Monthly Archives: September 2021

Interview with Sue Deigaard

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember how there are elections this fall? It’s true! Not for the city of Houston, but for HISD and HCC, and you know what that means – candidate interviews. As you may imagine, there are a few topics of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

The final Ike Dike plan

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s taken a long time to get to this point. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the final version of its Coastal Texas Study, which examines a proposed coastal barrier to protect the Houston region against storm surge. … Continue reading →

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COVID and college football

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We sure these sellout crowds are a good idea? At Virginia Tech last Friday, the packed crowd bounced to “Enter Sandman.” At the University of Wisconsin the next day, fans jumped around to “Jump Around.” College football and its crowd … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Weekend link dump for September 12

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“We condemn you to Websites From Hell, an archive of the internet’s ugliest websites”. Are you old enough to remember the McDonaldland character Grimace? Then do not read this, whatever you do. You don’t want to know. “A lecherous sunrise … Continue reading →

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Hospital systems have no excuse for not mandating COVID vaccines now

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So get on with it already. Local hospitals reacted Friday to President Joseph Biden’s sweeping vaccine mandates directed at the health care workers, who make up much of the Houston workforce. In a move that overrides Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A bit of good news in the wastewater

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’ll take it where I can get it. Community spread of coronavirus is on the decline from its recent summertime high, but experts warn that Labor Day gatherings and kids’ return to classrooms could bring a rash of new infections … Continue reading →

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Once again with the religious objection to a Texas anti-abortion law

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Stepping up again. The Satanic Temple has joined the legal wrangling to block or overturn Texas’ severe new abortion law. That law, which the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block this week, bans the medical procedure after six weeks, including … Continue reading →

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

Paxton sues several school districts over mask mandates

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever, dude. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Friday that he filed a lawsuit against Richardson ISD, following through on his pledge to sue school districts who mandate masks. The district defied Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order prohibiting local entities … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Going after the snitch sites

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this. When an anti-abortion group last week created a “pro-life whistleblower” website encouraging people to anonymously report violations of Texas’ new six-week abortion ban, a group of politically active Texans noticed one potentially fatal flaw. “They’re trying … Continue reading →

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The Census and gentrification

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some population trends of interest in Houston. People of color led Houston’s growth over the last 10 years, but that trend wasn’t reflected across all the city’s historic Black and Hispanic neighborhoods. Census data released earlier this month paints a … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

UH officially joins the Big XII

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Long time coming. Hello, Big 12. In a historic day, the University of Houston has accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference. The Big 12’s presidents voted unanimously Friday to formally invite Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and Central Florida … Continue reading →

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Justice Department sues over “heartbeat” law

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Justice Department sued Texas on Thursday over its new abortion restrictions law, Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters, a week after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block the law. Garland announced the lawsuit, filed in a federal district … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Now that’s a vaccine mandate

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. President Joe Biden on Thursday imposed stringent new vaccine rules on federal workers, large employers and health care staff in a sweeping attempt to contain the latest surge of Covid-19. The new requirements could apply to as many as … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

First Court denies en banc hearing for Paxton trial move

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We’re at a point in the Ken Paxton criminal case where it’s hard to adequately summarize the most recent development in a headline-sized bite. Attorney General Ken Paxton’s securities fraud case can be tried in his home county in North … Continue reading →

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Mayor Turner orders unvaxxed city employees to get tested twice a week

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So maybe get vaccinated, and avoid all the hassle. Unvaccinated city workers must get tested for COVID-19 twice a month and report their results to the human resources department, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced Wednesday. Turner signed an executive order implementing … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

More on the AG response to the “heartbeat” bill

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, like this. Democrats on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee are calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Department of Justice to prosecute people who are now empowered to file lawsuits against abortion seekers under Texas’ new abortion … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

We really need a mask mandate at every school district

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or we can just accept a lot more hospitalized kids. Easy choice if you ask me. The number of Texas children hospitalized with COVID-19 hit an all-time high over the weekend, with 345 on Saturday and 307 on Sunday, the … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another catastrophe averted, for us

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Sooner or later our luck is going to run out. If Hurricane Ida had veered west and hit Galveston, its 15-foot storm surge could have devastated the city and plowed up the Houston Ship Channel, smashing into residential communities and … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Texas blog roundup for the week of September 5

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance stands with the abortion providers and patients of Texas as it brings you this week’s rounup.

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Special election set for HD118

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The last of the vacancies to be filled at this time. Gov. Greg Abbott has picked Sept. 28 as the date of the special election to replace former state Rep. Leo Pacheco, D-San Antonio. The candidate filing deadline is Monday, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Three more lawsuits filed against the voter suppression law

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a law now, and the legal machines are humming to do something about it. Though delayed by Democratic quorum breaks, Texas has officially joined the slate of Republican states that have enacted new voting restrictions following the 2020 election. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Special session 3.0

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, we knew it was coming. Still too soon. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday announced a third special legislative session that will begin on Sept. 20 and tackle redistricting, restrictions on transgender student athletes and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “The Texas Legislature now has the opportunity to … Continue reading →

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The federal response to the “heartbeat” bill

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I hope it amounts to something, and I hope they’re quick about it. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday the Department of Justice is “urgently” exploring ways to challenge Texas’ strict new abortion law, but did not specify what … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Bike trail connections news

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s something nice and simple and good, because we could use that. The White Oak Bayou Greenway and MKT Trail will soon be connected. The city announced Thursday that the two trails will be linked by a 850-foot connection, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Precinct analysis: SBOE

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE Fort … Continue reading →

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The tab for voter ID

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Impressive. Texas remains responsible for nearly $6.8 million in legal fees and costs owed to the collection of parties who sued over its voter ID law. Though the state ultimately won the long-winding fight to keep the voter ID law … Continue reading →

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The Big XII is finally ready for UH

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hope it was worth the wait. Five years after a potential match fizzled, the University of Houston and Big 12 Conference are on the verge of uniting after all. UH has emerged as a leading contender to join a reconfigured … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Just a reminder, no one is enforcing Abbott’s mask mandate ban

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In case you had forgotten. While Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is speaking out against mask mandates in schools and suing to stop some Texas school districts from enacting them, in reality his order banning such mandates has gone largely unenforced … Continue reading →

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

The contract health worker surge

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t know how sustainable this is. Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, president and CEO of Harris Health System, said the hospitals in the system were at a breaking point when he learned that 100 temporary medical workers were being sent to help. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Weekend link dump for September 5

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

“Baseball For All’s message to women and girls: You don’t have to stop playing the game you love”. “The ideal host for Jeopardy! should embody what the show means to its viewership: a passion for knowledge and a respect for … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

Morning Consult also finds a decline in Abbott’s approval rating

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Now we have two points. Two Republican governors famed for their antagonistic approach to some COVID-19 safety measures have seen their popularity decline this summer as they presided over some of the country’s worst COVID-19 spikes. But for Florida Gov. … Continue reading →

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The silence of the businesses

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

What if they passed a law that effectively nullified Roe v Wade and no one reacted? And by “no one”, I mean the businesses that had previously stood up for abortion rights in 2019 when multiple state legislatures were trying … Continue reading →

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Plaintiff in Constable Precinct 1 lawsuit responds

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

She’s not having it with the dismissal of Constable Alan Rosen as a defendant from the lawsuit. The booze-fueled undercover hotel operations were bad. Felecia McKinney’s worst moment at the Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, however, came two years ago, during … Continue reading →

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

New felony court coming

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Your 2022 ballot is about to get longer. A new Harris County felony court will open Sept. 1 after decades of population growth and no new criminal district judges. The addition comes as judges, prosecutors, administrators and defense attorneys battle … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments