Monthly Archives: March 2024

Weekend link dump for March 31

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is giving away $640 million to 361 nonprofits, her organization — Yield Giving — and Lever for Change announced”. “Spies, War, Trump: We Still Don’t Really Understand What Paul Manafort Is Up To”. “What’s needed is a … Continue reading →

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Of course Ted Cruz is getting paid to podcast

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is so stupid. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s office has repeatedly dismissed ethical questions about his three-times-a-week podcasting gig, saying he makes no money from the venture with a company that lobbies Congress. But over the last year, iHeartMedia, the … Continue reading →

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HISD’s current goals

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They have ’em. Some I totally agree with. Others, well, we’ll see. Houston ISD is expected to expand several of its controversial reforms during the 2024-25 school year, according to a preliminary version of the district’s plans shared earlier this … Continue reading →

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“If you’ve ever gardened, you know you have to weed”

Posted on March 31, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What Allyn West says. I moved to Montrose in 2008, just in time for Hurricane Ike to welcome me to the Gulf Coast formally, and I lived on Crocker at Avondale during the pandemic. When Hurricane Harvey claimed the Honda … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Crystal Mason’s conviction for illegal voting overturned

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Justice at last. A Texas appeals court on Thursday overturned the illegal voting conviction of Crystal Mason, who was given a five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for federal tax … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Appeals court upholds injunction that halted DFPS investigations of trans kids’ families

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Today, the Texas Court of Appeals, Third District, upheld injunctions in two related cases against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and Commissioner Masters, barring them from implementing the agency’s rule expanding the definition … Continue reading →

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The continuing problems of At Large-only school boards

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Landing take a look at the big picture. In Katy and several Houston-area districts, school boards have employed an election system — known as “at-large districts” — that has contributed to most trustees living in wealthier neighborhoods, a Houston … Continue reading →

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More on the Paxton deal

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story goes into some detail about how we ended up with the deferred adjudication deal that brought an abrupt end to the Ken Paxton securities fraud trial. Special prosecutors assigned to the case said years-long procedural delays made … Continue reading →

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

Hardy Toll Road connector approved

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very different project than what was first proposed. A planned extension of the Hardy Toll Road through the Near Northside into downtown Houston will proceed, but with various community-driven design elements. Harris County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, March 29 edition

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth: Ken Paxton gets off with a slap on the wrist; repercussions from the election including a Big … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit leaves SB4 block in place

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal appeals panel late Tuesday night declined to put Texas’s migrant deportation law back in effect, saying the state law seizes powers that are “likely reserved to the United States.” The 2-1 opinion from the 5th Circuit Court … Continue reading →

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

Controller Hollins puts firefighter settlement tab at up to $1.3 billion

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That’s once you factor in interest payments over the life of the bonds that will be issued to cover this. Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed settlement with the firefighters union could cost significantly more than previously advertised, City Controller Chris … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Troy Nehls

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Could be something. We’ll see. U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Richmond, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, the bipartisan panel announced Tuesday. It did not specify the focus of the investigation, but Nehls said it was related to his … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of March 25

Posted on March 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance doesn’t want to think about California bookies as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Paxton gets his deal

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will have his felony securities fraud charges dismissed in exchange for doing 100 hours of community service and meeting other requirements, according to a last-minute deal announced Tuesday. The agreement requires Paxton, 61, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

SCOTUS seems likely to dump the mifepristone ban case

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news. For this Supreme Court to reject abortion restrictions, the argument has to be pretty bad. “That it?” Justice Amy Coney Barrett cut in tersely as anti-abortion group lawyer Erin Hawley (yes, that Hawley) enumerated the supposed harms … Continue reading →

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Secretaries of State and AI

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope our SOS is ready for this. A false call from a secretary of state telling poll workers they aren’t needed on Election Day. A fake video of a state election director shredding ballots before they’re counted. An … Continue reading →

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PFLAG wins injunction against Paxton’s intrusive data requests

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, as I have not seen any news stories about this yet: The Travis County District Court today granted a temporary injunction blocking the Texas Attorney General’s Office’s latest effort targeting transgender Texans — its demand that PFLAG … Continue reading →

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

Some AstroWorld defendants try to get out

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots going on here. Apple, Drake and other defendants targeted have asked a Harris County court to dismiss them from a sprawling lawsuit filed by victims of the 2021 Astroworld disaster. A flood of new motions and documents filed in … Continue reading →

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

Hope we have enough water this summer

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not looking great for some parts of the state right now. Two consecutive summers of brutal heat and drought have left some parts of Texas with notably low water supplies going into 2024. A wet year or a well-placed hurricane … Continue reading →

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Mexico asks Fifth Circuit to keep blocking SB4

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

They definitely have an interest in this. The Mexican government is urging a federal court to block Texas’ migrant deportation law, arguing it will trample the country’s right to regulate its own borders, terrorize the 2.4 million Mexican nationals living … Continue reading →

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The ITC fire five years later

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We learned some things from this. The Intercontinental Terminals Co. fire that broke out March 17, 2019, did not just lead to a massive black plume of smoke lingering for days over east Harris County, before spreading 20 miles to … Continue reading →

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Are you ready for some World Cup cricket?

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s here for you if you want to see it. The United States men’s national cricket team will play two series this spring at Prairie View Cricket Complex ahead of June’s historic 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The U.S. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for March 24

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

“The sweeping digitisation of music—both from a distribution standpoint as well as a production and composition perspective—has had some devastating effects on the industry and the art form. That’s not to say it’s all black-and-white, of course, as there have … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

Teare says he will recuse the DA’s office from the Hidalgo aides case

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve already said this was the right thing to do, so I obviously agree with it. Whether politics played a role in the criminal indictment of three of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s former aides was hotly debated during the … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues two more adult websites

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure he’s got a list. Two more adult websites are facing lawsuits from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office over accusations they’re not following the state’s age verification law, the latest effort to legally go after internet porn providers. … Continue reading →

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

Clemson sues ACC over exit fees

Posted on March 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Conference realignment is always in season. Clemson on Tuesday became the second ACC member to take legal action against the conference in hopes of potentially getting out of the league. The university filed a lawsuit in Pickens County, S.C., arguing … Continue reading →

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Texas Medical Board issues some guidance on abortion exceptions

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Sort of. The Texas Medical Board proposed a broad definition for what constitutes an emergency medical exception under the state’s otherwise strict abortion ban at its meeting Friday, disappointing some abortion rights advocates who were seeking a specific list of … Continue reading →

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Miles backtracks on firing principals

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. In a major reversal, Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles said early Friday that the district’s principal proficiency screener ratings will not be used “in any adverse employment decisions” for campus administrators for the current academic year. As part … Continue reading →

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Paxton could be getting a plea deal

Posted on March 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to say. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is nearing a resolution to the 9-year-old securities fraud charges that have dogged his tenure as the state’s top attorney through a special agreement with prosecutors, the American-Statesman has … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Rep. Oliverson files for Speaker

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Something like this was inevitable. State Rep. Tom Oliverson on Thursday announced a surprise challenge to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan, condemning his fellow Republican’s “dysfunctional” leadership as he fights for political survival in a May runoff. Oliverson, an anesthesiologist … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

We return to the question of “how will we pay for the firefighter agreement” question

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna keep asking it until we get a full answer. Mayor John Whitmire’s administration is weighing all options, including hiking the city’s property tax rate and charging residents a garbage collection fee, to help pay for its landmark settlement with … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Dispatches from Dallas, March 22 edition

Posted on March 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth, some more election news, Johnson and Broadnax and various police and environmental stories along with the usual … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit has its SB4 hearing

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

More whiplashing. The chief judge on an appeals panel weighing whether to block Texas’ new migrant deportation law appeared skeptical that it does not run afoul of longstanding precedent leaving immigration enforcement solely to the federal government. Questioning the state’s … Continue reading →

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