Monthly Archives: January 2008

Medina’s messy finances

The Chron has a long and thorough story on the financial woes of Supreme Court Justice David Medina, who may or may not face arson-related charges from the Harris County DA’s office some day. It bolsters the existing yet entirely … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | 1 Comment

Puente to step down

Retiring Craddick D Rep. Robert Puente is going to vacate his seat early. State Rep. Robert Puente will leave office Friday, he said in a letter submitted this morning to Gov. Rick Perry. Puente, dean of the Bexar County legislative … Continue reading Continue reading

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Is today the day Chuck testifies about the deleted emails?

Could be. In the meantime, before that happens, the guy who actually runs the DA’s email servers got himself grilled. Gary Zallar answered technical questions from U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt for more than hour about the backup capabilities of … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Scandalized! | Comments Off on Is today the day Chuck testifies about the deleted emails?

Bidding for another Super Bowl

We’ve missed out the last two times we’ve tried, but Houston is once again bidding to host a Super Bowl. The Texans hosted Super Bowl XXXVIII in February 2004. In the next three years, the Super Bowl will be held … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Other sports | 5 Comments

Candidate Q&A: Steve Kirkland

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you, and what are you running for? I am Judge … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate Q&A: Steve Kirkland

Got something to say to me?

Now hear this: Christine has declared today to be an International Comment On Blogs Day. So, if you’ve always wanted to leave a comment here but never got around to it before, now’s your chance. Or if you are a … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | 6 Comments

Alvarado scores endorsements

The following press release from State Rep. Ana Hernandez is significant for the candidacy of Carol Alvarado. Former Houston City Council Member and candidate for State Representative in Texas House District 145, Carol Alvarado has received significant endorsements from progressive … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

Pettite and Clemens

This ought to provide some grist for a lot of mills. A lawyer for Andy Pettitte’s former personal trainer said Tuesday he believes the pitcher will tell Congress he discussed human growth hormone with Roger Clemens between the 2001 and … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Baseball | Comments Off on Pettite and Clemens

Farmers Branch asks judge to okay new ordinance

As we know, the city of Farmers Branch passed a new ordinance to restrict undocumented immigrants from renting apartments, with the burden of verifying the applicants’ status falling on the city. They did that in an effort to bypass the … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in National news | Comments Off on Farmers Branch asks judge to okay new ordinance

Noriega’s South Texas tour

Just some links and video highlights from Rick Noriega‘s South Texas tour, which you can also follow here. – From Valley stations KVEO and KGBT. – From the Texas Politics blog, which also includes some video with Rick’s parents. – … Continue reading Continue reading

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More Final Fours!

I wish these guys good luck in their quest. A delegation from Houston left Tuesday night for Indianapolis with hopes of securing future NCAA men’s and women’s Final Four basketball championships. Delegations from both Reliant Stadium and Toyota Center will … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on More Final Fours!

Dome lease negotiated

Astrodome Redevelopment: Not dead yet. A group of entrepreneurs missed a Tuesday deadline for reaching a deal to turn the Dome into a convention hotel, but have negotiated a proposed long-term lease for the aging sports venue. Astrodome Redevelopment Co. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Dome lease negotiated

Candidate interview: Adrian Garcia

Note: This entry is part of a series of recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing written Q&As with judicial candidates. I’ve been proud to be a constituent of Adrian Garcia since he was … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

A closer look at SD17

I see that Cory disagrees with my assertion that SD17 is “somewhat purple”, based on the spreadsheet I had linked to earlier. Fair enough. Here’s a more detailed look, which as you can see is still a bit of a … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

WNBA reaches labor deal with the players

While I’m always glad to hear about a sports league reaching a collective bargaining agreement with its players, I’m scratching my head a bit at this: The WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association announced Monday that they have … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Other sports | Comments Off on WNBA reaches labor deal with the players

At last! “Lost”!

Oh my God, I can’t tell you how much I’ve been looking forward to tomorrow night’s “Lost” premier, which according to the Tubular blog totally kicks butt. Before then, we get an “enhanced” rerun of the Season Three finale, and … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on At last! “Lost”!

Janek to leave Senate in June

State Sen. Kyle Janek has made official his departure from the Senate. Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, announced today that he was resigning his Senate seat, effective June 2, to spend more time with his family. The resignation date, he acknowledged, … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | 2 Comments

Two for CD10

The Statesman has an overview of the two Democrats running for CD10. They may share the same goal and many of the same policy positions, but there are some pretty clear differences between the two Democrats who want to take … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Bob McNair talks about the Astrodome

In this video, Chron football writer John McClain asks Texans owner Bob McNair what he thinks about the Astrodome Redevelopment project. Forward to about 2:50 in the clip to hear the Q&A: If you don’t feel like watching, McNair basically … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Comments Off on Bob McNair talks about the Astrodome

First round to the government in border access lawsuits

No surprise here. A federal judge ordered 10 Cameron County property owners to open their land to the government for border fence surveying, but not before he denied the government the right to take the land without a hearing. U.S. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in National news | Comments Off on First round to the government in border access lawsuits

Candidate Q&A: Fred Cook

Note: This entry is part of a series of written Q&As with judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates. 1. Who are you, and what are you running for? My name is … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate Q&A: Fred Cook

The Supreme slacker Court

Once again, our State Supreme Court is in the news, and once again, it’s not for anything good. At a time when the Texas Supreme Court’s case backlog has reached record levels, Justice Paul Green was spending Friday driving to … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 1 Comment

Are you ready for some Super Bowl ads?

Seems to me the last couple of years there haven’t been any real “OMG did you see that?” kind of ad during the Super Bowl. Maybe this year will be different. For most of us, Super Bowl ads make fine … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in TV and movies | Comments Off on Are you ready for some Super Bowl ads?

Texas blog roundup for the week of January 28

It’s Super Bowl week! As you stock up on chips and beer in anticipation of the big game, here’s a full supply of Texas Progressive Alliance blog posts from the past week. Click on for the highlights. Continue reading

Posted in Blog stuff | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of January 28

Last word on Louie Welch

Retired political consultant George Strong offers his view of late former Mayor Louie Welch. It was the fall of 1985 and I was working as a political consultant for the Louie Welch for Mayor campaign against my old dear friend … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

State Sen. Kyle Janek to resign

This was not unexpected. Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, who moved his family to Austin several months ago, will announce Tuesday that he is resigning from the Senate in mid-term on March 10. There has been speculation for several months that … Continue reading Continue reading

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Republicans in Democratic primaries

I have written before that having a Republican voting past should not be a disqualifier for anyone who wants to run in a Democratic primary. As I said then, and will say again now, Democrats aren’t going to get anywhere … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | 2 Comments

More on former Mayor Welch

Here’s the longer obituary for former Houston Mayor Louie Welch, who passed away yesterday at the age of 89. I’m going to highlight the bits that deal with his his infamous remarks of 1985. “He was one of Houston’s finest … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | 1 Comment

Candidate interview: State Rep. Jessica Farrar

Note: This entry is part of a series of recorded interviews with non-judicial candidates in contested Democratic primaries. I am also doing written Q&As with judicial candidates. I think I’ve already made it clear that I fully support State Rep. … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on Candidate interview: State Rep. Jessica Farrar

Notes from the voter ID hearing on Friday

Eye on Williamson has a good roundup of media coverage from Friday’s voter ID hearings in Austin, to which I’d add this Karen Brooks post and these three Observer posts. I have two comments to add: – The partisan nature … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Comments Off on Notes from the voter ID hearing on Friday

Grits talks criminal justice with Texas Monthly

Here’s a nice little interview that Eileen Smith, in her civilian guise with Texas Monthly, did with Scott Henson. What do you see as the most pressing criminal justice needs facing Texas today? The criminal justice system, including every single … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Grits talks criminal justice with Texas Monthly

Noriega in South Texas

Rick Noriega is kicking off a barnstorming tour of South Texas today. His itinerary is here, and reprinted beneath the fold. If you’re in the area, especially if you’ve not yet met him or seen him speak, go check him … Continue reading Continue reading

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RIP, Louie Welch

Former Houston Mayor Louie Welch has passed away. Louie Welch, five-term mayor of Houston and longtime president of what is now the Greater Houston Partnership, died on Sunday. He was 89. Family members said Welch, who served four terms on … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | 2 Comments

Regulations and growth

This article on the continuing planning/anti-planning debate is quite good, partly because it gives some depth and nuance to the question about how much effect regulation has on housing prices, and partly because it shows the inanity of the anti-planning … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | 1 Comment