Daily Archives: April 30, 2008

Medina grand jury reconvenes, indicts wife

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This was sudden. For the second time, a Harris County grand jury indicted the wife of Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina, alleging she burned down the couple’s Spring home and damaged two neighbors’ homes in a fire last year. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Comments Off on Medina grand jury reconvenes, indicts wife

Kelley to get $1.4 million

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a lot less than what he asked for, but Lloyd Kelley will still get a lot of money out of the Ibarra case. A federal judge on Tuesday ordered Harris County to pay more than $1.4 million in legal … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Kelley to get $1.4 million

Metro changes contractors

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure how big a deal this is. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials announced Tuesday they have ended talks with Washington Group International to be prime contractor on four planned light rail lines, saying the two sides were “hundreds of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | 2 Comments

The appeals courts

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

Looking at an email I received inviting me to a fundraiser for one of the candidates for the 14th Court of Appeals got me to thinking about those races yesterday. The Appeals Courts – the 1st and 14th Courts of … Continue reading → Continue reading →

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If you don’t have the cash, don’t get the disease

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

This WSJ article is really scary. Hospitals are adopting a policy to improve their finances: making medical care contingent on upfront payments. Typically, hospitals have billed people after they receive care. But now, pointing to their burgeoning bad-debt and charity-care … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in National news | 4 Comments

Build green

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

I like the sound of this. Houston builders will have to incorporate “green” design techniques such as heat-trapping vestibules and “cool roofs” that deflect sunlight under a proposed new energy code for commercial buildings. The City Council could pass the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Comments Off on Build green

The small county effect in the RRC runoff

Posted on April 30, 2008 by Charles Kuffner

A reader named Kay sent me a link to this Google spreadsheet, which shows how counties that had more than 10% turnout in the Democratic primary runoff voted in the Railroad Commissioner race. Short answer: Mark Thompson did pretty well … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2008 | Comments Off on The small county effect in the RRC runoff