Monthly Archives: September 2010

Interview with Council Member Stephen Costello

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to all of the partisan and special elections on the ballot, there are three referenda for City of Houston residents. One is a fairly non-controversial one to change residency requirements for Houston Council districts for the 2011 election, … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Jim Sullivan

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

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The county’s budget woes

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t look now, but Harris County is running really low on cash. The $154 million reserve fund Harris County started its fiscal year with is expected to be nearly gone by March as it gets spent to cover shortfalls in … Continue reading →

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

Cutting the budget means cutting education

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No two ways around it. As the single biggest consumer of state money, the Texas public education system stands to lose millions of dollars as the state grapples with a looming budget shortfall. Education Commissioner Robert Scott has suggested more … Continue reading →

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Congratulations to Swamplot

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For winning the Houston Press “Best Local Blog” award for 2010. Very well deserved.

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Interview with Peter Schwethelm

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I have one more HISD Trustee interview to bring you, with Peter Schwethelm. Schwethelm is a former teacher at Milby High School who now owns a small business and operates a non-profit that locates surplus computers for donation. He has … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Olan Boudreaux

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

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Will there be a Libertarian effect in the Governor’s race?

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to say, but the odds that there would be at least one article about the possibility of a Libertarian effect in the Governor’s race were pretty close to 100%. [Kathie] Glass, 56, is a Houston civil lawyer and Libertarian … Continue reading →

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Another poll in HD134

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back in April, the Ellen Cohen campaign released a poll showing her to be in strong position to win re-election. Nearly six months later, they have released another poll showing the same thing. The initial (uninformed) trial heat in the … Continue reading →

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Glass and Shafto get debate invites

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Back in August, when I wrote about the upcoming media sponsored gubernatorial debate to be held will be held on October 19 that Rick Perry will duck, I said that if there was ever a time to ditch polling-related qualifications … Continue reading →

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Interview with Juliet Stipeche

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

My next interview for the open HISD seat is with Juliet Stipeche. Stipeche is an attorney who hails from the East End and is a graduate of the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice and of Rice University. … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Judith Snively

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

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What if they built it someplace else?

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

For better or worse, the argument against the Washington Heights Wal-Mart mostly boils down to the fact that it’s an inappropriate location for a suburban-style big-box store. There are also concerns about traffic, and about the nature of Wal-Mart, both … Continue reading →

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

Endorsement watch: High courts

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Four more endorsements from the Chron, one of which goes to a Democrat: Justice, Supreme Court, Place 5:The best choice to bring differing judicial philosophies and a wealth of trial experience to the all-Republican court is El Paso jurist and … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: No go for Double Dip Joe

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The editorial board of the Dallas Morning News has its standards. State Rep. Joe Driver’s double-dipping on travel reimbursements is such a lapse in ethics and judgment that it’s impossible to recommend him for re-election from Garland-based House District 113. … Continue reading →

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Interview with Judith Cruz

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Next week I will begin publishing interviews with statewide candidates. There’s one other race and a couple other items of interest to take care of before then. The race in question is for the open HISD Trustee seat in District … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Shawn Thierry

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Blum poll

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to make of this. Ill will toward President Barack Obama and a voter belief that Republican Gov. Rick Perry has helped save the Texas economy are giving Perry a re-election lead over Democrat and former Houston … Continue reading →

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Privately funded high speed rail?

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston Tomorrow: A possible Houston to Dallas high-speed rail line was the topic of a Monday morning breakfast meeting featuring Yoshiyuki Kasai, the chairman of Central Japan Railway, Japan’s largest rail company and maker of the famed Japanese “bullet … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 26

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting begins in three weeks. I can hardly believe it, either. An updated version of the Powers of Ten video. Very cool. Via SciGuy. Who needs unity, anyway? Divorce insurance. I’m guessing you won’t see it on wedding registries. … Continue reading →

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Is this the swan song for the clown show?

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

After all this time, my heart isn’t into snarking on the SBOE and its latest travashamockery. I just want to point one thing out from how the vote went on that ludicrous and hateful anti-Islam resolution: State Board of Education … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Appeals courts

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve regularly ragged on the Chron for their, um, casual attitude of late for getting endorsements done in a timely manner, so I must commend them for getting such an early start this year. They’ve covered the Governor and Railroad … Continue reading →

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Don’t forget Kay!

Posted on September 26, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Salon looks at recent GOP history to preview the 2012 Senate primaries: As it is, though, the Tea Party is out of Republican targets for 2010. But 2012 is just around the corner, and the Tea Party may pick up … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: They live inside of my head

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The MOB performed an arrangement of Cheap Trick’s “Dream Police” during last week’s show. Not too surprisingly, none of the current students in the sax section had ever heard of the song before, though they did like it. So I … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Endorsement watch: Chron for Weems

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Score two for Jeff Weems. There is one race for a Railroad commissioner’s seat on this fall’s statewide ballot to fill the seat currently held by Victor Carrillo, who lost to a challenger in the Republican Party primary. We commend … Continue reading →

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The Chron on the District Clerk race

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You really should read the Chron story on the District Clerk race, since it sums up pretty nicely why Loren Jackson has done such a great job. It starts with an anecdote you’d have read on Mark Bennett’s blog and … Continue reading →

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Pity poor John Bradley

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a truly beautiful thing to see the guy who was brought in to the Texas Forensic Science Commission for the express purpose of protecting Governor Perry’s political interests wail and moan about the Commission becoming a “political football” now … Continue reading →

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Rick Perry loves the stimulus

Posted on September 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

He just hates to admit it. When 47 state and territorial governors sent a letter on Feb. 22 asking for more federal matching dollars for Medicaid, Perry refused to sign. He likes to talk about how he thinks the American … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: One hit wonders

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We recently added the Phineas and Ferb soundtrack to our collection of kid-friendly music. It included the extended version of “Gitchi Gitchi Goo”, the boys’ One Hit Wonder song. With that in mind, this week’s list is a sample of … Continue reading →

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Interview with County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Finishing off the county interviews, we have County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia, who has served Precinct 2 since she was first elected in 2002. Prior to that, she served three terms as Houston City Controller, and was Director and Presiding Judge … Continue reading →

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State sues over education stimulus funds

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So much for a peaceful resolution. Texas went to federal court [Thursday] to pry loose $830 million in federal aid intended to help avert teacher layoffs. The funds — Texas’ share of a $10 billion jobs package Congress approved last … Continue reading →

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Keller’s final appeal

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

You have to admire the tenacity, I’ll give her that much. A special court of review plans to decide by Oct. 8 whether to dismiss a judicial ethics panel’s rebuke of Judge Sharon Keller or move forward with her appeal. … Continue reading →

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Adickes studio sold

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: THE LAUNCHING pad for I-45’s Mount Rush Hour, that presidential muck circle in Pearland, and more outsize sculptureprojects has a buyer. David Adickes — creator of the giant Sam Houston of Huntsville and the disembodied cellist in front of the Lyric Center … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 20

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone had a pleasant fall equinox as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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