Tag Archives: Greg Abbott

More on Abbott’s approval rating

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Further evidence of decline. Approval for Gov. Greg Abbott’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic continues to erode, according to a new poll from a consortium of universities. The survey, conducted through Sunday by Harvard, Northeastern, Rutgers and Northwestern universities, found … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

An analysis of that Paxton opinion about schools and county health authorities

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Short version: That’s just, like, his opinion, man. The law should mean what it says. Rule §97.6(h) of the Texas Administrative Code says: “The health authority is empowered to close any public or private child-care facility, school or other place … Continue reading →

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Enforcing the mask order

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Those of you who haven’t been wearing your mask when out in public, shame on you. And also, there may now be consequences for your dumb refusal to do the right thing. Houston law enforcement officials will begin issuing fines … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

SCOTX rejects multiple Hotze petitions

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Some good news. The Texas Supreme Court has refused to hear several challenges by a Houston conservative power broker to emergency orders on coronavirus issued by Gov. Greg Abbott and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Without comment, the nine Republican … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Revisiting the May elections

Posted on August 2, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m ambivalent about this. Most cities in Texas — from Galveston to Lubbock — moved their May elections to November under a pandemic-era decree by Gov. Greg Abbott. But the choices facing voters will remain limited to candidates who filed … Continue reading →

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Abbott finally speaks about schools

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Of course, he mostly says weasel words. Gov. Greg Abbott clarified Friday that Texas schools will be required to provide in-person instruction this fall, but that some districts may be eligible for extended waivers on a “case-by-case basis.” In a … Continue reading →

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

The school situation remains a big ol’ mess

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

You can blame Greg Abbott for all this confusion. After weeks of confusion and conflicting signals, Texas has settled into policies that effectively compel schools to reopen their classrooms this fall no later than eight weeks after the academic year … Continue reading →

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

Paxton overrides county health orders on schools

Posted on July 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

So much concern for the children here. Local health officials do not have the authority to shut down all schools in their vicinity while COVID-19 cases rise, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in nonbinding guidance Tuesday that contradicts what … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Abbott officially extends early voting for November

Posted on July 28, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s just by a week, but at least the announcement has been made early. Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday extended the early voting period for the November election by six days, citing continued challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Early … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The contact tracing debacle

Posted on July 27, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Let us never forget about this. Just as coronavirus infections began rising a few weeks ago in Texas, contract workers hired by the state to track down exposed Texans were spending hours doing little or no work, received confusing or … Continue reading →

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

Of course Abbott’s “Strike Force” are all Abbott donors

Posted on July 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. Members of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s coronavirus “strike force” have contributed hundreds of thousand of dollars to his re-election campaign as the number of COVID-19 cases and the death toll has mounted, … Continue reading →

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A very early glimmer of some possibly good news

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We may be finally bending the curve, thanks to people finally taking seriously the need to wear face masks in public. Three weeks after Gov. Greg Abbott required Texans to wear masks, epidemiologists and disease modelers say they are cautiously … Continue reading →

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Beer gardens get jerked around

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

First, we had this. Saint Arnold Brewing announced Monday that it will temporarily close its beer garden and restaurant. The reason? Gov. Greg Abbott’s office ruled it is a bar, not a restaurant, and therefore should close according to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

There’s a lot of COVID litigation out there

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Lawyer surveys the landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a growing subset of new business litigation in Texas: companies suing the government over shutdown orders or definitions of essential versus nonessential businesses. One of the latest examples to make … Continue reading →

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

County Clerk touts curbside voting, asks for more early voting

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: On Friday, July 10, the last day of Early Voting during the July Primary Runoff Elections, the Harris County Clerk’s Office piloted Drive-Thru Voting as an additional option for voters to cast their ballot safely in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Why resign tomorrow when you can do it today?

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

News item: After 15 years as a member of the Texas Supreme Court, Republican Justice Paul W. Green said he will retire in August — almost two and a half years before his term was set to end. “I’m grateful … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

UT prepares for fantasy football

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have no idea what they’re thinking. The University of Texas at Austin will kick off the football season Sept. 5, albeit with a stadium open at half its capacity, athletics officials told ticket holders Monday. While both NCAA and … Continue reading →

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State GOP wraps up its historic convention

Posted on July 21, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

And what a convention it was. Allen West, the firebrand former Florida congressman, has defeated Texas GOP Chairman James Dickey to lead the country’s largest state Republican Party. West claimed victory shortly before 3:30 a.m. Monday, while Dickey conceded about … Continue reading →

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Going after Abbott

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Forward thinking is always good to see. Hoping to harness the opposition to Gov. Greg Abbott’s handling of the coronavirus, several Texas Democratic strategists are launching a new political group to defeat him in 2022. Their group, the Beat Abbott … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

We still need that equality bill in the Lege

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

That SCOTUS ruling was huge, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. LGBTQ Texans marked a major victory Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal civil rights law prevents employment discrimination on the basis of … Continue reading →

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TEA updates its school-opening guidance

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

They heard the outcry. Facing growing backlash from teachers, parents and health officials, Texas education officials Friday relaxed a previous order that would have given public schools just three weeks from the start of the fall semester to reopen their … Continue reading →

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

Another lawsuit filed over mobile voting locations

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t know that there’s enough time for this to be heard, but it’s a good idea. Mi Familia Vota, the Texas NAACP and two Texas voters this week filed a suit against the state over its election policies, alleging they … Continue reading →

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Wineries and distilleries

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I’m happy to keep beating this drum, but I’d really rather not have to. The owners and patrons of Ironroot Republic Distillery in Denison hardly consider the business to be a bar in the traditional sense. There’s no loud music … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, glorious food | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Here, have a COVID update

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Things are going great. Texas set yet another record for coronavirus deaths Thursday with 154 — the third day in a row above 100. The previous record was July 8 when 112 deaths were logged, according to a data analysis … Continue reading →

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

Federal judge rules GOP can have its in person convention

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Unbelievable. A federal judge on Friday ruled that Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston First Corp. must allow the Texas Republican Party to proceed with an in-person convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center, though the party now only intends … Continue reading →

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We’re still not doing great with the Census

Posted on July 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still time, but we have a lot of work to do. Despite an extended deadline, local government cash infusions and grassroots campaigns to improve Houston’s 2020 census response rate, almost half of Houston households are still missing from the … Continue reading →

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

Censuring Abbott

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

An amusing sideline, if nothing else. Republicans in eight different Texas counties have now voted to censure Gov. Greg Abbott for his order requiring Texans to wear face coverings and take other protective measures as COVID-19 spreads throughout the state. … Continue reading →

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The GOP convention is off to a great start

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ain’t technology great? Getting the virtual state convention up and running “has not been a walk in the park,” said Republican Party of Texas Chair James Dickey in a Facebook Live chat Wednesday evening. Glitches related to credentialing had yet … Continue reading →

Posted in General snarkiness, Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Is it time to step back?

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not a question of whether we want to do this, it’s whether we need to. Houston leaders are calling for another two-week shutdown as dozens of Army personnel are set to arrive Monday to help fight a virus that … Continue reading →

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Schools get an in person opening reprieve

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It started with this. Texas will give school districts more flexibility to keep their school buildings closed to in-person instruction this fall as coronavirus cases continue to rise, Gov. Greg Abbott told a Houston television station Tuesday. Public health guidance … Continue reading →

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

State Supreme Court denies GOP effort to force convention to happen

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Denied. The Texas Supreme Court on Monday rejected the state Republican Party’s appeal of a lower court’s decision regarding its in-person Houston convention, all but ensuring that Mayor Sylvester Turner’s move to cancel the event will stand. In an unsigned … Continue reading →

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Today is Primary Runoff Day

Posted on July 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Last chance to vote for your party’s nominees. From the inbox: Today, Tuesday, July 14th, is Election Day for the July 2020 Primary Runoff Elections.Voters can cast their ballots anytime between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. at any of the … Continue reading →

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UT-Tyler/DMN: Biden 48, Trump 43

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Holy mackeral. Former Vice President Joe Biden has built a 5-point lead over President Donald Trump in Texas, as unease over Trump’s handling of coronavirus mounts, a new Dallas Morning News-University of Texas Tyler poll has found. If the general … Continue reading →

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AG sides with Mayor Turner in GOP convention litigation

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

But only in a limited and technical way, so cool your jets. The Texas Attorney General’s Office on Saturday sided with Mayor Sylvester Turner in a legal dispute over the state Republican Party’s in-person convention, arguing that the Texas Supreme … Continue reading →

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