Monthly Archives: September 2009

Texas blog roundup for the week of September 7

Posted on September 8, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance hopes everyone had a Happy Labor Day, and notes that it won’t be any work at all to read this week’s roundup of blog highlights. Click on for more.

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Projecting turnout for the Mayor’s race

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Prof. Murray surveys the scene and comes up with a turnout projection for November: These considerations lead me to conclude that turnout in 2009 will be significantly below our 300,000 voters in 2003. How much lower? I think in the … Continue reading →

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The New Yorker on Todd Willingham

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

If you haven’t done so already, you really need to read this in-depth story, as well as the brief followup, on the Cameron Todd Willingham case. Author David Grann gives a thorough overview of the case, and gets into why … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The continuing HHSC saga

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Most of what’s in this Chron story about the problems with the Health and Human Services Commission and its problems processing food stamp applications is stuff we’ve seen before. Just a couple of things to highlight: Some welcome a recent … Continue reading →

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Another way to become Tier One

Posted on September 7, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There’s more than one way to achieve Tier One status, at least for some universities. When Ricardo Romo became president of the University of Texas at San Antonio a decade ago, he resolved to transform the sleepy commuter campus into … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for September 6

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Labor Day weekend! Here are a few tunes to queue up on the iPod as you celebrate. Colonel Sanders, as you’ve never seen him before. You might not be a libertarian if… LOLSaints. 500 Days of Sanford. The Men’s … Continue reading →

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More on the HISD candidates

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The Bellaire Examiner looks at the contested HISD Trustee races, two of which weren’t hadn’t been contested before the day of the filing deadline. HISD Board President Lawrence Marshall appeared to be one of three incumbent trustees unopposed in the … Continue reading →

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From the “Timing Is Everything” department

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I can only presume that this Saturday op-ed by soon-to-be-former HCC Trustee Abel Davila was submitted to the Chron before Wednesday of this week. I also presume once it was in the queue, it was going to run regardless of … Continue reading →

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More on Glaeser and high speed rail

Posted on September 6, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned before some analysis done by the New York Times’ Ed Glaeser on the economics of high speed rail between Houston and Dallas. His series has come under a lot of criticism – see that post, along with these … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Solidarity

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of Labor Day, a song about labor by Pete Seeger: Now enjoy that long weekend.

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Aguilar drops out of HCC Trustee race

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I’m guessing the backlash for being a last minute candidate who also happens to be the

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Mixed use development on the west side

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but when I think about mixed-use development in Houston, I’m usually picturing it inside the Loop, or maybe in the Galleria area. But there’s no reason it can’t be farther out from the core. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The jounalists are coming! Eek!

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County GOP Chair Jared Woodfill has a panic attack. The chairman of the Harris County Republican Party sharply criticized Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia Thursday for granting jail access to a reporter and videographer from Al Jazeera English, an … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Ballot order

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the ballot order for the November city elections. I don’t know how much being listed first really means – whatever it means, it likely varies a great deal from election to election, depending on the turnout and the level … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Oh, come on!

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Moving to the letter C and songs that start with the word “come”: 1. Come A Day – Nils Lofgren 2. Come And I Will Sing You (The Twelve Apostles) – Great Big Sea 3. Come Back To Me – … Continue reading →

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The lineup, slightly revised

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here is the slightly revised final lineup for the City of Houston ballot this November. Note that a couple of candidates dropped off, including Donald Cook in At Large #1 and Alfred Molison in District C. I do not know … Continue reading →

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Another Democratic gubernatorial hopeful

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Well, you can’t say that the Democratic cast of characters for Governor lacks characters. Rick Perry might not be the only candidate in the 2010 race for Texas governor who is known for great hair. As the Republican governor with … Continue reading →

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Eastwood art deco facade saved

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The art deco facade on the Sterling Laundry & Cleaning Co. on Harrisburg in Eastwood, which had been marked for demolition as part of the construction of the Harrisburg line, has been saved. From the inbox: Vice Mayor Pro Tem … Continue reading →

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We have traffic, yes we do

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, no surprise. Surprise, surprise. The No. 1 road for traffic congestion in the entire state is — drumroll, please — the stretch of Interstate 45 between the North Loop and Beltway 8. In fact, Harris County was home to … Continue reading →

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All in the family, HCC-style

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I noted last night and this morning that the HCC Trustee seat in District 8, which was left open at the last minute by Abel Davila, will be filled by his brother-in-law Arturo Aguilar. (Davila is married to HISD Trustee … Continue reading →

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Interview with Richard Sedita

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Richard Sedita is a candidate for District G. He is an Army veteran who served in the Korean DMZ from 1967-69 as a medic. Since then, he has been a registered nurse and has worked as an ER Director, ICU … Continue reading →

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More on the lineups

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the final filings to be on the ballot for city elections. As noted before, not a whole lot of surprises, but there are a couple of things worth mentioning: Otis Jordan, president of the Houston … Continue reading →

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Welcome back, Arne’s

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of people I know missed you while you were gone. Set in a century-old warehouse, Arne’s Warehouse & Party Store still looks like an old warehouse more than it does a store. After crossing a clunky metal turnstile, … Continue reading →

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John Cornyn: For deficits before he was against them

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

There are many ridiculous things about our political discourse these days. Among them is the discussion of long-term federal budget deficit projections, in which the vast majority of Republicans, especially those who have been in office for more than a … Continue reading →

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

Here’s your lineup

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Martha has your final filings for City of Houston elections. Executive summary: No surprise last minute entrants, but everyone except for Council Members Melissa Noriega (At Large #3), Ed Gonzalez (H), and James Rodriguez (I) has at least one opponent. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2009 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Freeman and Bradford spar over SEIU endorsement

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Last night, Noel Freeman sent out this press release: Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 confirmed Tuesday during a screening interview with City Council At-Large Position 4 candidate Noel Freeman that his opponent, C.O. Bradford, has falsely claimed to … Continue reading →

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Interview with Carlos Obando

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

We don’t get a lot of competitive Council race in Houston that don’t involve an open seat. As I’ve noted before, we may get one this year for At Large #5. One of the candidates seeking to unseat incumbent Council … Continue reading →

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Filing deadline

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Today at 5 PM is the filing deadline for city elections. Martha has her usual roundup of who has filed. So far, the only bit of suspense is in the Mayor’s race, where Roy Morales has yet to do his … Continue reading →

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Fixing freight rail

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Good story about freight rail in and around Houston and its present and future needs. The recession has eased the rail traffic problem temporarily, but transportation leaders warn the reprieve will not last. Houston’s population will grow and the widening … Continue reading →

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Pete gets pwned

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In case you haven’t been reading John Coby‘s coverage of Rep. Pete Olson’s hilariously off-message performance at a recent town hall, you should be. See here: Congressman Olson talks about the free market death panels Congressman Olson’s townhall mtg Update … Continue reading →

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Questions for the next Governor

Posted on September 2, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Gary Denton asks a bunch of questions for our next Governor about a variety of issues as well as the general approach of being Governor in a state where the Governor’s powers are limited. It’s really aimed at Tom Schieffer, … Continue reading →

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Saavedra’s exit interview

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Now-former HISD Superintendent Abe Saavedra grades his performance. His answers are sadly too short to most of the questions. I’d really have liked to have heard more on this: Q: If you could wave a magic wand and unilaterally change … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Kinky announces (yawn)

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Here comes Kinky, in case anyone still cares. Humorist Richard “Kinky” Friedman, loved by some and loathed by others, is running for governor again – this time as a Democrat. Unlike the launch of his 2006 campaign as an independent, … Continue reading →

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The city’s current budget situation

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

With the way the economy has been over the past year, we shouldn’t be surprised that the city of Houston is facing a revenue shortfall – the same thing is happening at the state level as well. The question is … Continue reading →

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