Category Archives: The great state of Texas

Medical marijuana is now available in Texas

Posted on February 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

To a very limited number of people, and only under a very strict set of circumstances. Modern medicine has helped Laura Campbell’s 27-year-old daughter, Sierra, fight off many of her persistent seizures. At her peak, Sierra suffered from more than … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

From Harvey to drought

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s not one thing, it’s another. The Texas Panhandle has become ground zero in a drought that has crept into much of the state just five months after Hurricane Harvey — including areas that suffered massive flooding during the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The war on coal is over in Texas

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Coal lost, and good riddance. Wind power capacity edged out coal for the first time in the Texas history last week after a new 155-megawatt wind farm in Scurry County came online. The farm in question is the Fluvanna Wind … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

That decline in international students is here

Posted on November 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We knew it was coming. UHCL is among several universities around Texas that this year have seen a sharp drop in international enrollment, as the number of international student applications to four-year public universities has plummeted by more than 10,000 … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

RIP, Steve Mostyn

Posted on November 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A terrible tragedy. Steve Mostyn, a top Democratic donor and prominent Houston trial lawyer, has died. He was 46. According to a statement released by his wife, Amber, Mostyn died Wednesday after “a sudden onset and battle with a mental … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on RIP, Steve Mostyn

Concerns about the Census

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We need to pay attention to this. Latino leaders are warning of a developing crisis in the 2020 census and demanding that the Census Bureau act aggressively to calm fears in immigrant populations about data misuse. Citing focus groups and … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

New Braunfels can ban is back

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A blast from the past. New Braunfels officials plan to resume enforcement of the “can ban” and limits on coolers on rivers on Wednesday even as opponents of the controversial municipal codes continue to pursue a legal challenge to them. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Save the bats

Posted on November 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you needed something else to worry about. Texas researchers have closely watched the state’s bat population for years, looking for signs of a disease that has killed millions of North American bats: the white, powder-like substance on their … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Save the bats

Tracking earthquakes

Posted on November 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a thing. Texas, home to two of the nation’s busiest oilfields, now has a new way for the public to track in real time how many earthquakes are rattling the Lone Star State since the expanded use of new … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tracking earthquakes

Poker clubs

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. Michael Eakman, a poker aficionado from a very young age, has hosted poker tournaments from around the country, but Texas gambling laws have long shut him out of his own state and his hometown of Houston. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Poker clubs

More medical marijuana requested

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This was a pre-Harvey story. Medical cannabis companies and investors are calling on Gov. Greg Abbott’s office and the Department of Public Safety to approve more dispensary licenses beyond the three given provisional approval in May. In a pair of … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More medical marijuana requested

They don’t make libertarian paradises like they used to

Posted on August 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I love a good cautionary tale. For the last few years, Von Ormy has been in near-constant turmoil over basic issues of governance: what form of municipal government to adopt, whether to tax its residents, and how to pay for … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Where have all the foreign students gone?

Posted on August 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Wherever it is, it’s increasingly not here. Students from India, China, Iran and other countries have long flocked to Texas campuses to work with top professors and to earn a prestigious American degree. But this year, those students appear to … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | 29 Comments

Ten digit dialing comes to San Antonio

Posted on August 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the end of an era. The era of knowing someone is from San Antonio based solely on the “210” at the start of a phone number is drawing to a close. San Antonio is outgrowing its singular 210 area … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Ten digit dialing comes to San Antonio

RIP, Mark White

Posted on August 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Former Texas Governor Mark White has passed away. Former Gov. Mark White, who championed education reforms while serving as Texas governor from 1983 to 1987, died Saturday in Houston. He was 77. Julian Read, a close friend of White who … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on RIP, Mark White

Trumpcare would be a hospital killer

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is hardly a new problem, but it’s yet another aspect of Trumpcare that gets too little attention. Texas hospitals stand to lose billions under the Republican-backed health plan, as federal Medicaid dollars shrink, leading to a rise in uncompensated … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas’ climate change future

Posted on July 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna be awesome. The Texas economy could face some of the costliest consequences of climate change as temperatures continue to increase over the next several decades, according to a new study. In the study published last week in the journal … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Texas’ climate change future

The Round Rock Bigfoot footprint

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You know, it’s been too long since we had a good Bigfoot story to talk about. [Last] Saturday, the Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department released photos of foot prints found on various trails and parks in the Austin suburb. … Continue reading →

Posted in Skepticism, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Round Rock Bigfoot footprint

Telemedicine set to expand in Texas

Posted on June 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Coming to a video screen near you, thanks to a bill signed in May by Greg Abbott. “This is a huge step forward, a real positive for Texas,” said Dr. Nancy Dickey, executive director of the Rural and Community Health … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Telemedicine set to expand in Texas

Texas’ teen pregnancy rate is the result of bad policy choices

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Rivard Report: In Texas each year, about 35,000 young women get pregnant before they turn 20. Traditionally, the two variables most commonly associated with high teen birth rates are education and poverty, but a new study, co-authored by … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Texas’ teen pregnancy rate is the result of bad policy choices

Birth control by mail

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is interesting, but doesn’t address a couple of key points. About half the counties in Texas don’t have the number of public clinics required to meet the contraceptive needs of the population. So Nurx, an at-home birth control delivery … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Here comes Conroe

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not so little anymore. This isn’t the first time Conroe, population 82,286, has recorded notable growth. In 2015, it was one of the 13 fastest-growing cities by percentage, ranking sixth below other Texas cities like San Marcos, Georgetown and Frisco. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The stars at night are still not as brights as they could be

Posted on May 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We need to do better. In the high mountains of a wild desert, day drains from the sky and night lights appear like halos on the horizon. There’s no moon. Just Mercury chasing the setting sun in the west, Jupiter … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The stars at night are still not as brights as they could be

Winning the battles but losing the war

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the story of reproductive rights, and access to reproductive health care in general, in Texas. “We have made tremendous gains,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life. He hopes that someday, perhaps under Trump, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Winning the battles but losing the war

Texas asks for Ike Dike money from the feds

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Almost a decade after Hurricane Ike killed dozens of people and caused $30 billion in damage, a group of Texas politicians and business leaders say they finally have “all the support necessary” to break ground on … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No more feral hog poison

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It was not to be. The manufacturer of a controversial bait used to kill feral hogs withdrew its state registration for the poison, putting Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller’s plans for a Texas “Hog Apocalypse” on hold. “We have received tremendous … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas Lyceum poll on immigration

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Our state has more nuanced views than you might think. The pollsters found that 62 percent of Texans said immigration helps the United States more than it hurts the country. That’s an increase from 2016, when 54 percent of the … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hate groups are getting busy on college campuses

Posted on April 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Anti-Defamation League, another reason to be worried, if you needed one. White supremacists, emboldened by the 2016 elections and the current political climate, are currently engaged in an unprecedented outreach effort to attract and recruit students on American … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

A happy ending

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This was a long time coming. When I first reported on this family a year ago, the boys – who had behavioral issues and delays likely stemming from abuse, neglect and being shuttled through foster placements – had just been … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The kindergarten face of SB6

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the Shappley family of Pearland. Kimberly Shappley’s former self is about as by-the-book right-wing as you can get: a Southern Baptist-identified evangelical, a Republican stalwart, an “ultraconservative” Tea Partier. When she heard of other parents with transgender kids, she … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The travel ban and the rural doctor shortage

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Just another unintended consequence. In Texas and across the country, foreign-trained doctors like the Iranian-born [Dr. Hossein] Yazdani fill a critical need in rural communities, which often struggle to attract physicians born and trained in the U.S. That reality has … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Of course Obamacare repeal would have a big negative effect on Texas

Posted on March 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, duh. As many as a half-million Texans could become uninsured under the Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, wiping out at least half the gains the state has made in reducing the number of uninsured residents … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course Obamacare repeal would have a big negative effect on Texas

Border walls are bad for the environment

Posted on March 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not that anyone pushing for a border wall cares, but just so you know. There’s been a lot of debate about how effective the Bush-era barrier has been at keeping out illegal crossers and drug smugglers. Some data indicates the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

If you can’t porkchop ’em, poison ’em

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The war on feral hogs enters a new phase. At a Feb. 21 news conference in Austin, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced the agency had issued a rule that would allow Kaput Feral Hog Bait, a pesticide containing the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments