Monthly Archives: September 2013

The state’s head in the sand legal strategy

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Slate and its invaluable legal writer Dahlia Lithwick take a look at the state of Texas’ determination to ensure that gay married couples stay gay married in Texas. On Nov. 5 the Supreme Court of Texas will hear arguments regarding … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No notary needed

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Seems reasonable. Many Houston business owners are celebrating a new ordinance that drops the need for a notary when applying for hundreds of permits and allows the city to offer more applications online. The Houston City Council lauded the change … Continue reading →

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

Saturday video break: (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #3 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?”, originally by Brinsley Schwarz and covered by Elvis Costello. Here’s the original: Nick Lowe, whom I can’t say I’d ever heard of … Continue reading →

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Here comes the Dome renovation committee

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I was wondering when we’d see this. Reliant Park and Harris County officials on Thursday announced the launch of a campaign to garner voter support for a plan to redevelop the Astrodome, with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett and Precinct … Continue reading →

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Jury duty pay raise

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you get called for jury duty, you’ll get a little extra something for your time. For the past two years, jurors in Harris County and elsewhere have been paid $30 a day or less for every day of service … Continue reading →

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

Good times for craft distillers

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Just as Texas’ craft brewing industry finally got legislation passed that will allow them to operate more freely, so too did Texas craft distillers. Gov. Rick Perry on Monday declared September “Texas Craft Spirits Month” as the state begins to … Continue reading →

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My father, the book critic

Posted on September 14, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

My dad emailed me the other day to inform me that he had written his first book review on Amazon, and to ask me if I might mention this on my blog. What’s even the point of having a blog … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: The dogs, they really miss you

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve seen my personal Facebook page, you know that we are hosting the hedghog that belongs to Olivia’s fourth grade class this weekend. In honor of that, I went looking for animal-related songs in my library. No hedgehog tunes, … Continue reading →

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Interview with Georgia Provost

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’m wrapping up the week of District D candidate interviews today. There are a lot more candidates than the five I will have visited with, but there are only so many hours in the day, and I do the best … Continue reading →

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Time for a real NDO in Houston

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Bring it on. Last week, San Antonio passed an ordinance protecting gay and transgendered residents and veterans from discrimination. Houston Mayor Annise Parker says that vote “upped the ante” and that Houston should follow suit. “It is absolutely something we … Continue reading →

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

HPD disciplinary matters

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Having recently talked about mayoral plans for crimefighting in Houston, let me recommend that you read Emily DePrang’s excellent two-part story about the discipline process at the Houston Police Department – here’s part one, Crimes Unpunished, and part two, The … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , | 1 Comment

SBOE getting set to review biology textbooks

Posted on September 13, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

TFN Insider sounds the alarm. We already knew that creationists on the State Board of Education had nominated anti-evolution ideologues to sit on teams reviewing proposed new high school biology textbooks in Texas. We now have seen the actual reviews … Continue reading →

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Interview with Assata Richards

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on in District D we have a conversation with Assata Richards. A single mother at the age of 17, Richards graduated high school and with the help of the Houston Urban League’s Education Department and the Young Mothers Residential … Continue reading →

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The voter ID effect

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The conventional wisdom is that we’re unlikely to see the full effect of the voter ID law until next year. The true test of how voter ID will affect voters — and whether it will sway elections — won’t come … Continue reading →

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

No testing waiver

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, kids. The federal government has denied the state’s request to waive No Child Left Behind testing requirements for students in elementary and middle school, the Texas Education Agency announced Monday. If the waiver had been granted, students who excel … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of September 9

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance sends its condolences to Sen. Wendy Davis for the loss of her father as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Faith and business leaders rally for immigration reform

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: PROMINENT HOUSTON FAITH & BUSINESS LEADERS URGE REP. TED POE TO SUPPORT COMMON SENSE IMMIGRATION REFORM Pressure Continues to Build as Congress Returns to D.C. (Houston, TX)- On Thursday, September 12 at 11am, prominent clergy leaders and respected members … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with Anthony Robinson

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’ve followed the news at all in Texas over the past decade or so you’re familiar with the large number of convicted inmates who have been subsequently freed after being exonerated by DNA evidence. That’s the story of District … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still waiting on Wendy and Leticia

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

An update on Sen. Leticia Van de Putte and her decision about whether or not to run for Lite Gov. When I asked her about running for lieutenant governor she replied, “I’m just so very honored and flattered that so … Continue reading →

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The obstacles to enrollment

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Affordable Care Act could have a big effect in Houston if the people who would benefit by it can be informed about it and assisted as needed. Houston, with an estimated 800,000 uninsured residents, ranks among the nation’s largest … Continue reading →

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All about Pasadena

Posted on September 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell, the man behind the redistricting scheme there that we’ve been talking about lately. For more than four decades, Pasadena Mayor Johnny Isbell has had his feet sunk deep into the city’s political landscape of smokestacks … Continue reading →

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Interview with Christina Sanders

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in District D is Christina Sanders. Sanders is a political and civic activist, and community organizer. She is the state director of the Texas League of Young Voters Education Fund, an affiliate of the League of Young Voters … Continue reading →

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The Mayor’s race in three numbers

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

1. Turnout In the 2009 runoff, there were 155,670 votes cast for Mayor. Annise Parker got 82,175 and Gene Locke got 73,495. In the 2011 general election, there were 118,414 votes cast for Mayor. Annise Parker got 60,135 and the … Continue reading →

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Hall’s five point crimefighting plan

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Houstonians do not feel safe in their homes and their communities. Houston’s crime numbers remain dangerously high and criminals are victimizing us daily. The only thing we hear from the Mayor’s office on this issue is silence. … Continue reading →

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Texas Military Forces asks for Abbott’s opinion on same-sex benefits

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Like we don’t know what he’s going to say. Here’s the dilemma: The Department of Defense, based on a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, has ordered certain benefits be extended to same-sex, legally married couples in the military. But the … Continue reading →

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Interview with Dwight Boykins

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We move now to District D, which is open with the term-limited end of CM Wanda Adams’ tenure. It’s easily the biggest field for any race, with 12 declared candidates. I’m not going to be able to interview them all, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Early to Rise appeal denied

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That pretty much wraps it up, for now at least. A controversial 1-cent property tax to buoy local preschools will not be on the November ballot following a Houston appeals court ruling. The 14th Court of Appeals, in an opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

How city candidates have voted in past primaries

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is great to see. The Harris County Democratic Party does not endorse candidates in the non-partisan City of Houston elections; however, in an effort to keep you informed as to which candidates are Democrats and which are not, we … Continue reading →

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Yes, but why is traffic so bad at these places?

Posted on September 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Two things that aren’t mentioned in this story but need to be. Two adjoining stretches of U.S. 59 in downtown and west Houston fared the worst regionally on an annual list of the 100-most congested freeways in the state, compiled … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for September 8

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The surprisingly conservative origins of streaking. Three words: Deep fried Nutella. You’re welcome. More energy efficient football stadiums, please. From the Eats, Shoots and Leaves department. “Imagine if, instead of just getting annoyed when the phone rings and it’s a … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 2 Comments

2011 maps not moot, 2014 primaries to be held on time

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Redistricting: [Friday] afternoon, the San Antonio court entered an order denying a request by the State of Texas to dismiss claims about the 2011 maps on grounds on mootness. The court’s order also granted requests by African-American and Hispanic … Continue reading →

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City and county make a deal on airport toll road revenues

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good. After two years of negotiations, the Houston City Council approved an agreement Wednesday that provides toll revenue from the airport connector to the city for the first time – 24.5 percent, to be precise. Officials at Harris County, which … Continue reading →

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Six new B-Cycle locations announced

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the B-Cycle monthly newsletter: 6 NEW B-stations coming this month! We are happy to announce our new locations! When we launched our pilot program in May of 2012 we were anxious and excited to see how Houston would respond … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Hallelujah, again

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Song #4 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Hallelujah”, originally by Leonard Cohen and covered by everyone on the planet many artists, in this case Jeff Buckley. Here’s the original: We’ve covered this one before, as it were. … Continue reading →

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