Category Archives: The great state of Texas

Harris County stay-at-home order extended

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday extended her stay-at-home order through April 30, as cases of novel coronavirus infections in the Houston area continue to rise, three county officials with knowledge of the plan said. Hidalgo … Continue reading →

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Another “when might this peak” projection

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the Current: A new study suggests San Antonio’s current shelter-in-place order, which runs through April 9, may not be long enough to ride out the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. Texas is more than a month away from the … Continue reading →

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The rest of the H-GAC region

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

As long as we’ve been talking about Waller County and Montgomery County, I thought I’d check in on the other members of the Houston-Galveston Area Council region. Harris County and six of its seven neighbors – Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, … Continue reading →

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What’s up, Waller County?

Posted on March 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the lone holdout county in the Houston area. Waller County Judge Trey Duhon says he expected to announce a stay-at-home order for his rural county this week, following the lead of other major counties in the region. But then … Continue reading →

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The coronavirus doesn’t care about your rugged individualism

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Put a pin in this story, and let’s see how things are in a week, and in two weeks. Reports of COVID-19 cases might not be as prevalent outside of the metropolitan areas, and official actions have been slower and … Continue reading →

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Montgomery County issues a stay-at-home order

Posted on March 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting real, y’all. After initially announcing he would not issue a stay-at-home order regarding the new coronavirus, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough is following other area counties and a stay-at-home order will go into effect at midnight Friday. The … Continue reading →

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The Republican death wish

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It would be one thing if they were just putting their own lives at risk, but that’s not how viruses work. After Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins became the first to announce a mandatory stay-at-home rule, conservative groups including Empower … Continue reading →

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Coronavirus and the Census

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, man, does this have the potential to be devastating. In some corners of the state, the meticulous planning spanned more than two years. Detailed maps of Texas communities were pored over. A ground game to knock on doors was … Continue reading →

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Go ahead and die, Dan

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just do it on your own time, and try not to take anyone with you. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, chiming in to support President Donald Trump’s new focus on the economy over fierce warnings from public health officials, suggested … Continue reading →

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Here come the shelter-in-place orders

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The shutdowns are getting shut-down-ier. Many of Texas’ biggest cities and counties are ordering residents to shelter in place whenever possible. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff on Monday evening ordered residents to stay in … Continue reading →

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The looming unemployment insurance crisis

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Can we please not make the same egregious mistakes as last time? As businesses across the state close to slow the spread of the coronavirus, the mass layoffs that have followed could quickly drain the state fund that pays unemployment … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, The great state of Texas | 7 Comments

The state of the state’s response

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, it’s something. Gov. Greg Abbott took multiple measures Sunday designed to expand hospital staffing and capacity in Texas, but declined to issue a statewide shelter-in-place order — even as calls for such an action increased as the new … Continue reading →

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Coronavirus and local control

Posted on March 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From Politico, evidence that there are no small-government “conservatives” in pandemic self-isolation foxholes: Texas is a big state with a proud small-government philosophy. And that’s being tested by the Covid-19 pandemic. Strict bans on public gatherings to curtail the virus’ … Continue reading →

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Statewide restrictions on public gatherings

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This was expected. Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday took sweeping action to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus across Texas, issuing an executive order that will close restaurants and schools, among other things. During a news conference at the … Continue reading →

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Preserving Texas’ film history

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Cool story. Click play on the grainy, black-and-white image titled simply “Houston Time Service” on the website of the Texas Archive of the Moving Image and you’re treated to a 110-second Houston love story. The film, from the 1940s, is … Continue reading →

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Abbott declares a state of emergency

Posted on March 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like it’s called for. Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday declared that the new coronavirus is a statewide public health disaster and said that Texas is on the verge of being able to significantly ramp up its testing capacity. At … Continue reading →

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Please fill out the Census

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, come on. If you’re a reader of this blog, you know damn well it’s your civic duty. Texas loses more than $2,300 per year for every person who doesn’t get counted in the U.S. Census, according to a … Continue reading →

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SXSW canceled

Posted on March 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared a local disaster Friday in response to the new coronavirus and issued an order canceling South by Southwest for the first time in its 34-year history. The 10-day event was scheduled to begin next … Continue reading →

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The state responds to coronavirus

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Like it or not, we need to be prepared. Texas officials are scrambling to remain prepared for a major outbreak of a pneumonia-like disease whose global spread one expert says is now moving into “the next phase.” From the governor’s … Continue reading →

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Medicaid and hospitals

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. A proposed change in Medicaid rules could cost Texas hospitals billions of dollars, forcing many to cut services and some rural hospitals to close their doors, health care industry officials said. The … Continue reading →

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From South Texas to the moon

Posted on December 23, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the plan, anyway. SpaceX founder Elon Musk expects to one day launch people from South Texas to the moon, Mars or beyond — with an update late Saturday that confirmed the company’s long-term presence in a remote area outside … Continue reading →

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The extraordinary danger of being pregnant and uninsured in Texas

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

So utterly appalling. From 2012 through 2015, at least 382 pregnant women and new mothers died in Texas from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, according to the most recent data available from the Department of State Health Services; since then, … Continue reading →

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The aoudad story

Posted on November 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Did you know before reading this post what an aoudad is, other than a potentially useful word to know the next time you play Scrabble? I admit that I had never heard of them, but the state is Texas has … Continue reading →

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The Muscovy ducks of Pearland

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The things you learn. The bird sanctuary city of Pearland is encouraging residents to take matters into their own hands to address the growing problem of Muscovy ducks that have reportedly taken residence in the city. Known for their red, … Continue reading →

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The future of the Texas Renaissance Festival

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

More specifically, what is the future of the town of Todd Mission, where the RenFest was founded and takes place, as its founder prepares to step down? At a city council meeting earlier this month in Todd Mission, council members … Continue reading →

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The Democratic Club of The Woodlands

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Democrats in The Woodlands. That should not come as a surprise to anyone. Residents of The Woodlands who identify as Democrats often say they feel out of place or unwelcome in Republican-dominated Montgomery County. Some have relayed … Continue reading →

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Our slowing population growth

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Texas remains one of the fastest growing states in the U.S., but a report published by the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank showed a significant reduction in the number of people moving to Texas since 2015. That’s … Continue reading →

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The disappearing Pecos cantaloupe

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

A very Texas story. Beto Mandujano jabbed his kitchen knife through the rough, yellow rind of the Pecos cantaloupe he had scooped from the ground. The melon’s dense flesh glistened with juice, its color a deep orange. Many Texans swear … Continue reading →

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The children will count us

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Great idea for something that shouldn’t have to be the case. Teresa Flores knows the costs of a census undercount as well as anyone. As the executive director of the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, one of the area’s most … Continue reading →

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Big Bend yields a new dinosaur species

Posted on July 28, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. A new, more primitive species of dinosaur was discovered at Big Bend National Park this week. The fossil of the new specials, Aquilarhinus palimentus, was unearthed in the 1980s by Texas Tech University Professor Tom Lehman. But because the … Continue reading →

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How anti-choicers have won even as they’ve lost

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

The number of clinics that provide abortion care in Texas will never be what it was before HB2 was passed, despite the SCOTUS ruling that struck it down. It’s been three years since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down parts … Continue reading →

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UT’s new tuition policy

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Seeking to make college more affordable, the University of Texas will use some of its oil money to dramatically expand the financial aid it offers to low- and middle-income undergraduates on its flagship Austin campus. The system’s governing board … Continue reading →

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If it weren’t for Latino population growth…

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Texas would have a lot less growth overall. The gap between Texas’ Hispanic and white populations continued to narrow last year when the state gained almost nine Hispanic residents for every additional white resident. With Hispanics expected to become the … Continue reading →

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Maybe rural counties don’t want hospitals

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what the evidence says. The voters of Fayette County have spoken, and they’ve said that they don’t need a hospital in this rural community of 322,000 people, one hour southeast of Austin — or at least not enough to … Continue reading →

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