Tag Archives: Houston

Tar sands and Houston’s air quality

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

PDiddie attended the Houston Frontlines tour that I blogged about before, and wrote a really nice, detailed report about it. Some background: Tar sands oil contains — among other heavy metals, neurotoxins, and carcinogens — an average of 11 times … Continue reading →

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

The pension problem

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know enough about the particulars of the city’s pension problems to be able to sort out the competing claims made in this story. I do know that the current system is not sustainable, and that the fight to … Continue reading →

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

Interview with Gilbert Garcia and Christof Spieler

Posted on December 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

To say the least, 2010 has been an eventful year for Metro. I think everyone would agree that in many ways, the agency is in stronger shape and is headed in a better direction than it was at this time … Continue reading →

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

You can’t say that about cheeseburgers!

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Local TV stations are not lovin’ an anti-McDonald’s ad. The advertisement from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, titled “Consequences,” displays a doctor and a weeping woman standing over a corpse clutching a cheeseburger in its right hand. The 30-second spot … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

No, I can’t hear you now

Posted on December 19, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I haven’t attended that many events at Reliant Stadium – a couple of Rice football games, including the 2008 Texas Bowl, and a U2 concert – but that’s enough for me to confirm the lack of wireless coverage in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Recycling for apartments

Posted on December 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The city of San Antonio is taking a big step forward in expanding its recycling program. The new amendment ensures that all families and individuals living in apartments, condominiums, townhomes, high rise condominiums and San Antonio Housing Authority properties have … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Metro reaches settlement with CAF

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Fresh from the inbox: The Metropolitan Transit Authority announced today that it has reached a settlement with CAF USA, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Spanish Firm Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A.) over two disputed contracts for the construction of … Continue reading →

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

Prop 1 opponents file “We think the voters are stupid” lawsuit

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really angry about this. Opponents of Proposition 1, Houston’s recently-passed drainage fee, filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against Mayor Annise Parker and the City of Houston. The lawsuit calls Prop 1 “illegal” because “the ballot language does not accurately … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Fee for all

Posted on December 16, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Much as the state will soon do, the city of Houston is raising a bunch of fees. The city of Houston is poised to raise an estimated 150 fees for services ranging from pool inspections to boiler permits, part of … Continue reading →

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

Moving on at Metro

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Frank Wilson is gone at Metro, and others are following him out the door. “A number of the senior appointees that Frank Wilson brought in are no longer here,” said George Greanias, Wilson’s successor, but he did not describe it … Continue reading →

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

You need more than more miles to get more riders

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The new 28-mile Green Line in Dallas has begun full service, and it is expected to add about 30,000 daily boardings, bringing DART’s total rail ridership to about 90,000 per day. That’s for 72 miles of rail lines, which is … Continue reading →

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

Two environmental issues for your attention

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Are you familiar with tar sands? The Sierra Club would like to acquaint you with them this Thursday, December 16, on its Houston Frontlines tour. Elected officials and community members will gather at Hartmann Community Center on Thursday, December 16th … Continue reading →

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

What we have here is failure to communicate

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve been pondering this Rick Casey column about the issues of communications and Council relations in Mayor Parker’s office. I don’t have much to add to it at this time. I’ve had some conversations with people in recent days that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

The Sports Authority wants you to know it’s working hard for you

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I feel like the Chron should send a bill for its standard advertising rates to the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority for running this op-ed by its chair, J. Kent Friedman. It’s one part victory lap for negotiating the Dynamo Stadium … Continue reading →

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

In which I become a bit player in a Metro lawsuit

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

So I got an email on Friday from Chron reporter Mike Snyder, asking me if I had done an interview with former Metro Chair David Wolff. Apparently, there were some new documents filed in the lawsuit against Metro by its … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Kuboshes told to butt out of ATS lawsuit

Posted on December 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I didn’t know judges issued rulings on Sundays, but I guess sometimes they do. Red-light camera opponents will not be allowed to help defend a November referendum in which voters rejected the devices, a federal judge ruled on Sunday, saying … Continue reading →

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More single stream recycling

Posted on December 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I love seeing this program get expanded. The city is expanding by 30,000 the number of households that can participate in its single-stream recycling program, which soon is expected to reach more than one out of every four Houston homes. … Continue reading →

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

The city vs ATS

Posted on December 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s an update on the red light camera lawsuit in which the city is seeking guidance on how to go about terminating its contract with red light camera vendor ATS, and ATS is seeking to overturn the referendum. “We were … Continue reading →

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

Metro tries again with Airport Direct service

Posted on December 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Metro will lower the fare and add more downtown stops for its Airport Direct service in an attempt to make it stop losing so much money. The 52-passenger bus currently averages two riders per trip from its passenger plaza at … Continue reading →

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

Voluntary to become involuntary

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

That sure didn’t take long. By unanimous vote of City Council, the voluntary furloughs will become involuntary by the end of the year, with Mayor Parker deciding how many enforced unpaid days off are needed to help close the budget … Continue reading →

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

Council shakeup

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Things are getting mighty interesting down at City Hall. Mayor Annise Parker has parted ways with two major conservatives on the Houston City Council, removing Councilman Mike Sullivan from his role overseeing redistricting and accepting the resignation of Councilwoman Anne … Continue reading →

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

Voluntary furloughs

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I suppose this was inevitable. Mayor Annise Parker announced a voluntary furlough program for civilian employees in December, the first in what may be a series of difficult steps the city must take to close a $30 million budget deficit … Continue reading →

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

KTRU supporters go to the FCC

Posted on December 6, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck, but I would not hold out much hope. Supporters of Rice University’s student-run radio station have formally asked the Federal Communications Commission to deny the station’s sale to the University of Houston, contending it would weaken … Continue reading →

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

City’s finance director leaves

Posted on December 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Make of it what you will. City Finance Director Michelle Mitchell, a former Goldman Sachs veteran who has helped guide Houston through consecutive years of severe budget problems, is leaving her post. Mitchell said she offered her resignation Wednesday after … Continue reading →

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

Dynamo Stadium lease deal reached

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We didn’t get the World Cup, but soccer fans here had something to celebrate this week. The Dynamo have agreed to pay $76 million to build a professional soccer stadium in downtown Houston and then lease it from the city … Continue reading →

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You really can go broke saving money

Posted on December 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The state of Texas has cost itself billions of dollars over the past decade or so by doing things like cutting CHIP and thus losing out on far more federal funds than any savings achieved in the state budget. Harris … Continue reading →

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HPD braces for cuts

Posted on December 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

More than $15 million is going to be cut from HPD’s budget, in part to lost red light camera revenue and in part to the overall budget picture. The equivalent of more than 100 civilian jobs, including temporary workers, will … Continue reading →

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

No World Cup for you!

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. In a mild upset, tiny but oil-rich Qatar was awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup only a few minutes after Russia was awarded the 2018 bid in a process that was decided by a vote of FIFA’s 22-member executive … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Red light camera lawsuit

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’m trying to understand exactly what this is all about. Here’s the little sidebar summary, which captures the basic facts pretty well: The city of Houston • filed a “pre-emptive lawsuit” in U.S. District Court Nov. 15 seeking a judge’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2010 | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

World Cup locale decision time

Posted on December 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll know by tomorrow if Houston is still in the running to host the World Cup in 2022. Houston’s soccer, business and political communities will join the rest of the international soccer community in anticipation as FIFA announces the host … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Stipeche wins HISD Trustee runoff

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From School Zone: Juliet Stipeche has won the Houston ISD District VIII school board runoff election by 48 votes, according to the unofficial results. Stipeche, an attorney, beat Judith Cruz, a stay-at-home mom and former HISD teacher, with 51 percent … Continue reading →

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Runoff Day in HISD VIII

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the day of the runoff election for HISD Trustee in District VIII between Judith Cruz and Juliet Stipeche. According to School Zone, only about 1000 votes were cast during early voting, so if you live in this district, … Continue reading →

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More on Houston’s sustainability efforts

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

This Trib story about Houston Sustainability Director Laura Spanjian and her efforts to make our fair city a greener place, which also appeared in the Sunday New York Times, can be considered a companion piece to the earlier CultureMap story … Continue reading →

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

Dynamo Stadium on the agenda

Posted on November 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Sports Authority will meet this week to try to hammer out a lease agreement for the Houston Dynamo in their future stadium. The Sports Authority will meet Dec. 2, but it won’t meet again until February, which is partly … Continue reading →

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