Tag Archives: Houston

HISD announces public meetings to address proposed school start time changes

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From the HISD News Blog: HISD has scheduled 10 public meetings to gather community input on a plan to add 19 minutes to the average student’s school day by coordinating the bell schedule among the district’s 279 schools. If approved, … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on HISD announces public meetings to address proposed school start time changes

Tailgating downtown

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Go for it! The Dynamo have been playing at the University of Houston’s Robertson Stadium and have always allowed tailgating prior to games. However, fans won’t have the same luxury at the soccer team’s new stadium because of a city … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tailgating downtown

More details on the city’s crime lab plan

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

It’s starting to come into focus. An independent crime lab could cost nearly 20 percent more than the current police-run operation, a high-level Parker administration official told a City Council committee this week. Andy Icken, the mayor’s chief development officer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on More details on the city’s crime lab plan

Hold it right there on the homeless feeding ordinance

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This is the right call. After a community outcry protesting what opponents call the criminalization of charity, Mayor Annise Parker announced this afternoon that she will not seek a vote Wednesday on her proposed regulation of the feeding of homeless … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Hens for Houston

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Looking for a new cause to get involved in? Here’s a movement to allow people to raise hens in Houston. Vision: “Hens for Houston” is working to promote a sustainable and progressive Houston in which city dwellers can keep 4-6 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

United versus Southwest

Posted on March 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like I’m missing something in this debate. A proposal by Southwest Airlines to offer international flights from Hobby Airport has triggered an intense lobbying duel with United Airlines, which still wields considerable local clout as the successor to … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

A deluxe efficiency in the sky

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The hot trend in real estate is small apartments. Apartments in Houston are shrinking. As rents have gone up, developers have been building smaller units and a lot more of them to meet growing demand from apartment dwellers who want … Continue reading →

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

Houston gets HUD grant to house the homeless

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Since we’ve been talking about homelessness recently, I thought I’d take note of this. Houston-area homeless programs will receive nearly $2.8 million in federal funding as part of an Obama administration plan to confront homelessness. The U.S. Department of Housing … Continue reading →

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

Todd tells Riggle to tone it down

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Former Houston City Council member Rob Todd has a message for gay-obsessed Pastor Steve Riggle. During my days on City Council, I was considered an archconservative. Part of that reputation was a result of a lawsuit I filed against Mayor … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Wanda Adams

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Also running in HD131 is Wanda Adams, who has served two full terms in Houston City Council District D and was re-elected easily for her third term last November. Adams is a native Houstonian who graduated from Kashmere High School … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2012 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor tells Ashby foes it’s over

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Annise Parker told the attendees at that neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposed settlement of the Ashby highrise lawsuit that it’s a done deal. “We have exhausted all legal means to stop this project,” said Parker, reiterating her opposition … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

It’s Super-Commuter!

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

You think you have a long drive to work? Ben Wear writes about a study of people who take it to the extreme. The researchers define a supercommuter as someone who works in the central county of a metropolitan area … Continue reading →

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

If you can’t specify it, it’s not wasteful

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

After reading this op-ed by Todd Clark, the chair of the Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund (that is, their pension fund), I have decided to adopt two rules for all future discussion of the city’s budget. Let me speak … Continue reading →

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

Better budget news

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

For the city. The city of Houston may have $21 million more in income in the coming fiscal year than it had planned on before Wednesday. That’s when it got the news that the Harris County Appraisal District projects that … Continue reading →

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

Here comes NBC Sports

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Comcast SportsNet Houston, which is owned by NBC Sports, is coming to downtown. Comcast SportsNet Houston, the new regional sports network that will air Rockets games this fall and Astros games in 2013, plans to begin broadcasting in early October … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Here comes NBC Sports

Our diverse region

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. The Houston region is now the most ethnically diverse large metropolitan area in the country, surpassing New York City. Two suburbs – Missouri City and Pearland – have become even more diverse than the city of Houston. Other suburbs … Continue reading →

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

City to meet with anti-Ashby forces

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure if they’re at anger, denial, or bargaining yet, but we’ll know soon enough. The city of Houston plans to meet with residents of the Southampton and Boulevard neighborhoods March 12 to discuss the Ashby high-rise settlement. In … Continue reading →

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

Feeding the homeless

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I’m still trying to wrap my mind around this. Mayor Annise Parker is asking the council to adopt rules that would require organizations and people who feed the homeless to register with the city, take a food safety class, prepare … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Stimulate the economy with marriage equality

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

​If New York can do it… New York City made quite a bit of money on gay marriage — 200,000 bucks, in fact. Cash flow into the city’s marriage bureau shot up since August, when same-sex nups got enacted, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Stimulate the economy with marriage equality

Stephen Klineberg, superstar

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I want to see this. David Thompson and his colleagues at ttweak are best-known for their work on the quirky “Houston – It’s Worth It” campaign, paying homage to the yawning potholes, soul-sapping humidity and all the other things that … Continue reading →

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

Riggle continues his crusade

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Pastor Steve Riggle continues to be obsessed with gays and lesbians. Taking advantage of his mega-church pulpit on Sunday morning, Pastor Steve Riggle of Houston’s Grace Community Church advanced his crusade against Mayor Annise Parker’s public support for same-sex marriage … Continue reading →

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

Beren

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Though they fell short at the end, the boys of Beren Academy had a remarkable and unforgettable basketball season, and I congratulate them. They rested. They reflected. And once the sun set on the Jewish Sabbath, the Beren Academy Stars … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

City to settle Ashby lawsuit

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Another saga draws to a close. Mayor Annise Parker has sent a letter to residents of the Southampton area saying the city has no legal basis to stop developers from building the controversial Ashby high-rise as outlined in their 2009 … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Even the Mayor is allowed to have her own opinion

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Despite what some people might think. The pastor of one of Houston’s megachurches is asking Mayor Annise Parker to resign if she will not cease promoting the legalization of same-sex marriage. “Respectfully, if you cannot uphold the Texas constitution, then … Continue reading →

Posted in Society and cultcha | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Tag this

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Live by the pointless parliamentary maneuver, die by the pointless parliamentary maneuver. City Councilwoman Helena Brown’s colleagues, after weeks of frustration over her delays of what they consider vital city business, reached the limit of their patience Wednesday and twice … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tag this

Maybe we need more tickets

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Grits reads a story about the decline of traffic tickets in Dallas and does some figuring. What’s remarkable is not just this year’s drop but the overall 39% decline since ’06-’07. Wondering if the same trend is occurring statewide, Grits … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Sober up

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

This seems like a sensible idea. City officials plan to open a “sobering center” at the Star of Hope Mission downtown later this year. It would be an 84-bed facility that would allow people whose only offense is being drunk … Continue reading →

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

It’s all about Helena

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Apparently, we have been living in Helena Brown’s world all this time. District A Councilwoman Helena Brown has voted against spending money on the renovation of a women’s shelter, a street’s reconstruction, the purchase of a police boat, payment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

UH moves closer to Tier I status

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Good for them. The University of Houston is on the verge of accessing additional state money that could help catapult the school closer to prestigious Tier 1 status, according to a preliminary report from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. … Continue reading →

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

Property tax revenues still a year away

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Getting better, but not quite there yet. Local governments should not expect an influx of property taxes to solve their budget woes this year, Harris County Appraisal District officials said Tuesday. Assistant Chief Appraiser Guy Griscom estimated the countywide tax … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Property tax revenues still a year away

More fun with Helena

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

When I saw the headline about a clash between Mayor Parker and an unnamed Council member, I was pretty sure I knew before I clicked the link which Council member it was. I was right. District A Councilwoman Brown tried … Continue reading →

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

Petition for safer walking and biking

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

From Marty Hajovsky: Stephanie Riceman with the Heights Kids Group, a 900-strong (at least) group of families in and around the greater Houston Heights, has put together an interesting online petition that says as much about how many new families there are in … Continue reading →

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

It’s always easier to talk in the abstract

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The city of Houston has been papering over multimillion-dollar budget deficits for nine years by borrowing money, tapping its rainy day fund, selling buildings and just plain putting off bills to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What’s to become of the downtown post office?

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Lisa Gray writes about the future of the downtown post office on Franklin. In the past couple of years, there have been rumblings that the U.S. Postal Service plans to leave 401 Franklin and sell the 16-acre complex – a … Continue reading →

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