coverage of the Houston Comets. Personally, speaking as a six-year season ticket holder, I think the level is about right. Campbell’s point about all … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | 1 Comment

Still no love between Dewhurst and Craddick

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

So now that the shock of seeing HB2 and HB3 go down in flames has subsided, it’s time for the where do they go now stories. It’s the usual lot of speculation from the usual sources, but today’s installation is … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on Still no love between Dewhurst and Craddick

Texas Thursday: Paul Hackett

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Since Paul Hackett has been named an Honorary Texan, it’s only right to celebrate by pretending it’s Texas Tuesday time and makng a donation to his cause. According to the Swing State Project, there’s a Republican poll which shows Hackett … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | 2 Comments

Meet Shane Sklar

Posted on July 28, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Got an email today from Shane Sklar, who has announced his candidacy for CD14 in 2006. He’s a former staffer for Rep. Chet Edwards, the Executive Director of the Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas, and a full ten years younger … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 8 Comments

Bell to announce tomorrow

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

BOR‘s Damon McCullar has the scoop – Chris Bell will make his formal announcement about the Governor’s race tomorrow. Check back in the late morning for the answer. UPDATE: And the answer is…he’s in! Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | Comments Off on Bell to announce tomorrow

Some toll road notes

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Here are a few toll road-related stories I’ve spotted lately: Anne points to this story about a connector from the Fort Bend Parkway toll road to the West Loop and associated uncommunicativeness from Commissioners’ Court on the issue. The good … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

Where will the Galleria rail line go?

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Now that we know there’s going to be an east-west rail line from UH to the Galleria, the question is where exactly will the tracks be? Residents of Afton Oaks, on Richmond near 610, say not in my front yard. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 4 Comments

They write letters

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Philip Martin sends a letter to the whiny Rep. Kent Grusendorf. I second that emotion. Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Comments Off on They write letters

Julie Boyle

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I got some upsetting news a few days ago when I heard via her husband Tom that Julie Boyle, the proprietor of the Midlothian Family Network website and an outspoken critic of the cement plants in that area and the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | 2 Comments

Harris County jails get some attention

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

More news on the overcrowded Harris County jails. Crowding and unsanitary conditions in the Harris County Jail have spurred a group of community leaders, clergy members and civil rights advocates to request a meeting this week with county officials to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | 3 Comments

What a difference a vote makes

Posted on July 27, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I knew that the Hochberg Amendment nearly passed in the previous special session. I’ve said all along that agreement among the Perry/Craddick/Dewhurst troika on HB2 and HB3 didn’t mean those bills would survive a vote in the House. And I’m … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 8 Comments

House kills HB2

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Stunning. The Texas House, after rancorous debate and major changes to a multibillion-dollar school funding bill, voted down the measure Tuesday. Although the move appeared to spell trouble for the special legislative session called by Republican Gov. Rick Perry, another … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 5 Comments

Christus Saint Joseph’s Hospital on the block

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It pains me to see that Christus Saint Joseph’s Hospital is facing an uncertain future. It’s been put up for sale by its owner, it’s transferred its residency program to Methodist, and nobody really knows if it will remain operationally … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 2 Comments

Carlos Guerra blogging on the border

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Express News columnist Carlos Guerra has a blog now dealing with issues on and around the Texas-Mexico border. Some good stuff there, so check it out. Via Latinos for Texas. Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Carlos Guerra blogging on the border

Why are we here again?

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I think of all the bad things I could say about this series of special session on something that used to pretend to be school finance reform, the certainty that we’ll have to do it again is the worst. HB3 … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | 1 Comment

Not just Crabb

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more retirement rumors floating around than just Joe Crabb. We’ve already heard that Rep. Jim Solis is reportedly hanging up his spikes. Capitol Inside says quite a few more members, many from the Class of ’93, are supposedly mulling … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 4 Comments

Paul Hackett in OH-02

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

I second Greg’s sentiments regarding Paul Hackett, who’s running a great race on some unfriendly turf in Ohio for a special Congressional election to be held this Saturday. Hackett is a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War and this … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2005 | Comments Off on Paul Hackett in OH-02

Crabb to retire?

Posted on July 26, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not in the news as far as I can tell, but I’ve heard from a source that State Rep. Joe Crabb (R, Kingswood) is planning to call it a career after this session. Crabb was one of the architects … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2006 | 3 Comments

No MTBE liability protection?

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

Nick Beaudrot, sitting in at Ezra‘s place, notes this news story about the energy bill and asks “Did Tom DeLay just lose a legislative battle?” House and Senate conferees abandoned giving makers of the gasoline additive MTBE liability protection against … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Comments Off on No MTBE liability protection?

Sallee on I-45 expansion

Posted on July 25, 2005 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron’s Rad Sallee devotes his weekly “Move It!” column to the proposed I-45 expansion and TxDOT’s undercommunicative ways regarding it. He doesn’t go into the attempted end run that was thwarted by GHASP, but he does give voice to … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 5 Comments