Category Archives: The great state of Texas

Starbase, Texas

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

If you read that title and you thought that Elon Musk must somehow be involved, you would be correct. Elon Musk is attempting to create a city in south Texas. He wants to incorporate Boca Chica Village, where his company … Continue reading →

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What can we expect from the maskless mandate?

Posted on March 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

More COVID, obviously. The Centers for Disease Control is increasing pressure on Republican leaders in states like Texas that have eased COVID restrictions, publishing a study on Friday showing evidence that the measures — such as the mask requirement that … Continue reading →

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More maskless mandate stuff

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of a roundup, because there’s so much out there. Three of Gov. Greg Abbott’s four coronavirus medical advisers say they weren’t directly consulted prior to lifting mask mandate In April 2020, an optimistic Gov. Greg Abbott announced at … Continue reading →

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ERCOT’s overcharges

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas made a $16 billion error in pricing during the week of the winter storm that caused power outages across the state, according to a filing by its market monitor. Potomac Economics, the independent … Continue reading →

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President Biden disagrees with the maskless mandate

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, duh. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Texas made a “big mistake” by removing its statewide mask mandate and suggested the decision reflected “Neanderthal thinking.” The comments by the Democratic president came a day after Republican Gov. Greg … Continue reading →

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Vaccination hesitation blues

Posted on March 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is the next thing we will have to really focus on. Most Texas voters believe vaccines are safe and effective, but 28% do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available to them, according to the latest … Continue reading →

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Reactions to the maskless mandate

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start with the doctors, since clearly they weren’t consulted. Houston-area doctors and medical professionals reacted with dismay to Gov. Greg Abbott’s Tuesday decision to roll back the state’s mask mandate and other precautions against COVID-19. “I had a pretty … Continue reading →

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Teachers can get the COVID vaccine now

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

About time. Texas teachers are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, health officials announced Wednesday. Effective immediately, all Texas vaccine providers should include all school staff, Head Start program staff, and child care staff in their vaccine administration programs, according to … Continue reading →

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Abbott lifts statewide mask mandate

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Unbelievable. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that he is ending Texas’ statewide mask mandate next week and will allow all businesses to operate at full capacity. “It is now time to open Texas 100%,” Abbott said from a Mexican restaurant … Continue reading →

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More vaccines coming

Posted on March 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Bring ’em. The Food and Drug Administration approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday for use in the U.S., the third vaccine to be approved since the pandemic began. Texas could initially receive more than 200,000 doses, according to … Continue reading →

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Please don’t take your mask off yet

Posted on March 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Seriously, what’s the rush? Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday that Texas is looking at when it will be able to lift all statewide orders related to the coronavirus pandemic and that an announcement is forthcoming. Abbott made the comments at … Continue reading →

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Biden’s visit to Houston

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s so nice to have a normal, functional person as President, isn’t it? President Joe Biden, in his first trip to Texas since taking office, toured Houston on Friday to size up the aftermath of the state’s recent winter weather … Continue reading →

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The freeze effect on farmers

Posted on February 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

As you might imagine, single digit temperatures are not good for agriculture. Well before the sun finally broke through the cloudy and icy haze in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley last week, Dale Murden knew he was in for a bad … Continue reading →

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Who watches the utility overseers?

Posted on February 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, nobody. At least, not anymore. Late last year, as winter approached and power companies prepared for cold weather, Gov. Greg Abbott’s hand-picked utility regulators decided they no longer wanted to work with a nonprofit organization they had hired to … Continue reading →

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The economic hardship of the freeze

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We may have power and water again (mostly), but some things that were lost can’t easily be gotten back. Last Tuesday, as Houston temperatures hovered below freezing for much of the day, Gloria Sanchez’s lights — and heat — cut … Continue reading →

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President Biden will visit Houston on Friday

Posted on February 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here he comes. President Joe Biden plans to come to Texas on Friday in the wake of extensive winter storm damage in the state. The president and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Houston, according to a White House … Continue reading →

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On informing the public during an emergency

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing the state didn’t do well. As millions of Texans fought to survive brutal winter weather without power and water, Gov. Greg Abbott told residents Wednesday to search for emergency warming shelters on Google and to call 311 for … Continue reading →

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We can get back to vaccinations

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Federal vaccination super site opening this week. COVID-19 vaccination efforts are about to significantly ramp up next week in Houston. The region’s first vaccination “super site” will open on Tuesday at NRG Stadium, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced on … Continue reading →

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Now we get to worry about food

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Because the supply chain also suffered from the massive power outages. The state’s week of weather hell started with a deadly 133-car pileup outside of Fort Worth. A winter storm unlike any Texas has ever seen quickly followed, and seven … Continue reading →

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We also have to worry about water

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not for too much longer. On Friday, as the ice melted and lights flickered back on in homes and businesses across the state, Texans were melting snow into their toilet tanks and mopping up water from busted pipes. The … Continue reading →

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Here comes President Biden

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Visiting next week for disaster-related matters, itinerary TBD. President Joe Biden said Friday that he’ll sign a major disaster declaration for Texas after millions in the state suffered power outages and water disruptions during prolonged freezing temperatures. He’s also expected … Continue reading →

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The “public service” part of being a public servant

Posted on February 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not that hard, though obviously some people make it look easier than others. New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [flew] to Houston [Friday] with more than $2 million to help Texas recover from a week of catastrophic blackouts and water … Continue reading →

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It could have been worse

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to imagine, but this would qualify. Texas’ power grid was “seconds and minutes” away from a catastrophic failure that could have left Texans in the dark for months, officials with the entity that operates the grid said Thursday. As … Continue reading →

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Winter storm/blackout/boil water situation, Day 439

Posted on February 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I may be a bit off in my counting of the days, but it’s close enough. Between my house and my in-laws’ house, I have had power for maybe 14 hours total since Monday morning, with a bit more time … Continue reading →

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So what’s going on with the power supply?

Posted on February 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

First, as a personal update, we have been without power at our house since about 7 PM on Monday, and we had no Internet on Tuesday morning. I’m writing this on Tuesday evening from my in-laws’ house, where they have … Continue reading →

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These blackouts don’t roll

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

How it started. Texas’ electrical grid operator is implementing rolling blackouts across most of the state Monday after a massive winter storm brought unprecedented demand for electricity and forced multiple power-generating units offline. The blackouts began at 1:25 a.m. Central … Continue reading →

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Beware of blackouts

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This would not be great. The nonprofit organization that operates Texas’ power grid warned Sunday that it may be forced to impose rolling outages in the state on Monday and Tuesday as a major winter storm brings record low temperatures … Continue reading →

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We should be vaccinating grocery workers

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The only disagreement I have with this is that we should have more broadly classified “essential workers” from the beginning, and it should include more people who do not have the ability to work from home. Nearly a year into … Continue reading →

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Here come the super-sites

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Texas is working with the federal government to open vaccination “super sites” that could administer upward of 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines per day, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday. Houston and Dallas will likely host the initial two sites, Abbott said, … Continue reading →

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Let me Google that vaccine locator for you

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. In the coming weeks, Google will begin implementing a vaccine locator service on its platforms for Texans to use, including appointment details, clinic hours and more. The rollout comes as part of a $150 million plan announced by Google … Continue reading →

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Bringing vaccines to your local pharmacy

Posted on February 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Makes a lot of sense. Retail pharmacies will bring more COVID-19 vaccines to Houston and across the country following a boost by the Biden administration to increase distribution to the public. CVS Health will roll out 38,000 COVID-19 vaccines to … Continue reading →

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The other obstacle to getting people vaccinated

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some people just don’t want it. Millions of Texans do not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new University of Houston survey. While 38 percent of those surveyed said they will be vaccinated when it becomes available … Continue reading →

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“Nobody is getting enough”

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Pretty much says it all. As Texans scramble for appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine, federal data helps explain why: Relative to its population, the Lone Star State ranks near the bottom in the country in number of doses received. Texas … Continue reading →

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More vaccines coming

Posted on February 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Still not enough, but getting better. Texas this week expects to receive more than half a million first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government, state health officials announced Friday. The 520,425 doses will be shipped to 344 … Continue reading →

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