Tag Archives: Houston

Houston suspends “sister city” ties with Tyumen

Posted on February 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Houston Mayor Turner Sylvester on Friday suspended the city’s partnership agreement with Moscow and its sister city relationship with Tyumen, Russia, on the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Turner said that while he believes in the … Continue reading →

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We’re fixing to have some boring May elections

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

At least as far as Mayoral races go. The mayors of some of Texas’ largest cities are cruising toward reelection. The incumbents in San Antonio and Fort Worth face little opposition after the deadline to run for mayor in the … Continue reading →

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Metro’s first electric bus has arrived

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Metro’s next fleet of buses quietly is coming together, in more ways than one. The first of 20 electric 40-foot buses bought by Metropolitan Transit Authority has arrived in Houston, though it will be some time before it is … Continue reading →

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Harris County libraries to eliminate fines

Posted on February 26, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Harris County residents no longer will have to pay late fees on overdue library books, formalizing a policy the 26 branches of the county library started during the pandemic. Harris County Commissioners Court voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve … Continue reading →

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Here come the new floodplain maps

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Coming soon to tell you if you are now in the floodplain. When Harris County debuts a massive overhaul of its floodplain maps later this year, the Houston area will be the first in the country to rely on a … Continue reading →

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The Houston coyotes

Posted on February 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

No, not another sports team. A bit of wildlife that has found a home in the big city. As the Houston region continues to develop over the next few years, wildlife removal experts say that interactions between coyotes and humans … Continue reading →

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

ShotSpotter

Posted on February 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m more skeptical than not, but there is a way to make me less so. Two years in, Houston’s ShotSpotter program has resulted in 5,450 alerts, 99 arrests and the seizure of 107 guns, but no real consensus on its … Continue reading →

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HISD facing budget cuts

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna be a rough couple of years. Amid declining enrollment and a looming $215 million deficit, the Houston ISD is eyeing budget cuts that would slash funding to the central administration and cut campus budgets, especially at high schools. The … Continue reading →

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City donates to Winter Street relief

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good to see. Nearly two months after dozens of artists saw their work and gallery spaces burnt away, the city of Houston offered a step toward recovery. Mayor Sylvester Turner on Thursday announced that the city would donate $250,000 toward … Continue reading →

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The Evergreen Negro Cemetery

Posted on February 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. City and METRO officials have discovered 33 burial sites, including three that appear fully intact, near a historic Black cemetery on Lockwood Drive, which the city apparently missed when it tore through the site to expand the street in … Continue reading →

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Last chance to file Winter Storm Uri lawsuits

Posted on February 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The two year anniversary of the big freeze of 2021 is upon us, and the statute of limitations for civil actions in this sort of thing is two years, so you know what that means. When Cherrilyn Nedd left her … Continue reading →

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More on the state of B-Cycle

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I think they will come out of this in better shape, but change is always hard. In a sense, Maya Ford is just trying to get Houston Bike Share back in gear in the hope that it has a long … Continue reading →

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HCC public hearing on redistricting today

Posted on February 15, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox, sorry for the short notice. HCC Final Redistricting Public Hearing Your voice is still needed regarding HCC proposed redistricting maps for District IV which includes Third Ward and other surrounding communities. Join us, February 15th, in person (3100 Main … Continue reading →

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CM Gallegos enters the Mayor’s race

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I wish him well. Councilmember Robert Gallegos, the lone Hispanic member of Houston’s City Council, has entered the mayoral race. Gallegos filed a form Thursday with the secretary’s office to start raising money for a mayoral bid, and he told the Chronicle … Continue reading →

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January 2023 campaign finance reports: HCC

Posted on February 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: City of Houston, Harris County, HISD As with HISD, I last checked in on HCC Trustee campaign finance reports was last January. Three of these people will be on the ballot if they all run again, but we’ll see … Continue reading →

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January 2023 campaign finance reports: HISD

Posted on February 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Previously: City of Houston, Harris County. While I did July reports for Harris County and the city of Houston, I last rounded up HISD finance reports a year ago. As with the city it is now election season, so let’s … Continue reading →

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A very early thought about turnout in the 2023 Houston election

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Before I begin, please note that all of this involves a lot of back-of-the-envelope math and more than a few assumptions made along the way. The number of registered voters in Harris County, and thus in Houston, will certainly change … Continue reading →

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Houston Landing

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Meet the new kid on the local media block. More than a year ago, researchers studying local news in the Houston metro area learned something critical to the launch of the Houston Landing. “The community often times feels left out … Continue reading →

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Metro CEO Lambert to retire

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I wish him well. After 44 years, Tom Lambert is hopping off the Metro bus. Lambert, president and CEO of Metropolitan Transit Authority, is retiring at the end of the year after leading Texas’ largest transit system for 11 years. … Continue reading →

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Can you print a house?

Posted on February 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’re gonna find out. 3D printing is taking home construction to new heights. In Houston, a giant printer is building what designers say is the first 3D-printed two-story house in the U.S. The machine has been pouring a concrete mix … Continue reading →

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Pension reform had the desired effect

Posted on February 3, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a good thing Houston got this done when it did. We couldn’t get it done earlier, and I don’t think we could get it done now. Now, nearly six years after Mayor Sylvester Turner shepherded a package of reforms through the … Continue reading →

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Anti-vaxxer defamation lawsuit against Houston Methodist dismissed

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. A state district judge has dismissed Dr. Mary Talley Bowden’s defamation lawsuit against Houston Methodist Hospital, which suspended the doctor’s privileges in late 2021 over COVID misinformation. Judge Mike Engelhart, of the 151st Civil District Court, heard arguments Monday afternoon after the … Continue reading →

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Have you chipped your pet yet?

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The city will begin enforcing its new ordinance requiring dogs and cats to be microchipped. Houston is offering free microchips for dogs and cats before it begins enforcing a new ordinance that requires pets to have the identification devices. City … Continue reading →

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A petition effort to force H-GAC to be more fair to Houston and Harris County

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I heard about Fair For Houston over the weekend, and I like where they’re coming from. H-GAC determines the funding and planning for our: Sidewalks & Roads Flooding Prevention & Mitigation Childcare Workforce Development Large-Scale Infrastructure, e.g., Highways But we … Continue reading →

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A brief 11th Street update

Posted on January 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the latest Woodland Heights Civic Association newsletter: 11th Street Safety Improvements: Project Update The WHCA board hosted City officials (David Fields, Lauren Grove, and Colin Lupold) at the January 10th general meeting. We had around 50 or so on … Continue reading →

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No 2024 DNC for Houston

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Not a surprise. The Democratic National Convention told Houston officials this week the city will not host Democrats’ national convention in 2024. Mayor Sylvester Turner’s office confirmed Thursday that Houston no longer is in the running. The snub leaves New … Continue reading →

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The Pierce Skypark and the Midtown McDonald’s

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Fascinating. The now closed McDonald’s in Midtown isn’t the only parcel at play in the area that could – when combined with a major proposed “sky park’ – help to reshape the southern edge of downtown. The Greyhound bus station next to … Continue reading →

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Metro approves initial takeover of B-Cycle

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m optimistic about this. The Metro board approved a six-to-nine month transition period where operations now overseen by the nonprofit Houston Bike Share will move into the transit agency. Officials said rolling the bike borrowing system into the transit made … Continue reading →

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Project Unloaded

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I approve of this.

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Chron story on HCC redistricting

Posted on January 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This focuses on one district, which seems to be the main and possibly only point of contention in the process. I’d like to know more than what was in this story. Houston Community College trustee Reagan Flowers had to receive … Continue reading →

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A new proposal for adding sidewalks

Posted on January 25, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’d like to hear more about this. Some homeowners and developers soon may be able to opt out of requirements to build sidewalks and instead pay a fee into a new fund the city would use to build sidewalks across … Continue reading →

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Spring Branch ISD to discuss a book ban today

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t post stuff like this often – it’s not really my remit, and timeliness usually works against me – but this one really annoyed me, so here it is. Via Facebook: PLEASE CONSIDER SPEAKING ON TUESDAY @ 1PM! (If … Continue reading →

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January 2023 campaign finance reports: City of Houston

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s late January, so you know what that means: It’s campaign finance report time again. The reports of the greatest interest will be for the city of Houston, but I’ll be checking in on HISD, HCC, and Harris County as … Continue reading →

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“I bless the drains down in Africa”

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Whoever came up with the Adopt A Drain program is a damn genius. When it comes to naming storm drains, it seems Houstonians have a hard time keeping their minds out of the gutter. In 2018, the city of Houston … Continue reading →

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