Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

Quantifying the abortion ban harm

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

These stories will keep on coming. Usually, articles in medical journals are about science; they bring data to their readers, who can use them to provide evidence-based care to their patients. But sometimes, evidence is an expression of grief or … Continue reading →

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City of Uvalde sues Uvalde County DA

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

What is going on here? The city of Uvalde is suing the local district attorney, accusing her of withholding information an independent investigator needs to conduct an internal affairs investigation of the police response to the Robb Elementary School shooting. … Continue reading →

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Yeah, Deshaun Watson will be back on Sunday

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, his suspension is now over. With nearly all of the more than two dozen lawsuits filed against Deshaun Watson having been settled, most of the women who accused the Cleveland quarterback of sexual misconduct have no interest in his … Continue reading →

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Whitmire launches his Mayoral campaign

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

And we’re off. State Sen. John Whitmire formally launched his campaign for Houston mayor Tuesday evening with a fundraiser at the ritzy Post Oak Hotel, attended by dozens of the city’s political luminaries — including the hotel’s billionaire owner, Tilman … Continue reading →

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Local AstroWorld task force gives its report

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds mostly okay to me, but one person who knows a lot more about this stuff than I do is not impressed. A task force formed after the deadly Astroworld concert unveiled a clearer agreement Monday between Houston, Harris County, … Continue reading →

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New rules for hot air balloon operators

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This caught my eye. More than six years after 16 people died in a hot air balloon crash in Central Texas, the Federal Aviation Administration has started enforcing new rules on commercial balloon pilots that were devised because of tragedy. The … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of November 28

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is now emotionally ready to start hearing Christmas music as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Another lawsuit filed by Uvalde parents

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Another one to watch. The mother of a 10-year-old killed in the Uvalde school shooting has filed a federal lawsuit against the gun-maker and seller, the city of Uvalde, its school district and several law enforcement officers. Sandra Torres’ daughter … Continue reading →

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SCOTx hears firefighter pay parity arguments

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Lots at stake here. More than four years after Houston voters approved a measure that would grant firefighters equal pay with police officers, the legal battle to decide the referendum’s fate landed Tuesday in the hands of the Supreme Court of Texas. The … Continue reading →

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Time once again for the biennial paean to the gambling lobby

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Such a weird tradition we observe. Even before Gov. Greg Abbott declared in October that he’s willing to consider expanded gaming options in Texas, that industry was trying to improve its odds in the state by doling out massive campaign … Continue reading →

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The boil notice

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, it’s a pain. And now schools are closed again, which my daughter appreciates but probably most grownups do not. Also a thing many grownups did not appreciate was how long it took for the boil notices to go out. … Continue reading →

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Your periodic reminder that Ken Paxton’s vote fraud claims are bullshit

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

A long Chron story that documents the bullshit. The first of the big cases to fizzle was in Gregg County. Prosecutors and local politicians announced an investigation soon after county commissioner candidate Shannon Brown won the March 2018 Precinct 4 … Continue reading →

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It’s legislative bullying time

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Republican lawmakers in Texas and Washington D.C. are threatening some of the nation’s largest corporate law firms if they provide what the lawmakers consider to be improper advice on issues such as climate change, diversity and … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: How the 2022 Harris County State Rep candidates did versus the 2020 and 2018 results

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I still don’t have a full canvass of Harris County, so I’m looking around to see what kind of analyses I can do in the meantime. For this post, I’m comparing how the candidates in the contested State Rep contests … Continue reading →

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DPS asks to be rewarded for its abject failure at Uvalde

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I like to think that I don’t get easily shocked, but this did it to me. The Texas Department of Public Safety wants $1.2 billion to turn its training center north of Austin into a full-time statewide law enforcement academy … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for November 27

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

“Fox News significantly decreased its volume of violent crime coverage in the week of the midterms, down 63% from the week prior.” “You’re Not Ready for How Much These Jokers Want to Talk about Hunter Biden’s Laptop”. “This model prosecution … Continue reading →

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We do need to find someone to run against Ted Cruz

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know who that ought to be yet, but surely someone is out there. Ted Cruz said on Saturday that he would seek a third term in the U.S. Senate in 2024, though he also did not rule out … Continue reading →

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Yeah, the crypto lovers here are still all in

Posted on November 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, at least they’re consistent. The crypto community in Austin was buzzing. Hundreds of investors, legislators, professionals and enthusiasts packed the halls of the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center at the University of Texas on Nov. 17-18 for the … Continue reading →

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A too-early look at who’s running for Houston city offices in 2023

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Because it’s never not election season. With the midterm elections behind us, city election season is now heating up. Next November, Houston will elect a new mayor, a new controller and 16 City Council members. The campaigns actually got underway long before … Continue reading →

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Our property tax system is soooooooo awesome!

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

How awesome is it? So awesome you don’t even have to live here to get a tax break. Herschel Walker, the former Dallas Cowboys running back and Republican candidate running for a U.S. Senate seat in Georgia, is slated to … Continue reading →

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What to expect when you’re expecting a (larger) Democratic majority

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Despite narrowly winning reelection against bruising campaigns by well-funded challengers, the Democratic majority on Commissioners Court has made clear it intends to continue its progressive remake of Harris County. Though neither County … Continue reading →

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Who else can we think of who’s alleged to have violated Texas securities law?

Posted on November 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Into every story about cryptocurrency, some amount of absurdity is sure to follow. Texas is investigating celebrities who had endorsed FTX, the now bankrupt cryptocurrency firm, for potentially violating state securities laws. The Texas State Securities Board started looking into FTX’s … Continue reading →

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Thanksgiving video break: A return to something resembling normalcy

Posted on November 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s spend a few minutes with an old friend: The day may come when I will get tired of that video, but that day is not today. I am as always thankful for my family and friends, my health, my … Continue reading →

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SCOTx allows provisional votes to be counted

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Harris County can include about 2,100 ballots cast during an extra hour of Election Day voting when officials certify the midterm results. But the state’s highest civil court also ordered Harris County … Continue reading →

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Forced birther lawsuit targets abortion pills

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Did you think you were going to have a nice, peaceful Thanksgiving week? Sorry, no can do. Abortion opponents who helped challenge Roe v. Wade filed a lawsuit Friday that takes aim at medication abortions, asking a federal judge in … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of November 28

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes everyone a happy Thanksgiving as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Do we actually know how to fix the grid?

Posted on November 23, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The evidence is unclear. Texas lawmakers and experts who study the state’s power grid aren’t thrilled with a proposal by state energy officials aimed at preventing future widespread outages such as the one during the 2021 winter storm. The Public … Continue reading →

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A few words from Judge Hidalgo

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Plus a few words that she could have said but didn’t, which I will fill in. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who narrowly won re-election last week over a strong push from GOP candidates and donors, outlined plans for her … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues to prevent some provisional votes from being counted

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

On brand. Always, always on brand. The Texas Attorney General’s office is attempting a last-minute intervention to toss out 2,000 provisional ballots before a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday to certify the November election. The ballots in question were … Continue reading →

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The cryptomining surge in rural counties

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s one possible answer to that question I posed the other day. Jacob Rodriguez was driving a John Deere tractor in a West Texas cotton field when he received a phone call that would change his life. “I was pulling … Continue reading →

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Your 2023 Hall of Fame ballot is out

Posted on November 22, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Should be a quieter year, at least for the writers. The National Baseball Hall of Fame revealed the 2023 Baseball Writers’ Association of America Hall of Fame ballot on Monday, with several notable names appearing for the first time, as … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Early voting versus Election Day

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

In his pre-election analyses of the early vote, Republican consultant Derek Ryan (whose numbers I have used in the past) suggested that there was still a significant number of regular Republican voters who had not voted yet, which could make … Continue reading →

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Electric trucks and the power grid

Posted on November 21, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting. Next month, Tesla Inc. plans to deliver the first of its electric Semi trucks—able to haul a full 40 ton-load some 500 miles on a single charge. These massive batteries-on-wheels may accelerate the transition to electrified transport, but … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for November 20

Posted on November 20, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

“Meet the Pollster Who Convinced Republicans There Would Be a Red Wave”. “A Step Back from the Precipice on Election Denialism and a Slightly Rosier Forecast for a Free and Fair Election in 2024″. “It’s tough to make predictions, especially … Continue reading →

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