Tag Archives: Houston

Some uses of police overtime are more sensible than others

Posted on September 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. As thousands of protesters gathered at Houston City Hall earlier this year during the No Kings protest against President Donald Trump’s multimillion-dollar military parade, Houston police leaders spent more than $102,000 on police overtime … Continue reading →

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Less funding for homelessness means more homeless

Posted on September 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just math. An annual survey of the homeless population in the Houston area suggested that the region — which has attracted international attention for its ability to reduce homelessness — is at an inflection point. As the emergency funding … Continue reading →

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HISD still has a teacher turnover problem

Posted on September 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t seem to be going away. Across Texas, 1 in 6 teachers didn’t return to teach in 2024-25. In Houston ISD, it was nearly 1 of 3. The state’s largest school district had a turnover rate of 32.2% compared with … Continue reading →

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From the “We don’t have to take our clothes off” department

Posted on September 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Coming to a street near you. As Houston peels away bike lanes, a group of cyclists plans to peel away its clothes and pedal through the city in protest. World Naked Bike Ride Houston is planned for Sept. 13, both beginning … Continue reading →

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The At Large #4 lineup

Posted on September 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wednesday was the filing deadline for both CD18 and Houston City Council At Large #4. There are fourteen filed candidates plus one write-in. I will offer a bit of commentary on each. – Alejandra Salinas, Dwight Boykins, and Al Lloyd … Continue reading →

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On being financially prepared for future disasters

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Got to be thinking about it. Houston might need to make some policy changes to ensure that the city has enough money on hand to provide disaster relief as storms become more frequent and more expensive to recover from, Controller … Continue reading →

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The “Trump Burger” story

Posted on September 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose we must make note of this. The thing about Trump Burger is that it was always irresistible, even for those who would rather eat just about anywhere else. The restaurant is what its name suggests: A burger joint devoted to … Continue reading →

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Hotze again asks for pause in his civil trial

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Screw this guy” will always be my response. Conservative activist Steven Hotze asked the Texas Supreme Court to pause a lawsuit against him until after the criminal trial of his former private eye, who in 2020 allegedly assaulted an air-conditioning repairman … Continue reading →

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The Houston Bike Guide

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very useful. The typical streets that most people use in a car, and are often recommended to bicyclists who try to map their routes via navigation apps, are dangerous and difficult to maneuver on a bike. The city of Houston website’s ‘Bikeway … Continue reading →

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The HISD and HCC lineups

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The filing deadlines have passed for HISD and HCC, so this seems like as good a time as any to look at who is running for what. Note that the deadline for CD18 and Houston City Council is September 3, … Continue reading →

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What the HISD students are asking for

Posted on August 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In case the district wants to listen. Chavez High School graduate Ximena Acosta is about to leave Houston to attend Vanderbilt University. That academic achievement happened in spite of, not because of, Houston ISD, Acosta said. She told media at … Continue reading →

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Fewer crime reports being made

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Fewer people called Houston police each year since 2023, a trend that experts say could have multiple causes and is worth keeping an eye on. Slightly more than 1.1 million calls were made to HPD’s patrol divisions in 2023, … Continue reading →

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Leave the “Be Someone” artists alone

Posted on August 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

How is this a good use of HPD’s time? Investigators are searching for the people who repainted Houston’s popular “Be Someone” graffiti mural in June after a video of the act was posted on Instagram. Three people participated in repainting the … Continue reading →

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July 2025 campaign finance reports – HCC

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVOIUSLY: Harris County Senate and Congress City of Houston HISD And we wrap up our look at July campaign finance reports with a check-in on the HCC Board of Trustees, whose reports can be found here. At the time of … Continue reading →

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On HPD and overtime

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Lots to think about here. Houston senior police officer Matthew Davis’ annual salary was about $90,000 this past fiscal year. He made nearly $170,000 more in overtime. It was not an anomaly. Davis has collected more in overtime than his … Continue reading →

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And the At Large #4 race gets underway

Posted on August 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Two candidates for Houston City Council for are waging a war over who used AI to create their list of campaign priorities. Alejandra Salinas’ campaign website lists a series of priorities she would champion if elected to fill the council … Continue reading →

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Three perspectives on scooters

Posted on August 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron editorial board calls for regulation over a ban. We’re feeling a bit of whiplash. For a city that has for decades been desperate to get people out of their cars and into central neighborhoods, our leaders seem all … Continue reading →

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The (driverless) trucks at night, are big and bright

Posted on August 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I regret nothing. Autonomous vehicle technology company Aurora has expanded its driverless freight operations to include nighttime travel on Texas highways, according to the company’s announcement Wednesday. In late April, the self-driving 18-wheeler service was launched without a safety driver in partnership with Uber … Continue reading →

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We get closer to school closures

Posted on August 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Words from Mike Miles. Houston ISD’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles announced Wednesday the district may borrow $180 million for a new career and technical education center, pending board approval. Miles, addressing hundreds of teachers at an annual teachers’ convocation, said … Continue reading →

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Ask questions, get booted

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is why the whole Board of Managers concept sucks. The four ousted members of the Houston ISD Board of Managers sent the majority of the board’s formal requests for information to the district in the two years before the … Continue reading →

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HISD says it has no F-rated schools

Posted on August 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is legitimately great. And it means we can officially start the Mike Miles Countdown Clock. Zero Houston ISD schools received an “F” in the Texas Education Agency’s A-F accountability ratings this year, while 18 received a “D,” according to preliminary … Continue reading →

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The Afghan women’s soccer players of Houston

Posted on August 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Great story. The early evening sun still shone strongly overhead when Sodaba Khinjani adjusted her cleats and squinted out at the soccer field at Bayland Park in southwest Houston. The temperature was hotter than the playing conditions she was used … Continue reading →

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Mayor’s anti-bike obsession claims another victim

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Telephone Road. You should have thought about the possibility of the next Mayor being a bike hater when you began this work five years ago. The Harrisburg Redevelopment Authority has tapped the brakes on approving a scaled-back $12 million … Continue reading →

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On Ed Pollard’s campaign cash

Posted on August 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a lot, as we have previously noted. It isn’t even close to the time potential candidates will start announcing their intention to run for Houston mayor in 2027. But if campaign finance reports are any indicator, Council Member Edward … Continue reading →

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HFT sues unsuccessfully HISD over new teacher pay raises

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A local teachers union is suing Houston ISD’s Superintendent Mike Miles and the Board of Managers after the district decided to distribute new teacher pay raises from the state by performance, not years of experience. The $3.7-billion Teacher … Continue reading →

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City Council officially sets At Large #4 special election

Posted on August 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s here. Houston voters will elect a new City Council member in November who could play a formative role in shaping city policy for the next eight years. The council on Wednesday voted … Continue reading →

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Why is HCC requiring community groups to carry liability insurance?

Posted on July 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I got this in my inbox on Monday: Dear Community Members, Friends and Allies: Civic Clubs, Super Neighborhoods and other community organization’s ability to meet using Houston City College (HCC) facilities is being prevented due to a new policy requiring … Continue reading →

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July 2025 campaign finance reports – HISD

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’re going to have to do this the hard way. With a fundraising haul of more than $75,000, incumbent Houston ISD trustee Bridget Wade has outraised all declared candidates who are running for the five trustee seats up for election. Houston voters … Continue reading →

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Activist fined over mailers sent in 2023 District G race

Posted on July 27, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A Houston activist was fined $12,438 last month for allegedly sending misleading mailers to disrupt a high-profile Houston City Council race among Tony Buzbee, Enyinna Isiguzo and incumbent council member Mary Nan Huffman in the fall of 2023. The … Continue reading →

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Crane and McLane settle their lawsuit

Posted on July 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have one specific reason for posting about this. Astros owner Jim Crane and former Astros owner Drayton McLane agreed Friday morning to settle their long-running dispute over the 2012-13 collapse of the Comcast SportsNet Houston, one day into their trial before a 15-member … Continue reading →

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July 2025 campaign finance reports – City of Houston

Posted on July 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVOIUSLY: Harris County Senate and Congress When I did the January roundup for the city of Houston, I didn’t expect there to be much activity of interest in July, given that the next regularly scheduled election for the city is … Continue reading →

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Council to consider scooter ban

Posted on July 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not a fan. Houston may soon join a growing number of major U.S. cities that have banned electric scooters, citing increasing safety risks to pedestrians and riders. A proposal to prohibit electric scooter use in downtown, Midtown, and East … Continue reading →

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The post-Beryl cellphone experience

Posted on July 23, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve heard a lot less about this than we have about power outages. During Hurricane Beryl, a record 2.26 million CenterPoint Energy customers lost power, sending line crews scrambling across the region once the storm passed. The epic loss of … Continue reading →

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An early look at who’s running for HISD Trustee

Posted on July 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron, which notes that five seats are up for election this year and that until Mike Morath gives us back our power there won’t be that much for them to do. District I Felicity Pereyra Felicity Pereyra, a … Continue reading →

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