Tag Archives: coronavirus

Let’s go to the drive-in

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, I’m down with this. Everything old really is new again. In the midst of ongoing concerns and restrictions over the Covid-19 pandemic, Houston is going back to the future with a new drive-in movie theater. The Drive-In at Sawyer … Continue reading →

Posted in TV and movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What if it were Ed?

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The question to ask yourself in reading this story about Republicans bitching and moaning about Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is “How different would things actually be if Ed Emmett were still County Judge?” By the time Harris County Judge … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Chip Roy would also like you to die for the economy

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Truly, I struggle to understand this kind of thinking. U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, a firebrand freshman Republican, on Wednesday called for a return to economic normalcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to secure an “overall net positive outcome” for … Continue reading →

Posted in National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

State Supreme Court is skeptical of stay-at-home orders

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

They’re not ready to act yet, though. In turning down a case challenging Gov. Greg Abbott’s order allowing certain Texas businesses to reopen, the Texas Supreme Court hinted Tuesday that it is sympathetic to constitutionality concerns raised by coronavirus restrictions. … Continue reading →

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

More reopening

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s going great so far, right? Gov. Greg Abbott will allow hair salons in Texas to reopen Friday and gyms on May 18, moving more quickly than expected to further restart the Texas economy during the coronavirus pandemic. The businesses … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

How about that other coronavirus hot spot?

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You know, prisons? For more than fifty years, Palestine, Texas, has been known as a prison town. Most of the time, that hasn’t been a problem. True, it was a bit controversial in the 1960s when the Texas corrections department … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

No one knows when schools will open

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, if Mike Morath doesn’t know, then no one knows. Texas schools might start bringing students back to classrooms on staggered schedules in the fall. Or they might have some students show up at school while others continue their … Continue reading →

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

Hey look, there’s baseball!

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the KBO: Those craving live baseball can soon get a fix. ESPN announced Monday an agreement with Eclat Media Group to televise six live Korean Baseball Organization games per week. KBO Opening Day [was] Tuesday and ESPN [began] … Continue reading →

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Federal response to coronavirus spike in Panhandle

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Variations on the theme. A federal strike force is headed to Amarillo in response to a surge of coronavirus cases tied to meatpacking plants in the area. Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson announced on Saturday that a team of federal officials … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

One good thing that may come out of all this

Posted on May 5, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We may get to keep booze to go sales. On Twitter Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott suggested to-go alcohol sales should be made available in Texas past the coronavirus pandemic. Texas restaurants will be allowed to open for dine-in Friday under … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How to become a coronavirus hotspot

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It can happen to you, wherever you are. Barely a week ago, rural Lamar County in Texas could make a pretty good argument for reopening on Friday. Less than a dozen of the 50,000 residents of the area, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

You got to dance with them what brung ya

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Kenny Boy Paxton is looking out for you. If you are one of his rich donors. When a small county in the Colorado mountains banished everyone but locals to blunt the spread of the coronavirus, an unlikely outsider raised a … Continue reading →

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From the “Shit happens” department

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I apologize, I couldn’t help myself. City health officials and Rice University scientists have begun testing Houston wastewater samples for COVID-19, a process they hope will reveal the true spread of the new coronavirus as clinical testing continues to lag. … Continue reading →

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

Paxton threatens county clerks over vote by mail instructions

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems to me this should get a bit more attention. Attorney General Ken Paxton informed county judges and election officials Friday that if they advise voters who normally aren’t eligible to apply for mail-in ballots due to a fear of … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

More on coronavirus and meat processing

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: To understand powerlessness in a pandemic, trace a northbound path from Amarillo up State Highway 87. Not too far shy of the border where Texas meets Oklahoma lies Moore County. There are few easy ways to make … Continue reading →

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

Well, they do serve food

Posted on May 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Presented (mostly) without comment: A strip club in Houston has won a temporary order from federal court Friday night allowing it to resume business after a confrontation with police over the governor’s order to allow certain types of businesses to … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Day One of reopening

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, this is where we started. Texas reported 50 more COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, the most in any one day since the state reported its first deaths in mid-March. The state also reported it had added more than … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Down go the sales tax receipts

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s bad. Expected, but bad. Texas collected $2.58 billion in state sales tax revenue in April — a roughly 9% drop from what the state collected the same month last year, Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Friday. That drop, from $2.8 … Continue reading →

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The NBA takes a baby step towards coming back

Posted on May 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This may not amount to much, but it’s a potential sign that there may be more like it coming. The NBA is reopening team practice facilities beginning on Friday for players in states and municipalities that are loosening stay-at-home restrictions … Continue reading →

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Ready or not, here we reopen

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Who cares what the data says? As he moves to reopen the state Friday amid the coronavirus pandemic, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has cited data and science as his guiding lights. But Texas has yet to meet most of the … Continue reading →

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The TDP motion for a fast ruling in their federal vote by mail lawsuit

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned this in passing in yesterday’s post, so here are some more details. Updating an ongoing lawsuit, the Texas Democratic Party on Wednesday asked a federal judge in San Antonio to issue an order by May 15 requiring state … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reopening the beaches

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Galveston has opened its beaches again. Galveston beaches were reopened to pedestrians Monday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. after being closed for nearly a month due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. The Galveston City Council voted 4-3 on the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Democracy Toolbox (PPP): Biden 47, Trump 46

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: A new Texas poll shows former Vice President Joe Biden up by one percentage point over President Donald Trump and also provides insights into Texans’ concerns about voting during the COVID-19 outbreak. The poll was commissioned by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, The making of the President | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Age discrimination lawsuit filed over vote by mail

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This is something new. Citing the threats of the coronavirus, six Texas voters filed suit in federal court Wednesday challenging restrictions that limit age eligibility for voting-by-mail to those 65 and older. In a lawsuit filed in San Antonio, the … Continue reading →

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

Reopening roundup redux

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

More news about that thing that Greg Abbott is making us do. Health experts give Abbott’s plan to reopen Texas mixed reviews, warn state should revive stay-at-home order if surge emerges: Diana Cervantes, director of the epidemiology program at the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Harris County preps for more mail ballots

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to spend up to $12 million for an expected uptick in requests for mail-in ballots in the July primary runoff and November general election from voters concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reopening roundup

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Judge Hidalgo adjusts to the new status that has ben imposed on us from Austin. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Tuesday announced plans to significantly expand novel coronavirus case tracing, and maintain reserve hospital capacity, to prepare for a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

The fight over sick leave has to be at the state level

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I get this, but it’s not going to work. The coronavirus outbreak is sparking a debate over paid sick leave in Houston, the largest U.S. city without a law requiring businesses to provide paid time off for workers who fall … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

How partisan is concern about coronavirus?

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

On the one hand: Texas’ economy is taking a catastrophic hit — and hundreds of thousands of Texans are out of work — as officials shutter businesses and limit some establishment’s operations to stop the spread of the new coronavirus. But while Texans’ optimism … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

And so reopening begins

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have questions. Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday that he will let the state’s stay-at-home order expire Thursday as scheduled and allow businesses to begin reopening in phases the next day, the latest ramp-up in his push to restart the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Hotze goes crying to the Supreme Court

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This effing guy, I swear. Houston conservative activist Steve Hotze on Monday filed a petition with the Texas Supreme Court seeking an emergency ruling on Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s mask order, which took effect this morning. Hotze originally filed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

April 2020 campaign finance reports: Congress

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, remember politics? You know, races and finance reports and stuff like that? Yeah, it’s still happening, weird as that may seem right now. As we are well into April, the Q1 Congressional finance reports for 2020 are in, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on April 2020 campaign finance reports: Congress

Coronavirus and meat processing

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In the Panhandle: State health officials confirmed Tuesday that they are investigating an outbreak of the new coronavirus at the JBS Beef packing plant in the Texas Panhandle, part of ongoing efforts to monitor major meat processing plants as the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Driving may be down, but traffic fatalities are not down as much

Posted on April 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a bit of a conundrum. COVID-19 can keep millions of Texans at home and cut vehicle travel roughly in half in many cities, but cannot keep hundreds from dying on state roads — continuing a stubborn trend of carnage … Continue reading →

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