Monthly Archives: April 2014

Don’t forget about Kesha

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the HuffPo: Texas Democrats are working hard in the U.S. Senate race — against a member of their own party. Activists in the state want to make sure that Kesha Rogers doesn’t get their party’s Senate nomination because she … Continue reading →

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Pratt Mess gets messier

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

How much worse can it get? Hundreds of divorce, child support and custody cases dating back to 2012 will have to be revisited – and possibly sent back to trial – as a court administrator sorts out what he called … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for April 6

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The national divorce rate is a more complicated question than you might think. Who wants to get hoaxed about marrying a prince? The best day of the week to buy groceries is Wednesday. “Put aside, for now, the shameless hypocrisy … Continue reading →

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Pasadena lurches towards redistricting

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting ugly. A Pasadena councilwoman was forcibly ejected by armed officers and the mayor was accused of packing a gun during recent meetings on a controversial redistricting plan. Councilwoman Pat Van Houte was removed from a meeting Tuesday on … Continue reading →

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National ag groups not happy with Republicans

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about immigration reform. Craig Regelbrugge, who co-chairs the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, says a large majority of his group’s members — which include large and small farming enterprises and growers all around the country — are Republican, … Continue reading →

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News flash: The Bigfoot exhibition was a fake

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I know, I’m as shocked as you are. After a falling out with his Bigfoot crew, master tracker Rick Dyer, whose new title may be “con artist”, admitted that the 8-foot tall body named “Hank” that wooed crowds last month … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Baby Come Back To Me

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Time for some vocal harmonies, and a great place to start with that is The Manhattan Transfer. Here’s their oft-covered version of “Baby, Come Back To Me (The Morse Code Of Love)”: If you’re around my age, you probably saw … Continue reading →

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Enforcing non-discrimination

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In her annual State of the City address, Mayor Parker put a long-awaited item on the table. Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday said she would create a human rights commission to review violations of anti-discrimination laws, saying just talking about … Continue reading →

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Perry special prosecutor is “concerned”

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As are we all. A special prosecutor investigating whether Gov. Rick Perry abused his authority when he eliminated state funding of the Texas public integrity unit — which investigates government corruption and is housed in the Travis County district attorney’s … Continue reading →

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The new North Forest High School

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really rooting for them to succeed. It’s not going to be easy. While most schools measure progress by test scores and scholarship dollars, North Forest High School students point to the lack of bathroom fires as a sign that … Continue reading →

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Astrodome: Deep Space Nine

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is now my favorite idea for What To Do With The Dome. Right now the folks in Houston are trying to figure out what to do with the Astrodome, which has been sitting vacant for several years. Many plans … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Presidenting is hard work, part 1

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

For no particular reason, I got it in my head to see what kind of song lists I could make by using artists with the same name as the Presidents. Turns out I could make two lists’ worth. Here’s the … Continue reading →

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Collier’s sales tax criticism of Hegar makes the news

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That’s how you do it. Democrat Mike Collier, a certified public accountant from Houston, will start airing television ads criticizing opponent Glenn Hegar, a Republican state senator from Katy, for his support to phase out property taxes and increase state … Continue reading →

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The rideshare battles continue

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston: The issue came up at yesterday’s council meeting and Mayor Annise Parker said that undercover Houston police sting operations have resulted in 26 citations for Uber and Lyft drivers. They were likely, misdemeanor violations for operating an illegal … Continue reading →

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It’s called “social media”, Ted

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Ted Cruz is shocked, shocked to learn that his silly little Facebook poll got shared with some people who weren’t supposed to answer it. An old maxim about the law – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s chosen profession – holds that … Continue reading →

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The Mayors opine for high speed rail

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They pen an editorial in its favor. We are proud to be mayors of three of the largest and fastest-growing cities in America. Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston have weathered the recent economic downturn and are now the engines powering … Continue reading →

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Abbott’s pre-K plan

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s about what you’d expect from someone who isn’t particularly interested in improving public education. Announcing the first of his education policy proposals Monday, Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott called for reforming pre-kindergarten programs before expanding access, saying that additional … Continue reading →

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Another lawsuit against HB2 to be filed

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… Less than a week after a federal court upheld two new Texas abortion requirements already in effect, abortion providers announced plans to file a second lawsuit targeting additional regulations that the Republican-led Legislature passed … Continue reading →

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How can we miss you if you won’t go away?

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Denise Pratt is a gift that keeps on giving. Denise Pratt may not be gone just yet. Two days after announcing her immediate resignation as presiding judge of the 311th family District Court – and the suspension of her re-election … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of March 31

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance is glad that so many people will be getting health insurance even if that number should have been much higher as it brings you this week’s roundup. Off the Kuff pushes back on some happy talk … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: Republican primary election

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve done the Democrats, so now let’s take a look at the Republicans. In this case, I did have a few specific questions in mind, so my approach here will be a little different. First, we all know that Steve … Continue reading →

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Perry says Texas will not comply with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Amazing the number of laws Rick Perry refuses to obey, isn’t it? More than a decade after the Prison Rape Elimination Act unanimously passed Congress, federal standards for implementation of the law have been finalized. Now, Gov. Rick Perry and … Continue reading →

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Fearing the fire reform

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Rumblings of coming reforms in Houston Fire Department’s operations have union leaders and the department’s command staff wary, despite Mayor Annise Parker’s insistence that these concerns are unwarranted. HFD’s staffing shortage has driven up overtime … Continue reading →

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Cleaning up Pratt’s mess

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s up to the other judges now. The administrative judge for Harris County’s nine family courts said Monday it could take months to sort out the mess left behind in the 311th family court following the abrupt resignation of its … Continue reading →

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And the first open enrollment period comes to an end

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of people signed up in the last few days of enrollment. Some tried but came away empty. Some of the hundreds of Houstonians who sought last-minute help enrolling for the Affordable Care Act on Sunday left thrilled to have … Continue reading →

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Always going backwards

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the Republican Party of Texas. When the Texas Republican Party made a guest worker program part of its 2012 platform, it was hailed as an important step forward for the party. The GOP needed to adjust itself, people said, … Continue reading →

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Burnam election challenge update

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Moving along, but no timeline as yet. A state district judge from Denton County will oversee a case involving long-time state Rep. Lon Burnam‘s accusations that votes were cast illegally in the Democratic Party primary last month. State District Judge … Continue reading →

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The CFPB is almost ready to roll out payday lending regulations

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t wait to see what they come up with. Whenever governments start thinking about cracking down on small-dollar, high-interest financial products like payday loans and check cashing services, a shrill cry goes up from the businesses that offer them: You’re … Continue reading →

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