Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

One million toad eggs

Posted on June 4, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I love stories like this. More than 1 million Houston toad eggs have been released at Bastrop State Park this spring as part of efforts to reintroduce the endangered species after it disappeared from the park more than a decade ago. Several organizations, including … Continue reading →

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As goes Hood County

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

So goes the battle to have some control over data centers. This is just the beginning of the data center revolution in Hood County, a rural community of 62,000 people about an hour southwest of Fort Worth. Developers have proposed eight … Continue reading →

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Paxton divorce trial canceled

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer, at least for those of us who would have enjoyed a spectacle. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, have canceled their scheduled divorce trial just weeks before it was set to begin. According … Continue reading →

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The Hollywood monument of Rockwall County

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From The Slacktivist: Whenever you see a “Ten Commandments” monument, the first thing to check is whether it comes from the Bible or if, instead, it comes from the Fraternal Order of Eagles and Hollywood director Cecil B. DeMille.The two telltale … Continue reading →

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Fighting back on multiple fronts

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I approve. The top Democrats on three U.S. House committees are going after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, accusing him of ignoring consumer complaints about the Republican organization WinRed’s online fundraising tactics, while filing a lawsuit against the site’s Democratic … Continue reading →

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Three Flock stories

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From Bandera: After months of discussion and outrage from residents, the city council of the tiny town of Bandera, Texas voted 3-2 to immediately end its contract with the surveillance company Flock. In the aftermath of the vote, one of the dissenting council … Continue reading →

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MLB takes another swing at India

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. At India’s first MLB Cup in 2021 — an under-11 competition — only 12 teams took part. In a country obsessed with cricket and soccer, it was difficult to find the necessary coaches and ballplayers ready to come out … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of June 1

Posted on June 2, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The TPA would like to congratulate the Republicans’ eight-year-old strategist who came up with “Talafreako” as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff shares some post-runoff thoughts. SocraticGadfly had two post-runoff takes, one on The Art of No … Continue reading →

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TPOR: Talarico 47, Paxton 44

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This is a slightly weird one. Texas Public Opinion Research (TPOR) today released a new poll of likely Texas general election voters, surveying their attitudes on the 2026 races for U.S. Senate, Governor, and Attorney General. The survey of 1,670 … Continue reading →

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The Fifth Circuit keeps on doing its thing

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Item one: Texas’ app age verification law allowed to go into effect for now. Texas’ law requiring app marketplace operators like Google and Apple to verify all users’ ages and seek parental permission before minors can download apps or make … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Talarico, obviously

Posted on June 1, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron wastes no time in making their Senate preference known. The contest is set. The storyline, straight out of Hollywood. It’s as if, as President Donald Trump likes to say, the candidates came from central casting. An avowed lout … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for May 31

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

“A Project 2029 should be mostly a blueprint for how to use trifecta power to the maximum extent possible by law and constitution to make thoroughgoing structural changes to the federal government to buttress against authoritarian fascist attack. Reinforcing the … Continue reading →

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Another case for Talarico’s chances

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From Nate Cohn in the NYT: After a decade of big talk from Democrats about Texas, it’s understandable that people could harbor some doubt about flipping the nation’s largest red state. Judging by presidential election results, Democrats barely made any … Continue reading →

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How Fort Worth ISD parents are responding to the takeover

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them all the best. It’s going to be a long ride. Zach Leonard, a parent to three Fort Worth Independent School District students, wants his children to be able to walk to a high-quality public school in their … Continue reading →

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Good luck getting a Tesla ride

Posted on May 31, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The wait times are terrible. When Tesla announced an expansion of its robotaxis to Dallas and Houston last month, some investors touted momentum for CEO Elon Musk’s mission to transform the electric-vehicle maker into an AI-powered, driverless-tech giant. Reuters reporters … Continue reading →

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UnidosUS poll of Latino voters as we head to the midterms

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Lots here to think about. One in five Latino Texans who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 would not support him again if given a redo, according to a new poll released Wednesday. In a survey of 500 registered … Continue reading →

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How cities can help mitigate floods

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. A new study on rain events in Texas could help reduce urban flood risks and improve planning for extreme weather. The Texas A&M Urban Flood Study found that cities can actually change the weather, depending on the type of … Continue reading →

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Austin ISD is on takeover watch

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. Austin ISD’s effort to stave off a possible state takeover suffered a major setback Thursday after the Texas Education Agency rejected the district’s plan to hand three struggling middle schools to an external nonprofit operator. In a letter sent Thursday to Superintendent Matias Segura, … Continue reading →

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Talarico’s path to victory

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the pitch. In the end, James Talarico and Democrats got the matchup they had been salivating over for months. Within two hours of Ken Paxton’s GOP primary win on Tuesday, Talarico had hauled in $600,000 — the strongest two … Continue reading →

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Michelle Williams sues HISD for wrongful termination

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A teachers union leader filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Tuesday against Houston ISD’s state-appointed board and superintendent, as well as several district administrators and Lake Worth ISD’s new superintendent, after the district terminated her. The Houston Education Association president, Michelle Williams, … Continue reading →

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Another “below average” forecast

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are predicting a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, officials said Thursday, citing the expected El Niño weather pattern which tends to suppress hurricane formation. The agency forecasts eight to 14 named storms, with … Continue reading →

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Some early thoughts about the 2026 primary runoffs

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

A few of my thoughts and a few from other people… – There were 114,059 votes cast in the Democratic runoff in Harris County, with 552,678 in the Lite Guv race. (There’s no way I can see to get the … Continue reading →

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Colony Ridge developers sue Alex Jones

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. The developers of a Houston-area residential community are suing far-right radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones for defamation, after comments he made in a February video in which he called the community a “mortgage scam” that was … Continue reading →

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Going old school

Posted on May 28, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. After years of classrooms adopting more tech, a small but growing number of Houston-area private and charter schools are dialing back screens. The pandemic saw many students move to online instruction, and afterward schools began to quickly adopt technology, … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results: Statewide

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

This was a total anti-climax. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeated veteran U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP runoff Tuesday, toppling the four-term incumbent in a fierce duel that centered on who was more loyal to President Donald Trump. … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results: Congress

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Christian Menefee won big. U.S. Rep. Christian Menefee defeated longtime U.S. Rep. Al Green in Houston’s closely watched Democratic runoff for Texas’ newly redrawn Congressional District 18, positioning Menefee to hold the heavily Democratic seat in November. The race capped … Continue reading →

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Primary runoff results: Local

Posted on May 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

As of a little after 10 PM when I draft this, I have no idea who will win the Democratic runoff for Harris County Judge. Letitia Plummer had a lead of 0.36%, which is to say 247 votes, with early … Continue reading →

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Today is Runoff Day for the 2026 primaries

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m basically going to rerun my post from the start of early voting, because it’s the same information with the main difference being that there are more vote centers. Turnout during early voting was pretty good in context, with more … Continue reading →

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The Brendan Sorsby saga

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I’m fascinated by this. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in Texas state court on Monday, seeking a temporary injunction that would grant him eligibility for the 2026 college football season. Sorsby is under investigation … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of May 25

Posted on May 26, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance warily welcomes the unofficial start of summer as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff has his fun with the Trump endorsement of the crooked Ken Paxton over the dignity-deprived John Cornyn. SocraticGadfly offers … Continue reading →

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On dealing with hotter summers

Posted on May 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From Inside Climate News, a report on how summers are expected to be hotter soon, and what we can do about it. Temperatures can vary across big cities like New York and Houston, depending on the landscape and the amount … Continue reading →

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RenFest ownership still up in the air

Posted on May 25, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

The drama continues. A year after a Grimes County judge ruled the Texas Renaissance Festival must be sold, the estate of its late founder, George Coulam, is still in control with its lawyers appealing the order to sell, a move … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for May 24

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

“As my regular readers know, I don’t believe in that system anymore. But I remember it well enough to emphatically say that if you handed evangelicals a checklist for the Antichrist (capital “A”), then Donald J. Trump would hit more … Continue reading →

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Final EV totals for the 2026 primary runoffs

Posted on May 24, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron: The state’s red-hot Republican primary battles have ignited higher-than-usual voter turnout. Going into Friday, the last day of in-person early voting ahead of Tuesday’s runoff elections, almost 800,000 people had voted in the Democratic and Republican primary … Continue reading →

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