Author Archives: Charles Kuffner

A walk through four districts, part 1

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I draft stuff before I publish it. Sometimes, things I draft that aren’t particularly time-sensitive can get lost in the shuffle when there’s a lot of news of interest. Those things may get taken from the pile … Continue reading →

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New year, new omicron variant

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Stay safe out there. A new omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading fast across the United States and beginning to make inroads in Houston, where the positivity rate continues to rise. The new strain, XBB.1.5, was first detected on the east … Continue reading →

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The bats survived another freeze

Posted on January 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of good news. On the fourth day of Christmas, Houston got 600 bats back. As the sun set on Waugh Bridge over Buffalo Bayou Wednesday, the Houston Humane Society released hundreds of Mexican free-tailed bats that had been in the … Continue reading →

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Texas clinics begin compliance with that wingnut anti-birth control court order

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Infuriating but expected. Texas teens will now need their parents’ permission to get birth control at federally funded clinics, following a court ruling late last month. These clinics, funded through a program called Title X, provide free, confidential contraception to … Continue reading →

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The first two candidates for City Controller

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Two term-limited Council members are the first to toss their hats into the ring. Houston City Council members Dave Martin and Michael Kubosh on Tuesday confirmed their plans to run for city controller in November. As the city’s independently elected … Continue reading →

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Bell County to sue over Killeen’s marijuana ordinance

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Something like this was surely inevitable. Bell County commissioners, along with the district attorney, are determined to settle the question of whether Killeen’s Proposition A is lawful, making the governing body the first in Texas to sue one of its … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 2

Posted on January 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance still cannot believe that the year 2023 is not off in the distant future as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Mifepristone can now be offered at retail pharmacies

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good news, for at least some of the country. For the first time, retail pharmacies, from corner drugstores to major chains like CVS and Walgreens, will be allowed to offer abortion pills in the United States under a regulatory change … Continue reading →

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Katy ISD challenged over at large districts

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This was from before Christmas but I didn’t have a chance to write about it until now. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund sent a letter Tuesday to Katy ISD accusing the district of disenfranchising Black and Latino voters … Continue reading →

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Here come some hydrogen-powered trucks

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more than one way to do no-emissions transportation. The first time Rodrigo Peña climbed into the Hyzon truck’s cabin and eased his foot off the break, it wasn’t the awe of being inside the first hydrogen-powered freight truck to … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner’s final year

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The big local political story, besides whatever violence the Legislature commits to Houston and/or Harris County, will be the 2023 Mayor’s race. The incumbent still has a full year to go, though, and he has his plans for what he … Continue reading →

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The only pre-session gambling expansion story you need

Posted on January 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Just re-run a version of this for the foreseeable future. Although casino giants and sports betting groups are making a big push in Texas, the head of the state Senate said he isn’t seeing much progress on the issue going … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The not-as-good statewide races

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread Hidalgo versus Mealer Better statewide races The difference between these statewide races and the ones we have already looked at, including the Governor’s race, is very simple: These Republican candidates did better … Continue reading →

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Trying again in Harker Heights

Posted on January 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I admire the determination. Cannabis reform advocates are pushing back against the city council of the Central Texas city of Harker Heights, which recently rejected a voter-approved ballot measure decriminalizing low levels of pot possession there. Harker Heights was one … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 1

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sorry, but the year 2023 still sounds like something out of a science fiction story to me. The sordid history of Ticketmaster apparently includes that company getting a boost from former Sen. Phil Gramm. “The US Senate is a … Continue reading →

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Thirty million Texans

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We reach another milestone. Fueled by migration to the state from other parts of the country, Texas crossed a new population threshold this year: It is now home to 30 million people. New estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The year of Olivia

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

By “Olivia” I mean Olivia Rodrigo, though it was my Olivia who first introduced me to the latter’s music. They share something in common besides their given name, and that’s a love of Billy Joel. My Olivia came back to … Continue reading →

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The Uvalde bus driver who helped save shooting victims’ lives

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Great reporting. When Uvalde school bus driver Sylvia Uriegas got the call on May 24 to report to Robb Elementary, she had no idea about the horror she was approaching. With nothing but a rudimentary first aid kit filled mostly … Continue reading →

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The ribbon is finally cut on the White Oak bike trail extension

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I’d been waiting for this. Hike and bike trail connectivity has just gotten better in the Houston Heights area now that work on a new connector is complete. The City of Houston held a ribbon cutting [last] Tuesday to celebrate … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: The better statewide races

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread Hidalgo versus Mealer As noted before, Greg Abbott got 490K votes in Harris County, far less than the 559K he received in 2018 running against Lupe Valdez. Of the other six races … Continue reading →

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More guns found at domestic violence incidents

Posted on December 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. The 2021 State of the State report from the Texas Council on Family Violence (TCFV) outlines key domestic violence statistics from the past two years. The report shows the number of domestic violence calls law enforcement responded to … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Hidalgo versus Mealer

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY Beto versus Abbott Beto versus the spread We’ve looked at the Governor’s race, in which Beto was the top Democratic performer. Now we’ll look at the next highest profile race, in which the result was a surprise to some … Continue reading →

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A closer look at the maternal mortality report

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

I take no joy in predicting that the Legislature will take no action on this. Nakeenya Wilson was at a meeting of Texas’ maternal mortality review committee when she got the call: Her sister, who had recently had a baby, … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of December 26

Posted on December 29, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes everyone a Happy Boxing Day as it brings you the last blog roundup of 2022.

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Will we finally close the “dead suspect” loophole?

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is no we won’t, but it will be worth the effort anyway. In November, state Representative Joe Moody, an El Paso Democrat who served on a committee that investigated the Uvalde killings, filed House Bill 30, a … Continue reading →

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You are now free to busk in Houston

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Houston’s anti-busking law has been struck down in federal court. An obscure, decades-old ordinance that restricted where buskers — musicians who performs in public places — can play for tips in Houston has been deemed unconstitutional and struck down by … Continue reading →

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Department of Education investigating removal of LGBTQ books from Texas school library

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The U.S. Education Department’s civil rights enforcement arm has launched an investigation into a North Texas school district whose superintendent was secretly recorded ordering librarians to remove LGBTQ-themed library books. Education and legal experts say the federal probe of … Continue reading →

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Ike Dike authorization officially passed

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Took a roundabout route to get there, but here we are. With the stroke of a pen, President Joe Biden authorized a $34 billion proposal to build a massive storm surge protection system on the Texas coast and around Galveston … Continue reading →

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It’s time to recycle your Christmas tree

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re in the city of Houston and you want your tree to get mulched, here’s how to do it. Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) encourages residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holidays. The holiday season is … Continue reading →

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ERCOT makes it through, with an assist from the feds

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. A day after ERCOT asked the U.S. Department of Energy for an emergency order allowing its generators to bypass emissions standards to stave off potential outages, Texas’ electric grid met demand with ease on Saturday. … Continue reading →

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The Christmas Bird Count

Posted on December 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re looking for a little holiday project… For the 123rd year in a row, the Christmas Bird Count is happening all over the country. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers head outside, take a census of birds in their area … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for December 25

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

It may be Christmas but it’s also Sunday, and on Sunday we dump links. You needed something to read after the chaos subsided a little, right? “Which Streamer Was the Biggest A-Hole About Cancellations in 2022?” (Spoiler alert: It was … Continue reading →

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Say goodbye to 2022, Mel Torme

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

We have our traditions at this here weblog, and this is one of them. Enjoy, as I know you will, my favorite Christmas story. And may 2023 be better than 2022. Stay safe and warm and be well, y’all.

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Christmas Eve video break: The luster of midday

Posted on December 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Hope you’re staying warm and that your pipes haven’t frozen. To celebrate, or to commiserate as the case may be, here once again is my favorite rendition of “A Visit From Saint Nicholas”, as performed by cartoon and voice actors: … Continue reading →

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