Monthly Archives: February 2025

Solar For All grants caught in a trap

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They can’t get out, at least not at this time. More than $400 million in federal funding for Texas-based organizations to implement clean energy programs remains frozen, jeopardizing efforts to expand access to rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems in … Continue reading →

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HISD joins lawsuit against social media companies

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Houston ISD is set to join a nationwide lawsuit that argues several major social media companies fueled an “unprecedented mental health crisis” among young people — and should pay school districts for the fallout. HISD’s state-appointed board unanimously voted … Continue reading →

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Interview with Anthony Rios and Ringo Bosley of the Houston Progressive Caucus

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I reported on the creation of the Houston Progressive Caucus a couple of weeks ago, and as is my habit I had some questions about their mission and strategy beyond what was contained in their press release and on their … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Starbase City gets its vote

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Company town incoming. Cameron County’s top elected official on Wednesday signed an order clearing the way for an election that would allow employees of SpaceX’s South Texas launch site to make it the county’s newest city. The order, signed by … Continue reading →

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Buzbee’s client drops lawsuit against Jay-Z

Posted on February 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Well, well. An Alabama woman who said she was raped by rappers Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs when she was 13 withdrew her civil lawsuit against both men on Friday, according to court filings. The unidentified woman in December added … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 16

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Daisy is, of course, not a real grandmother but an AI bot created by computer scientists to combat fraud. Her task is simply to waste the time of the people who are trying to scam her.” “Stories of Resistance: Lessons … Continue reading →

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Republicans don’t care at all about the NIH cuts

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Or on their constituents or even themselves. For years Republicans and Democrats alike have touted the medical breakthroughs at Texas medical research institutions like MD Anderson and Baylor College of Medicine. But after President Donald Trump announced a policy change … Continue reading →

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On paying for school security

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Lege passed a big unfunded mandate in 2023 for schools to hire more security guards. They’re under some pressure to pay up for it this session, though there’s plenty of reason to think they’ll still cheap out. Since Texas … Continue reading →

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Ismaeli Center update

Posted on February 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

An almost-20-year saga is drawing to a close. I’m excited to see what the end result is. Work has resumed on the massive Ismaili Center near Buffalo Bayou after the death of the Aga Khan IV, the leader of the world’s millions … Continue reading →

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Dr. Carpenter ordered to stop sending abortion pills to Texas

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And we’re off. A Collin County judge has ordered a New York doctor to stop prescribing abortion-inducing medication to Texas residents and ordered her to pay a $100,000 fine. Thursday’s ruling is the opening salvo in what’s expected to be … Continue reading →

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Yeah, still more measles

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The number keeps going up. As a West Texas measles outbreak continues to worsen, experts are concerned an increase in nonmedical vaccine exemptions among schoolchildren could make such outbreaks more common. Twenty-four cases of the highly contagious respiratory illness have … Continue reading →

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Texas A&M’s nukes

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. The Texas A&M University System has selected four companies to explore developing advanced nuclear reactors on its Rellis research campus in Bryan, university officials announced Tuesday morning. Each of the four companies — Kairos Power, Natura Resources, Aalo Atomics and … Continue reading →

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Here’s that Whitmire government efficiency report

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m whelmed. A sweeping study of Houston’s 22 departments, their finances and operations revealed potential misuse of city credit cards and a pressing need to streamline city government to make it more efficient, according to an executive summary obtained by … Continue reading →

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Appeals Court hears Catholic Charities case

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hoping for a good outcome. A Texas appeals court panel on Wednesday appeared skeptical of the procedure used by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office as it sought to question under oath the leader of one of the state’s largest migrant … Continue reading →

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Dispatches from Dallas, February 14 edition

Posted on February 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. It’s been a while since we’ve had news from Dallas-Fort Worth because your humble correspondent has had her first run-in with Covid. It’s been … Continue reading →

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Mike Miles gets graded

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Needs improvement”. State-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles lost several points in his annual performance evaluation from the board for failing to effectively communicate with community members and for not prioritizing a positive culture, according to recently released district records. … Continue reading →

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RRC finds no fault in that Energy Transfer Pipeline explosion

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What’s a giant fireball among friends, am I right? An investigation by Texas regulators into the massive pipeline explosion in Deer Park last fall has found no safety violations by the pipeline’s operator Energy Transfer Company – a determination drawing … Continue reading →

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Is this the end of the penny?

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It could be. President Donald Trump says he has directed the Treasury Department to stop minting new pennies, citing the rising cost of producing the one-cent coin. “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of February 10

Posted on February 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance remembers when widespread lawbreaking was considered a bad thing as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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The NIH cuts’ effect on Texas

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just wondering if any of our state leaders have a reaction to this attack on our state’s economy. Texas universities could lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds that support biomedical research if a Trump administration policy withstands … Continue reading →

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Beryl was stronger than we thought

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some lessons for the future here. A new report from the National Hurricane Center found that Hurricane Beryl roared into the upper Texas Gulf Coast with maximum winds of 92 miles per hour, just 3 miles per hour shy of … Continue reading →

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Lyft gets into the robotaxi business

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of course they are. Ride-hail giant Lyft plans to bring fully autonomous robotaxis, powered by Mobileye, to its app “as soon as 2026” in Dallas, with more markets to follow, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The news comes a day before … Continue reading →

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One of the judges Ken Paxton helped elect wants to reform judicial campaign finances

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And I support him! Honestly, I’m as surprised as you are. David Schenk, the new presiding judge on Texas’ Court of Criminal Appeals, is on a mission to make sweeping changes to the rules governing judicial elections in the Lone … Continue reading →

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Paxton appeals SCOPE Act rulings

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. An Austin-based federal judge ruled Friday that some aspects of a Texas law limiting minors’ access to digital platforms likely violate the First Amendment, a decision Attorney General Ken Paxton immediately appealed. Northern District of Texas Judge Robert … Continue reading →

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Fighting back with Amy Hagstrom Miller

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Great article. In the frenetic days following the November election, longtime abortion provider Amy Hagstrom Miller spent a lot of time in meetings—some in person, some on Zoom—rallying her troops. As one of the most prominent, and tenacious, independent abortion … Continue reading →

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January 2025 campaign finance reports – Senate and Congress

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Harris County offices City of Houston And the cycle starts anew. There will be new names coming and current ones departing in the coming months, but to close the circle here’s where things stood after Election Day. The October … Continue reading →

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More on the legal attacks against Dr. Carpenter of New York

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Slate legal expert Mary Ziegler weighs in on Louisiana’s attempt to prosecute New York doctor Margaret Carpenter for sending abortion pills to a woman in that state. Dr. Carpenter has also been sued by Ken Paxton for the same thing … Continue reading →

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Uber teams up with Waymo in Austin

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. Uber customers in Austin may notice a new offer when they open the app and hail a ride: an invitation to signal their interest in a Waymo robotaxi. For now, this doesn’t translate into a Waymo picking them up. … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 9

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Happy Super Bowl Sunday to all who celebrate! “Rep. Brittany Pettersen of Colorado, a Democrat, just became the 13th voting member of Congress to give birth in office. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, a Republican, was the 12th when … Continue reading →

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More blocks on the SCOPE Act

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some late Friday news. A federal district court on Friday has issued more temporary blocks on provisions of a Texas law designed to restrict what kinds of materials and advertisements minors can see on social media and age verification requirements. … Continue reading →

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2024 was a bad year for traffic deaths in Houston

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise, unfortunately. Asked amid a flurry of design changes and shifts in street policy whether he was abandoning Houston’s goal of eliminating vehicle deaths by 2030, Mayor John Whitmire in February 2024 said a goal for the future … Continue reading →

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Still more measles

Posted on February 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Still nothing to freak out about! Right!? At least 10 cases of measles — eight of which are among school-aged children — have been reported in Gaines County in West Texas over the past two weeks, driving worries of an … Continue reading →

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Hollins’ warning about the budget

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is where we are. Houston could face a $330 million deficit in the next fiscal year – up by approximately $100 million after the Texas Supreme Court denied the city’s motion to appeal a years-long court battle over street … Continue reading →

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Menefee gets the go ahead to fight against Trump executive orders

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Go get ’em. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee wants to go on the offense against President Donald Trump’s executive orders, which he argues would have lasting effects on Harris County. Harris County Commissioners approved the county attorney’s request to pursue litigation … Continue reading →

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