Tag Archives: coronavirus

Will Methodist fire its unvaccinated workers?

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In two weeks, if they haven’t gotten vaccinated, the answer is Yes. Dozens of cheering supporters gathered outside the Houston Methodist Baytown campus Monday evening as several medical workers who refused to get a COVID-19 vaccine ended their last shifts … Continue reading →

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What are the limits on limiting vaccination requirements?

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Carnival will require COVID vaccinations for all passengers cruising from Galveston: Carnival Cruise Line today announced plans to begin cruising from the Port of Galveston on July 3. Cruises will be open to customers who are fully … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Traffic deaths are way up

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not good, y’all. With traffic levels returning to normal levels post-COVID, Texas is on track for more than 4,000 deaths on state roads, a total unseen since the mid-1980s when the state had millions fewer residents and far deadlier streets, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

What was the effect of Texas’ early re-opening?

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a new study by a trio of economic researchers that attempts to answer questions about the behavioral, public health, and economic effects of Greg Abbott ending the statewide mask mandate and all restrictions on how businesses can operate, all … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

No limits imposed on Governor’s powers in an emergency

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. The state Legislature won’t curtail Gov. Greg Abbott’s pandemic powers, after members of the House and the Senate failed to hash out their differences over it. The measure, House Bill 3, was priority legislation in the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Here comes our boring budget

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Save the drama for the budget amendments. A few months into the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sylvester Turner painted a dire picture of the city’s finances as he laid out his plan to balance last year’s $5 billion city budget. Like … Continue reading →

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

More on Millard House

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron does a profile of the finalist for the HISD Superintendent job. Early in his tenure as an associate superintendent with Oklahoma’s Tulsa Public Schools, Millard House II found himself thrust into an education administrator’s nightmare: closing campuses and … Continue reading →

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Hospitalizations are down

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Very good news. The number of Texans hospitalized for COVID-19 this week hit its lowest mark in nearly a year, the latest sign that the state is turning a corner. According to the state Department of State Health Services figures … Continue reading →

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The kids are getting vaxxed

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good news. In the first week that Texas adolescents were eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19, after a year of pandemic-induced isolation from their families, peers and classrooms, more than 100,000 kids ages 12-15 poured into pediatricians’ offices, vaccine hubs … Continue reading →

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HISD may have a reprieve

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For one year, if this bill passes as is and if the Supreme Court doesn’t intervene. The Texas House advanced a meaty education bill Tuesday that dramatically reduces the stakes of state standardized tests in 2021-22 and gives Houston ISD … Continue reading →

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Two arguments against Abbott’s rollback of extended unemployment insurance

Posted on May 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad economic policy. “I’m still nervous that we’re bowing out of this program before the labor market is fully healed,” said Dietrich Vollrath, an economics professor at the University of Houston. “The bad consequences of doing too much is … Continue reading →

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Threat level down

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Been waiting for this for some time. Harris County finally will downgrade from its highest COVID-19 threat level, County Judge Lina Hidalgo said Monday evening, after 47 weeks of urging residents to stay home. Hidalgo said the effectiveness of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Abbott ends mask mandates

Posted on May 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This guy, I swear. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that public schools can no longer require masks on their campuses starting June 5. The decision was part of a new executive order that bans governmental entities in Texas — like … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Of course business groups want Abbott to cut off unemployment payments

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Completely on brand. The Texas Association of Business and more than three dozen other business groups are pushing Gov. Greg Abbott to cut the additional $300 in federal benefits currently going to unemployed Texans. Nearly 1 million Texans remained unemployed … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Giving a hand to music venues

Posted on May 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This is a good idea. Qualifying Texas music venues could get up to $100,000 each in tax rebates on alcohol sales under legislation that has passed the House and Senate and now is on its way to Gov. Greg Abbott … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reopening schools and the COVID rate

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Reopening schools led to more COVID cases. I mean, this is not a surprise, right? When Texas schools returned to in-person education last fall, the spread of the coronavirus “gradually but substantially accelerated,” leading to at least 43,000 additional cases … Continue reading →

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

You can lose the mask if you’re fully vaxxed

Posted on May 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Do your part, reap the reward. Federal health officials reversed course Thursday and advised that people who are fully vaccinated can stop wearing masks and observing social distancing in most indoor and outdoor settings. It’s welcome news for many who … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Pfizer shot approved for younger kids

Posted on May 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yes! The Food and Drug Administration cleared the first coronavirus vaccine for emergency use in children as young as 12 on Monday, expanding access to the Pfizer-BioNTech shot to adolescents ahead of the next school year and marking another milestone in … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

House passes its bill to limit Governor’s emergency powers

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure if this is going to make it through the Senate. The Texas House on Monday gave preliminary approval to a sweeping bill that would reform the governor’s emergency powers during a pandemic and involve the Legislature during such … Continue reading →

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Houston gets to have a boring budget

Posted on May 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Thanks, President Biden and all you voters in Georgia! Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to use an influx of federal cash to give firefighters a “raise the city can afford,” expand the Houston Police Department and replace lost revenue from the … Continue reading →

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Please get your second shot

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I hope this is mostly a function of incomplete data. Millions of Americans — including tens of thousands of Houstonians — either have delayed or are forgoing their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccination. As of late last month, roughly … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Houston’s hospitals are still busy

Posted on May 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. While local hospital leaders aren’t sounding the alarm about capacity concerns, we heard a similar story from leaders at St. Luke’s and Houston Methodist: hospital beds and emergency rooms are regularly filling up as both health systems continue to … Continue reading →

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

Trib polling roundup, part 3

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Once more, with approval ratings. Texas Democrats think Joe Biden is doing a good job as president, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Texas Republicans don’t. Overall, the president gets good grades from 44% of Texas voters … Continue reading →

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Trib polling roundup, part 1

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

On COVID and vaccinations. Texas voters are feeling safer about being out in public, and better about getting COVID-19 vaccines, but a majority of the state’s voters still consider the coronavirus a “significant crisis,” according to a new University of … Continue reading →

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The COVID wastewater tracking project has been a big success

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This has been one of the best things to come out of this interminable and miserable COVID experience. Lauren Stadler’s environmental engineering students always pose the same question at the beginning of a semester: “What happens to water in the … Continue reading →

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A little incentive

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

If it takes a reward of some kind to get a few more people to be vaccinated against COVID, I’m fine with that. To increase the rate of vaccinations, the Harris County Commissioners Court approved giving incentives to citizens. At … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

The best time to buy a house in Houston was last year

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or the year before that, or the year before that… The O’Neals are part of a nationwide real estate frenzy playing out in Houston that is propelling prices to new highs. Houses are frequently drawing multiple offers, often above the … Continue reading →

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

Alcohol to go passes both chambers

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Off to get a signature. The Texas Senate on Wednesday passed a measure to permanently allow Texans to purchase alcohol to-go from restaurants, advancing a shared goal of Gov. Greg Abbott and restaurateurs. House Bill 1024, which cleared the lower chamber last … Continue reading →

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State finally releases most federal stimulus funds for schools

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

About damn time. Texas’s top state leaders announced Wednesday they are releasing $11.2 billion out of nearly $18 billion available in federal pandemic relief funding that has been dedicated for the state’s public schools. The announcement comes as education advocates … Continue reading →

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We need to up our vaccination data game

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

As noted before, it gets harder from here. As the initial mad rush for COVID-19 vaccines wanes, Texas is shifting its distribution strategy to focus on smaller providers, setting up a crucial test for the state as it attempts not … Continue reading →

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Census apportionment numbers are in

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Texas will gain two seats in Congress, which is one fewer than had been expected based on population growth estimates. Texas will continue to see its political clout grow as it gains two additional congressional seats — the most of … Continue reading →

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Houston Methodist tells its employees to get vaxxed or else

Posted on April 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’m okay with this. Four out of five Houston Methodist employees are vaccinated against COVID-19. The sliver who are not will be suspended or fired if they refuse the shot, according to company policy. The hospital required managers to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Now it gets harder to vaccinate people

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We reached this point pretty quickly. The hill gets steeper from here. After months of not having enough COVID-19 vaccines to meet demand, Texas suddenly appears to have plenty of shots but not as many people lining up to receive … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

You will eventually need a COVID booster shot

Posted on April 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Just get used to the idea. More than 28 percent of Texans 16 and older are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, having received either one shot of the Johnson & Johnson or two of Moderna or Pfizer. But as scientists … Continue reading →

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