Monthly Archives: July 2009

The case for conformity

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Max Watson and Ed Wulfe of the Houston Quality of Life Coalition make the case in the Chron for Houston to be more like some other cities. Last week’s new sign ordinance addressed roof, wall and window signs throughout the … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How to do (and not do) urban streets

Posted on July 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

neoHouston says: One of the big problems in development today, in particular in the area of city planning, is distinguishing between good urban infill and mediocre urban infill. At first glance the two may look very similar, but they are … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: The stations are alive with the sound of music

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Best reason I can imagine to have trains: So you can do this in the train station. Awesome. Of course, it helps to have a train station like that one, but still. And have I mentioned how I can’t wait … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The best way to fix a mistake is to avoid making it in the first place

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In re: the fight over social studies now brewing in the State Board of Education, the problem is described as follows. About 75 teachers, principals, social studies coordinators, college professors, retired teachers and ordinary citizens are developing the new curriculum … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Gandhi Street

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Hillcroft Street may get another name. Lined with international shops and restaurants, Hillcroft is known for its vast diversity. Now the India Culture Center wants to rename Hillcroft as Mahatma Gandhi Street, to honor the late spiritual leader. Indian business … Continue reading →

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Cities lose out in transportation stimulus funding

Posted on July 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

This is not a surprise, but it is a missed opportunity. Two-thirds of the country lives in large metropolitan areas, home to the nation’s worst traffic jams and some of its oldest roads and bridges. But cities and their surrounding … Continue reading →

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The Texas Tribune

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. The longtime editor of Texas Monthly magazine will team with an Austin venture capitalist to form a nonprofit news Web site devoted to government and politics in the Lone Star state. With a large bankroll, a staff at … Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rep. Kino Flores indicted

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Breaking news. State Rep. Kino Flores, D-Palmview, was indicted by a Travis County grand jury for failing to disclose sources of income, gifts and other information that state officials are required to detail in personal financial statements, Travis County District … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Friday random ten: Long train running

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of all the train–related news from the week, here are ten train-related songs. 1. Death’s Black Train Is Coming – Gob Iron 2. Hold That Train – Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials 3. Midnight Train – Guy … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Controller’s race

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron writes about fundraising in the race to replace Annise Parker as Houston City Controller. The three major candidates vying to replace Controller Annise Parker, who is term-limited and angling to become the city’s next mayor, raised more than … Continue reading →

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Ellis asks for AG opinion on Cole pardon

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You remember Timothy Cole, the wrongly-convicted man who died in prison ten years ago and has since been exonerated in a court of inquiry. The Lege passed a bill named for him to increase compensation to those who have been … Continue reading →

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Use your cell phone, pay a fine

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Attention, school kids: Using your cellphone during school hours can cost you. Cell phones are generating some serious cash for Texas school districts. It’s all because of students being fined for texting or chatting in the classroom. The Texas education … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

“Ghostboxes”

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Most people consider the opening of a big-box retail store in a community to be good news. But what happens when that store closes down? As the recession takes its toll on big-box retailers, more communities across the country are … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Frank McCourt “gravely ill”

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sad news. Frank McCourt is gravely ill with meningitis and is unlikely to survive, the author’s brother said Thursday. Malachy McCourt said that his 78-year-old brother, best known for the million-selling “Angela’s Ashes,” is in a New York hospice, “his … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

City campaign finance reports followup

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A few things to add to last night’s post. – Ronald Green’s numbers for City Controller are now in – my spreadsheet has been updated to reflect that. He took in $48,515 and has $32,700 on hand. Which is to … Continue reading →

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Twenty-one questions

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I meant to link to this earlier, but didn’t manage to get to it. It’s a 21-question survey of mostly personal and non-political things for the Mayoral candidates done by local blogger David Ortez, who got responses from the three … Continue reading →

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Irving ordered to switch to single-member Council districts

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A federal judge has ordered the city of Irving, Texas, to switch to single-member City Council districts because their current at-large system was in violation of the Voting Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Jorge Solis issued the ruling Tuesday in … Continue reading →

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

Eversole sets a record

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

You da man, Jerry! Give credit to Jerry Eversole: When he broke the rules, he did it in a big way. The fine levied against the Harris County commissioner this month is the highest in the history of the Texas … Continue reading →

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Texas applies for SUPERTRAIN funds

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing my series of SUPERTRAIN-funding-request posts, here’s the DMN transportation blog on the status of Texas’ request. It took longer than I expected, but the Texas Department of Transportation has shared its preliminary application for its share of the $8 … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Senate fundraising

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

After that last post, I don’t quite have the energy to get into other fundraising data just yet. Just as well, since there’s not much to see yet on the FEC page for Texas candidates. Bill White announced raising $1 … Continue reading →

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City campaign finance reports come rolling in

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As the campaign finance reports for City of Houston races come online, I’ve been collecting all the reports and putting them together into an easier-to-read format. I’ve also received a bunch of press releases, which I’ll be reproducing beneath the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More unemployed, fewer benefits

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Boy, no one could have predicted this. In a sign of lingering hardship, more than 15,000 Texans will lose their unemployment checks at the end of the month because they have exhausted their benefits after 59 weeks without a job. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Interview with CO Bradford

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in the interview series is C.O. “Brad” Bradford, who is running for At Large #4, currently held by the term-limited Ronald Green. Bradford was the Democratic candidate for Harris County District Attorney last year, and though he lost … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

No sexting at school

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I guess I’m a little surprised this wasn’t already against the rules. Students in the Houston Independent School District soon could face punishment if they are caught engaging in [sexting] — which, for those not of the wireless generation, means … Continue reading →

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The jail czar

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I think the whole “czar” thing is overdone, but if it takes hiring a person whose only job it is to focus on jail overcrowding to get something done in a real and lasting way about it, then so be … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sales tax revenues drop

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The 2011 legislative session is going to be so much fun. Texas’ sales tax collections could fall $550 million short of budget projections for the current fiscal year, figures released Friday by Comptroller Susan Combs show. The $1.6 billion collected … Continue reading →

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Dan Patrick on legislative reforms

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I realize that Sen. Dan Patrick writing an article for the Texas Observer is a bit like Geneva Kirk Brooks having a byline in Playboy, but give the man his due: He raises some very good points in his piece … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Endorsement watch: Harris County Commissioners for Sharp

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Senate candidate John Sharp has a press release out touting the endorsements of Harris County Commissioners Sylvia Garcia and El Franco Lee. It’s printed beneath the fold. As far as endorsements like these go, they’re pretty good gets – if … Continue reading →

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Parker reports $800K raised for Mayoral race

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Tomorrow is the deadline for filing campaign finance reports for City of Houston elections. In the meantime, expect campaigns that did well in that department to announce their results ahead of time. One such announcement comes from the Annise Parker … Continue reading →

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The fight over social studies

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve talked before about how the State Board of Education wants to do to history what it’s been doing to science. The Chron adds some details to the discussion. Biographies of Washington, Lincoln, Stephen F. Austin? Not fit reading material … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Virtual border fence: Still a failure

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Our Governor in action. Gov. Rick Perry’s border Web camera program has run out of money, and in its first full year of operation failed to meet nearly every law enforcement goal. Last year, Perry gave the Texas Border Sheriffs … Continue reading →

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Oklahoma gets on the SUPERTRAIN

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome aboard! The Oklahoma Department of Transportation said Friday it has taken an initial step to apply for high-speed rail funding that, if successful, could return passenger service to Tulsa. ODOT spokeswoman Terri Angier said top speeds between Tulsa and … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of July 13

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Time for another version of the Texas Progressive Alliance weekly highlight reel. Click on for more.

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Metro light rail groundbreaking

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Asa we know, today was groundbreaking day for Metro on the North and Southeast lines. Here’s the coverage I could find: an oddly negative story from KTRK, stories from Fox and KHOU, and a story from Texas Cable News that … Continue reading →

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