Monthly Archives: May 2014

Meet T-TESS

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Texas has a new teacher evaluation system on the way. It won’t come without a fight. Texas’ more than 380,000 public school teachers are girding for a tumultuous few years as a new method of grading their performance is expected … Continue reading →

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The Uber/Lyft debate comes to Austin

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Get ready, y’all. The discussion around Austin’s public transportation debate has been at times both fevered and nuanced, driven in large part by social media. There have been discussions about lightrail, late-night bus service, parking ticket waivers, taxi driver accountability … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of May 12

Posted on May 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance says Bring Back Our Girls for this post-Mother’s Day roundup.

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Today is the day for the non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday’s open Council session and today’s vote will provide one last chance for fearmongering before the NDO finally passes. Among clergy trading pulpit for soap box is the Rev. Ed Young, senior pastor at Houston’s Second Baptist Church, who denounced … Continue reading →

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

Burnam loses appeal in election contest

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another setback. A local appeals court will not require Tarrant County election officials to release all applications for mail-in ballots received for this year’s race for House District 90. State Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, who has represented House District … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Metro still aiming for an overpass

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll be glad when this is settled. Metropolitan Transit Authority officials said they must consider the need to extend the line east of Hughes Road, the potentially costly and time-consuming underpass construction, and the potential environment fallout after a discovery … Continue reading →

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

FEC approves Bitcoin for campaign contributions

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the right call. The Federal Election Commission on Thursday voted to allow political committees to accept Bitcoin donations and outlined the ways that the virtual currency can be used by federally regulated campaigns. Responding to a request from a … Continue reading →

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Another story on the huge inequities of our property tax system

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Houston Press returns to an old favorite. “I’ve been sued every year by [JW Marriott],” says Michael Amezquita, the fiery chief appraiser of the Bexar County Appraisal District, which is currently ­facing $10.3 billion in appraisal-reduction litigation compared to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Sriracha delegation arrives in California

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Can you feel the excitement? The self-styled “sriracha delegation” of Texas lawmakers heads to Irwindale, Calif., on Monday to woo the maker of a popular hot sauce to the Lone Star State. And the makeup of the delegation makes clear … Continue reading →

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SEC complaint filed against Paxton

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if anything comes of this. Days after Texas regulators fined Sen. Ken Paxton $1,000 for working for a financial firm without registering with the state, a plaintiff’s lawyer filed a similar complaint with the U.S. Securities and Exchange … Continue reading →

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Another expansion of single stream recycling

Posted on May 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker and Harry J. Hayes, Director of the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD), are pleased to announce the addition of 62,000 to the City’s popular automated curbside recycling program. As part of the expansion, residents … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Interview with David Alameel

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, I tried to interview Democratic Senate candidate David Alameel prior to the March primary. For one reason or another, the two of us were never quite able to connect up and make it happen. Well, he … Continue reading →

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It was a bad week for the strip clubs

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another adverse court ruling. A state appeals court on Friday upheld the legality of the state’s so-called “pole tax” on nude entertainment clubs, the latest decision in a six-year battle by Texas officials to collect the $5-per-customer fee from more … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

More on Achievement School Districts

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Chris Barbic, the founder of YES Prep and the superintendent of Tennessee’s Achievement School District, one of the models for Greg Abbott’s education plan, weighs in on what these things are and are not. First, by law, the Tennessee ASD … Continue reading →

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SD04 special election results

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s Creighton versus Toth in the runoff, as expected. Preliminary voting results show that Montgomery County state representatives Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, and Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, will face off in a June runoff for the District 4 seat. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for May 11

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Happy 50th birthday, BASIC. I sure hope there will be a celebration we can all GOTO. /rimshot I’ve eaten crickets before, in Japan. I’d eat cricket chips as described in that post. 17 Lies We Need to Stop Teaching Girls … Continue reading →

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Nearly 200,000 ACA signups in Houston area

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Not too shabby. Like the rest of the country, the Houston area appears to have benefited from a last-minute surge in people signing up for federally mandated health insurance. At least 197,650 local residents enrolled in the program, figures released … Continue reading →

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More on Abbott and Duntsch

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer follows up its earlier reporting on disastrous doctor Christopher Duntsch and the efforts of Greg Abbott to ensure he is never held accountable for his actions. When I wrote about Duntsch last August, there were quite a few … Continue reading →

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The money is the problem

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A story of interest from North Carolina. The ad first appeared on television the Friday before last, a black-and-white spot charging that Justice Robin Hudson coddled child molesters and “sided with the predators” in a North Carolina Supreme Court dissent. … Continue reading →

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It’s like the drought never really went away

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

If it ever did go away it didn’t go far, because here it is again. Even as light rain moved through the region Thursday, Houston officially slipped back into a moderate drought. Although most areas only recorded a few hundredths … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Birdland

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Time for some jazz, which in the 70’s was often married with funk. Here’s the standard of that type and that era, “Birdland”, originally by The Weather Report: Was there a high school jazz band in the 80s that didn’t … Continue reading →

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More on the Pratt resignation deal

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still shaking my head about this. The Harris County district attorney still could investigate and charge former family court Judge Denise Pratt, despite striking a deal with the freshman jurist to resign to avoid prosecution on charges of tampering … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Chron overview of Dem Ag Commissioner runoff

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s the same story we’ve known all along. Texas Democrats’ dreams of taking over statewide offices surely never envisioned the kind of race they have in the primary runoff for agriculture commissioner where musician and writer Kinky Friedman faces off … Continue reading →

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Shark Week in the Gulf

Posted on May 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You got your goblin sharks. Shrimpers fishing in the Gulf of Mexico have pulled up an incredibly rare, almost prehistoric looking goblin shark. It’s only the second sighting of such a beast in the Gulf. The freakish shark is one … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Blame Canada

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Another Friday random ten list inspired by another list on the Internet I stumbled across. Here are ten of Canada’s favorite songs, by Canadian artists, from that list. 1. If I Had $1000000 – Barenaked Ladies 2. Heart of Gold … Continue reading →

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Pratt’s resignation deal

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Now here‘s an interesting twist to the story. Former family court Judge Denise Pratt’s resignation in late March was part of a deal to avoid indictment, Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson said Wednesday, asserting that the document tampering case … Continue reading →

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

Metro unveils draft bus re-imagining

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your proposed new bus system. Transit planners kicked off a major shift in Houston bus service Thursday, betting that the benefit of faster service on key routes will outweigh riders’ concerns about adjusting to new schedules and service patterns. … Continue reading →

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

San Antonio City Council has its first hearing on Uber and Lyft

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds pretty familiar. Chief William McManus said Wednesday that the Police Department might impound vehicles belonging to Lyft and Uber drivers if they continue to violate the city’s regulations for vehicles for hire, such as taxis and limos. The city … Continue reading →

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

Combs tells strip clubs to pay up

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs is pressing the state’s strip clubs to cough up millions of dollars she says they owe under a new “pole tax” even though the $5-a-patron fee still faces a court challenge. “Any claim that ongoing … Continue reading →

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Jay Aiyer: Consider a local option for pre-k

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Note: From time to time, I solicit guest posts from various individuals on different topics. While I like to think I know a little something about a lot of things, I’m fortunate to be acquainted with a number of people … Continue reading →

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NDO vote will be next week

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The proposed non-discrimination ordinance was on Council’s agenda yesterday, but it did not come to a vote as it was tagged, which means it’ll be voted on next week. The Chron’s preview story gave some insight into what we should … Continue reading →

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Let’s talk about the Dome

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Time for a come to Judge Emmett meeting about everyone’s favorite historic yet threatened local landmark. Emmett said he wants to use the meeting next Wednesday to clear up any confusion surrounding last week’s unanimous vote by the state’s Antiquities … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of May 5

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance strongly supports efforts everywhere to eradicate inequality as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Davis steps up attacks on Abbott over CPRIT

Posted on May 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Progress Texas gets the ball rolling. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) was supposed to provide funding for cancer research. But soon after its implementation, the multi-billion dollar entity was awarding grants to donors of Rick Perry … Continue reading →

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