Tag Archives: Houston

Taxi companies file suit against Uber and Lyft

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Color me skeptical. Taxi companies in Houston and San Antonio took their turf war with two online companies to federal court Tuesday, saying Uber and Lyft are operating illegally and skimming money from taxi firms that abide by the law. … Continue reading →

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Counting votes on the non-discrimination ordinance

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Houston GLBT Political Caucus Facebook page: Members have asked for the responses on our questionnaires to the questions below. The President of the Caucus, Maverick Welsh, has asked me to post the information. As the chair of the … Continue reading →

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First Sunday Streets seemed like a success

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The weather was kinda lousy but there were plenty of people out on White Oak Street on Sunday. The city of Houston closed a 2.5 mile stretch of Quitman and White Oak to motor vehicles for four hours on Sunday, … Continue reading →

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Enforcing non-discrimination

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In her annual State of the City address, Mayor Parker put a long-awaited item on the table. Mayor Annise Parker on Thursday said she would create a human rights commission to review violations of anti-discrimination laws, saying just talking about … Continue reading →

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The new North Forest High School

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really rooting for them to succeed. It’s not going to be easy. While most schools measure progress by test scores and scholarship dollars, North Forest High School students point to the lack of bathroom fires as a sign that … Continue reading →

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Astrodome: Deep Space Nine

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This is now my favorite idea for What To Do With The Dome. Right now the folks in Houston are trying to figure out what to do with the Astrodome, which has been sitting vacant for several years. Many plans … Continue reading →

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The rideshare battles continue

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From Houston: The issue came up at yesterday’s council meeting and Mayor Annise Parker said that undercover Houston police sting operations have resulted in 26 citations for Uber and Lyft drivers. They were likely, misdemeanor violations for operating an illegal … Continue reading →

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The Mayors opine for high speed rail

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

They pen an editorial in its favor. We are proud to be mayors of three of the largest and fastest-growing cities in America. Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston have weathered the recent economic downturn and are now the engines powering … Continue reading →

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Fearing the fire reform

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Rumblings of coming reforms in Houston Fire Department’s operations have union leaders and the department’s command staff wary, despite Mayor Annise Parker’s insistence that these concerns are unwarranted. HFD’s staffing shortage has driven up overtime … Continue reading →

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A bumpy ride for Lyft in San Antonio

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Ride sharing service Lyft has made its move into San Antonio, where much like it did in Houston it is offering free rides while regulatory issues are negotiated. Unlike Houston, the official reception they got was distinctly unfriendly. Less than … Continue reading →

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When are we getting those trains again?

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Metro board has some doubts about railcar manufacturer CAF’s ability to keep its promises. Houston transit officials, worried that the light rail system might run short of trains for months after two new lines open, are not satisfied with … Continue reading →

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No more wobbly tables!

Posted on March 29, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I love this story. A Houston businessman has an idea that could rid the world of having to use drink coasters and napkins to stabilize restaurant tables. Steve Christian, owner of Houston burger institution Christian’s Tailgate Bar and Grill, believes … Continue reading →

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The Mayors love high speed rail

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As well they should. The mayors of Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth announced Thursday their unified support for the construction of a privately funded bullet train between the two metropolitan regions. “If successful, Houstonians will have a reliable, private alternative … Continue reading →

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Zipcar expands in Houston

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. A car-sharing service on Wednesday expanded from spots on the Rice University campus to other locations in Houston, providing city residents with another option for transportation. Zipcar is making available 25 vehicles in 10 different locations in Houston … Continue reading →

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Goal Zero Fatalities plan for bikes adopted

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the Mayor’s office: Mayor Annise Parker today announced the City and BikeHouston are joining forces to launch a major bike safety campaign to enforce and educate motorists and cyclists about the existing Safe Passing Ordinance, as well as create … Continue reading →

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Last minute health insurance enrollment help

Posted on March 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) will open four of its multi-service centers on Sunday and extend their business hours next Monday to help people sign up for a health insurance plan by the Affordable … Continue reading →

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Makeup days

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry, kids. Houston area schools are facing possible cuts in state funding, and a bruising in the court of public opinion, by making up days missed earlier this year because of icy roads. With little fat built into the spring … Continue reading →

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Park and Ride parking

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

I have no problem with this. Park and ride buses are among the cheapest options for suburban commuters who work downtown, in part because Metro provides free parking. But just as new highways increasingly require drivers to pay tolls, officials … Continue reading →

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The Trib writes about One Bin For All

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Mostly familiar information if you’ve been following this story, but a good overview if it’s new to you. Laura Spanjian, Houston’s director of sustainability, says the city is spending millions to expand its conventional recycling service and is still evaluating … Continue reading →

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The Seattle approach to Uber and Lyft

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait in Houston for City Council to take action on amending the taxi and limousine codes to deal with the entry of Uber and Lyft, the city of Seattle took a novel approach to the issue. In a … Continue reading →

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We have our first HFD rolling brownout

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And nothing bad happened. Three Houston firetrucks were pulled from service Friday morning, the first “brownout” in the city’s fire fleet since the Houston Fire Department’s budget struggles came to light in early February. In keeping with a plan Fire … Continue reading →

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Game room injunction lifted

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The temporary reprieve that Harris County ganerooms got from the courts has been lifted. Houston and Harris County moved one step closer Friday in their quest to crack down on illegal game rooms after a judge threw out a restraining … Continue reading →

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HPD crime lab update

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The man who wrote the report detailing all of the HPD crime lab’s problems was back to give a progress report on how things look now. Houston police managers at the once-shuttered crime lab have failed to re-examine tests on … Continue reading →

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Dodson to be closed, Jones to be revamped

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, only one school was closed by HISD, but a lot of people are still upset about the whole thing. During a rowdy meeting where police had to quiet shouting protestors, the Houston school board narrowly agreed Thursday … Continue reading →

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Lyft has some stumbles

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. Lyft, known for its pink mustaches, has again been caught red-handed in Houston breaking a basic driving law. A driver for the company, which pairs riders with drivers via smartphone app, picked up a Houston investigator Monday and was … Continue reading →

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Rename this!

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Reliant Park will soon be called NRG Park and Reliant Stadium NRG Stadium, after NRG Energy, the parent company of one of the largest electric retailers in the Houston area. County sources say NRG, which acquired Reliant’s retail operations … Continue reading →

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Last stand against school closures

Posted on March 13, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Last chance, too. Community activists called Tuesday for HISD to spare two schools from closure in a last-ditch effort that included filing a federal civil-rights complaint alleging racial discrimination. Charles X. White, president of the city’s South Park Super Neighborhood … Continue reading →

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Street closings ahead

Posted on March 12, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

This ought to be interesting. Three busy Houston streets will shut down to vehicular traffic on selected Sunday afternoons in an effort to see if car-bound residents will walk, bike and explore each block rather than simply drive through. The … Continue reading →

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What should we do about hurricane preparedness?

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Or, to put the question another way: Ike Dike, Ike Floodgate, something else, or nothing? In 2009, months after Hurricane Ike devastated the upper Texas coast, Texas A&M-Galveston professor William Merrell unveiled a multibillion-dollar plan – to much skepticism – … Continue reading →

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Transit ridership up nationally

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Some encouraging news here. More Americans used buses, trains and subways in 2013 than in any year since 1956 as service improved, local economies grew and travelers increasingly sought alternatives to the automobile for trips within metropolitan areas, the American … Continue reading →

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Metro reports an increase in boardings with bikes

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The number of people using bikes to extend their bus trips (or vice versa) increased more than 47 percent jumping from 12,111 bike bus boardings in January 2013 to 17,859 in January this year, That’s according to … Continue reading →

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Firefighters union ratifies no-brownout agreement

Posted on March 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Members of the Houston firefighters’ union have signed off on a deal with Mayor Annise Parker that would prevent pulling firetrucks from service to help balance the Fire Department’s budget. “We’re very pleased that the union membership ratified the … Continue reading →

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We’ll get our new trains in January

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

We have a deadline. The company building Metro’s new trains will deliver the final car to Houston five months late, according to a revised schedule submitted to the transit agency. The Metropolitan Transit Authority is reviewing the schedule, spokesman Jerome … Continue reading →

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County enforcement of game room regulations halted for now

Posted on March 7, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. A quest by the county and city to crack down on illegal game rooms has hit a legal roadblock after a civil court judge granted a temporary restraining order barring Harris County from enforcing strict, new regulations. The city … Continue reading →

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