Monthly Archives: February 2025

The Houston animal ambulance service

Posted on February 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. I had no idea. When a cat was stranded on the roof of a west Houston apartment complex at the height of this week’s winter storm, a 24/7 ambulance for animals responded to the call. The cat, which had … Continue reading →

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Remaining former Hidalgo staffer gets pre-trial intervention plea

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is basically a deferred dismissal of the charges. The former chief of staff for County Judge Lina Hidalgo accepted a pre-trial intervention deal Thursday on one charge linked to a controversial COVID-19 contract, ending a years-long political saga that … Continue reading →

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The kind of people we’re going to need to win back

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

So be careful when you encounter them. On a recent windy, cold afternoon in [El Paso], dozens of people gathered at a park for an immigrant rights demonstration to denounce the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Some held signs reading: “Immigrants … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024, La Migra | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

More construction chaos on the bike trails

Posted on February 7, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What the hell, man? Not one, but two popular trail bridges spanning White Oak Bayou were struck by loose construction materials from ongoing work along Interstate 10, closing both spans as well as a key stretch of trail, isolating portions … Continue reading →

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City to use Metro funds to help pay for that additional drainage stuff

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Sure is convenient havigna transit agency you can raid. Houston officials plan to offset a $100 million hit to the city’s budget in a recent legal ruling by using cash from the Metropolitan Transit Authority to spend more money on … Continue reading →

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From the “We got ghosted by Elmo’s airport tunnels” department

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Never ever trust anything that guy says. It’s been three years since a Bexar County agency gave the nod for an underground tunnel between the airport and downtown San Antonio. It now appears those plans have been tanked, but not … Continue reading →

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A look at that new ramp up from the White Oak Bayou trail

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I managed to get a better view of the new ramp up from the White Oak Bayou trail to Studemont: Even without the MKT Bridge being out of commission again, the trail network is completely disrupted by the I-10 elevation … Continue reading →

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Texas blog roundup for the week of February 3

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance mourns the victims of the plane crashes in DC and Philadelphia as it brings you this week’s roundup.

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Abbott says he’s for sports betting

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t really change anything, though. Gov. Greg Abbott is ready to allow online sports betting in Texas. In an exclusive interview for the Texas Take Podcast, Abbott said he has no objection to the Texas Legislature passing a law to … Continue reading →

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Hotze gets a pause on his civil trial

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Oh for crying out loud. The Texas Supreme Court stayed proceedings in a civil lawsuit filed against Republican activist Steven Hotze, amid his attempt to block claims over the alleged attack of a man targeted in a voter fraud conspiracy … Continue reading →

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Beep Baseball in Houston

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Some cool local history I didn’t know about. Houston’s blind athletes continue to impress our community with expanding participation in numerous sporting events. Long-time Oak Forest resident and native Houstonian Ronnie Bruns reflects on his time as one of the … Continue reading →

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January 2025 campaign finance reports – City of Houston

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Harris County offices Continuing with our January campaign finance report review, let’s check in on the current City of Houston elected officials and other people of interest. Candidate Raised Spent Loan On Hand ======================================================= Whitmire 52,900 61,210 0 2,432,442 … Continue reading →

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There are bills to require backup power for nursing homes and assisted living facilities

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but it’s a long way from filing to passing. When a storm hits the Texas coast during the summer hurricane season, state Sen. Borris Miles knows among the first calls he’ll get is from a constituent letting him know … Continue reading →

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More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Always consider the source. Tesla Inc. fleshed out plans to launch a robotaxi business Elon Musk is counting on to help usher in next phase of growth, after the company posted quarterly earnings that missed estimates. The electric-car maker expects … Continue reading →

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Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund analysis of the 2024 election

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund—a political action committee that is building and improving infrastructure to create conditions under which Democrats can win in Texas—released its preliminary breakdown of the 2024 election results. The data analysis, conducted in … Continue reading →

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Of course minors are seeking out of state abortions, too

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

What did you expect? At least 100 Texas children aged 17 and younger got abortions in other states during the first year after Texas banned the procedure, including six aged 11 and under, according to the latest state data available. … Continue reading →

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MKT Bridge closed again for repairs

Posted on February 3, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Dammit. The 100-plus-year-old MKT Bridge in Houston, a popular pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, is closed for an indefinite amount of time as the Texas Department of Transportation evaluates significant damage to the bridge after equipment from a nearby construction … Continue reading →

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Weekend link dump for February 2

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“The Jan 6 Pardons Are A Huge Liability for Trump”. An oral history of Twin Peaks. “Thousands of transgender service members serve in the military, though the exact number is unclear. Estimates from two research centers, the Williams Institute at … Continue reading →

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Louisiana indicts NY doctor for providing mifepristone

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And the stakes get raised again. A New York doctor was criminally indicted Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion pills to a girl in Louisiana in what appears to be the first time an abortion provider has been prosecuted since Roe … Continue reading →

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Bird flu and the zoo

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a big threat, which zoos are taking very seriously. Across the United States, bird flu is no longer a concern only for dairy and poultry farms — it’s now knocking on the gates of zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, putting some of … Continue reading →

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Colossal Biosciences update

Posted on February 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Money is not their problem. Colossal Biosciences, the company that’s famously on a mission to bring back the woolly mammoth and two other extinct species, has raised a $200 million Series C at a $10.2 billion valuation from TWG Global, … Continue reading →

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SCOTx rejects appeal of that zombie ReBuild lawsuit

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

End of the line. The Texas Supreme Court on Friday denied Houston’s motion to appeal a long-standing lawsuit requiring the city to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on street and drainage projects. Friday’s ruling could add yet another financial challenge to a strained city … Continue reading →

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More measles

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Nothing to see here! At least four cases of measles, including two involving school-aged children, have been reported in Texas in less than two weeks, putting state health agencies on alert. For some communities, this is the first case of … Continue reading →

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World Cup preparations update

Posted on February 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot happening. Houston is officially 500 days from hosting its first FIFA World Cup in the 95 years of the globe’s biggest tournament. Representatives of the FIFA World Cup 26 Houston Host Committee held a joint press conference … Continue reading →

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