Tag Archives: Dallas

The best time to buy a house in Houston was last year

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Or the year before that, or the year before that… The O’Neals are part of a nationwide real estate frenzy playing out in Houston that is propelling prices to new highs. Houses are frequently drawing multiple offers, often above the … Continue reading →

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

Is there an infrastructure boost in the works for Texas Central?

Posted on April 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe! The federal government is serious about spending money on high-speed rail, and Texas could be among the first beneficiaries. The recent interest in investing in bullet trains capable of going 200 mph or faster comes at a time when … Continue reading →

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NCAA warns Texas about anti-transgender bills

Posted on April 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not just the voter suppression bills that will do great harm to the state of Texas and its people if the Republicans ram them through. Amid all the talk of boycotts and corporate criticism of election bills going through … Continue reading →

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Houston’s scooter problem

Posted on March 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Wait, when did we get scooters? A plan in Houston to prohibit vendors from renting motorized scooters on city sidewalks has suppliers of the two-wheel contraptions revved up, and city officials holding the line to have scooters clear the way. … Continue reading →

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Take me out to the ballgame?

Posted on March 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for this. The Texas Rangers plan to open Globe Life Field to a full-capacity crowd of 40,518 for their final two exhibition games and their regular-season home opener on April 5. … Continue reading →

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Bills to allow casinos filed

Posted on March 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t bet on them, that’s my advice. Two Texas lawmakers on Tuesday filed legislation backed by the gaming empire Las Vegas Sands that would legalize casino gambling in Texas. The legislation was filed by Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, in the … Continue reading →

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More maskless mandate stuff

Posted on March 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of a roundup, because there’s so much out there. Three of Gov. Greg Abbott’s four coronavirus medical advisers say they weren’t directly consulted prior to lifting mask mandate In April 2020, an optimistic Gov. Greg Abbott announced at … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments

On informing the public during an emergency

Posted on February 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Another thing the state didn’t do well. As millions of Texans fought to survive brutal winter weather without power and water, Gov. Greg Abbott told residents Wednesday to search for emergency warming shelters on Google and to call 311 for … Continue reading →

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We can get back to vaccinations

Posted on February 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Federal vaccination super site opening this week. COVID-19 vaccination efforts are about to significantly ramp up next week in Houston. The region’s first vaccination “super site” will open on Tuesday at NRG Stadium, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo announced on … Continue reading →

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The home stretch for the World Cup

Posted on February 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

We will soon learn whether or not Houston gets to host 2026 FIFA World Cup games. Houston’s bid to be one of the 10 host cities in the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup is entering the stretch run. Since … Continue reading →

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Here come the super-sites

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Texas is working with the federal government to open vaccination “super sites” that could administer upward of 5,000 COVID-19 vaccines per day, Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday. Houston and Dallas will likely host the initial two sites, Abbott said, … Continue reading →

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Is Greg Abbott now an obstacle for Texas Central?

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

This Texas Monthly story suggests that maybe the answer to that question is Yes. Earlier this year, after six years of legal battles brought by property owners and local governments, the rail project finally looked to be chugging along. Texas … Continue reading →

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More on police oversight boards

Posted on November 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Ours in Houston isn’t very good. Some other cities do it better. We can learn from them. Houston’s police oversight board is the weakest among Texas’ five largest cities and suffers from “a complete lack of transparency and public reporting,” … Continue reading →

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So what’s up with that National Guard story?

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Hell, I don’t know. Governors can deploy troops for numerous reasons, from natural disasters to border security. But observers found it rare to the point of extraordinary when the Texas National Guard revealed that Gov. Greg Abbott has directed troops … Continue reading →

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Here comes another rideshare company

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Seems like a less than optimal time to be expanding, but here we are. Alto, a new rideshare company based in Dallas, will roll into view in Houston as it looks to expand its reach and compete with Uber and … Continue reading →

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Texas Central gets federal approvals

Posted on September 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A big step completed. Federal officials have issued final approvals to backers of a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, clearing the way for construction of the proposed line, in a move almost certain to face challenges from opponents. Texas Central Railroad, … Continue reading →

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Dallas ends its scooter experiment

Posted on September 10, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Over in Dallas, never started in Houston. Tis better to have scootered and stopped than to have never scootered at all. That is the consensus of a handful of Houston proponents of rental scooters as they watched Dallas this week … Continue reading →

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We’re trending in the right direction, but…

Posted on August 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Still a ways to go. The number of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 in the Houston area have improved significantly since July, but the pandemic remains a serious threat here. The Houston region added 1,957 cases on Saturday, … Continue reading →

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The cities still need COVID relief

Posted on July 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Just a reminder, in case you’d forgotten. As Congress resumes work on a new coronavirus financial relief package, nearly 100 Texas mayors are pressing the state’s congressional delegation for more funding to address revenue losses incurred due to the economic … 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 →

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Whistling past the ICU

Posted on June 17, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Clap louder! Gov. Greg Abbott and top Texas health officials on Tuesday responded to growing alarm over hospitals now swelling with coronavirus patients, assuring there is still plenty of space available even as some facilities have neared or surpassed capacity. … Continue reading →

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Austin’s sick leave ordinance is officially dead

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Killed by the State Supreme Court, which should come as a surprise to no one. Austin still cannot enforce a mandatory paid sick leave ordinance its city council passed in February 2018 after the Texas Supreme Court on Friday declined to … Continue reading →

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Abbott issues disaster declaration following protests

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Where we are now. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Sunday afternoon that the entire state of Texas will be placed under a disaster declaration in response to demonstrators in several Texas cities protesting the death of George Floyd, a black man … Continue reading →

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The Hair Affair

Posted on May 9, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I have a hard time wrapping my mind around this story, so to save myself a little brain power I’m going to outsource it. Lisa Falkenberg: Let’s be clear about something: Shelley Luther, the Dallas-area salon owner-turned-folk hero, wound up … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 37 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 →

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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 →

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How about an Arizona/Florida/Texas plan for MLB?

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Call it the MLB Plan 3.0 for having a season. With the spread of the novel coronavirus threatening Major League Baseball’s 2020 season, the league and the union continue to seek ways to salvage the year as best they can. … Continue reading →

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Mask up

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Time for the next step in virus mitigation. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Wednesday ordered residents to cover their faces in public, the latest effort by local governments to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. The new rules, … Continue reading →

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Texas Central opponents see an opportunity

Posted on April 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Never waste an opportunity. Examination of a planned high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas should be halted as the country addresses the new coronavirus pandemic and the company rethinks its financial shape, 30 elected officials in Texas told federal … Continue reading →

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Coronavirus and the Census

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Oh, man, does this have the potential to be devastating. In some corners of the state, the meticulous planning spanned more than two years. Detailed maps of Texas communities were pored over. A ground game to knock on doors was … Continue reading →

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Here come the shelter-in-place orders

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

The shutdowns are getting shut-down-ier. Many of Texas’ biggest cities and counties are ordering residents to shelter in place whenever possible. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff on Monday evening ordered residents to stay in … Continue reading →

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The robot nurse

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

We are living in the future, for better and for worse. https://www.instagram.com/p/B01H56Fn8_0/ A friendly one-armed, bright-eyed robot is roving the hallways of Medical City Dallas’ Heart and Spine hospitals, helping nurses with routine tasks that previously took time away from … Continue reading →

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The people who oppose the high speed rail line still oppose the high speed rail line

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. In the same room where many mobilized against the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor freeway project 15 years ago, critics of a proposed Houston-to-Dallas bullet train promised to shoot that down, too. No matter how long that … Continue reading →

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Our slowing population growth

Posted on September 19, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Noted for the record. Texas remains one of the fastest growing states in the U.S., but a report published by the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank showed a significant reduction in the number of people moving to Texas since 2015. That’s … Continue reading →

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