Monthly Archives: May 2022

That stupid social media censorship law has been unblocked

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Fifth Circuit continues to debase itself. A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a Republican-backed Texas law that prohibits large social media companies from banning users over their political viewpoints. The decision hands a win to Republicans who have … Continue reading →

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

Yes, you can use toll road funds for non-road projects

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Who knew? Surplus revenues from Harris County’s toll road system for years have paid for improvements to nearby roads and infused funds into street rebuilds around the county. Now, the Harris County Toll Road Authority is about to go off-road. … Continue reading →

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

The injury totals from AstroWorld

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of people were seriously hurt at that event. More than 700 people were seriously injured during November’s Astroworld Festival tragedy, according to new court documents filed in Harris County this week. Plaintiffs attorneys Jason Atkin, Richard Mithoff and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The injury totals from AstroWorld

Endorsement watch: Still in reruns

Posted on May 13, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron re-endorses Duncan Klussman in the CD38 runoff. Last fall, Texas Republicans drew a new congressional district in western Harris County. This red-red-red seat was designed to specifically advantage Wesley Hunt, an Iraq war veteran who came within four … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: Still in reruns

Republicans are not going to stop passing anti-abortion bills

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what they do. There is no finish line for them. During their 20 years in control of the Texas Legislature, Republican lawmakers have steadfastly worked to chip away at abortion access. Bound by the limits of Roe v. Wade, … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Crystal Mason’s conviction to be reconsidered

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has told a lower appeals court to take another look at the controversial illegal voting conviction of Crystal Mason, who was given a five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in … Continue reading →

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

It’s city of Houston budget time again

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

That federal COVID relief money continues to be very nice. Once again relying on federal money, Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposed $5.7 billion budget for next year would pay for raises for all city employees, offer tax relief to seniors and … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s city of Houston budget time again

Texas blog roundup for the week of May 9

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with the people of Ukraine, and also decries the misogynist and regressive SCOTUS draft opinion on abortion, as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of May 9

We’re still talking about West 11th Street

Posted on May 12, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

My neighborhood sure can monopolize the discussion. Sorry about that. A discussion planned to laud Houston’s efforts to expand bicycling access Thursday turned into a debate on the merits of a two-mile stretch of 11th Street. The city’s plan to … Continue reading →

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

A bunch of well-financed wackos won school board races in Tarrant County

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. All but one of the 11 Tarrant County conservative school board candidates, who were backed this year by several high-profile donors and big-money PACs, defeated their opponents during Saturday’s statewide election, according to unofficial election results. The one … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A bunch of well-financed wackos won school board races in Tarrant County

Chron editorial board wins another Pulitzer

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations! The Houston Chronicle Editorial Board on Monday won a 2022 Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing for a series on voter suppression in Texas. The prize, which is the nation’s most prestigious for journalists, was awarded to writers Lisa Falkenberg, … Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron editorial board wins another Pulitzer

Endorsement watch: Reruns

Posted on May 11, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron re-endorses Lesley Briones for Commissioners Court Precinct 4 in the Democratic primary runoff. The crowded Democratic race for Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner has narrowed, but the runoff remains competitive. Because of new precinct boundary lines, which include … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How will the evisceration of abortion rights affect the election in Texas?

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know. You don’t know. Nobody knows. Less than two hours after Politico reported Monday evening that the U.S. Supreme Court appeared ready to overturn Roe v. Wade, Beto O’Rourke leaped into action. “It’s never been more urgent to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Is there anything to say about Jolanda Jones’ win in the HD147 special election?

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

First, here are the facts. Democrat Jolanda Jones edged out her opponent Danielle Keys Bess in a special election on Saturday to finish the term of former state Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston. According to unofficial returns, Jones got 52% of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Actually, May Election Day vote reporting was basically fine

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This headline is correct, but it leaves out some relevant details. Even with help from constable’s offices, Harris County again was the last of the state’s largest counties to finish counting Saturday’s election results, turning its final tally to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Missing In Harris County Day 2022

Posted on May 10, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: For those with missing loved ones and those who would advocate for them, an annual event May 14th in Houston is the place to be for resources, awareness, and more. May 14, 2022, is Missing in Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Missing In Harris County Day 2022

Oh yeah, Hotze knew all about the Aguirre attack

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Who could have ever guessed that a lifelong lying lair was lying to us? Two days before a private investigator looking into a voter fraud conspiracy theory smashed into an air conditioning repairman’s truck and pulled a gun on him, far-right activist Steven … Continue reading →

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

Two judges sanctioned by Judicial Conduct Commission

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not a good look, and really bad timing for one of them. A pair of Harris County civil court judges have been sanctioned for behavior in their courtrooms, with one judge allowing the shackling of attorneys and another erupting into … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Legal pot may mean less driving while stoned

Posted on May 9, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

So says one study. A new study has determined that people in states where cannabis is legal are less likely to drive while stoned than people in states where weed remains criminalized. The study, published this month in the journal … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 16 Comments

Weekend link dump for May 8

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

“It’s been fascinating to see how Netflix in particular is falling into the Accidental 30 Rock trap. The mammoth streaming service was supposed to change the game, to be the subversive force that didn’t play by traditional TV’s rules. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

More State Bar disciplinary stuff

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A new twist, as a new player enters the picture. The Texas State Bar has filed a suit in Williamson County district court against First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster for his involvement in the state’s lawsuit seeking to overturn … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More State Bar disciplinary stuff

TDP officially applies for early primary status

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They’ll have a lot of competition. More than a dozen states and at least one territory are applying to be among the first to vote for Democrats’ next presidential nominee — with the biggest pile-up coming out of the Midwest, … Continue reading →

Posted in The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on TDP officially applies for early primary status

A tour of the future Ike Dike

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating stuff. Federal engineers envisioned a massive version of the “Ike Dike” plan to protect the region from hurricane storm surge. It’s currently sitting with lawmakers, who have to decide whether to pay their share of the $29 billion proposal and move the years-long … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A tour of the future Ike Dike

May 7 election results

Posted on May 8, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Very briefly… The two constitutional amendments passed overwhelmingly. I began writing this post at around 8 PM when all we had were early voting results, but statewide in early voting both propositions were over 85%. They were at 86% and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on May 7 election results

Federal lawsuit filed over Abbott’s border arrest fiasco

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Meant to post this last week. Three private defense attorneys, representing 15 migrant men arrested under Gov. Greg Abbott’s border operation, have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to end the governor’s policy of arresting migrants on criminal trespass charges, which … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Federal lawsuit filed over Abbott’s border arrest fiasco

Paxton whines about the disciplinary process he selected

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

My head hurts. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s top lawyer, said Friday the state bar was suing him for professional misconduct related to his lawsuit challenging the 2020 presidential election. “I have recently learned that the Texas State … Continue reading →

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

The White Oak Bike Trail extension starts to come into focus

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

When last we visited the White Oak Bike Trail extension construction, we were puzzling over what the deal was with whatever they were doing next to the trail itself. I couldn’t tell where it was going or why it was … Continue reading →

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

Some Dallas-area school board races are really crazy

Posted on May 7, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We’re going to see more of this, I’m afraid. New political action committees targeting North Texas school board seats are spending big money on conservative rallying cries ahead of Saturday’s elections. Some Richardson voters, for example, received mailers decorated with … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Abbott sees another opportunity to hurt children

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

He is definitely making this a habit. Gov. Greg Abbott wants to “resurrect” a court challenge over a 1975 Texas law withholding state funds from school districts for kids who were not “legally admitted” into the United States. That law … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Abbott sees another opportunity to hurt children

Houston updates its noise ordinance

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This was probably inevitable, though it sure took a long time. Houston bars, nightclubs and restaurants must obtain new permits to play amplified music within 120 days under a revised ordinance aimed at cracking down on disruptive late-night noise without … Continue reading →

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

Southlake keeps on Southlaking

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

On brand. Seven months after teachers at the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas, went public with their concerns about an administrator’s advice to balance books on the Holocaust with titles that show “opposing” perspectives, district employees this week … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Southlake keeps on Southlaking

Tomorrow is May Election Day

Posted on May 6, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Vote if you haven’t, then get ready to vote again in the primary runoffs. Texas’ constitutional amendment election will take place on Saturday, May 7. There are local propositions on the ballot, too, which vary by region. But at the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The polling data on abortion in Texas

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: At a time when Texas is poised to outlaw the vast majority of abortions if the nation’s highest court overturns constitutional protections for the procedure, a recent University of Texas at Austin poll shows most Texan voters … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Ken Paxton totally lied about gender affirming care

Posted on May 5, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I’m as shocked as you are. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton relied on false claims, exaggerations and errors to conclude that gender-affirming medical care constitutes child abuse, a report by university-level medical experts has concluded. Paxton’s legal opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Ken Paxton totally lied about gender affirming care