Monthly Archives: July 2018

CD07 candidates endorse the August flood bond referendum

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What I would expect. U.S. Rep. John Culberson and his challenger, Lizzie Fletcher, found rare common ground on Wednesday as both endorsed Harris County’s proposed $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond proposal. Culberson said he can match every local dollar Harris … Continue reading →

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The story behind the MJ Hegar video

Posted on July 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Cool little “making of” feature. Mary Jennings “MJ” Hegar, a 42-year-old mother and Republican turned “independent Democrat” running for Congress in Texas, is an Air Force veteran and retired Air National Guard helicopter pilot who didn’t let an abusive biological father, … Continue reading →

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What the prognosticators are saying about Texas

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve covered some of this before, but with Daily Kos releasing their initial House race rankings, let’s see how the national prognosticators are classifying Texas Congressional races. Daily Kos Elections Tossup – CD23 Lean R – CD07, CD32 Likely R … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Three more Dems top $1 million in Q2

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In the morning there was Gina Ortiz Jones. Gina Ortiz Jones, the Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, raised more than $1.2 million over the last three months, a huge haul that far outpaces the fundraising by her … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Back to the barbecue battle

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, Sid Miller makes us pay attention to something we shouldn’t have to. Texas’ barbecue culture is sacred. But some pitmasters are catching heat from a former rodeo cowboy overseeing the state Department of Agriculture. Commissioner Sid Miller is … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Failed indy Senate candidate accuses Cruz campaign of sabotage

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I’m gonna fire up the popcorn popper. When independent U.S. Senate candidate Jonathan Jenkins missed the filing deadline for the November ballot last month, it surprised the political observers who had been keeping an eye on his Texas run. Jenkins, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Austin drops its bag ban

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What choice did they have? The City of Austin says it will no longer enforce a ban on single-use plastic bags at most retail outlets, following a state Supreme Court ruling last month that struck down Laredo’s bag ban. The … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on flood tunnels

Posted on July 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

They’re a thing, I swear. While it’s far from clear whether it will ever happen, the concept almost immediately generated widespread response when it was announced earlier this spring. Local officials told the Houston Chronicle it’s outside-the-box thinking with benefits that could outweigh … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Weekend link dump for July 8

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Re-engineering the MLB post-season. Have no fear, better WiFi security is almost here. Crypto-jacking is the latest reason to hate Bitcoin and its ilk. “The case against the Trumps appears damning. Charitable foundations are governed by a crucial compromise: they … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

Still waiting on families to be reunited

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Horrible story remains horrible. The clock is ticking on a court-ordered Tuesday deadline for the federal government to reunite migrant parents with kids under 5 who were taken from them at the border. With a mere four days left, government … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Where best to attack Culberson?

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Flooding is an obvious issue, but it’s hardly the only one. After Hurricane Harvey flooded much of Houston – including the hotly contested Seventh Congressional District – Republican incumbent John Culberson used his position on the House Appropriations Committee to … Continue reading →

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I got those “too many traffic lights between Houston and Austin” blues

Posted on July 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

But maybe not for long. Depending on which route you drive. [T]he Texas Department of Transportation is in the final stages of a decadeslong effort to at least make that 170-mile trip from Austin to Houston free of traffic lights. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fletcher reports raising $1 million in Q2

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Our first story about a strong finance report from the just-ended previous quarter. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, the Democratic challenger in one of the Texas congressional seats that Democrats hope to flip in November, reported more than $1 million in contributions … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More on the latest Harvey funds

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full Chron story regarding that allocation of federal Harvey recovery money from Thursday. It wasn’t clear from the Trib story I quoted from, but that levee system is, at least in part, the Ike Dike. Jim Blackburn of … Continue reading →

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Mayor makes Metro appointments

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Only one change, but it’s a big one. Mayor Sylvester Turner has nominated Teresa “Terry” R. Morales to serve in Position 5 of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) board of directors, for a term that expires April … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Pension bond lawsuit dismissed

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This hit my inbox late in the day on July 3. The City of Houston is pleased that a court challenge to the 2017 election on the City’s pension bonds has been decided in its favor. Today, State District Judge … Continue reading →

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

Feds approve $5 billion in Harvey aid

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Almost a year after Hurricane Harvey dumped historic rains on Texas, the state will receive more than $5 billion for a range of flood control projects, repairs and studies, the Trump administration announced Thursday. […] [About $1 billion] will … Continue reading →

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Census lawsuit may proceed

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge said Tuesday that there was a “strong showing of bad faith” by the Trump administration in adding a controversial question about US citizenship to the 2020 census. The judge hinted that he would allow the case to move forward … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Same maps, different day

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The coda to the SCOTUS redistricting ruling. The 2018 elections will move forward without any tweaks to Texas’ political maps. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to uphold all but one of the state’s political districts, a three-judge federal panel … Continue reading →

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Metal detectors

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

They’re like magic. More than a month after a deadly shooting at Santa Fe High School left 10 dead and 13 injured, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is taking steps to tighten security in the southeast Texas school district, part of … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 2

Posted on July 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance considers the Supreme Court to be on the ballot in every election as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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No indefinite detention of asylum seekers

Posted on July 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

That title is one of those things I can’t believe I have to write. A federal district judge has ruled President Donald Trump’s administration’s practice of indefinitely detaining some asylum seekers can’t proceed, dealing a major blow to what immigration … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

On enthusiasm and fundraising

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

RG Ratcliffe engages the “can Lupe Valdez be competitive” question. Valdez will almost certainly lose to Greg Abbott in November. Yet if she inspires Hispanic voters to turn out, she could help Democratic candidates in tight down-ballot races and make … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

Paying to park at Memorial Park

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let the pearl-clutching begin! A quarter of the parking spaces at Memorial Park will be metered starting later this year, as the city and the park’s nonprofit operators scrape together dollars for maintenance amid an ambitious renovation. Visitors who park … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Demography and our destiny

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Trends keep on trending. Harris County continues to grow more diverse, with population increases among every ethnic and racial group, except non-Hispanic whites between 2016 and 2017, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. In Harris County, … Continue reading →

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What might be the SCOTUS effect on the Senate race?

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Insert shrug emoji here. In recent weeks, the race between U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, has largely revolved around immigration, playing out in detention centers along the southern border and over immigration bills … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Revised final bail order

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We go from here. The federal judge in a landmark bail lawsuit against Harris County set new ground rules for law enforcement and judges about pretrial release for thousands of low-income people arrested on low-level offenses in a revised injunction … Continue reading →

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Special election set for HD52

Posted on July 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Another one in November. The special election to replace former state Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock, will take place on Nov. 6, the same day voters were already set to head to the polls to select his 2019 replacement, Gov. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 1

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If you want to know the status of all the honorary degrees Bill Cosby has received, now you can. Things not to call older employees, if you want to avoid having your tuchus sued off. “Does any company want its … Continue reading →

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“Families Belong Together”

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Make some noise, then make sure everyone you know gets out and votes. As the temperature inched to the triple digits and sweating crowds swarmed the south lawn of the Texas State Capitol, speakers declared with grief, hope, indignation and … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Cloud wins in CD27

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

No runoff needed. Republican Michael Cloud appears likely to win the special election to fill former U.S. Rep. Blake Farenthold’s seat, which would spare the GOP a runoff in the 27th District. With 89 percent of precincts reporting, Cloud was … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Larry Nasser indicted in Walker County

Posted on July 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something, but it’s not enough. A Walker County grand jury Friday indicted two former USA Gymnastics officials, disgraced physician Larry Nassar and athletic trainer Debra Van Horn, in conjunction with Nassar’s sexual abuse of gymnasts at the Karolyi Ranch … Continue reading →

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