Monthly Archives: August 2018

Deterring dumping

Posted on August 11, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Tough problem, good use of technology. [Radny] Scales, a Harris County Environmental Crimes Unit lieutenant, and his team of nine investigators depend heavily on video cameras to crack down on illegal dumping, a crime that disproportionally affects the city’s poorest … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The range of Republican anxiety

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Some folks are a little scared about all this “blue wave” talk and poll numbers and what have you. As Ted Cruz took questions at a Republican women’s event [in Smithville] Saturday evening, Bastrop retiree Ronnie Ann Burt wanted to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The DACA hearing

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about this. The state of Texas will continue to incur irreparable financial harm if an Obama-era immigration program isn’t halted immediately, attorneys for the state argued in Houston on Wednesday. But lawyers representing nearly two dozen recipients … Continue reading →

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Firefighter pay proposal officially on the ballot

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As required. Houston voters in November will choose whether to grant firefighters pay “parity” with police of corresponding rank and seniority. After weeks of wrangling over the issue — including angry debates, rare legislative maneuvers and allegations of electioneering — … Continue reading →

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Day Two flood bond EV totals

Posted on August 10, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry I wasn’t able to post the Day One totals yesterday, but here are the Day Two EV totals for the flood bond referendum. So far 4,984 people have voted in person, with almost exactly the same number on Monday … Continue reading →

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July 2018 campaign finance reports: State House

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We’e seen a lot of very good campaign finance reports, all of which speak to the enthusiasm and engagement of Democrats this cycle. This batch of reports is not as good. These are July reports from State House candidates, take … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bail practices lawsuit hearing

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

We so need to be done with this. More than a dozen Harris County misdemeanor judges contend that public safety would be imperiled if they followed an “untenable” new pretrial release order by a Houston federal judge who has found … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Culberson’s continued stock problems

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Oopsie. Two members of Congress from Texas — Republican U.S. Reps. Mike Conaway of Midland and John Culberson of Houston — purchased stock in a company last year that is now at the center of insider trading charges against one … Continue reading →

Posted in Scandalized! | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of August 6

Posted on August 9, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance knows that weekly blog roundups are not a crime.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Flood bond referendum: Interview with Jen Powis

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, early voting for the flood bond referendum on August 25 begins today, running through the 21st. There are a lot of groups and organizations that are keenly interested in this bond issue and how it will affect … Continue reading →

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More details on the flood bond referendum

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting starts today. The Harris County Flood Control District on Monday released its complete list of projects that would be funded by the county’s $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond proposal, two days before early voting on the measure begins. … Continue reading →

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San Antonio looking at driverless car pilot program

Posted on August 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Driverless cars could be sharing the road with San Antonio motorists in the not-too-distant future. The City is requesting information about a potential autonomous vehicle pilot program that would inform how driverless cars are eventually used and regulated. “As … Continue reading →

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July 2018 campaign finance reports: State Senate

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to having a full slate of Congressional candidates for the first time since the 90s, we have a nearly-full slate of contenders for the State Senate as well. Of the twelve Republican-held Senate seats up for election this … Continue reading →

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Poll shows flood bond referendum in good shape

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Standard caveats apply. A majority of Harris County voters say they will support a $2.5 billion flood infrastructure bond at the polls later this month, according to University of Houston research released Monday. Sixty-two percent of residents who said they … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

It’s been three years since Ken Paxton was indicted

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Surely that’s worth noting. It’s been three years since Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was indicted for securities fraud, and his Democratic challenger marked the date — with cake. Justin Nelson, a Houston attorney vying to strip the Republican incumbent of his title, released a YouTube video campaign ad … Continue reading →

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Flood bond referendum: Interview with Ed Emmett

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, early voting for the August 25 flood bond referendum begins this week, on Wednesday the 8th. Those of you who make the effort to show up and vote will get to decide whether or not to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Arkema indictments

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This will cause a stir. A Harris County grand jury on Friday indicted the French chemical company Arkema and two executives for the “reckless” release of toxic chemicals during Hurricane Harvey last August, a move that alarmed industry leaders and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

One federal court orders DACA restored

Posted on August 6, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

But hold on, because there’s another ruling to come. A federal judge on Friday upheld his previous order to revive an Obama-era program that shields some 700,000 young immigrants from deportation, saying that the Trump administration had failed to justify … Continue reading →

Posted in La Migra, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Weekend link dump for August 5

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Everything you ever wanted to know about soybeans but were afraid to ask. Some Game of Thrones prequel news to hold you off. Just a story of two people on the internet ruining a stranger’s life for no particular reason. … Continue reading →

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From the “Many are called, but few are chosen” department

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Here are your non-standard choices for the November election. Independent candidates Candidates unaffiliated with a political party are allowed access to the general election ballot as long as they file the necessary paperwork and gather a certain number of signatures — depending … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lots of Harvey waivers out there

Posted on August 5, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

And good for the school districts that got them. The vast majority of Houston-area school districts will be eligible for academic accountability waivers this year due to Hurricane Harvey, meaning they will be labeled “not rated” unless they score an … Continue reading →

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PPP: Cruz 46, O’Rourke 42

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Once, twice, three times a poll result. A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that the Texas Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and Democratic candidate Beto O’Rourke is competitive as O’Rourke continues to close the gap. In the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Stalking Sessions

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It sure would be sweet to beat Pete. The man who engineered the 2010 Republican takeover of the House is racing to save himself in his own election this year — and he admits, in so many words, that President … Continue reading →

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Rape kit backlog lawsuit dismissed

Posted on August 4, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. A federal judge has dismissed a 2017 lawsuit two rape victims filed against Houston’s current mayor and police chief and five sets of predecessors, among others, for allowing a backlog of rape kits to accumulate over decades without being … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quinnipiac: Cruz 49, O’Rourke 43

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Two polls in one week. A new poll released Wednesday morning suggests a tightening race between U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke. The newly released poll from Quinnipiac University gives Cruz a 6-point lead: 49 percent of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

ReBuild re-vote

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Sort of. It’s complicated. Eight years after voters narrowly backed the idea, the controversial street and drainage program known as ReBuild Houston is expected to appear again on the November ballot in the form of an amendment to the city … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Early voting for the flood bond referendum

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a little weird, but there’s two full weeks of it and for the most part you can vote at the usual places. Harris County will have 25 balloting locations during the first weekend of early voting for the $2.5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Lyceum: Cruz 41, O’Rourke 39

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Good result, though the others with it could be better. A new poll released Wednesday suggests that U.S. Sen Ted Cruz and U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-El Paso, are in a dead heat. The poll from Texas Lyceum shows Cruz … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Trib profiles Kim Olson

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this: Wherever she goes, Kim Olson carries with her packets of wildflower seeds advertising her campaign to unseat Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Olson calls the seed packets her “calling card.” She distributes … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2018 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

First look at Metro’s long range plan

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

It’s big, with smaller components that could be done as lower-cost alternatives. After a bus system overhaul that garnered the attention of other cities looking to do the same, Houston’s transit agency is in the midst of creating its long-range plan, MetroNEXT, to take the … Continue reading →

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

Texas blog roundup for the week of July 30

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

There is no recording of the Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup. And if there were, we would deny all knowledge of it.

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Gallego versus Flores in the SD19 runoff

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Get set for a noisy runoff. Republican Pete Flores and Democrat Pete Gallego are headed to a runoff in the special election to replace convicted former state Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio. With all precincts reporting Tuesday night, Flores led … Continue reading →

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Firefighters file suit over handling of pay parity proposal

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

I figured we’d have to wait till after the eventual vote on the firefighters’ pay parity proposal for there to be litigation over it, but no. The union representing Houston firefighters sued Mayor Sylvester Turner and a City Council member … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Osuna trade

Posted on August 1, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

When I heard that the Astros had traded for Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna, currently serving a 75-game suspension for violating MLB’s policy on domestic violence (and also still awaiting his day in court for charges relating to said domestic … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment