Tag Archives: Galveston

The drought is still a big deal

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. The Brazos River has nearly dried up, prompting cities in Galveston County to issue drought alerts and preventing Brazoria County rice farmers from planting a second crop this year. Water for rice farmers and 12 … Continue reading →

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Interview with State Rep. Craig Eiland

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

We now move into the State Rep. races, and as with the Congressional portion of my interview series I’m very pleased to kick things off with a distinguished veteran lawmaker. State Rep. Craig Eiland has represented House District 23 since … Continue reading →

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Galveston passenger rail back on track

Posted on August 11, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Sorry about the pun, they can be hard to avoid when writing these titles. Anyway, the on-again, off-again Houston to Galveston rail line is apparently on again. A Houston-to-Galveston passenger rail line postponed indefinitely after the economy hit bottom in … Continue reading →

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Who wants to live in Galveston?

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Galveston would like to know. Although the city is still rebuilding with new private investment and hundreds of millions in federal disaster money, Galveston finds itself at a crossroads and confronting fundamental questions: Will its population continue to shrink until … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit sends open beaches lawsuit back to district court

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Unfortunately, the headline makes it sound like better news than it is. A federal appeals court Monday ruled that the Texas Open Beaches Act is unconstitutional in the case of a Galveston Island property, a ruling that puts the fate … Continue reading →

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DOJ denies Galveston County redistricting

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder that there’s more to redistricting than the state level. The U.S. Department of Justice late Monday rejected Galveston County’s proposed redistricting maps for county commissioner precincts, justices of the peace and constables. The rejection could put at … Continue reading →

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Galveston County redistricting plan blocked by federal judge

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Seems to be a lot of stories like this these days. A U.S. District Court judge has blocked the county’s redistricting plan for this election cycle because it has not received preclearance from the U.S. Department of Justice. In an … Continue reading →

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The Ike Floodgate

Posted on November 19, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

We have a recommendation for how to prepare for a future Hurricane Ike. A giant floodgate at the entrance to the Houston Ship Channel, coupled with a 130-mile wetlands recreation area, should be built to protect Houston from hurricane storm … Continue reading →

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Federal court refuses to throw out Open Beaches lawsuit

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I hadn’t realized that there was federal court action on the Galveston open beaches case. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by the General Land office that it throw out the case because the beachfront house … Continue reading →

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Our gay state

Posted on September 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Is getting gayer, according to the Census. It’s no secret that Austin and Central Texas have much appeal for same-sex couples, but new census data from 2010 underscore the depth and breadth of the attraction. Among the highlights from an … Continue reading →

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Ron Paul not running for re-election in CD14

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Looks like we won’t need to challenge him after all. Late Tuesday morning, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Surfside, sent out the following message to his Twitter followers: “I have decided not to seek re-election to Congress.” Brazoria County newspaper, The … Continue reading →

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On challenging Ron Paul in CD14

Posted on July 8, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Jason Stanford has a question. So why aren’t we targeting Ron Paul again? The Texas legislature drew him the reapportionment equivalent of a target on his back. They took away some of his red meat territory and gave him Galveston … Continue reading →

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Invasive species report

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting story about a group of scientists cataloging invasive species in the area. Termed the Texas Rapid Assessment Team — Galveston, the group includes scientists from across the spectrum of disciplines and expertise conducting surveys and collecting samples to document … Continue reading →

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Galveston’s comeback

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I wish the city of Galveston all the best with this. Community leaders here, concerned that 50 years of steady population loss could transform what was once one of Texas’ great cities into a hollowed-out tourist resort, are scrambling to … Continue reading →

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Are there any seats Dems could lose?

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m sure you’ve heard someone express the view that if there’s a silver lining for the Democrats after the 2010 election, it’s that their decimated caucus offers no real targets for the Republicans to aim for. The Rs weren’t completely … Continue reading →

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Supreme Court will review Open Beaches ruling

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This is encouraging. Faced with a tidal wave of legal protests, the Texas Supreme Court Friday agreed to reconsider a California woman’s lawsuit that ended in a controversial ruling last November that left public access to some beaches in question. … Continue reading →

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Department of rail-related corrections

Posted on January 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Council Member Sue Lovell writes a letter disputing certain aspects of the recent story about Galveston commuter rail being off track. Barry Goodman blames lack of a regional transportation policy as a big obstacle. The eight-county transportation planning region represented … Continue reading →

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The gambling industry keeps trying

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure how successful an approach this will be, but I guess it’s better than nothing. Expanding gaming requires a vote of two-thirds of the legislature, with voters getting the final say. A new poll done for the Chronicle … Continue reading →

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Galveston commuter rail project off track

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Bummer. A depressed economy and a budget-cutting political climate have indefinitely delayed a proposed Houston-Galveston passenger rail line, a project that could have been under construction by now according to earlier predictions. Despite strong support from governments in Galveston County, … Continue reading →

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Amicus briefs filed in Galveston beach case

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good for you, Vince Ryan. Harris County today joined other public agencies and activists in urging the Texas Supreme Court to reconsider a recent opinion that critics contend blocks public access to most beaches on Galveston island. County Attorney Vince … Continue reading →

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Patterson on the Open Beaches ruling

Posted on December 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I must say, I enjoyed Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson’s op-ed on the recent Open Beaches ruling by the State Supreme Court. The man can bring the snark, I’ll give him that. Two points of interest besides that: Texans, you see, … Continue reading →

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State Supreme Court asked to reconsider open beaches verdict

Posted on December 17, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck with that. Galveston has joined key state agencies in pleading with the court to reconsider a ruling that favors private property rights over public access to Texas shores. “I think the Supreme Court really needs to understand the … Continue reading →

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Two environmental issues for your attention

Posted on December 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Are you familiar with tar sands? The Sierra Club would like to acquaint you with them this Thursday, December 16, on its Houston Frontlines tour. Elected officials and community members will gather at Hartmann Community Center on Thursday, December 16th … Continue reading →

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The cost of closing the beaches

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The recent Supreme Court ruling predictably leads to the enrichment of a lucky few. Although Carol Severance’s lawsuit killed the largest beach resanding project in Texas history, her four Galveston beach properties won’t suffer. Instead, she could walk away with … Continue reading →

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Galveston’s housing issue

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Got the following email from Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski: Kuff – here’s what I just posted on my facebook pages: “Catch Mayor Joe Jaworski on Houston PBS Channel 8 discussing Galveston’s need for affordable housing and how he intends positively … Continue reading →

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Is this the end for truly open beaches?

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From last week: The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday the state cannot take private property for a public beach when a storm moves the vegetation line landward — a decision that may lead to restricted access along the coast. Texas … Continue reading →

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Look in the mirror, John

Posted on October 5, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It is of course a terrible thing that the actions of a single Republican will keep the Houston/Galveston area from keeping $40 million in federal disaster funds, but the reaction to it from certain quarters is more than a little … Continue reading →

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Tar balls in Galveston

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s hope this is not the start of something bigger. About a dozen tar balls that washed ashore on Crystal Beach were identified Monday as oil from the BP well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, the first evidence that … Continue reading →

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Ike Dike gets a study

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The “Ike Dike”, a network of dikes and gates off the coast of Galveston that was first proposed last year by William Merrell as protection against storm surges from future hurricanes, is being discussed more seriously by the Gulf Coast … Continue reading →

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Meet Joe Jaworski

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron had a profile of newly-elected Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski over the weekend. Jaworski said he will focus on improving the life of existing residents rather than encouraging construction on the west end. […] Jaworski said he wants to … Continue reading →

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And in case you were wondering about gambling

Posted on May 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

And to complete this impromptu three–parter about the state’s budget situation, we ask the question “What about gambling?” Lawmakers had been warned to expect a shortfall of at least $11 billion in the next two-year budget period. But Appropriations Chairman … Continue reading →

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Election results

Posted on May 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations to Galveston Mayor-Elect Joe Jaworski, who won a majority of the vote in a five-candidate race. “I think our message was one of energy and it was one of progress in Galveston,” Jaworski said. “I think people are tired … Continue reading →

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Elections today

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder that for some of you, there are elections today, including a special election to replace State Sen. Kip Averitt in Waco, school board elections in Austin and Dallas, and of course elections for Mayor and City Council … Continue reading →

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AAUP criticizes UTMB for post-Ike layoffs

Posted on May 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Oops. The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston and the University of Texas System (UTS) violated established and widely accepted guidelines on academic freedom and tenure when it laid off more than 2,400 faculty and staff in the … Continue reading →

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