Monthly Archives: June 2020

A twist in the sign stealing story

Posted on June 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see how twisted it gets. A federal judge ordered the unsealing of a 2017 letter from Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred to the New York Yankees that, according to court documents, detailed a “more serious, sign-stealing scheme” than … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Just a reminder, you can get a mail ballot if you need one

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

No one is going to stop you. As Democrats and civil rights groups sue to expand mail-in voting during the pandemic, a recent decision by the Texas Supreme Court has left it up to voters to decide for themselves whether … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Threat level orange

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. A large, ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 places the Houston area on the second-highest of four public threat levels unveiled by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday. If troubling trends continue, including an increase in coronavirus cases and … Continue reading →

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

HISD passes its budget

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

And had their own debate about police funding. Houston ISD trustees Thursday approved a $2 billion spending plan for the 2020-21 school year that includes small raises and bonuses for nearly all employees, a compromise between board members and the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD passes its budget

Rating summertime risks

Posted on June 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You want to get outside and do things this summer? Here’s how to think about various activities in terms of risk, so you can do things that are safer and avoid things that are not. It has been around two … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Rating summertime risks

The current status on local police reform efforts

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Well, the budget amendment process didn’t do much. City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved Mayor Sylvester Turner’s $5.1 billion budget for the next fiscal year, slightly increasing funds for the Houston Police Department even as some cities are under pressure … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Plaintiffs move for dismissal of state lawsuit over mail ballots

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. The fight over expanding voting by mail in Texas during the coronavirus pandemic appears to be coming to an end in state courts, but a lawsuit continues at the federal level. Following a Texas Supreme Court ruling … Continue reading →

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

Tell HISD what you think about their proposed school year calendar

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s different. Students in Houston ISD would return to campus in mid-August, spend up to 10 additional days in the classroom and end their school year in mid-June under a 2020-21 calendar option published by the district Monday. HISD officials … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Confederate monuments to be removed

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the City of Houston plans to relocate the Dowling and Spirit of Confederacy statues, which are currently both located in two City of Houston parks. The statues will be removed by Friday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

We keep hitting the wrong marks

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Up, up, and up. For the second day in a row, Texas has reported a record number of patients hospitalized with the new coronavirus, a metric Gov. Greg Abbott has said he’s watching as businesses continue reopening and limits on … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Javier Ambler

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Remember his name. Javier Ambler was driving home from playing poker on March 28, 2019, when he failed to dim the headlights of his SUV to oncoming traffic. A Williamson County sheriff’s deputy initiated a stop and began chasing him … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Don’t forget about school police

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe we can take another crack at breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. Several social justice organizations called Monday for Houston ISD to eliminate its police department and contract with local law enforcement agencies, whose officers would respond only to emergency situations … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of June 8

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with those demanding justice for George Floyd as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of June 8

DA dismisses charges against most protesters

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday dismissed almost 800 cases filed against protesters arrested during the George Floyd demonstrations last week in Houston. In total, prosecutors dropped 796 charges filed against 654 protesters, District Attorney Kim Ogg … Continue reading →

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

Budget amendments and a fight over police reform

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That’s your City Council agenda for today. City council members have authored more than four dozen amendments to Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposed budget to trim spending, create new sources of revenue and expand police accountability measures. Council members will take … Continue reading →

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

Executive action on police reform

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a start. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Tuesday announced he would sign an executive order to enact some immediate reforms aimed at curtailing police violence, including requiring Houston officers to give verbal warning and exhaust all other options before firing … Continue reading →

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

The local view of COVID hospitalizations

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

More numbers. Three weeks after it stood out as the urban exception to the state’s spiking COVID-19 crisis, the Houston region has begun seeing a significant increase in cases and hospitalizations. The upturn, which began two weeks ago and accelerated … Continue reading →

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

Here comes high school football

Posted on June 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Surely you didn’t think that Texas’ favorite sport would stay on the sidelines for long? More focus will be on instruction, caution and care than nailing the perfect squat rep when University Interscholastic League athletic programs return to in-person strength … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

That’s a lot of mail ballots

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The new County Clerk isn’t messing around. Harris County this week sent mail ballot applications for the July primary runoff to every voter 65 and older, interim County Clerk Christopher Hollins announced. The move comes as Harris County is preparing … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Commissioners Court to address police reform

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

On the agenda for today. Ten police and criminal justice reform items appear on Tuesday’s agenda; seven by Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, two by County Judge Lina Hidalgo and one by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia. They would:  Examine … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Coronavirus and Professional Bull Riding

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s how Professional Bull Riding managed to keep doing what it does during the pandemic. The PBR went on hiatus March 15 at the conclusion of an Unleash The Beast event in Duluth, Ga., that was closed to the public. … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Coronavirus and Professional Bull Riding

Runoff reminder: Congress

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, we looked at the two statewide runoffs in the Democratic primary. Today we’re going to look at four Congressional primary runoffs. There are more than four total runoffs in Congressional primaries, but these are in the districts that are … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A legal analysis of age discrimination in voting

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an interesting report by a group of lawyers about age restrictions and the 26th Amendment, with specific commentary about the federal age discrimination lawsuits over voting by mail in Texas. A brief excerpt: In the immediate wake of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Anti-vaxxers gonna anti-vaxx

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Every step of the way, they are an obstacle to public health. The Texas group that lobbies against vaccine mandates is now launching a campaign against COVID-19 contact tracing, the public health measure used for decades around the world to … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anti-vaxxers gonna anti-vaxx

Weekend link dump for June 7

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

“Workplace temperature checks are becoming more common as the pandemic wears on. They’re also happening at airports, restaurants, and stores. But it’s not clear how effective these screenings are at preventing the spread of the coronavirus—especially when they’re conducted by … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

So how’s that reopening going?

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Well, there’s more of it. Gov. Greg Abbott announced his third phase Wednesday of reopening Texas businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, allowing virtually all of them to operate at 50% capacity. That is effective immediately, and there are “very limited … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Time for a task force

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A good step, but it needs to be followed by real action. Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to appoint a task force to review Houston Police Department policies amid growing calls for reform following local and nationwide protests over the death … Continue reading →

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

Austin’s sick leave ordinance is officially dead

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Killed by the State Supreme Court, which should come as a surprise to no one. Austin still cannot enforce a mandatory paid sick leave ordinance its city council passed in February 2018 after the Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Austin’s sick leave ordinance is officially dead

Metro’s long road

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It will be awhile before bus and rail ridership returns to pre-COVID levels. Metro officials predict it will be months, and possibly years, before bus and rail service ridership return to pre-COVID-19 levels in Houston as economic uncertainty, a lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

PPP: Trump 48, Biden 48

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You want polls, we got polls. In a Texas survey done for the Texas Democratic Party, we found Joe Biden and Donald Trump tied in the state at 48. Only 46% of voters approve of the job Trump is doing … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Where do they find these people?

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

News item: Five Texas GOP county leaders share racist Facebook posts, including one juxtaposing an MLK quote with a banana. Republican leaders in five Texas counties shared racist Facebook posts, some of which also floated conspiracy theories, leading Gov. Greg … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Nuro expands its service in Houston

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

First groceries, now prescriptions. Nuro’s fleet of autonomous vehicles is expanding its footprint in Houston, partnering with CVS to deliver prescriptions in a delivery service that is expected to begin as early as next month. Mountain View, Calif.-based Nuro’s autonomous … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Nuro expands its service in Houston

Fifth Circuit extends block on vote by mail expansion

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not unexpected, unfortunately. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals extended its order Thursday blocking a lower court’s sweeping ruling that would have allowed all Texas voters to qualify to vote by mail during the coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Let’s talk “meaningful reform”

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Chief Acevedo brought it up, so let’s go there. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo’s voice cracked several times and his eyes welled as he railed against the death of George Floyd beneath a policeman’s knee and implored protesters to demonstrate … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments