Monthly Archives: September 2010

Endorsement watch: DMN for Weems

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Dallas Morning News is almost always the first out of the chute with most election endorsements. This year is no exception, as they’ve already issued recommendations for most statewide offices. They’ve gone mostly Republican – Keith Hampton for CCA … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Endorsement watch: When nothing is something

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Farm Bureau endorses no one in the Governor’s race. The Texas Farm Bureau, which has feuded with Rick Perry over toll roads and private-property rights, opted Wednesday not to endorse anybody in the governor’s race. The decision was … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Erica Graham

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Council approves the Wal-Mart 380 agreement

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

No surprise. Over strong neighborhood objections, City Council this morning passed a package of economic development incentives worth more than $6 million for the developer of a future Walmart store near the Heights. City Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck offered two amendments … Continue reading →

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Traffic deaths decline in Texas

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you looking for silver linings in the economic slowdown, here’s one. In 2009, Texas saw a 12.1 percent decrease in the rate of traffic deaths, compared with a 9.7 percent drop nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Nobody likes the Dome options

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Remember the three options for the Astrodome that the Sports and Convention Corporation presented a couple of months ago? That recent KHOU poll included questions about those three options: Harris County is considering three proposals for the Astro Dome. I … Continue reading →

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

Help out our SBOE candidates

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

There’s an all-day push going on at Daily Kos to raise a few bucks for Democratic SBOE candidates Judy Jennings and Rebecca Bell-Metereau. You can see a few of the diaries touting them here, here, and – my favorite, written … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Back to Basics jumps in to HD133

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Back to Basics folks, who must have the busiest website design shop in the Western hemisphere, have jumped into the HD133 race by going after Jim Murphy, the former Rep from HD133 running to win his seat back from … Continue reading →

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Interview with County Judge Ed Emmett

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who have followed my blog and my interview series may be wondering why today’s interview subject is Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. I’m a Democrat, and I make no pretense of the fact that I do these … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Judicial Q&A: Bruce Mosier

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

From the “If you don’t have anything good to say” department

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

What were you thinking, Jim? Meet Jim Sharp, a Houston state appellate judge running for the Texas Supreme Court as the Dems’ challenger against the recently appointed Debra Lehrmann, a Republican. In an interview with the American-Statesman editorial board, Sharp … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Pro-Prop 1 op-ed

Posted on September 22, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member Stephen Costello, the driving force behind Renew Houston, now known as Proposition 1 on the November ballot, teams up with a pair of co-authors to pen this op-ed in its favor. Proposition 1 is a sensible solution that … Continue reading →

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County receives voting equipment

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On Monday, Sept. 20 at 11 a.m., Harris County received the first of what will be several shipments of election equipment from counties across Texas. The delivery begins the gradual gathering of equipment needed to conduct the … Continue reading →

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Judicial Q&A: Joellen Snow

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

(Note: I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates on the November ballot. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. These Q&As are primarily intended for candidates who were … Continue reading →

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How Metro nearly cost itself $900 million

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s an impressive feat, for some sense of the word. In the first months of the procurement process, documents show, [former Metro CEO Frank] Wilson intended to use local rather than federal funds to buy the light-rail vehicles, possibly in … Continue reading →

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

Scrap it and start over

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. Texas needs to scrap its school funding system and start all over, Senate Education Chair Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, said Thursday, as other members of a special school finance committee agreed that the existing system is hopelessly broken. … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

CAF asks FTA to reconsider

Posted on September 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t know how much good this will do them, but I guess it can’t hurt to try. Metro’s rail car contractor formally asked federal officials Friday to reconsider their decision that the company’s $330 million contract must be canceled in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Interview with Gordon Quan

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We begin the wrapup of county candidates with Gordon Quan, who is running for County Judge. I interviewed him for the primary as well. As I said then, Quan has lived in Harris County since his family came here from … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Chron for White

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron gets an early start on endorsements this year by recommending Bill White for Governor. [Governor Perry] has shown a distaste for dealing with budget details, fobbing them off on the Legislature and even suggesting in a recent news … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

KHOU polls Mayor Parker’s job performance

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

She did pretty well. A majority of voters in Bayou City approve of Mayor Annise Parker’s job performance, according to an exclusive 11 News/KUHF-Houston Public Radio poll released Tuesday. Rice University’s Center for Civic Engagement conducted the poll, which surveyed … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Yes, the “D” in “Big D” stands for “Democratic”

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I continue to not understand the belief that some folks have that Dallas is a swing county. Ridgewood Park was a battlefield staging area for riled-up Republicans determined to take back their legislative district, their city and their county. In … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 19

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! Eating on $4 a day. Following along for the week, here’s Day One. This is what happens when Republicans run things. RIP-to-be, Bloglines. RSS may not be dead, but I guess I need to start transitioning … Continue reading →

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Public Hearing on Final Draft of Historic Preservation Ordinance

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Final Draft of Proposed Amendments to Historic Preservation Ordinance Released Houstonians, After a two-month process involving public input from stakeholders, I have released the final draft of proposed amendments to the City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance and a … Continue reading →

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

This ain’t your daddy’s Fort Bend

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting article about the changing demographics in Fort Bend County and the changes in politics that have come with it. Today the GOP holds 27 of 31 elective offices in the county. Rick Miller aims to keep it that way. … Continue reading →

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EPA-TCEQ agreement in the works

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

A compromise is in the works between the EPA and the TCEQ over the controversial “flex permits” that the EPA has deemed not in compliance with the Clean Air Act. “We’re very close,” said Richard Hyde, deputy director of permitting … Continue reading →

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

Statewide smoking ban still on tap

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Now that every major city in Texas has an ordinance that bans smoking in most public places, attention turns to the Lege where another attempt will be made next year to pass a similar ban. Similar legislation died in the … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Dance, chicken, dance!

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In honor of the debate Rick Perry will not be attending, I bring you this awesome chicken dance video: I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: This is why I love the Internet.

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

RUDH recommendations to the city

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Whether you think the Stop Heights Wal-Mart effort is a righteous cause or the annoying whine of a bunch of fancypants elitists, I recommend you go check out this post to read the recommendations made by Responsible Urban Development for … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

The hole keeps growing

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Do I hear $21 billion? $21 billion, anybody? The working estimate of the looming state budget shortfall has grown to about $21 billion in the face of smaller-than-expected tax revenues and projected higher costs for education and health care, legislative … Continue reading →

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It isn’t just about ducking debates

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

All you need to know about Marsha Farney, the Republican candidate in SBOE 10, and the kind of race she’s running is right here: Farney, a former school teacher and high school counselor, has not responded to phone calls or … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Marfa solar fight gets deferred

Posted on September 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

They will not be building that big solar farm out in Marfa at this time. Citing a lack of investors, Houston-based Tessera Solar has scotched plans to erect at least 1,000 three-story mirrored satellite dishes — designed to convert the … Continue reading →

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

The scientists have rebelled

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. When seven [members of the Texas Forensic Science Commission] met at a hotel near Dallas’ Love Field, the ostensible goal was to finalize their report on the Willingham case. But from the start, the forensic scientists on the panel … Continue reading →

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

Friday random ten: Hope, faith, and belief

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Texans defeated the Indianapolis Colts in their season opener this past Sunday. That was only their second win in 17 attempts against Payton Manning and company, and it’s got the local fans thinking that maybe, just maybe, This … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Fire marshal clings to Willingham arson report

Posted on September 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, give it up, already. The State Fire Marshal’s Office stands behind its controversial conclusion that Cameron Todd Willingham started the house fire that killed his three children in 1991, contradicting arson experts and scientists who insist the agency relied … Continue reading →

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