Tag Archives: Houston

The off-street parking debate

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I believe the new offstreet parking requirements that have been proposed and are being debated are at least as big a deal as the Chapter 42 revisions. We really need to get this right. Under the new rules, some eateries … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The off-street parking debate

How much protection from liability do they need?

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

State Impact asks a good question. The electricity industry is among the biggest of the big spenders on lobbying the Texas legislature. So when bills are introduced giving the industry extraordinary protection from law suits, you can bet somebody’s going … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Amy Peck announces for A

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Inbox: Amy Peck Announces Candidacy for Houston City Council District A I am very excited to announce my candidacy for Houston City Council, District A. Over the last few years, I have been asked to run again by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Uptown BRT

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting news from Swamplot. The driving force of a project that Uptown Houston District has proposed to the city to transform Post Oak Blvd.? Big beautiful buses. With both residential and commercial developments like Skanska’s 20-story office building popping up … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

TEA orders North Forest ISD shut down

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This could be the end for North Forest ISD. Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams recommended that the district of 6,900 students be annexed into the mammoth Houston ISD effective July 1. His statement came just two days after the district … Continue reading →

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

Time for another report on how much traffic sucks

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

We love this sort of thing, don’t we? Houston commuters continue to endure some of the worst traffic delays in the country, according to the 2012 Urban Mobility Report released Tuesday by the Texas A&M Transportation Commission. Area drivers wasted … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

First Hobby expansion details announced

Posted on February 9, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Moving forward at Hobby Airport. The Southwest Airlines-proposed expansion, green-lighted by the Houston City Council last May, calls for construction by the end of 2015 of a new concourse with five gates capable of accommodating midsize aircraft; a federal inspection … Continue reading →

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

The 288-to-the-Medical-Center connector takes a step forward

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I still have a bad feeling about this. In a first step toward providing relief, transportation officials will spend the year winnowing six possible locations for reversible toll lanes that would provide a direct connection between the sprawling medical campus … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 288-to-the-Medical-Center connector takes a step forward

There’s gold in them thar pawn shops

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is a police story and a Helena Brown story, because everything is better when it’s a Helena Brown story. Houston City Council on Wednesday passed new rules on precious metals dealers despite a lengthy attempt to water down the … Continue reading →

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

Laptops for all

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

HISD Superintendent Terry Grier would like to bridge the digital divide in HISD. Superintendent Terry Grier said his goal is to equip all 130,000 students in grades three through 12 with a laptop and hopes to start with at least … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

City wants the Lege to deal with payday lending

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what came out of the presentation to Council on payday lending on Tuesday. Houston leaders say they will wait to see whether the Legislature acts during its current session before voting on their proposal. Mayor Annise Parker has said … Continue reading →

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

Ready or not, here comes Chapter 42

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Changes are coming to Chapter 42, the section of Houston’s ordinances that deal with density and development, and to Chapter 26, the section on off-street parking for bars and restaurants and what have you. The revisions would allow neighborhoods to … Continue reading →

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

Brenda’s back

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

But will Helena Brown be in trouble? Brenda Stardig will launch her campaign Saturday to retake the District A Houston City Council seat that she lost two years ago to Helena Brown. The announcement came Sunday in the form of … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Brenda’s back

Payday and title loan regulation in Houston

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Nonsequiteuse, who got the following email in her inbox: Proposed City of Houston Lending Ordinance Presentation to Council Committee Tuesday, February 5, 2013 The City of Houston Legal Department has proposed new regulations for credit access businesses, commonly referred … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How cursed is Houston as a sports city?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So another Super Bowl is history, and as you might have noticed the Houston Texans were not be playing in the game. This continues an unbroken streak of Houston football teams not making it to the Super Bowl, some in … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Free WiFi finally coming to Houston airports

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

And there was much rejoicing. Free WiFi is set to land at Houston’s two main airports by year’s end. As wireless fidelity service becomes a consumer expectation, the Houston Airport System told the Houston Chronicle it is working to develop … Continue reading →

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

Schechter’s seat filled

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The HCC Board of Trustees has named a replacement for the outgoing Richard Schechter. Houston Community College trustees unanimously agreed Thursday to appoint attorney Leila Feldman to fill a recently vacated seat on the school board. Feldman served as associate … Continue reading →

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

How about a local safe passing law?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Man, I’d forgotten about this. After Gov. Rick Perry’s veto in 2009 blocked a statewide law requiring drivers to keep a minimum distance from cyclists on the road, 13 cities approved a model safe-passing law developed by cycling advocates. Dallas … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Small bills, please

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a regular reader here, you know that I’m a skeptic of proposals to replace the dollar bill with dollar coins. As I’ve said before, I personally would rather have a wallet full of bills than a pocket full … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Sports Authority gets sued

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

MBIA, the company that insures the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority’s bonds, has filed a lawsuit to force the Sports Authority to collect more money to pay its obligations. If MBIA must cover payment shortfalls and cannot reimburse itself from the … Continue reading →

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

County settles with Treasures

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

It’s over, at least for now. When city of Houston lawyers settled a public nuisance lawsuit against Treasures last December, Harris County attorneys continued to pursue the jointly filed case, saying they needed more assurances from the strip club that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on County settles with Treasures

Tell us more about these HCC concerns

Posted on January 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron expresses some concerns about recent happenings with the HCC Board of Trustees. As many longtime Houston residents are well aware, HCC has too frequently been plagued by problems involving the approval of contracts to board members’ supporters and … Continue reading →

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

The 311 app is here

Posted on January 30, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been waiting for this. The brand-new Houston 311 app will allow residents to file a complaint and then track its progress. The program officially goes live Tuesday, city officials said. Here’s how the 311 app works, city spokesman Chris … Continue reading →

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

What we need is better choice

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

With all the talk about “school choice” floating around, it’s important to remember that in Houston at least we already have a lot of options from which to choose. Houston’s urban school leaders vowed Wednesday to continue efforts to expand … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Are you ready for the hipness?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Because ready or not, here it comes. A rapper, a ballerina and a host of top chefs are among the locals who will be featured in a new Houston image campaign launching next month. The $425,000 promotional blitz targeting readers … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , | Comments Off on Are you ready for the hipness?

The case against Metro advertising

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Ed Wulfe isn’t happy with talk about Metro putting ads on buses and trains. In the late 1970s, Houston voters overwhelmingly defeated a local referendum to allow ads on bus shelters. Soon after, Houston City Council banned all new billboards … Continue reading →

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

More from the Larry Marshall files

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This guy is a piece of work. HISD trustee Larry Marshall, fresh off a two-day school board retreat, flew from Houston to Tampa, Fla., on a clear winter day to watch the 2009 Super Bowl in Raymond James Stadium. Cheap … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

San Antonio strip club lawsuit

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

If you’re a lawyer representing strip clubs these days, you sure don’t lack for business. More than a dozen strip clubs have sued the city of San Antonio over amendments to ordinances requiring entertainers to wear bikinis, claiming the changes … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on San Antonio strip club lawsuit

January finance reports for Houston offices

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Previously, I gave the July campaign finance numbers for Houston elected officials who are eligible for the ballot this fall. Here now are the cash on hand figures from the January reports, with all incumbents and a few assorted extras … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You simply must see us this year

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The New York Times commands you. Houston is probably best known as the Texan center for energy and industry, but it’s making a bid to be the state’s cultural and culinary capital as well. The Houston Museum District is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , | Comments Off on You simply must see us this year

More on Hall’s announcement

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s the full Chron story from the weekend about Ben Hall’s announcement that yes, he really is running for Mayor this year. “Hall is a formidable challenger but is a long shot to unseat the mayor,” University of Houston political … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on Hall’s announcement

Yale Street Bridge work set to begin

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Good to hear. Work to rehabilitate the Yale Street Bridge south of Interstate 10 is scheduled to begin in April. According to the Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering, the process will involve installation of external carbon-strip reinforcement along … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Yale Street Bridge work set to begin

Some things you can vaccinate against

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Saying dumb things isn’t one of them. As the council considered a proposal Wednesday to accept $3.1 million in federal funding for childhood immunizations, Councilman Jack Christie voiced his opposition to the measure, apparently conflating it with flu vaccinations. “I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Green batteries

Posted on January 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is very cool. In one more step of a global effort to develop greener battery technology, researchers at Rice University say they have found a way to replace a costly metallic component in lithium-ion batteries with material from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Green batteries