Monthly Archives: July 2014

Helping the hungry of Montgomery County

Posted on July 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Though many are familiar with [Montgomery County]’s growth, thanks to the wealth of The Woodlands and the coming Exxon corporate campus just down Interstate 45, fewer see the poverty and hunger dispersed … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Helping the hungry of Montgomery County

One point of perspective on the repeal petitions

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the Chron story about the HERO-haters turning in their repeal petitions. Opponents of Houston’s new non-discrimination ordinance Thursday turned in well more than the minimum number of signatures needed to trigger a November vote on whether to repeal the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Walking a mile in their ankle monitors

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

You have to admire this kind of dedication to one’s office. Though she has never been convicted of a crime, Marsha McLane is having her every movement these days tracked by a satellite-monitored anklet, just like thousands of ex-cons in … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Walking a mile in their ankle monitors

The Dallas and Houston rail experiences

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s useful to compare, but mostly as an academic exercise. The new Dallas Area Rapid Transit line links riders to the region’s major airport. Houston’s new Purple and Green lines, years in the making, come up far short of what’s … Continue reading →

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

We really need to do better on vaccinations

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, PhD, MPH and self-proclaimed “crunchy granola hippie”, writes in the Rivard Report about how we are letting infectious diseases regain a foothold. In 1998, the World Health Organization declared that measles would be eradicated worldwide by 2007. In … Continue reading →

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

Weekend link dump for July 6

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

News flash: Spending a lot of time on your butt watching TV may be bad for your health. If you’re going to take money from the devil, you really need to do some serious good with it. “How did you … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | Comments Off on Weekend link dump for July 6

In defense of Ivy Taylor

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Ivy Taylor is a San Antonio City Council member. She’s currently considered a frontrunner to succeed outgoing Mayor Julian Castro once he leaves to become Housing Secretary. Her elevation to Mayor would be historic, as she would be the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Houston’s payday lending ordinance is now in place

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Part of me hopes that there’s a lot of complaints, and part of me hopes there’s very few. Houston’s stringent new rules on payday and auto title lenders took effect Tuesday, reviving industry complaints that it would drive companies out … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston’s payday lending ordinance is now in place

Maglev pods in the sky

Posted on July 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And now for something completely different. skyTran, Inc., headquartered at the NASA Research Park (NRP) near Mountain View, California, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), a company headquartered in Lod, Israel, entered into an agreement today for the construction of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Maglev pods in the sky

Back to the drawing board for the city and the firefighters’ union

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t expect much at this point. Negotiators for the city of Houston and its firefighters union will return to the bargaining table to discuss a new labor contract weeks after union members soundly defeated the last proposed deal, Mayor Annise … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Back to the drawing board for the city and the firefighters’ union

Hands off a hardbody

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is the most interesting theater-related story involving a canceled play that I’ve ever heard about. Theatre Under The Stars and director Bruce Lumpkin kicked up a heap of dust with the company’s production of “Hands on a Hardbody,” which … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Hands off a hardbody

Make sure you check for zebra mussels

Posted on July 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

New boating rules are in effect in an effort to combat the spread of zebra mussels. Starting on [July 1], boaters are going to have to take an extra step to clean their vessels if they want to cruise around … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Make sure you check for zebra mussels

“The luckiest man on the face of the earth”

Posted on July 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Seventy-five years ago today, Yankees great Lou Gehrig said farewell to baseball and the fans at Yankee Stadium with one of the most memorable speeches of sports history. Here’s an old newsreel of Gehrig’s career and a clip from his … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “The luckiest man on the face of the earth”

Get ready to defend the HERO

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Surrounded by members of the community who are impacted by the ordinance, Mayor Annise Parker announced today that the City will mount a vigorous effort to defend Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance from being repealed. “The Houston I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2014 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Get ready to defend the HERO

Why would you want to regulate that?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, what are a few fiery explosions among friends? Members of the state House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee have been struggling for several months over how to respond to last year’s massive explosion at the West Fertilizer … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why would you want to regulate that?

John Bradley’s second act

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Falkenberg brings a fascinating and unexpected update to the story of John Bradley, the former Williamson County DA and Texas Forensic Science Commissioner who served as one of the main villains in the Michael Morton case. Since losing elected … Continue reading →

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

The Mexican abortion option, one year later

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Exactly as predicted. The Alamo flea market sits right off South Texas’s lengthy Highway 83; a sprawling, dusty, labyrinth of a place. Under canopies in the converted parking lot, vendors in dark sunglasses stand behind tables heaped with piles of … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Mexican abortion option, one year later

Texas blog roundup for the week of June 30

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of June 30

HISD redistricting underway

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, the Houston Independent School District now includes all of the former North Forest ISD. The addition of all that new territory, and especially all those new voters, means that the existing HISD Trustee districts will have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Uber is working hard to make itself unlikeable

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s almost as if it’s a deliberate part of their business plan. “We’re in a political campaign, and the candidate is Uber, and the opponent is an asshole named Taxi,” Travis Kalanick, the CEO of ride-sharing company Uber, said while … Continue reading →

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

One less food desert

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: With high hopes of more to come, Mayor Annise Parker, Council Members Stephen Costello and Dwight Boykins, the Houston Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and others broke ground on the first project to target a Houston food desert. With … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on One less food desert

Don’t kill no-kill

Posted on July 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t like the look of this. Stricter enforcement of a previously obscure state regulation is threatening the no-kill movement across Texas and could result in animal shelters euthanizing tens of thousands of additional pets each year, advocates warn. A … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Don’t kill no-kill

Mayor Parker discusses her possible political future again

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

After making a rousing speech at the TDP convention, Mayor Annise Parker talked about some possible paths she could take for a future statewide campaign. Parker said she would be interested in running for any number of statewide positions when … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor Parker discusses her possible political future again

A lesser overpass

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not very happy with this. A City Council delay in contributing funds for a contentious East End overpass will likely lead Metro back to build a span only for its light rail line and not drivers, and without some … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What do the Mayors want?

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Action on climate change. The U.S. Conference of Mayors, a bipartisan group that represents the leaders of 1,400 cities, each of which is home to at least 30,000 people, has called on the Obama administration and Congress to “enact an … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What do the Mayors want?

Bill King gets on the reimagining bus

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve made plenty of sport about Chron columnist Bill King’s failure to acknowledge Metro’s proposed new bus routes despite his longstanding argument that Metro should be prioritizing bus service over light rail, so it’s only fair that I acknowledge that … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Bill King gets on the reimagining bus