Monthly Archives: December 2015

Would the elevated 610 lanes really reduce congestion?

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Color me skeptical. The elevated lane design, officials said, would allow traffic headed around the loop, and not into the Uptown area, to flow more freely. The lanes would have no access to exits for San Felipe, Westheimer, Richmond or … Continue reading →

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Two school finance stories

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Tough times in the oil patch mean tough times for school districts in the oil patch. The U.S. shale boom flooded the state’s public schools with a gusher of cash, but that windfall is disappearing nearly as fast as it … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 20

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So, when are pot ads going to start running on TV? The Happy Birthday copyright case has been fully settled. A low-tech solution for finding new kinds of antibiotics may be just what we need. “But many of the more … Continue reading →

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Looking back and looking ahead for Mayor-elect Turner

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a Q&A with our new Mayor that looks back on the campaign that just wrapped up. Q: Economically, electorally, this is a divided city. You campaigned on a platform of bringing people together. How do you overcome that split … Continue reading →

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Austin passes new vehicles for hire regulations

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’ll be very interesting to see how this plays out. Defying implied threats that such a vote would chase Uber and Lyft out of town, the Austin City Council late Thursday put into city statutes mandatory fingerprint-based background checks for … Continue reading →

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Want to help Metro test a mobile ticketing app?

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s what you need to know. METRO is launching a new mobile ticketing application for smart phones, and we are looking for volunteers to help us test the app before it is released to the public. By volunteering to be … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: I Heard It Through The Grapevine

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an awesome live version of Marvin Gaye doing one of his signature tunes: What an amazing voice. What a tragedy his death was. Here’s Creedence Clearwater Revival with their almost-as-iconic version: Once again I can say, what a voice. … Continue reading →

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More HERO public information requests

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The bullying continues. Does President Barack Obama regularly drop a line to Houston City Council members? Probably not, but we could soon find out, thanks to a public records request that opponents of the city’s equal rights ordinance, known as … Continue reading →

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Shades of 1997

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron looks to the past to analyze Sylvester Turner’s runoff victory. As the Chronicle reported, voting in the Houston mayor’s runoff fell overwhelmingly along racial lines, with Sylvester Turner edging out a slight victory in part by securing 93 … Continue reading →

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John Bradley does John Bradley things

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Grits for Breakfast: Former Williamson County District Attorney and Texas Forensic Science Commission Chairman John Bradley – who left Texas to become Attorney General of the island nation of Palau after facing national disapprobation, losing reelection, and struggling to … Continue reading →

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More on the proposed 610 elevated lanes

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Swamplot: Love that rush of vertigo from driving up the entrance ramp at Hidalgo St. onto the southbound West Loop? Freeway thrill-seekers may have some new options in a few years. The above rendering of new elevated express lanes … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: The music of “Fargo”

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’m in kind of an in-between place in putting these together right now, so imagine my pleasant surprise to read this story of how the excellent music for Season 2 of Fargo was sourced. Even better, it has ten songs … Continue reading →

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Runoff precinct analysis: At Large #2

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Now for a race that’s both a little easier and a little harder to understand, in At Large #2: Dist Robinson Davis ====================== A 6,193 5,825 B 7,698 7,508 C 18,432 8,938 D 9,941 9,840 E 8,762 11,677 F 3,557 … Continue reading →

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Republican filing deadline highlights

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As a followup to this, here’s a look at who filed for what in the Republican primary here in Harris County. Set your phasers to “snark” and come on in with me. Congress There are nine Congressional districts partially or … Continue reading →

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Turner’s Council

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So what kind of City Council will Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner have to work with? In addition to Turner replacing term-limited Mayor Annise Parker, the council also will gain five new faces, four thanks to term limits and one who defeated … Continue reading →

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Birth certificate denials only started happening recently

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Funny how these things work, isn’t it? Texas has for seven years said it won’t accept Mexican identification cards when issuing birth certificates for children of people in the United States illegally. But it doesn’t appear to have stepped up … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large #1 runoff

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s move on to the At Large races. Here’s how the vote went in At Large #1: Dist Knox Provost ===================== A 8,758 4,042 B 2,518 13,058 C 14,925 12,240 D 3,692 16,877 E 16,406 4,735 F 4,040 2,871 G … Continue reading →

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More on Green versus Garcia

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib talks to Rep. Gene Green about the primary challenge he faces from Adrian Garcia. “I was surprised when he called me yesterday a little before he was going to file, and we talked, and I expressed disappointment,” Green … Continue reading →

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Paxton opines on Uptown BRT

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

AG Ken Paxton was asked for an opinion on whether or not Metro could work with the Uptown Management District on its proposed BRT line. The opinion has been given, though it doesn’t really settle anything. In the ruling, Paxton … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 14

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance congratulates Houston Mayor-elect Sylvester Turner as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Filing deadline highlights

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’m taking a look at interesting bits from the state and Harris County Democratic Party filings. You can see the latter here; there isn’t a page dedicated to this on the TDP webpage (why?) but via this press release we … Continue reading →

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Is Bill King a sign of a trend?

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Probably not. Doesn’t mean that other candidates like him can’t do well, however. Bill King’s near-upset over Sylvester Turner in the Houston mayoral runoff stoked the hopes of some Republicans that the party soon could break Democrats’ 34-year hold on … Continue reading →

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The state was full of it all along on Planned Parenthood

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Shocked, shocked I am. Almost two months after Texas Republican leaders announced they would kick Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid, it hasn’t happened. The organization is still receiving federal and state funds to provide health care for about 13,500 low-income … Continue reading →

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More rail options being studied

Posted on December 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This caught my eye last week. The Gulf Coast Rail District says to make the system viable the train needs to come into downtown, or there has to be some sort of commuter rail option that would link downtown with … Continue reading →

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Garcia to challenge Green in CD29

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This will be interesting to watch. Former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia is challenging 23-year Democratic Congressman Gene Green in the 29th district, he told the Chronicle Monday, a risky intra-party challenge of a popular incumbent. The move comes less … Continue reading →

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Chron analysis of how Turner won

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose it’s a bit simplistic to say “he got more votes than the other guy”, but one way or the other that’s what happened. Sylvester Turner’s 24-year quest for the mayor’s office was realized by a narrow margin Saturday … Continue reading →

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Cruz to help Abbott give refugees a kick

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced legislation Tuesday to give governors the power to opt out of refugee replacements if they believe there are security risks. Cruz introduced the bill at a news … Continue reading →

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Pete Rose remains banned from baseball

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

No argument from me. Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, has decided not to lift the permanent ban imposed on Pete Rose more than a quarter-century ago, meaning the player with more hits than anyone else in the … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Mayoral runoff

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, the County Clerk’s office put out draft canvass reports last night. As a result, I can do the thing that I do. Here’s a look at the Mayor’s runoff race: Dist King Turner ===================== A 9,491 … Continue reading →

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One more time for TMF-Menendez

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on, again. Fifteen-year state Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer announced Sunday he’ll run for Texas Senate District 26 next year against incumbent José Menéndez. The March 1 Democratic primary race will pit the same contenders who battled for the seat … Continue reading →

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David Porter not running for re-election to RRC

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Another open seat. Texas Railroad Commission Chairman David Porter will not be running for re-election after all. Thursday’s surprise announcement from Porter, who was first elected in 2010, unleashed a flood of interest from Republicans pondering bids for his seat. … Continue reading →

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Paxton remains under indictment

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Kenny. A state district judge on Friday rejected Ken Paxton’s request to throw out his three felony indictments, likely sending the first-term attorney general to trial next year unless his lawyers appeal the ruling. “Yes, all the motions we … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 13

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

An oral history of Mork and Mindy. In doing too much reading on the tragic mass shooting in San Bernadino, I happened to come across this New Yorker story about Amy Bishop, a microbiologist at the University of Alabama who … Continue reading →

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Other runoff results

Posted on December 13, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the rest of the winners from yesterday: Controller: Chris Brown At Large #1: Mike Knox At Large #2: CM David Robinson At Large #4: Amanda Edwards At Large #5: CM Jack Christie District F: Steve Le District H: … Continue reading →

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