Tag Archives: Houston

Connecting Uptown and Memorial Park

Posted on November 12, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. The overwhelming task of getting to Memorial Park from Uptown by bike or on foot is poised to vastly improve, provided a $22 million project for a bridge across Buffalo Bayou and underpass of Loop 610 … Continue reading →

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My initial thoughts on the 2023 election

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Suffice it to say I was off base on turnout. I thought we would be on track to top the turnout of the 2003 Mayor’s race, but in the end we fell short of 2015’s level. I’d have lost quite … Continue reading →

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HISD reveals its “District of Innovation” plans

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m more skeptical than I was before, mostly because of how things have gone so far in HISD. Houston ISD released a draft plan Monday evening to potentially exempt itself from 10 state laws, including teacher certification requirements, class size … Continue reading →

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2023 election results: Houston and Harris County

Posted on November 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m going to be brief, and will have a longer look at things tomorrow. A bit more than 20% of the E-Day votes had been tallied as of 10 PM, but for the most part I’d say we had a … Continue reading →

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Today is Election Day 2023

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Harris County Clerk’s Office reminds citizens that [today] is Election Day. 701 vote centers will be open across Harris County from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and registered voters can cast their ballots at a location … Continue reading →

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Time once again for reimagining the Astrodome

Posted on November 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Knock yourselves out. Alfonso Hernandez recalled growing up in a little town in Venezuela with a population of about 500,000 people, but still knowing what the Astrodome was due to seeing so many monumental moments on TV — including Nolan … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

A few thoughts about Tuesday turnout

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We now know how many early votes were cast in Harris County for the November 2023 election. I’m now going to run through a few scenarios to show what the range of possibility is for overall final turnout. None of … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Final EV totals: Records successfully broken

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We had a big last day in early voting on Friday, as you can see below: Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 29,859 164,104 193,963 2019 15,304 137,460 152,764 2023 14,925 224,400 239,325 The final EV totals from 2015 are … Continue reading →

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The crazy District G race

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wowsers. Days after Attorney General Ken Paxton was acquitted in his impeachment trial in late September, his attorney, Tony Buzbee, rode the win on a campaign stage, while his opponent Mary Nan Huffman tried to convince conservative District G voters … Continue reading →

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A brief primer on driverless cars

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: It’s 8 p.m. in downtown Austin, and the electric cars silently exit the parking lot one by one — but no one is behind the wheel of any of them. The Cruise depot is full of people … Continue reading →

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Don’t trash your pumpkins

Posted on November 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Here are some better ideas. Looking for a new home for your pumpkin now that Halloween is over? Well, Houston might have the solution. The city is collecting pumpkins — carved, guts or otherwise — now through next Wednesday as … Continue reading →

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8 day 2023 campaign finance reports – Houston Mayor

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Election Day is next Tuesday, and candidates have (mostly) now filed their eight day reports, which is the last look we’ll get at how they’re doing campaign finance-wise before the votes are counted. I don’t have the time or the … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day Eleven EV totals: About to break records

Posted on November 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

With one day to go in early voting, we are about to set a record. Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 27,952 128,611 156,563 2019 14,280 103,945 118,225 2023 14,034 171,673 185,707 The final EV totals from 2015 are here … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day Nine EV totals: Just the numbers

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday was Halloween, I’m still a little strung out from handing out Trick or Treat loot, so here’s just the updated numbers: Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 24,768 89,599 114,367 2019 11,356 76,613 87,989 2023 10,274 123,609 133,883 The … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day Eight EV totals: You can’t out-nerd me

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This Chron story about early voting through Sunday made me grind my teeth. One week in, early voting turnout has surpassed the levels seen in the last two Houston mayoral elections — but not overwhelmingly so — perhaps a surprise … Continue reading →

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Who still wants to teach at HISD?

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This is bad, right? Perelman is one of 137 teachers who left Houston ISD during the first month of school this year, all but five of them of their own volition, according to public records obtained by the Houston Chronicle. … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day Seven EV totals: My one crazy theory

Posted on October 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We are officially one week into early voting for the November 2023 election. Here’s how it’s been going in Harris County so far: Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 21,141 61,008 82,149 2019 6,799 55,937 62,736 2023 9,284 91,676 100,960 … Continue reading →

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Another HISD threefer

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Once again, too much news and too little time… HISD special ed teachers say new instructional model under Miles is too rigid to support children. Brian Tucker started getting help for a speech impairment and learning disability in second grade … Continue reading →

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Ismaili Center construction milestone

Posted on October 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Houston’s new Ismaili Center is set to reach its tallest point in construction in the coming days, marking a milestone celebrated by dignitaries and local officials during a topping-off ceremony Monday at the cultural landmark’s site in the Montrose … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: CityNerd visits Houston

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

An urban planner who has mostly heard negative things about Houston visits our city for a couple of days, and finds quite a bit about it that he likes: Found via Evan Mintz. It’s about 20 minutes (there’s about two … Continue reading →

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California DMV pulls Cruise permits

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some bumps in the road there. Citing public safety concerns about Cruise‘s robotaxi line operating in San Francisco, California DMV officials announced Tuesday that the agency had suspended permits for the driverless cars deployed by General Motors’ autonomous vehicle subsidiary. … Continue reading →

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Here’s the latest new area code

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Hello, 621. Houston, you’re getting a new area code. On Wednesday, the Public Utility Commission of Texas announced they’ve approved the addition of 621 for the Houston area to keep up with the population growth we are seeing here in … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day Three EV totals: All in person

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’re at the first Friday of early voting for the November 2023 election, and a pattern is beginning to emerge. This is the data through Day Three: Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 18,196 27,596 45,792 2019 6,050 26,206 32,256 … Continue reading →

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Challenge filed to the law barring felons from running for office

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll be keeping an eye on this. Derrick Broze, barred from the upcoming mayoral election because of a two-decades-old felony conviction, sued the state of Texas, arguing its election law is unconstitutional. Broze, a 38-year-old independent journalist and activist, started … Continue reading →

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Rep. Jarvis Johnson to run for SD15

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The field grows. Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, announced Tuesday he will run for Texas Senate to fill the seat currently held by mayoral candidate John Whitmire. “I know the issues affecting our communities. We’ve been neglected by the state. They’ve … Continue reading →

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The recording

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, expressed regret Monday and said she is “not perfect” after a recording came out that appeared to show her berating staff with profanity. Jackson Lee is … Continue reading →

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November 2023 Day One EV totals: You’ve got no mail

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s that time you’ve been waiting for, so here’s what you want: Year Mail Early Total =============================== 2015 14,240 8,891 23,131 2019 5,407 7,973 13,380 2023 3,289 12,740 16,029 The final EV totals from 2015 are here and the final … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Huffman in G, eventually

Posted on October 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You really have to read all the way through this endorsement to understand who exactly it is they’re endorsing. Stop too soon, and you’ll get the wrong idea. We have a confession to make. When super-lawyer Tony Buzbee announced his … Continue reading →

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Interview with Conchita Reyes

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m always a little hesitant to say I’m done with interviews for a given cycle because there’s almost always a candidate who comes forward after I say that. Usually, it’s because we missed a connection earlier and when that happens … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron goes for Whitmire

Posted on October 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses John Whitmire for Mayor. Close your eyes for a moment and ask yourself: in this city of immigrants who start companies and win World Series, of silvery skyscrapers and moonshot cancer fighters, of astronauts who train for … Continue reading →

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DeBakey students finally get an AP Physics teacher

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Better late than never and all that, but sheesh. AP Physics students at the DeBakey High School for Health Professions had a new teacher Wednesday after Houston ISD lifted a hiring freeze that had kept the position vacant since the … Continue reading →

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What early voting looked like in 2015 and 2019

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow we start voting – well, technically, tomorrow we start voting in person. People have already been sending in mail ballots, as we’ll see when the Day One EV totals are posted. I will of course report on this as … Continue reading →

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NHTSA investigating Cruise

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. U.S. regulators are investigating General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division after receiving reports of incidents where vehicles may not have used proper caution around pedestrians in roadways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the reports involve … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Hernandez and Allen in HISD

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron does remember that there are HISD races on the ballot. It’s the board of managers that has the voting power on district decisions, a task some critics say it has fulfilled by largely rubber-stamping Superintendent Mike Miles’ plans. … Continue reading →

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