Monthly Archives: December 2011

AG sues sham police charity

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has sued officials with the nonprofit Texas Highway Patrol Association and officials with a museum the association operates in San Antonio, claiming they have defrauded consumers by soliciting donations to help families of fallen … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of December 19

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is all about the wassailing as it brings you this week’s blog roundup. Off the Kuff has a look at candidate filings in Harris County as of what was once the deadline date. BossKitty at TruthHugger … Continue reading →

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Runoff precinct analysis, At Large #5

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the numbers for the At Large #5 runoff between CM-elect Jack Christie and CM Jolanda Jones. As this was a rematch from 2009, I’m putting the 2011 numbers alongside the 2009 numbers, again with the caveat that they’re … Continue reading →

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“It’s all politics!”

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The grand jury investigation of the District Attorney’s office over DWI evidence and policies continues to be the most compelling local story right now. A prosecutor who last week refused to answer questions from a grand jury said Monday she … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another reason to support local food

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Bettina Elias Siegel of The Lunch Tray takes to the op-ed pages to give another reason for supporting local businesses, by changing HISD’s practices for how school lunches are provided. Food service management companies (FSMCs) like Aramark are, above all … Continue reading →

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Transgender divorce

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

That sound you hear is another can of worms fixing to be opened. James Scott and Rebecca Robertson started married life quietly with a small church wedding. Thirteen years later, their union is ending — not so quietly. Robertson wants … Continue reading →

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When is a filing deadline not a filing deadline?

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Answer: When there will be another filing period after the filing deadline, as will be the case in Texas, according to the Secretary of State. “Based on the federal court’s order handed down December 16, candidates will be permitted to … Continue reading →

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On voting rights

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Attorney General Eric Holder was in Austin last week to give a speech on voting rights and the things the Justice Department is doing to protect them. No, the location was not an accident. Giving his most expansive speech on … Continue reading →

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Transforming Buffalo Bayou

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Awesome. A $55 million upgrade to parkland along Buffalo Bayou is set to add performance venues, improve recreational areas and revitalize downtown-area green space that officials hope will become a magnet and refuge similar to New York’s Central Park. Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lawsuit against HCC Board of Trustees dismissed

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A good outcome for eight of the nine members of the HCC Board of Trustees. Houston Community College trustee Yolanda Navarro Flores must pay the school $35,700 to cover attorneys’ fees after a judge Friday dismissed the defamation lawsuit she … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Runoff precinct analysis, At Large #2

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

One of Santa’s election elves came by on Friday with a delivery of Harris County precinct data for the 2011 runoff elections. You can guess how I spent some of my weekend. Before I launch into the numbers, here are … Continue reading →

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Raycraft to retire

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Dick Raycraft, who’s been a fixture in county government forever, is calling it a career. Dick Raycraft, a trusted adviser to generations of Harris County leaders who has wielded so much influence over county policy he earned the nickname “the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Double dippin’

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

How do you know when you’re on really shaky ground when trying to justify what appears to anyone with a lick of common sense to be a craven and shameful maneuver in one’s own naked self-interest? Gov. Rick Perry has … Continue reading →

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Cover that cough

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. A decade-long study found passengers on certain Metro bus routes were more likely to have tuberculosis, raising the question of whether they contracted the disease on the bus. “We see a higher prevalence of clustering with bus riders,” said … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 18

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling… 2011 was a year of very expensive weather. If you want to complain about your tax rate, you should first know what your tax rate is. If Watson can help kill patent trolls, that … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Sanchez ends his Senate campaign

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This news broke late Friday. Leading Democratic U.S. senatorial candidate Ricardo Sanchez announced Friday that he’s ending his campaign to replace retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. In a statement issued by his campaign to supporters, Sanchez said anemic fundraising and … Continue reading →

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Make sure you measure everything

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of groups are measuring a lot of things related to the state’s cuts to public education funding, but there’s one big thing not mentioned in this story that needs to be accurately tracked as well. In March, the … Continue reading →

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Council taking up highrise ordinance

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And the Chapter 42 overhaul gets underway as the revamped highrise ordinance makes it onto Council’s agenda. The proposed rules, inspired by a planned 23-story high rise at the corner of Ashby and Bissonnet, would require that buildings over 75 … Continue reading →

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

Austin rethinking its May election

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, maybe that wasn’t the best decision. Austin City Council members are again discussing whether to move the May council election back six months a politically fraught question that led city officials to trade thinly veiled insults earlier this year. … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Bizarre Love Triangle

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Song #88 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Bizarre Love Triangle”, originally by New Order and covered by Frente. Here’s the original: That’s kind of an unsatisfying version of the song – there’s something off about the audio, … Continue reading →

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We have a deal on a unified primary date

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Joint Statement from TDP and RPT on Agreement Regarding 2012 General Primary Election Parties have submitted a joint agreed proposal to the San Antonio federal panel. Today, the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) and the Republican Party of Texas … Continue reading →

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Investigations all around

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a second grand jury looking into Harris County DA Pat Lykos. Sources close to the investigation said a special prosecutor was appointed last week to look into claims by Shirley Cornelius, a 27-year-veteran of the office, that she was … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

BBVA Compass Stadium

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Dynamo Stadium gets a new name. When the Dynamo first approached BBVA Compass before breaking ground on their new stadium, the two-time MLS Cup champions were looking for a loan to help finance the construction of the club’s venue on … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adjusting to the new Council

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is kind of a fluff story about the new Council – apparently, having two more seats at the table could cause some problems – but I couldn’t pass this up: “This infusion, effectively of new blood – of a … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: I got nothing

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe it’s the “Oh, my God, Christmas is a week away” realization, or maybe it’s that I’ve been shaking off a cold all week, but I had no Friday music inspiration today. So, I ran with that. Here’s ten songs … Continue reading →

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The filings keep coming

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Prior to the SCOTUS stay, yesterday was the filing deadline for the 2012 primaries. That has now been pushed back to Monday, with the likelihood of another window after we get some kind of ruling about what the maps will … Continue reading →

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The split primary blues

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Republicans have them. Republican lawmakers turned up the heat on the Texas GOP leadership Wednesday, asking them to keep Texas’ primaries on a single election day while their own party continues to push for two primaries, one in March and … Continue reading →

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Craig James to file for Senate

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

You know what we need? Another Republican candidate for Senate. Former SMU standout Craig James will file his candidacy for the U.S. Senate by Thursday’s deadline, according to sources close to his developing campaign. James, an ESPN college football analyst, … Continue reading →

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Skeeter mascots

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Swatson and Moe, the mascots of the Sugar Land Skeeters. I guess when your franchise is named for a winged pest, your options for cuddly anthropomorphic representations are somewhat constrained. Be that as it may, the Phillies Phanatic comparison … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

And then there were three

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Three school finance lawsuits, that is. Flanked by Edgewood Superintendent Jose Cervantes, parents, students and community leaders from Texas districts, MALDEF attorney David Hinojosa highlighted three key claims in its suit at a press conference Tuesday. The lawsuit claims the … Continue reading →

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State revenues inching up

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

A little bit of good news. State coffers will be bit plumper than previously expected, Comptroller Susan Combs announced Monday, but her outlook for the Texas economy is less optimistic. Texas is estimated to collect $1.6 billion more than was … Continue reading →

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Can someone beat Sharon Keller this time?

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Grits notes that CCA Presiding Judge Sharon Keller has opponents in March and in November – her colleague Larry Meyers for the former, and 2010 Dem CCA candidate Keith Hampton for the latter – and wonders if either of them … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 12

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is too busy with last minute Christmas shopping to come up with a clever intro as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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DC court sets date for preclearance trial, primary dates still up in the air

Posted on December 14, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from the Lone Star Project: [Monday], a three-judge panel of the District of Columbia Federal District Court set January 17, 2012 through January 26, 2012 as the trial dates to formally review the Congressional, State House and State … Continue reading →

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