Category Archives: Hurricane Katrina

More on recapture and the Rainy Day Fund

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There are some conditions that have to be met to get our recapture money back. Houston Independent School District won’t have to hand millions of dollars to the state to spend at other schools if HISD needs that money to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Abbott waives fees for birth certificates for individuals from hurricane-affected counties

Posted on September 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From Diane Trautman on Facebook, also sent to me in email: Governor Greg Abbott has approved a request allowing the state to waive fees for mail-in or walk-in birth certificate issuance requests, and local registrars to waive fees for walk-in birth … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

HISD may get a recapture reprieve thanks to Harvey

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Talk about a mixed blessing. The Houston Independent School District may be able to avoid paying part – or perhaps all – of its over $100 million state-mandated recapture payment. The potential reprieve comes after a school board lawyer found … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD may get a recapture reprieve thanks to Harvey

Emmett calls for changes to county’s flood strategy

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Calling Tropical Storm Harvey’s devastation a “game-changer,” Harris County Judge Ed Emmett on Monday called for a sweeping reexamination of the region’s flood control strategy, a process that could include billions of dollars to upgrade aging dams, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Your auto insurance rates are about to go up

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another gift to us from Harvey. Auto insurance companies have restricted options for Houston-area drivers looking to purchase new policies and replace cars flooded by Hurricane Harvey, and comprehensive rates are expected to rise after the loss of an estimated … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Your auto insurance rates are about to go up

Harris County may do Harvey bonds

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Turns out Harvey recovery will cost money. Who knew? A majority of the Harris County Commissioners Court on Wednesday said they would support a large bond issue, perhaps upwards of $1 billion, and a tax increase to pay for it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Don’t expect any STAAR slack

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, kids. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said Wednesday morning that the state was not likely to let students displaced by Hurricane Harvey delay a required state test this school year — or to change the way school districts are … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Council to hold hearings on proposed tax rate increase

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your chance to be heard. Houston City Council set the ball rolling Wednesday on Mayor Sylvester Turner’s proposed 8.9 percent tax rate hike to help fund Houston’s recovery from Hurricane Harvey, in what would be the first hike from … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

That sinking feeling

Posted on September 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re a little lower to the ground these days. Or maybe it’s just that the ground itself is lower. GPS data show #Harveyflood was so large it flexed Earth’s crust, pushing #Houston down by ~2 cm! #EarthScience #HurricaneHarvey #txflood pic.twitter.com/88lNScJBq9 … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on That sinking feeling

Mayor seeks one-year tax hike for Harvey cleanup

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This stuff isn’t going to pay for itself, you know. Mayor Sylvester Turner will ask City Council to approve an 8.9 percent hike in the city’s tax rate this fall to help Houston recover from Tropical Storm Harvey, in what … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Will we spend on some flood mitigation projects?

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. We’ll see. In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is calling for the construction of flood control infrastructure in the Houston area — things he said should have been built “decades and decades ago” — including … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harvey’s car carnage

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Lot of people lost their wheels in the floods. More than a week after Harvey slammed Houston, wreckers like Bryan Harvey are still hauling cars and trucks from flooded neighborhoods to dealerships or to vast fields where insurance adjusters can … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Harvey’s car carnage

What will this school year be like?

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

School has finally started for most of HISD and many surrounding districts, but with the devastation and disruption of Harvey, what can we expect from this academic year? Many students in Houston ISD lost everything – their homes, their school … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More post-Harvey ideas

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Chron, which likens this moment to what Galveston faced after the great hurricane of 1900: 1. Establish a regional flood control authority Floodwaters ignore city-limit signs and county-line markers. We can’t adequately address drainage issues with a mélange … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Harvey and the elections

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Labor Day weekend of odd-numbered years is considered to be the opening weekend of Houston election season. The filing deadline has passed, so the fields are set and people (supposedly, at least) begin to pay attention. Candidate forums are held, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017, Election 2018, Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who will rebuild Houston?

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Vox points out what should be obvious. Unauthorized immigrants were crucial to rebuilding New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. And they are likely to be desperately needed as Texas rebuilds to clean streets, demolish buildings, and reconstruct homes and offices. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, La Migra | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Lawsuits filed over dam releases

Posted on September 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. A group of flooded-out Harris County homeowners and businesses sued the federal government on Tuesday, accusing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of knowingly condemning their properties by releasing water from the Barker and Addicks … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Charity Navigator on your best bets for Harvey relief

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In case you’re still making up your mind about how to donate to Harvey relief. Hurricane Harvey made landfall on Friday evening, August 25th, as the first Category 4 hurricane to hit the United States since Hurricane Charley in 2004. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hiding in Harvey’s shadows

Posted on September 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Most of the people who have been affected by Harvey have begun to get help for their recovery. Undocumented immigrants represent the bulk of those who have not. The water surged into the modest low-lying apartments with the full force … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Lawsuit filed over Crosby plant explosion

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be fun to watch. Seven first responders who were exposed to fumes from a chemical fire last week at a Crosby, Texas, manufacturing plant have filed suit against the plant’s owner, alleging that the company’s negligence caused … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Most but not all HISD schools will open Monday

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the latest. Nine storm-damaged Houston ISD campuses will remain temporarily closed when many district students return to classes for the fall following a two-week delay caused by Hurricane Harvey, Superintendent Richard Carranza said Thursday. Meanwhile, students at nearly 80 … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Most but not all HISD schools will open Monday

Local government buildings took it on the chin from Harvey

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Houses, businesses, schools, churches, government offices – the destruction caused by Harvey and the bill to fix it all keeps adding up. Local governments grappled Tuesday with the staggering costs of responding to and cleaning up after Hurricane Harvey, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Local government buildings took it on the chin from Harvey

From the “Stupid haters gonna stupidly hate” department

Posted on September 7, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the same basic story we hear about every time there’s a natural disaster, though with a bit of a twist this time. When Sandy hit the New York metropolitan area in 2012, the floodwaters in Lower Manhattan were still … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The case for calling a Harvey special session

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rep. Gene Wu disagrees with Greg Abbott’s decision. The historic level of damage and suffering caused by Harvey requires that we tap into our state’s Rainy Day Fund. Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to not call a special session of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Now is an excellent time to give blood

Posted on September 5, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

You want a simple but vital thing to do to help with Harvey recovery? Schedule a blood donation. The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is appealing for donations after a four-day stoppage in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey that … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Now is an excellent time to give blood

The mosquitopocalypse is coming

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It just keeps getting better and better. Harvey’s rain may have left Houston behind, but there’s another storm headed our way. It’s a cloud of mosquitoes, which breed in standing water and soon will be hatching by the millions. “It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Many schools were damaged by Harvey

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This will add so much more disruption to the Harvey recovery efforts. More than 10,000 Houston Independent School District students are expected to start classes in temporary quarters as officials work to repair hundreds of campuses damaged by Hurricane Harvey, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harvey was hard on farms, too

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t just the cities like Houston that suffered a lot of damage from Harvey. Harvey did more than transform cityscape by turning highways into rivers; It also upended life for farmers and ranchers across dozens of counties that Gov. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harvey was hard on farms, too

No special session needed to address Harvey flooding

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

So says Greg Abbott. Gov. Greg Abbott said Friday another special session of the Texas Legislature won’t be necessary to deal with the response to Hurricane Harvey. “We won’t need a special session for this,” Abbott told reporters, noting that … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo, Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“We must find a way to co-exist with the bayou ecosystem”

Posted on September 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Offcite points to a way forward. We must find a way to co-exist with the bayou ecosystem, not get in its way. As Albert Pope, a professor at Rice Architecture, has pointed out in a series of proposals, most of Houston’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “We must find a way to co-exist with the bayou ecosystem”

Look for the lawyers

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’ll be helping a lot of people who are going to need Harvey-related legal advice. While rescue workers, including recreational boaters, pull frightened Houstonians out of flooded homes, lawyers are preparing the establishment of a network to give advice to … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Look for the lawyers

HISD will begin classes on September 11

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Another week off for students. As Houston ISD continues to sort out which of its schools were damaged in Tropical Storm Harvey, school officials are postponing the start of the school year until Sept. 11, two weeks after school was … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Remember the Katy Prairie

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the four things we could have done differently to maybe mitigate some of the worst effects of Harvey: Preserve and restore as much prairie land as possible Much of northwest Houston used to be covered in prairie land, where … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A smattering of Harvey news

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

If you are among the lucky ones whose house or apartment remained dry and you want to help those in need, here’s a handy guide to where and how to volunteer. If you want to go to the George R. … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on A smattering of Harvey news