Category Archives: Elsewhere in Houston

Paying to park at Memorial Park

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Let the pearl-clutching begin! A quarter of the parking spaces at Memorial Park will be metered starting later this year, as the city and the park’s nonprofit operators scrape together dollars for maintenance amid an ambitious renovation. Visitors who park … Continue reading →

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Demography and our destiny

Posted on July 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Trends keep on trending. Harris County continues to grow more diverse, with population increases among every ethnic and racial group, except non-Hispanic whites between 2016 and 2017, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau. In Harris County, … Continue reading →

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Hempstead landfill officially dead

Posted on June 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hooray! Waller County leaders and residents on Monday cheered a Georgia company’s decision to abandon plans for a 250-acre acre landfill near Hempstead, saying they look forward to moving beyond an environmental fight that has dominated public debate for seven … Continue reading →

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That’s the Texas State Historical Astrodome to you, pal

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s got a marker and everything. More than 56 years after ground was broken on what would become the world’s first domed stadium, the Astrodome is now a bonafide recorded Texas historic landmark. Installed on the stadium’s southwest end, a … Continue reading →

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It’s hard being pregnant in Harris County

Posted on April 29, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We need to figure this out. Life-threatening, pregnancy-related complications — the iceberg beneath the surface of the U.S. maternal health crisis — are on the rise in Harris County, according to a new report. The report not only confirmed the … Continue reading →

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Reinventing Jones Plaza

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Big changes coming to downtown. Jones Plaza, the often-empty, 1.5-acre public space at the heart of Houston’s Theater District, may finally become a true people magnet courtesy of the second face-lift in its 51-year history. This time, Houston First Corporation, … Continue reading →

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Happy tenth birthday, Discovery Green

Posted on April 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What a great addition it has been. Discovery Green opened a decade ago this weekend, drawing 25,000 people to the long-dormant east side of downtown to gawk at parading Clydesdales, dogs in costumes, a puppet show, a magician, musicians and … Continue reading →

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Harris County is not growing the way it used to

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

And the reason for that is that people aren’t moving here the way they used to. Quite the opposite, in fact. There’s been a lot of publicity lately about the fact that in the last couple of years, Harris County … Continue reading →

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It’s not easy being green

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have mixed feelings about this. The “Blue Trees” artist has stirred up a hive of trouble for Houston’s parks and recreation department, complaining that the city plagiarized an installation he created five years ago by re-painting the same grove … Continue reading →

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“We (Heart) Houston” someplace else

Posted on March 21, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Your favorite Instagram spot is moving to a new location. The “We Love Houston” sign you’ve seen either near I-10 or in Instagram selfies is on the move. Artist and die-hard Houstonian David Adickes told Chron.com in previous interviews that … Continue reading →

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Another designation for the Astrodome

Posted on March 19, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s quite the historic place. The famed Astrodome will be designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark — the highest honor the state can bestow on a historic structure. The marker will finally and officially tell the story of the … Continue reading →

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Oh, no, Shipley’s

Posted on March 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Disgusting. Three former Shipley Do-Nuts employees are suing the company’s owner for allegedly groping them and making racist remarks, accusations that are consistent with a bevy of civil rights lawsuits filed by former workers since 2004. The women claim that … Continue reading →

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TCEQ rejection of Hempstead landfill application upheld

Posted on March 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Sweet. A yearslong battle over the construction of a landfill in Hempstead has come to an end for now after a judge ruled in Austin on Friday that Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s decision to return the landfill’s application should … Continue reading →

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Mayor proposes new floodplain development rules

Posted on January 27, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good idea. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Wednesday proposed tightening development rules to strengthen Houston’s defenses against flooding, the city’s first concrete step to change building practices since Hurricane Harvey inundated hundreds of thousands of homes last August. Turner’s proposed changes … Continue reading →

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The Alley Theater debacle

Posted on January 14, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. More than a dozen current and former Alley Theatre employees say the outgoing artistic director, Gregory Boyd, created a toxic work environment at the city’s most renowned theater, describing him as a tyrant who frequently singled out … Continue reading →

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A better BARC

Posted on December 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is good to see. As recently as three years ago, Houston’s animal shelter put down half of the dogs and cats that came through its doors in a busy month. Now, five times in the last year alone, the … Continue reading →

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Downtown of the Future

Posted on November 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s very futuristic. City planners’ ambitious 20-year vision for downtown Houston includes more of everything that has transformed the central business district into a more vibrant destination. More apartments, restaurants and shops. More walkable parks and attractions. More innovative startups … Continue reading →

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Freedmen’s Town may get UNESCO designation

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s cool. For all the years the historic bricks of Freedmen’s Town in Fourth Ward were questioned, devalued and disturbed, a new international spotlight is bringing a renewed appreciation for the strenuous efforts to validate, treasure and preserve them. UNESCO … Continue reading →

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Should we remove the concrete from White Oak Bayou?

Posted on October 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s an interesting question, one worth considering, if there’s a way to pay for it. A feasibility study conducted for the Harris County Flood Control District and released Friday offers three options to do just that. What it does not … Continue reading →

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The Acre

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Meet downtown’s newest park. As park spaces go, Houston’s newest urban oasis is a mere postage stamp, occupying just over an acre of privately held land, developed with private money. But in post-Harvey Houston, the value of every inch of … Continue reading →

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Calling all artists!

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The city of Houston has an opportunity for you. The City of Houston is gearing up to add another thirty-eight artworks to street-side traffic signal control cabinets throughout Houston and is encouraging artists to submit qualifications for the opportunity to … Continue reading →

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More on Heights alcohol vote 2.0

Posted on June 25, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the Heights Examiner (now a section of the Wednesday Chron), the reasons why restauranteurs want in on the action. But the possible reversal of the century-old prohibition on restaurants would mean more than just no longer having to sign … Continue reading →

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We could have another Heights alcohol vote

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Sure, why not? Heights voters last fall lifted a 105-year-old ban on the sale of beer and wine at grocery stores, but customers still must join a private club if they want to drink alcohol at area restaurants or bars. … Continue reading →

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Super Bowl economic impact was about what we expected

Posted on June 4, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not too bad. The receipts are in, and February’s Super Bowl LI appears to have been a substantial boon for Houston — albeit with slightly less spending than expected. Gross spending during the nine days of Super Bowl programming, minus … Continue reading →

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Kinder Houston Area Survey 2017

Posted on May 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the press release. The majority of area residents don’t just feel okay about living in Houston – they would choose to stay in the Bayou City even if given a choice to move, according to the 2017 Kinder Houston … Continue reading →

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Harris County’s growth slows

Posted on March 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We’re still growing, we just didn’t grow as fast last year as we had in previous years. After eight straight years of boom – adding more new residents than any county in the nation – Harris County in 2016 felt … Continue reading →

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Houston’s tourism business

Posted on February 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

People like to spend money here. In particular, people from Mexico like to spend money here. Mexicans are the largest group of international tourists who visit Houston – and recently, their numbers have grown. In 2015, Houston received 2.5 million … Continue reading →

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Your Super Bowl AirBnB dream probably did not come true

Posted on February 10, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. Vacation rental websites like Airbnb and Home Away still have pages of listings available for this weekend. Many are asking well over $1,000 per night for, in some cases, run-of-the-mill two-bedroom apartments. Data from Airbnb Thursday show the typical … Continue reading →

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Welcome to Houston, y’all

Posted on January 31, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of visitors in town this week. Our goal is for them to leave with a positive impression. With the city’s third Super Bowl a week away, Houston appears ready for its close- up. The national press has taken turns … Continue reading →

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Astrodome gains antiquities status

Posted on January 30, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. The aging behemoth billed as the Eighth Wonder of the World has joined the revered ranks of the Alamo and State Capitol as an honored historical site. Just days before a crowd of more than 70,000 files past for … Continue reading →

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More flood mitigation coming

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is ambitious. After local leaders stood on the banks of Brays Bayou to celebrate a creative agreement that is expected to speed up work on a long-delayed effort to lessen the risk of flooding in southwest Houston, some angry … Continue reading →

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Now is the time to rent out your house

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

If it was your plan to do that, anyway. The teams playing in next month’s Super Bowl [are now set] and the final rush for last-minute lodging will be in full swing. That also means more house and apartment rentals … Continue reading →

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Be careful what you flush

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Yeesh. Grease blockages are the main cause of Houston’s epidemic of sewer overflows, a problem so widespread that it has drawn the city into negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The multibillion-dollar enforcement action that could result – likely … Continue reading →

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Who wants to rent their house out to Super Bowl visitors?

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t, but some people hope to make a lot of money renting theirs. With the Super Bowl heading to Houston next month, locals are starting to see dollar signs as well, hoping to cash in on visitors’ willingness to … Continue reading →

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