Tag Archives: Houston

End of year B-Cycle report

Posted on January 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

B-Cycle has been in Houston for nine months, having launched in early April. So far, it’s done pretty well. The B-Cycle system’s 29th station was christened earlier this month in front of Clayton Homes. Officials said they hoped to provide … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Would he be “Mayor Bun B”, or just “Mayor B”?

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Rocks Off looks at the field of Mayoral candidates for 2015 and asks “Why not Bun B?” So to whom might the Bayou City turn for leadership through the latter half of this decade? The field is literally wide open, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Center Street recycling facility is closed

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So says Swamplot. Multiple emails to a couple of Heights neighorhood mailing lists sounded the alarm as well. This has been a long time coming. Originally, it was supposed to have been closed at the end of 2012, but I … Continue reading →

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

City benefits for same sex spouses back on

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. A federal judge ruled Thursday that same-sex couples legally married in other states can keep health and life insurance benefits that were extended to spouses of city of Houston employees in November. […] [Noel] Freeman’s husband’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on City benefits for same sex spouses back on

Wilson swears himself in

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Of course he does. Days after a Harris County judge signed a temporary restraining order barring Houston Community College trustee-elect Dave Wilson from taking the oath of office, the perennial candidate submitted notarized documents to the state showing he has … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Murder by numbers 2013

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The beginning of the new year means a look back at the homicide count for the previous year. Homicides are up in unincorporated Harris County, where the Sheriff’s Office is reporting a nearly 20 percent uptick in 2013, preliminary year-end … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Murder by numbers 2013

Time to talk term limits again

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The subject keeps coming up, though it never seems to get anywhere. As the inauguration of Houston’s elected leaders begins Thursday morning, supporters and spectators gathered at the Wortham Center downtown will see six new City Council members walk across … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Judge grants TRO halting Dave Wilson’s inauguration to HCC

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: A state district judge has ordered David Wilson to refrain from taking an oath of office to serve as trustee of Houston Community College System District II until a court can determine the issue of his residency. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | 15 Comments

The Marshall legacy

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron has a story that looks back on the long career of outgoing HISD Trustee Larry Marshall. No question, Marshall was a star as an educator, and left an indelible mark on HISD thanks to the well-regarded magnet school … Continue reading →

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

Adios, Arrow

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

One less rock station on the air in Houston. So instead of Led Zeppelin’s Houses of the Holy on 93.7, from now on you will probably hear Holy Grail by Jay-Z featuring Justin Timberlake. Just whatever you do, don’t let … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Police cameras

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s disappointing that Houston lags behind other cities in using dashboard cameras in police cars, but I am glad to see we are trying to catch up. Houston police have fewer dashboard cameras than any major Texas law enforcement agency, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

City moves anti-same sex spouse benefits lawsuit to federal court

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Mayor Annise Parker and the city of Houston have moved a lawsuit challenging same-sex benefits out of Republican Judge Lisa Millard’s court after she allegedly halted the benefits without giving the city proper notice. City Attorney David Feldman filed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

On riding the North Line

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Can we wait until we’ve had at least one non-holiday work week before we start talking about North Line ridership numbers? Thanks. The changes brought by the rail line, an extension of the Main Street Line now known as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Mayor Parker to get married?

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

According to CultureMap, the answer is Yes. Although Mayor Annise Parker has vowed that she and her longtime partner, Kathy Hubbard, will not wed until gay marriage is legal in Texas, in recent interviews the mayor has softened her stance. … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor Parker to get married?

The new justice complex

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a big deal. Houston leaders are in the early stages of planning a new police headquarters and courthouse complex that Mayor Annise Parker said could be the most important project on which she will work during her six-year tenure. … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The new justice complex

Ching and the Dash

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good move. A few weeks after he was sent into retirement with the first MLS testimonial match, the face of the Dynamo will attempt to build Houston’s new National Women’s Soccer League franchise. Brian Ching will be the managing director … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ching and the Dash

Lambda Legal sues Houston over same sex spouse benefits

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t see this coming. Lambda Legal [Thursday] filed a federal lawsuit against Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston seeking to preserve spousal benefits, including health insurance, covering the same-sex spouses of city employees. The lawsuit was … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

We need to take better care of our water

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We lose way too much of it because our infrastructure is old and in need of replacement. At a time when the Lone Star State is facing a grave water shortage and its population is expected to double by 2060, … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We need to take better care of our water

More security cameras coming

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

You’re being recorded, like it or not. Houston is adding 180 downtown surveillance cameras despite shrinking national security grants and research showing that video feeds only sometimes improve public safety. By early next year, the Houston Police Department will have … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

How to make the warehouse transition something to look forward to

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I have four things to say about this. Houston developers plan to build a mixed-use project, including upscale apartments and retail, on a 15-acre tract close to downtown, replacing a large produce warehouse that’s occupied the space for decades. Capcor … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The dry Heights

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

What’s a guy got to do to get a drink around here? Eighty years after the repeal of Prohibition – the anniversary of which came and went with hardly a toast last week – there is a sliver of Houston … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Merry Christmas from Pancho Claus

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If it’s Christmas time, it must be time for a Pancho Claus story. He usually has black hair and a black beard, sometimes just a mustache. Like Santa, he wears a hat — though often it’s a sombrero. He dons … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Merry Christmas from Pancho Claus

What can we do to get the Universities Line going?

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This story is about the opening of the North Line, but it’s also about where Metro goes from here. The opening of the lines won’t spell the end of the construction. To complete the final mile of the East Line, … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What can we do to improve reading skills in HISD?

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I wish I knew. HISD students continue to struggle with reading while matching or exceeding their peers’ math performance in other big cities, according to national test data released Wednesday. Reading scores for the district’s fourth- and eighth-graders have stagnated … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on What can we do to improve reading skills in HISD?

Drinking al fresco

Posted on December 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Things You Might Not Have Realized department. “It is a commonly-held belief that it’s illegal to walk down the street drinking a beer in Texas. However, that is not always the case.” Those words, which we recently happened … Continue reading →

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

Wilson sued over residency for HCC

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Dave Wilson and lawsuits go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Harris County attorney sued Houston Community College trustee-elect Dave Wilson on Thursday, alleging the small business owner and anti-gay activist was not a resident of District II when … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

North Line opening today

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: ALL ABOARD FOR SATURDAY RAIL ROLL-OUT METRO is inviting the public to get on board for the Saturday, Dec. 21 grand opening of the new 5.3-mile North/Red Line! Riding the train will be free all day as part of the grand opening celebration taking … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on the local GOP’s lawsuit against same sex spouse insurance benefits

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Family Court? What’s up with that? City Attorney Dave Feldman said Wednesday that the city of Houston and Mayor Annise Parker were not given notice before a family district court judge halted a recent policy change extending health and life … Continue reading →

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

More reactions to the city’s settlement with the strip clubs

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not everyone likes it. Bob Sanborn, CEO of the nonprofit organization Children at Risk, and other advocates against human trafficking said on Wednesday that they should have been consulted before a deal was struck. Mayor Annise Parker, who brokered the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More reactions to the city’s settlement with the strip clubs

County to tighten regulations on game rooms

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s sort of a crackdown, but within limits. And something that’s regulated is something that’s legal, so there’s that. The regulations, made possible by a state law passed earlier this year by the Legislature, requires an establishment housing six or … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on County to tighten regulations on game rooms

Harris County GOP sues over same sex spouse benefits for city employees

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

When Mayor Parker announced that legally married same sex spouses would be eligible to be added to city employees’ health insurance plans, I was certain that there would be legal action taken against that decision. The Harris County GOP has … Continue reading →

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

Payday lending ordinance passes

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, it wasn’t close. The Houston City Council overwhelmingly passed restrictions on payday and auto title lenders Wednesday, avoiding rumored parliamentary maneuvers to delay the vote and calling on the state Legislature to follow suit. The vote was … Continue reading →

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

Enforcing a new payday loan ordinance

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Parker’s proposed payday lending ordinance will be up before Council today, though it might wind up being delayed until the new Council is sworn in. It’s not clear yet how the vote might go, but in the meantime it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Food deserts and booze bans

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s complicated. A city ordinance intended to keep alcohol sales at a distance from schools and churches could be relaxed for grocery stores in an effort to alleviate some of the so-called “food deserts” that plague poorer neighborhoods across Houston. … Continue reading →

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