Tag Archives: Austin

Three local marijuana decriminalization referenda passed last week

Posted on November 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Forgive me if my enthusiasm is modest. This General Election, Texans voted to decriminalize marijuana on ballot measures in Lockhart, Bastrop, and Dallas. According to The Dallas Morning News, about 67% of Dallas voters supported the proposition decriminalizing small amounts … Continue reading →

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More on Fertitta and the WNBA

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He does sound serious. The Houston Rockets are putting together a proposal to bring a WNBA franchise back to the city but are currently awaiting further instruction from the league’s representatives, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and president of business operations … Continue reading →

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Fertitta to bid on a WNBA expansion franchise

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Rooting for him to succeed. Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta on Thursday confirmed his intention to bid on an WNBA expansion franchise, a step toward returning the league to Houston at a time the WNBA is setting ratings and attendance records. … Continue reading →

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Water, water, everywhere

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

All due to leaks. Texas’ most populous cities lost roughly 88 billion gallons of water last year because of aging water infrastructure and extreme heat, costing them millions of dollars and straining the state’s water supply, according to self-reported water … Continue reading →

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Watch out for Waymo

Posted on August 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ve talked a lot about Cruise’s so far ill-fated attempt to do robotaxi service, mostly because it was briefly available in Houston (and may be again soon), but the most successful purveyor of such services out there has been Waymo. … Continue reading →

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On burying a freeway and building a park over it

Posted on August 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Noting this for the record. As a high-stakes project to sink I-35 through downtown Austin kicks into gear this summer, city officials and the University of Texas are looking to Dallas for a possible glimpse of the future. The vision: … Continue reading →

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The cost of the Michelin stars

Posted on August 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a reasonable investment to me, to be honest. In July 2024, the Michelin Guide, the international dining guide run by the French tire company Michelin, announced that it had finally made its Lone Star State debut. Many speculated … Continue reading →

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A high level overview of passenger rail in Texas

Posted on August 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

There’s stuff happening, mostly talk for now but maybe there will be more. A robust passenger rail system has long been seen as a pipe dream in car-dependent Texas. But a glut of federal dollars for rail projects and a … Continue reading →

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Lawsuit over San Marcos marijuana decriminalization ordinance tossed

Posted on July 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

For now. A Hays County judge dismissed a lawsuit filed against the City of San Marcos in response to a proposition decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. Judge Sherri Tibbe dropped Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s suit against San Marcos on Monday. … Continue reading →

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MLB to Austin?

Posted on July 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It could happen. [W]ith expansion teams on the horizon, the MLB believes that Austin is one of a few cities that has the potential to host a team. Exactly when the league may expand is a question that hasn’t been … Continue reading →

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Five Texas cities to get into the 2024 Michelin Guide

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

All of the state’s food media goes crazy. Buckle up, Texas, we are (finally!) getting a Michelin Guide. The French tire company and prestigious food authority confirmed via press release on Tuesday that Texas will be the newest location featured … Continue reading →

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Paxton lawsuit to nullify marijuana ordinances tossed

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A state district judge in Travis County has dismissed a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Paxton that sought to nullify voter-approved ordinances in Austin and a few other cities that effectively decriminalize possessing small amounts of marijuana. In a … Continue reading →

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Uplift Harris remains on hold

Posted on June 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Doesn’t look good for them. The Supreme Court of Texas ruled against Harris County’s guaranteed income program Friday, continuing to block the county from sending checks to participants. In an opinion written by Justice James D. Blacklock, the court said … Continue reading →

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Lone Star Rail revival

Posted on May 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe now is finally the time. Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai and Travis County Judge Andy Brown have jointly launched a committee of political heavyweights to explore the decades-old idea of connecting Austin and San Antonio via passenger rail. The … Continue reading →

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Harris County gets “Solar for All” grant

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Nice. Harris County will receive part of a $7 billion federal grant toward installing solar panels and battery systems in low-income and disadvantaged communities across Texas, part of President Joe Biden’s plan to expand access to solar energy nationwide. The … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court puts temporary pause on Uplift Harris

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The Supreme Court of Texas has temporarily blocked Harris County’s new guaranteed income program, Uplift Harris, after two lower courts denied Attorney General Ken Paxton’s requests to stop the payments. Paxton sued Harris County earlier this month, alleging its … Continue reading →

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Appeals court rejects Paxton appeal on Uplift Harris

Posted on April 23, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A state appeals court on Monday ruled Harris County’s guaranteed income program may move forward, paving the way for checks to be sent out to low-income residents as soon as Wednesday. An appeal by Attorney General Ken Paxton to … Continue reading →

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Uplift Harris can proceed

Posted on April 19, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

So says a judge. A district judge on Thursday ruled Harris County’s new guaranteed income program can proceed, denying the Texas Attorney General’s office request for a temporary injunction. The state sued Harris County earlier this month, arguing the initiative … Continue reading →

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County leaders defend Uplift Harris

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I appreciate the passion and intensity in this response, but overall it does not leave me feeling optimistic about the outcome. Harris County leaders are defending their new guaranteed income program after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office sued to … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues over Uplift Harris

Posted on April 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Harris County over Uplift Harris, its new guaranteed income pilot program, calling the effort to administer $500 monthly payments to low-income residents the “Harris Handout.” Though participants … Continue reading →

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The continuing problems of At Large-only school boards

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Houston Landing take a look at the big picture. In Katy and several Houston-area districts, school boards have employed an election system — known as “at-large districts” — that has contributed to most trustees living in wealthier neighborhoods, a Houston … Continue reading →

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Hope we have enough water this summer

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not looking great for some parts of the state right now. Two consecutive summers of brutal heat and drought have left some parts of Texas with notably low water supplies going into 2024. A wet year or a well-placed hurricane … Continue reading →

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Paxton sues five cities over marijuana decriminalization ordinances

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Seemed likely something like this would happen eventually. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing five cities — Austin, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin and Denton — to block their ordinances decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession. In 2022, voters in the five … Continue reading →

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Cruise and Houston

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

An interesting overview of the currently-on-pause driverless taxi service in our town. The nationwide pause included Houston and Austin. However, no Texas or local entity required Cruise to take its vehicles off the road because they legally could not. Senate … Continue reading →

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“Solar For All” grant

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Earlier this year, the Biden Administration announced a $7 billion national “Solar For All” grant competition via the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help expand solar energy production across the country. Harris County leaders enlisted a coalition … Continue reading →

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Another look at Cruise

Posted on November 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

While we wait to see what happens. Cruise employees worry that there is no easy way to fix the company’s problems, said five former and current employees and business partners, while its rivals fear Cruise’s issues could lead to tougher … Continue reading →

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A brief primer on driverless cars

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

From the Trib: It’s 8 p.m. in downtown Austin, and the electric cars silently exit the parking lot one by one — but no one is behind the wheel of any of them. The Cruise depot is full of people … Continue reading →

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California DMV pulls Cruise permits

Posted on October 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Some bumps in the road there. Citing public safety concerns about Cruise‘s robotaxi line operating in San Francisco, California DMV officials announced Tuesday that the agency had suspended permits for the driverless cars deployed by General Motors’ autonomous vehicle subsidiary. … Continue reading →

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NHTSA investigating Cruise

Posted on October 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. U.S. regulators are investigating General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division after receiving reports of incidents where vehicles may not have used proper caution around pedestrians in roadways. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the reports involve … Continue reading →

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Cruise officially rolls out in Houston

Posted on October 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The service is limited for now, but I suspect it will expand soon enough. A driverless ride hailing service is launching operations Thursday in Houston, where residents in select locations can start catching autonomous rides at 9 p.m. Cruise driverless … 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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Judge blocks “Death Star” law

Posted on August 31, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I assume this has been appealed and thus the ruling is stayed for now, but in the meantime this is nice. via Gfycat A Travis County state district judge on Wednesday struck down Texas’ “death star” law preempting local regulations … Continue reading →

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Time for another Cruise update

Posted on August 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Driverless taxi service Cruise got the full go-ahead in San Francisco. In a win for the autonomous vehicle industry, California regulators have given the green light to Cruise and Waymo to offer commercial robotaxi services across San Francisco 24 hours … Continue reading →

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Who votes in Houston elections?

Posted on August 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The short answer is old people. When Houston residents head to the ballot box this November to elect a new mayor and city government, fewer people may actually show up than in Seattle, a city with a third of our … Continue reading →

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