Tag Archives: Houston

Interview with Fair for Houston, which is now Yes on Prop B

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I trust you are familiar by now with Fair for Houston, for which there was a successful petition drive to put an item on the Houston ballot this November. That item, which will be City Proposition B, aims to reform … Continue reading →

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And now we have a hue and cry about Whitmire’s campaign treasury

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m surprised it took this long, to be honest. U.S. Rep Sheila Jackson Lee and former Metro Chair Gilbert Garcia have requested the city attorney to investigate alleged campaign contribution limit violations by State Sen. John Whitmire, hinting at a … Continue reading →

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HISD update threefer

Posted on October 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I can’t keep up with all of the HISD stories, so I’m going to just highlight a couple of recent ones. Rumors of closure spark third rally at HISD campus as parents consider options. The family joined a Wednesday afternoon … Continue reading →

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Interview with Richard Cantu

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have one late-breaking interview for At Large #3 before I bring you some interviews for other items in this election. Richard Cantu is another familiar name, having been elected to serve on the HCDE Board of Trustees in 2018. … Continue reading →

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Metro moves forward with its bike plan

Posted on October 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Really interested to see what this looks like. Metro’s board of directors voted Thursday to negotiate a contract with a Canadian company to launch Houston’s second bike-share program, but left unclear how – or whether – the two bicycle rental … Continue reading →

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The young activists of today

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Keep track of these names, or better yet get to know them. Olivia Julianna typed “#johnnyboywhitmire” into TikTok’s search bar. To her delight, her five videos critiquing Texas state senator and Houston mayoral hopeful John Whitmire had garnered a combined … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Letitia Plummer

Posted on October 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I guess we’re rolling these out one at a time, and in no particular order. When some politicians shift their positions on high-profile issues, they get tagged with the dreaded “flip-flopper” label. So when At-Large Position 4 Councilmember Letitia Plummer … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Mary Nan Huffman

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I had not planned to do an interview for District G this cycle – I only have so much time and capacity, and as of the July reporting deadline, incumbent CM Mary Nan Huffman did not have an opponent. And … Continue reading →

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Cruise cars are out on our streets

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From Axios. Cruise is testing autonomous vehicles without safety drivers in Houston ahead of a planned expansion into commercial nighttime service by the end of the year. Driving the news: A spokesperson for the autonomous vehicle company confirmed to Axios … Continue reading →

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Interview with James Joseph

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

One more interview in At Large #3, then I’ll have a bonus interview for you tomorrow. Today we speak with James Joseph, a native Houstonian, Fifth Ward resident, and newly minted PhD. A public relations consultant with a long background … Continue reading →

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City Council approves B-Cycle lifeline

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this as a stopgap, but a real plan needs to be in place. Houston’s floundering bike sharing system has a little more life, after city officials approved $500,000 to keep the system operational, at least until a … Continue reading →

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Interview with Casey Curry

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Moving on in At Large #3, we come to another candidate with an interesting former job, longtime TV meteorologist Casey Curry. After a decade of weather reporting on the local news, Curry is now working in philanthropy and communications. She … Continue reading →

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Interview with Twila Carter

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on with At Large #3, today we meet Twila Carter, who among other things has had one of the best jobs of anyone I’ve interviewed: For over a decade, she served as Senior Vice President of Community Relations of … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: Picking someone in District E

Posted on September 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron makes their first candidate endorsement for November 2023. Houston City Council races are officially nonpartisan, but since just about everything seems partisan these days, let’s go ahead and say it: District E, the bizarrely shaped district that conjoins … Continue reading →

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Interview with Donnell Cooper

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The last open At Large seat is At Large #3, which also has the biggest field of nine candidates. I have interviews with four of them this week, beginning with Donnell Cooper. Cooper is a Houston Community College Acres Homes … Continue reading →

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Metro introduces its bike share program

Posted on September 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds pretty good, actually. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is expected to contract with a Canadian operator that will provide up to 700 e-bikes and 100 charging stations as the agency embarks on the creation of its own … Continue reading →

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The Chron talks to some Mayoral candidates

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You can find a bunch of Mayoral Q&As with the Chron editorial board here on this Mayoral Candidate Questions page. All of them also include a brief video of the chat, with the following Mayoral candidates so far: John Whitmire … Continue reading →

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“Mars” mission update

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Keep these coming, please and thank you. Ultra runner Kelly Haston is not going stir-crazy inside her 1,700-square-foot Martian habitat, and that’s a pleasant surprise. “It is comfortable and spacious, and I do not yet miss being outside,” Haston said. … Continue reading →

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City runoff election will be December 9

Posted on September 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Slightly reducing the overall intrigue factor of the season. The runoffs for Houston’s City Hall elections will be held Dec. 9, the secretary of state’s office confirmed on Tuesday. Houston voters will head to the polls Nov. 7 to elect … Continue reading →

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Interview with Marina Coryat

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We wrap up our week of interviews with At Large #2 candidates with Marina Coryat, a Trinidadian immigrant who has served as Communications Director for Texas State Representative Senfronia Thompson since 2019. Coryat has worked in the city’s Solid Waste … Continue reading →

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City to provide some funding to B-Cycle

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner plans to extend a half-million dollar lifeline to the city’s nonprofit bike share program, he said Wednesday. Turner said he will present City Council next week with a proposal to send funding to Houston Bike … Continue reading →

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Interview with Holly Vilaseca

Posted on September 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We continue our week of At Large #2 with a familiar name, Holly Flynn Vilaseca, who served for five years as HISD Trustee, being appointed in January 2017 to fill out an unexpired term and then winning a full term … Continue reading →

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Interview with Danielle Bess

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Next up in At Large #2 we have Danielle Bess, a native Houstonian, Navy veteran, and real estate professional. Bess has been involved in politics for a long time, having worked with campaigns ranging from Obama for America, Sheila Jackson … Continue reading →

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Once again with questions about Mike Miles’ finances

Posted on September 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

More good work from Houston Landing. New Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ plans for the district are built on the promise of more. More pay for teachers. More staff in classrooms. More security officers on campuses. But all of those … Continue reading →

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Interview with Obes Nwabara

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Continuing on in At Large #2, today we talk with Obes Nwabara, who is a son of Nigerian immigrants and a 2009 graduate of UH. He has worked in a number of industries including energy, food service, and healthcare, and … Continue reading →

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The MOB versus Mike Miles

Posted on September 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Presented for all the obvious reasons. Rice University’s marching band mocked state-appointed Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles during their halftime show at Saturday’s football game against Texas Southern University. The small band, known as The Mob, performed a brief “Austin … Continue reading →

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Interview with Nick Hellyar

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We move now into At Large #2, where I will have four candidates to bring to you. First up is Nick Hellyar, who had run for At Large #4 in 2019 and finished third in the field of eleven that … Continue reading →

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A brief word about voter registration in Houston

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First, some important news: Houston residents have one month left to register to vote in November’s City Hall elections. Residents can visit various Harris County government offices, post offices, libraries or state agencies to fill out and submit a completed … Continue reading →

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The end of B-Cycle

Posted on September 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This sucks. At Houston Bike Share, the nonprofit agency that runs the BCycle system, we’ve been working to find new funding for more than a year. We’ve made tough decisions, suspending stations and raising prices. And now, in the face … Continue reading →

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Yes, let’s plant more trees

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Some of Houston’s most vulnerable neighborhoods could soon see new shade trees and better parks. Driving the news: The Houston Endowment granted $8 million to Trees for Houston and the Houston Parks Board to help increase access to … Continue reading →

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Once again with the residency question

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Every election, without fail. Robin Williams, a police officer in Missouri City, was 16 months into her long-shot bid to become Houston’s next mayor when city officials made a discovery that threatened to suddenly end her campaign: She did not … Continue reading →

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Endorsement watch: For Fair For Houston

Posted on September 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron endorses the other city ballot proposition, the Fair For Houston item. Floodwaters, as we know, don’t care about arbitrary county lines. Neither do homeowners having to muck out their living rooms because politicians can’t work out a fair … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Letitia Plummer

Posted on September 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As noted yesterday, there are two At Large Council members running for re-election. CM Letitia Plummer is the incumbent in At Large #4, where she has focused on police reform, Houston’s food deserts, and the need for apartment inspectors. She … Continue reading →

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Interview with CM Sallie Alcorn

Posted on September 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

There are three open At Large Council seats this year, which means there are two incumbents running for re-election. Council Member Sallie Alcorn is the incumbent in At Large #5, serving as the chair of the Regulatory and Neighborhood Affairs … Continue reading →

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