Monthly Archives: July 2015

Auditing HCDE

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see about this. Later this summer, state auditors are expected to release their final report on the Harris County Department of Education. They’ve been examining the agency since last December. Superintendent James Colbert told lawmakers about it at a … Continue reading →

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Mayoral finance reports: Out of town cash and max donors

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

You may have noticed that there’s a lot of money in the Mayoral race this year, even after subtracting what the candidates have given or loaned to themselves. You may be wondering where all that money came from. This post … Continue reading →

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Seeking GLBT support in the Mayor’s race

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

In a crowded field where a small number of votes could be the difference between making the runoff and not, endorsements will be of greater importance. One endorsement that several Mayoral candidates would really like to have if the endorsement … Continue reading →

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Vetoes: You’re doing it wrong

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Some of Gov. Greg Abbott’s line-item vetoes in the state budget might be invalid, the state’s Legislative Budget Board said in a 14-page letter sent Tuesday to Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. The director of the LBB said the governor’s … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of July 20

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance asks #WhatHappenedToSandraBland as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Interview with Greg Travis

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We come now to our second and final interview in District G. There are only two candidates for this open seat, which is a lot fewer than you might normally expect. It’s quality that matters more than quantity, of course, … Continue reading →

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Dashcam video from Sandra Bland arrest released

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Press has a good writeup. I’m just going to quote the two bits of transcript they provided: “What’s wrong?” the trooper asked as he delivered Bland her ticket. “You seem very irritated.” “I really am, because I feel like … Continue reading →

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

Paxton concedes FMLA lawsuit

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Excellent. Almost a month after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton quietly conceded a case against the federal government over medical leave benefits for certain same-sex couples. Paxton and the … Continue reading →

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The future of Fort Bend transit

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Public transportation in Fort Bend County has grown quite a bit since its inception, and there’s a lot of potential for future growth if the pieces can be put into place. On Tuesday, county leaders, staff and transit partners gathered … Continue reading →

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Mayoral finance reports: PACs and consultants

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take a deeper dive into Mayoral candidate fundraising by examining one of the main categories of raised funds, and one of the main categories of spent funds. I speak of PAC money for the former, and consultant fees/staff salaries … Continue reading →

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Sandra Bland’s death being investigated as a homicide

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t mean that’s how it will be ruled, but it’s at least a sign that it’s being taken with appropriate seriousness. The probe into Sandra Bland’s hanging death inside a Texas jail — which a medical examiner ruled a suicide … Continue reading →

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Controller philosophies

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a Chron story from a candidate forum for Controller candidates at which the main subject was the relationship that Controllers have with Mayors. “It’s the second-highest elected official in city government, and it needs to be independent to provide … Continue reading →

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More allegations against Kelly Siegler

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here they come. Howard Guidry was 18 years old when he was charged being the triggerman in a 1994 murder-for-hire case that involved a Missouri City police officer and his estranged wife. Twice he was convicted and sent to death … Continue reading →

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Interview with Sandie Mullins Moger

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We move on now to the other open district seat, which is District G, currently held by CM Oliver Pennington. G is a Republican district stretching out to the west, just south of I-10, encompassing the Energy Corridor, the Galleria, … Continue reading →

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Will there be TMF-Menendez round 2?

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. Who knows? Last February, Jose Menendez beat Trey Martinez Fischer to serve the remainder of Leticia Van De Putte’s term when she decided to run for mayor. Campaign finance reports filed Wednesday may point to a rematch this fall. … Continue reading →

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We don’t want to share marriage with those icky gay people

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ed Kilgore detects a new trend. Now that the Christian Right has been reduced to the sputtering defiance of Mike Huckabee and Bobby Jindal or to the sullen silence of many others, one can hope that conservative acceptance of same-sex … Continue reading →

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Abbott sides with auto dealers

Posted on July 20, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, Tesla. Giving a nod to long-established franchised auto dealerships, Gov. Greg Abbott says Texas doesn’t need to carve out a loophole in its laws that would allow Tesla to sell its high-end electric cars directly to consumers. “Texas has … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for July 19

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

“Their latest results reveal that descendants of people who survived the Holocaust have different stress hormone profiles than their peers, perhaps predisposing them to anxiety disorders.” Interns are not volunteers and should not be treated as such. How to make … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s partner in alleged crime

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Fritz Mowery, the man who helped get AG Ken Paxton into trouble. Fritz Mowery was on a mission. Last April, he tried to convince investment clients to sign backdated forms saying they knew Ken Paxton had received money for … Continue reading →

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The David Temple case

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have not followed this very closely, but it definitely deserves all the attention it has received. There’s a 1,300-page offense report detailing the investigation into the fatal shooting of Belinda Temple in 1999. There are audio tapes of witnesses … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Boy Scouts rescind ban on gay adults

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

About time. The executive committee of the Boy Scouts of America has unanimously approved a resolution that would end the organization’s blanket ban on gay adult leaders and let individual Scout units set their own policy on the long-divisive issue. … Continue reading →

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It’s hard out here on a recycler, part 3

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

A story in the WaPo about the ongoing struggles of the recycling business. Once a profitable business for cities and private employers alike, recycling in recent years has become a money-sucking enterprise. The District, Baltimore and many counties in between … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Groove Me

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One of the great cover bands of our time, the Blues Brothers: It’s been over 33 years since John Belushi died. Every now and then I wonder what kind of career he would have had if he had managed to … Continue reading →

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Mayoral ad spending

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a look at one of the more visible aspects of all the money that Mayoral candidates have raised or loaned themselves so far. Despite taking in a total of more than $7 million, Houston’s mayoral candidates spent … Continue reading →

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More on the state’s refusal to issue birth certificates

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The Observer follows up. Two legislators have weighed in on the controversy over Texas’ refusal to grant birth certificates to some children of undocumented families. On Wednesday, Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, vice chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, … Continue reading →

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Preview your bus route change

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From Write On Metro: The New Bus Network is designed to make our service better and more convenient for you. Before it debuts on Aug. 16, you can get a preview of exactly how your new route will be changed. … Continue reading →

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Please don’t feed the gators

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Should be obvious, but apparently not to everyone. In the time it took for something to hit the water and the unseen creature lying in wait to snap at it, the legend of the “killer gator” was born. It didn’t … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Revisiting the Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Songs list, part 4

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Here again is the RS list. 1. Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) – Sly and the Family Stone (#410) 2. (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Öyster Cult (#405) 3. Remember (Walkin’ in the Sand) – Aerosmith (#404, … Continue reading →

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Interview with Jason Cisneroz

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We come to the last of the interviews I did in District H, where current Council Member Ed Gonzalez is termed out. Today’s candidate, Jason Cisneroz, is a former staffer for CM Gonzalez, and for CM Adrian Garcia before him. … Continue reading →

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What happened to Sandra Bland?

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is horrible. There are big questions about the final hours of Sandra Bland’s life. The official story is that the 28-year old committed suicide by hanging herself in a Waller County jail cell. Her family doesn’t buy it. Bland, … Continue reading →

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Revisiting birth certificates

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

This is one of those next steps that needs to be taken. After the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage, some gay and lesbian couples in Texas have raised questions about another legal document – birth certificates. They want Texas … Continue reading →

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Whither the monarch butterfly

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

We should try to keep them from going extinct. That would be bad. The state’s chief financial officer has approved a $300,000 grant to investigate why the number of monarch butterflies is declining in Texas, and what can be done … Continue reading →

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Finance reports come trickling in

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As always, the Mayoral reports lead the story. Former Harris County Sheriff Adrian Garcia closed out the first half of the year with more than $1.3 million in the bank, eclipsing City Councilman Stephen Costello by a mere $7,423. According … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit filed over state refusal to issue birth certificates

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure this won’t be contentious at all. For nearly 150 years, the United States, under the 14th Amendment, has recognized people born here as citizens, regardless of whether their parents were citizens. But Texas has other plans. In the … Continue reading →

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