Monthly Archives: August 2009

Chris Comer appeals lawsuit dismissal

Posted on August 21, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had lost track of Chris Comer, the former director of science curriculum for the Texas Education Agency, who resigned under pressure for sending out email regarding a lecture that debunked “intelligent design” since she filed a wrongful termination lawsuit … Continue reading →

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Meeting Tom Schieffer

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I had the opportunity to have lunch with Democatic gubernatorial candidate Tom Schieffer on Wednesday, along with several of my blogging colleagues (*). This was at his initiative, and I appreciated the opportunity to get to hear him speak. I’ll … Continue reading →

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Meet the new HISD boss

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s more on Terry Grier, the new HISD Superintendent-to-be. Grier, 59, has been at the helm of the 135,000-student San Diego Unified School District since March 2008. He’s won support for his efforts to boost student achievement and curb dropouts, … Continue reading →

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Same old Sharon

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll say this for Sharon Keller. She is steadfast in her beliefs, and there is nothing you can say to her to make her waver from them. The presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals who refused to … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Mike Laster

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Moving back to District F, today’s interview subject is Mike Laster. Mike is an attorney specializing in real estate, and was for six years a Senior Assistant City Attorney in the Real Estate Division of the City Attorney’s Office. Mike … Continue reading →

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Transit corridors ordinance approved

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not all that it could have been, but it’s a start. Passengers stepping off trains in Houston’s expanding light rail network will be more likely to encounter walkable environments and interesting destinations because of action taken Wednesday by the … Continue reading →

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Metro gets FTA final design approval for North and Southeast lines

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Another step forward. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) gave METRO permission today to enter into Final Design on Houston’s North and Southeast light-rail lines. The FTA’s approval is the final prerequisite toward entering Full Funding Grant Agreements on both lines, … Continue reading →

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One advantage of being a workaholic

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Is that you can cut back on your schedule dramatically and still put in a full day’s work. Mayor Bill White, who in nearly six years has become notorious for working 16-hour days to run the city of Houston in … Continue reading →

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Parents call on HISD to keep promises Saavedra made

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

With the revelation that HISD may have chosen its new superintendent, this Chron story from yesterday about how parent groups who were promised certain specific actions from outgoing Superintendent Abe Saavedra relating to the bond referendum, and the Board of … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics, School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Has HISD chosen its new superintendent?

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron says Yes. The man in charge of the San Diego, Calif. public schools has emerged as the frontrunner to take over the Houston Independent School District, the Houston Chronicle has learned. Terry Grier, superintendent of the San Diego … Continue reading →

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Free childhood immunizations available

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Via email from the Houston Fire Department: Get Your Child Ready For School With Free Immunizations from The Houston Fire Department and Blue Cross and Blue Shield It takes more than school supplies to get your child ready for the … Continue reading →

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Interview with Jeff Downing

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Next up is Jeff Downing, who is running in District A. Jeff is an attorney who runs his own firm, after having been a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s office. He was an intern in the White House … Continue reading →

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Keller testifies

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Day Two of the trial of Judge Sharon Keller had Keller herself testifying. Rapid-fire questions from Austin lawyer Mike McKetta, acting as the prosecution, drilled into the heart of the charges against Keller — that by violating the court’s established … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

An early assessment of the Mayor’s race

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Marc Campos writes: H-Town’s Mayoral candidates still do not want to SHOW ME THE TV so I have to give the advantage at this time to Annise Parker. The later the ad wars get going, the better for Annise. Let’s … Continue reading →

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Crabb River Road and FM762

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Fort Bend County Commissioner Richard Morrison emailed me the following link from his blog: I am seeking the support of my neighbors in Greatwood, Tara, Canyon Gate, Bridlewood Estates, Brazos Lakes and Brazos Gardens to widen Crabb River Road and … Continue reading →

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Comparing trains to planes

Posted on August 19, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it earlier, economist Edward Glaeser did an analysis of a theoretical high-speed rail link between Dallas and Houston to see if HSR made economic sense in general. His conclusion that they didn’t has been sharply criticized, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Brister retiring from Supreme Court

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A second State Supreme Court justice will not be on the ballot next fall. Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott Brister will leave the court for private practice next month, he announced Monday. Brister, a former Harris County civil district court … Continue reading →

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Kay finally announces

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

To paraphrase The Observer, this was the least unexpected announcement in Texas politics history. Obviously, her message isn’t supposed to appeal to people like me, but I’ve read this story twice now and I’m still not exactly sure what her … Continue reading →

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It’s hard to be unemployed in Texas

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this comes as no surprise. If you lose your job in Texas, you may be out of luck in more ways than one. The Texas Workforce Commission rejected about a third of jobless claims last year and 27 … Continue reading →

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New flash: We spend a lot on gas

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise, Texans are more vulnerable to gas price increases than people in most other states. While most Americans felt the pinch of higher gasoline prices in 2008, drivers in Texas paid an especially heavy toll, according to a national … Continue reading →

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Corruption on the border

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very interesting article from the AP about official corruption along the US-Mexico border. An Associated Press investigation has found U.S. law officers who work the border are being charged with criminal corruption in numbers not seen before, as drug and … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Texas blog roundup for the week of August 17

Posted on August 18, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

It’s time for preseason football games, but the Texas Progressive Alliance is always in midseason form. Click on for this week’s blog highlights.

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The Keller trial, Day One

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If you want a detailed blow-by-blow description of the trial of Court of Criminal Appeals Justice Sharon Keller, go to the Statesman’s Focal Point blog, which has been liveblogging the procedure. Here are links to various entries: Opening statement by … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tom DeLay to dance with the stars

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m speechless. The news this morning that former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will be a contestant on the upcoming season of “Dancing With the Stars” triggered a mixture of chortling and bemusement as it whipped through cyberspace. “Also: Denny Hastert … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized!, TV and movies | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Interview with Council Member Melissa Noriega

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

One of the things planned to do with my interview series this year is include conversations with incumbent Council members. I’ve started on those and hope to get to all of them just as I hope to get to as … Continue reading →

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Edwards gets a primary challenger in HD146

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

For the third straight election cycle, there will be a contested Democratic primary in HD146. Harvey Kronberg reports. Billy Briscoe, who served as Paul Hobby’s travel aide during his campaign for Comptroller in 1998, says that he is running in … Continue reading →

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When county officials cooperate

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I was sent a copy of this story as a PDF a few days ago, and I’m glad to see (via Hair Balls) that it’s available online. It’s about the level of cooperation between Harris County District Attorney Pat Lykos … Continue reading →

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A preview of the Keller case

Posted on August 17, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Lawyer has an in depth look at some of the facts that are in dispute in the judicial conduct hearing for Court of Criminal Appeals Presiding Judge Sharon Keller, which begins today. It is, as the story’s headline suggests, … Continue reading →

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The CW on KBH

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

As Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison gets set to launch her listening announcement tour of Texas, Gardner Selby brings us a conventional wisdom roundup of the state of her campaign. To win, Hutchison faces a daunting task — making a case … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for August 16

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Holy crap, it’s almost football season already… The case against Apple, in five parts. And the case for, in one. Why Kevin Drum doesn’t fear government-run health care. Once again, a big part of the reason why politicians lie is … Continue reading →

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The streetscape for the Universities line

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

RichmondRail.org has a suggestion for Metro. For the coming light rail line to be a true asset to our neighborhoods, the streets leading to the transit stations must accommodate pedestrians more safely and comfortably than is typical for Houston streets … Continue reading →

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Brought to you by…

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

People don’t like it when you mess with their icons. Public fury over a proposal to rename an iconic seawall park after a snack chip led Frito-Lay to ask Galveston County commissioners to halt the renaming process, a Frito-Lay spokeswoman … Continue reading →

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The black bears return to Texas

Posted on August 16, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. SOMEWHERE IN BLUE ELBOW SWAMP — Hope, sometimes, is based on the strangest things. Here, deep in the near-impenetrable thickets of the Sabine River basin, it rides on sardines and tampons soaked in pastry filling. That exotic bait, … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Kurtrolling

Posted on August 15, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In case you haven’t seen this by now. “Awesome” is far too mild a word to describe it. That’s even better than this, which is saying something because that’s one of my favorite videos ever. Enjoy!

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