Monthly Archives: May 2025

Harris County DA drops criminal charges against Hotze

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. The Harris County District Attorney’s Office dropped four felony charges filed against Republican activist Steven Hotze, bringing an abrupt end to the case accusing him of plotting a election conspiracy-fueled assault on an AC repairman in 2020. The DA’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County DA drops criminal charges against Hotze

Bail disreform advances

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Bad. The Texas House on Monday advanced a sweeping package to crack down on bail laws, setting a longtime priority of Gov. Greg Abbott’s — to keep more dangerous people accused of violent crimes behind bars — on its clearest … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bail disreform advances

Lege set to do more social media bans

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The Texas Legislature is poised to impose sweeping restrictions on how minors use social media, from banning them from signing up for accounts and requiring parental consent to download applications, to placing … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lege set to do more social media bans

Still more about those CenterPoint generators

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure CenterPoint will be happy when there are no more stories about the cursed things. CenterPoint Energy “did not adequately follow its own practices” in leasing power generators that went mostly unused after Hurricane Beryl, despite their nearly $1 billion price … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Still more about those CenterPoint generators

The South Texas situation

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The new TDP Chair would like to improve the party’s performance in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley. Democrats are ready to fight for South Texas. That is the message Kendall Scudder, the new chair of the Texas Democratic … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Of course cuts to Medicaid would hurt Texas

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They will hurt millions of people around the country, and hospitals and more as well. Texas hospitals are facing a freeze in billions of dollars in federal Medicaid funding under a budget proposal introduced by House Republican leaders Sunday night. … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of course cuts to Medicaid would hurt Texas

Five DAs sue Paxton over new reporting requirements

Posted on May 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them good luck. Five Texas district attorneys are suing Attorney General Ken Paxton in two separate lawsuits filed Friday over new rules that would give the state’s top law enforcer meticulous access to their office’s records. The two … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Five DAs sue Paxton over new reporting requirements

Weekend link dump for May 18

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Companies have long fought off attacks from hackers hoping to exploit vulnerabilities in their software, employees or vendors. Now, another threat has emerged: Job candidates who aren’t who they say they are, wielding AI tools to fabricate photo IDs, generate … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 1 Comment

So are we about to see the beginning of the end of the Mike Miles regime?

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe. With weeks until the deadline to announce a potential extension of the state takeover of Houston ISD, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath expressed strong support Wednesday for the “spectacular” reforms that have occurred in the district since June 2023. Morath must … Continue reading →

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

We really should be composting more

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not too late to start. Alex Cantoran parks his truck at the final house on the block, jumps out and grabs the five-gallon white bucket sitting near the edge of the property. He unscrews the lid quickly. Inside are … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We really should be composting more

It should still be the same old RenFest

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. The Texas Renaissance Festival will soon be under new ownership, but will remain much the same as it has been for the last half century, attorney Anthony Laporte of Houston law firm Hanszen Laporte tells CultureMap. “All … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on It should still be the same old RenFest

Measles update: Maybe we really are slowing to an end

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t get much slower than that. Texas health officials reported only one new case of measles on Friday, the smallest increase since the outbreak began four months ago. The latest update from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Measles update: Maybe we really are slowing to an end

The end of the road for the Texas Lottery Commission

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And possibly for the Lottery, though not immediately. The Texas Senate unanimously approved a bill that would abolish the Texas Lottery Commission, move the state’s game to a different agency and add several new restrictions on how lottery tickets can … Continue reading →

Posted in Jackpot!, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The end of the road for the Texas Lottery Commission

Pour one out for the Houston Landing

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

CityCast Houston sends off the non-profit local news organization that deserved better. The Houston Landing made a huge splash when it launched as a local non-profit newsroom in 2023. But this week, it’s closing down. So, what went wrong? Host … Continue reading →

Posted in Other punditry | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Pour one out for the Houston Landing

Houston hospitals have done worse with the abortion ban than Dallas hospitals have

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Unacceptable. Nearly four years ago in Texas, the state’s new abortion law started getting in the way of basic miscarriage care: As women waited in hospitals cramping, fluid running down their legs, doctors told them they couldn’t empty their uterus … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Houston hospitals have done worse with the abortion ban than Dallas hospitals have

Sexual harassment case against former candidate Agwan settled

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Closing the book on an ugly chapter. A lawsuit accusing a former Congressional candidate and a member of his campaign staff of sexual misconduct in 2023 was dropped earlier this month following a settlement out of court, according to Harris … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sexual harassment case against former candidate Agwan settled

Dispatches from Dallas, May 16 edition

Posted on May 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

This is a weekly feature produced by my friend Ginger. Let us know what you think. This week, in news from Dallas-Fort Worth, we have: May election outcomes and the meanings thereof; who dumped money into PACs and what they … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Maria Rojas appeals clinic shutdown order

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Keep an eye on this. The Texas Attorney General’s Office can’t prove that a Houston-area midwife provided an illegal abortion, her lawyers say. In an appeal submitted to the Texas First Court of Appeals on Monday, lawyers for Maria Rojas … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Maria Rojas appeals clinic shutdown order

Spring Branch ID to appeal redistricting verdict

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Spring Branch ISD officials plan to appeal last month’s federal ruling that the district violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by holding at-large elections, the board president said Monday night after an executive session discussion. While awaiting … Continue reading →

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

We’re sinking

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I think at some level we all knew this was true. Groundwater and oil extraction are causing the ground beneath Houston to sink faster than any other major city in the U.S., according to a new study in Nature Cities. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on We’re sinking

Texas blog roundup for the week of May 12

Posted on May 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas Progressive Alliance can’t get enough Chicago Pope memes as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged , | Comments Off on Texas blog roundup for the week of May 12

Measles update: The wastewater still has something to tell us

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. An outbreak detection program found the presence of the measles virus in samples of Houston wastewater in early January 2025, before cases were reported, new findings show. The findings were possible because almost three years earlier, a team … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Measles update: The wastewater still has something to tell us

MLB reinstates Pete Rose

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Major League Baseball removed Pete Rose and other deceased players from MLB’s permanently ineligible list on Tuesday, an extraordinary twist to a saga that has gone on for more than three decades. The decision, announced by commissioner Rob Manfred … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Resolution Calling for the Banning of Ted Cruz at College Playoff Sporting Events

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, I’m a Democratic precinct chair. As of this year, so is my buddy Bill Kelly, who had been before that the head of Governmental Relations for Mayor Sylvester Turner. After long discussion and one too many “oh … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

One more poll item

Posted on May 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

A couple of points to note here. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) trails Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton by 16 points in a new poll commissioned by the Senate Leadership Fund, the GOP-leadership backed super PAC. SLF is supporting Cornyn. Their … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2026 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on One more poll item

How can we stand all this winning?

Posted on May 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Item 1: More than 1 million people count on Houston-area food pantries, which are staring down empty shelves after losing $11 million in federal funding. Until recently, 100 tractor-trailers full of federally-funded food pulled up each month to the Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mexico sues Google over Gulf of Mexico renaming

Posted on May 13, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was inevitable. Mexico has followed through on its threat to sue Google after the tech giant switched to the name “Gulf of America” on its digital maps, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced at a Friday news conference. Google Maps users in … Continue reading →

Posted in Around the world, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mexico sues Google over Gulf of Mexico renaming

Once more with Trump’s approval ratings in Texas

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. President Donald Trump is viewed favorably by 47% of Texas voters and unfavorably by 50%, putting his net favorability at -3. This is a significant decline since November, when Trump’s net favorability was +12 (55% favorable, 43% unfavorable). … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Who cares about weather disasters?

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Not the Trump administration. The Trump administration’s steep staff cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) triggered shutdowns of several climate-related programs Thursday. Perhaps most notably, the NOAA announced it would be shuttering the “billion-dollar weather and climate disasters” database … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Who cares about weather disasters?

Harris County claims early victory in lawsuit over mass federal layoffs

Posted on May 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

First round to the good guys, but there’s a lot more to happen. Harris County was among local governments and others claiming victory Saturday after a judge halted the Trump administration’s efforts to lay off federal employees. The county, local … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County claims early victory in lawsuit over mass federal layoffs

Weekend link dump for May 11

Posted on May 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

“Since its publication last Sunday, The New York Times Magazine article “Have We Been Thinking About ADHD All Wrong?” has been called provocative and controversial. We would like to add a few adjectives: misrepresentative, biased, and dangerous.” “Doxxing the Secret … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog stuff | Tagged | 4 Comments

The turnout effect in those school board races

Posted on May 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

In yesterday’s post we talked about the possible voucher effect in the recent school board elections, which were by and large a rout of the wingnuts. That same Chron story offered one more explanation at the end. While some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2025 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The turnout effect in those school board races

Be wary of the Trump mifepristone strategy

Posted on May 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Hmmmm. On Monday, Trump’s Justice Department slotted into a long-running, right-wing effort to get the abortion drug mifepristone restricted or yanked from the market altogether. Instead of joining forces with the red states challenging the drug, though, it largely picked … Continue reading →

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

A brief digression on wacky fan contests at sporting events

Posted on May 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I love this kind of stuff, and I hope you do too. Every night across the country, fans vie for prizes in contests staged during breaks in the action at sporting events big and small. In basketball, it might be … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on A brief digression on wacky fan contests at sporting events