Monthly Archives: January 2017

Appeals court tosses Paxton prosecutor payment lawsuit again

Posted on January 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Round and round we go. The three lawyers prosecuting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton can continue to get paid, at least for now, a Dallas appeals court decided this week. For more than a year, local real estate developer Jeffory … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 22

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Watch this video of 15-year-old Francesca Belibi becoming the first girl to dunk in a Colorado high school basketball game. She’s only been playing basketball for 16 months. “Show creator Matthew Weiner and production company Lionsgate have donated the Mad … Continue reading →

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Voter ID hearing postponed

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I fear this is a portent of things to come. Within hours of Donald Trump being sworn in as president Friday, a Corpus Christi federal court postponed a scheduled hearing in the Texas Voter ID case until next month at … Continue reading →

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A warning from North Carolina

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Are we listening? A North Carolina mayor issued a warning Thursday to Texas lawmakers concerning Senate Bill 6, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s anti-transgender bathroom bill. Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said a similar law in the Tarheel State — House Bill … Continue reading →

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Be careful what you flush

Posted on January 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Yeesh. Grease blockages are the main cause of Houston’s epidemic of sewer overflows, a problem so widespread that it has drawn the city into negotiations with the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The multibillion-dollar enforcement action that could result – likely … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Oh, (You) Pretty Woman

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Technically, these are two different and differently-named songs, but I think you’ll forgive me. First, here’s the one and only Roy Orbison, with a backing band of semi-famous people, crooning “Oh, Pretty Woman”: Yeah, you might recognize one or two … Continue reading →

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State Supreme Court will take up same sex marriage appeal

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Somehow, this wasn’t the worst thing that happened yesterday. After pressure from Texas GOP leadership, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court on Friday reversed course and agreed to take up a same-sex marriage case. Despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s legalization of … Continue reading →

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Kerner announces intention to run in CD07

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

In other candidate news, it has come to my attention that at Monday night’s Meyerland Democrats meeting, former HCDE Trustee Debra Kerner announced her intention to run against Rep. John Culberson in CD07. Kerner was elected to an At Large … Continue reading →

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One for the road

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

How about one last lawsuit against the federal government, for old times’ sake? Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday announced he, along with 13 other mostly Republican-led states, would sue the federal government yet again to block a recently … Continue reading →

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Friday random ten: Ladies’ night, part 29

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

And so it begins. 1. Not Bad For A Broad – Patty Larkin 2. In The Highways – The Peasall Sisters (from “O Brother Where Art Thou”) 3. Love/Hate – Pebbles (“Beverly Hills Cop II”) 4. Gonna Be An Engineer … Continue reading →

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Still more HCDP Chair hopefuls

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, from precinct chair Sterling Camp: 10 Possible County Chair Candidates I’ve been emailed that Keryl Douglas, former executive director of Houston NAACP, will be running for County Chair. The list grows to 10. Tomaro Bell Robert Collier … Continue reading →

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Planned Parenthood still in Medicaid

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

For now, pending judgment. U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks on Thursday delayed Planned Parenthood’s ouster from the state’s Medicaid program until Feb. 21. […] During closing arguments Thursday hearing, attorneys from both sides cited clips from the video. Sparks … Continue reading →

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Bagwell, Raines, Pudge elected to Hall of Fame

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations! The most exclusive team in sports has five new members. Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez join John Schuerholz and Bud Selig as the Class of 2017. Today’s Game Era candidates, John Schuerholz and Allan H. “Bud” Selig … Continue reading →

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Paxton courts the business lobby

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what to make of this. Making his case for the “bathroom bill” to Texas business leaders, Attorney General Ken Paxton said Tuesday that Senate Bill 6 would have a narrow focus, and he urged them to listen to … Continue reading →

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Dukes indicted

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Boom. A grand jury has indicted state Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, on abuse-of-office charges, the Travis County District Attorney’s office said Wednesday. She could face up to 28 years in jail and fines of up to $138,000. The first indictment … Continue reading →

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Judge affirms Pasadena redistricting order

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Back to the previous map, pending appeal. Hours after candidates began filing paperwork to run for city office, a federal judge Wednesday denied a request by Pasadena officials to delay her order that the city election be run under an … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of January 16

Posted on January 19, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance already really misses President Obama as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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What I’m looking for in the next HCDP Chair

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Following up on yesterday’s post, here are a few issues I’ve been thinking about regarding the position of HCDP Chair. 1. Focus on voter registration My main takeaway from this past election is that Harris County is now fundamentally blue, … Continue reading →

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Here we go again with Planned Parenthood and Medicaid

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Rooting for another injunction. Texas officials are back in federal court this week over abortion-related policy, this time to defend efforts to oust Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. Planned Parenthood has asked U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks to block the ouster … Continue reading →

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“Nixon in China” returns to HGO

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is very cool. It’s been three decades since the Houston Grand Opera presented John Adams’ “Nixon in China,” the company’s beloved world premiere that changed not only how modern political operas were viewed but signified an audacious move by … Continue reading →

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Pasadena will appeal redistricting ruling

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. An attorney representing the city of Pasadena said Tuesday the city will appeal a ruling that found Pasadena deliberately violated the voting rights of its Hispanic population, a move that could have immediate consequences for the city’s … Continue reading →

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So who is running to succeed Lane Lewis as HCDP Chair?

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It has been over a month since Lane Lewis announced his impemding departure as HCDP Chair. Since then, I have been asked by multiple people if I have heard from any potential candidates to replace him. My answer has been, … Continue reading →

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The GLSEN 2015 National School Climate Survey

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A lot of the stuff we talk about when we discuss Dan Patrick’s bathroom bill is business – the opposition from businesses, the political ramifications of a GOP/business schism, the economics of the bathroom bill, etc etc etc. But schools … Continue reading →

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Professional Integrity

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I like this. Former judge David Mendoza has been tapped to lead the newly created division of professional integrity for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. He will be advising the 700 employees in the district attorney’s office – including … Continue reading →

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Final ruling in Pasadena redistricting lawsuit

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

It’s official – back to the original map. With candidate registration set to begin Tuesday, a federal judge Monday prohibited the city of Pasadena from using an unconstitutional redistricting scheme in the upcoming May elections, stating that the scheme violated … Continue reading →

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It’s all bathrooms, all the time

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

People are paying attention to Dan Patrick’s anti-LGBT bathroom bill, and for the most part they do not like it. In early February, the Super Bowl will be in Houston and in late March, the women’s Final Four will be … Continue reading →

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The Super Bowl economic impact calculators have figured out it’s all a game

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve adjusted their methods in anticipation of your criticisms. With less than a month to go before the big day, let no one say that Super Bowl LI — as an economic event, not a football game — has been inadequately forecast. … Continue reading →

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More Paxton-versus-SEC stuff

Posted on January 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Keeping the lawyers busy. Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton say the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cannot “shoot first and investigate later” as they seek to block 15 new subpoenas issued by the SEC. It is the latest … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for January 15

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

“As a result, a broader array of financial institutions now are in a potentially powerful position over the incoming president. If the Trump businesses were to default on their debts, the giant financial institutions that serve as so-called special servicers … Continue reading →

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Sung and Vilaseca sworn in at HISD

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The HISD Board is back at full strength. As Anne Sung and Holly Flynn Vilaseca took their oaths of office and became Houston ISD’s newest Board of Education trustees on Thursday, their husbands swaddled their months-old babies in one hand … Continue reading →

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Where we begin with school finance

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

A nice overview from the Trib on school finance, where the problems are many and the budget situation is non-optimal. The current system is held together by a number of short-term fixes that have not been updated or reformed in … Continue reading →

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Who wants to rent their house out to Super Bowl visitors?

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t, but some people hope to make a lot of money renting theirs. With the Super Bowl heading to Houston next month, locals are starting to see dollar signs as well, hoping to cash in on visitors’ willingness to … Continue reading →

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Saturday video break: Nowhere To Run

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s throw it back with Martha and the Vandellas: I love that music videos were being made in the 60s. MTV was a decade and a half away, something like this might get shown once on an “American Bandstand”-type show, … Continue reading →

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City loses appeal of procedural argument in term limits lawsuit

Posted on January 14, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Stay with me, because this is going to take a bit of explaining. A state appeals court on Thursday rejected the city’s procedural challenge to a lawsuit that could force Houston’s mayor and city council members to revert to three … Continue reading →

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