Tag Archives: Austin

A closer look at Waymo and Tesla

Posted on June 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Slate’s Henry Grabar takes a closer look at how the two main robotaxi ventures differ in approach and likely effect. Waymo is now clocking more than 250,000 paid rides a week, on track to double last year’s total. It currently … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Austin, California, Cybercab, driverless cars, Elon Musk, Los Angeles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Phoenix, San Francisco, taxis, Tesla, Texas, Uber, Waymo | Leave a comment

The stakes of the Tesla robotaxi debut in Austin sure are higher now

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good luck, Elmo. You’re gonna need it. Tesla’s long-awaited entry into the robotaxi market — expected later this month — is coming to Austin, Texas, which has emerged as a key battleground for self-driving technology. CEO Elon Musk wrote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged ADMT, Amazon, Austin, Avride, California, Cybercab, Donald Trump, driverless cars, Elon Musk, Los Angeles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, San Francisco, taxis, Tesla, Texas, Uber, Volkswagon, Waymo, Zoox | Leave a comment

The death of bad bills is always worth celebrating

Posted on May 31, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good, good, good. A handful of bills that would have stopped local governments from enacting their transportation priorities and hamstrung local transit efforts are likely dead. The measures failed to pass before key deadlines as the legislative session draws to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged Austin, bicycles, bike lanes, Dallas, DART, Harris County, HCTRA, Houston, John Whitmire, light rail, Paul Bettencourt, pedestrians, Senate, sidewalks, Texas, The Lege, toll roads | Comments Off

Waymo “road trip” coming

Posted on May 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Company’s coming. Houstonians have the opportunity to see driverless vehicles in action. Google’s autonomous-driver sister company, Waymo, announced Tuesday that it’s initiating road trips this summer for testing and exploration in Houston, Orlando and San Antonio. The road trip consists … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Austin, driverless cars, Houston, Orlando, San Antonio, Texas, Waymo | Comments Off

More on Austin’s MLB ambitions

Posted on May 25, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Veteran Longhorn sports-knower Kirk Bohls, formerly of the Statesman and now of the Chron, has a long look at the team working to bring an MLB franchise to Austin. Matt Mackowiak has a plan. The long-time Austin political strategist and … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseball | Tagged Astros, Austin, Austin Baseball Commission, Baseball, I-35, MLB, Nashville, Oregon, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Rangers, Utah | Comments Off

Tesla robotaxis to arrive in Austin in June

Posted on May 24, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Don’t use them, I say. Make Elon cry. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the company will have robotaxis on the streets of Austin, Texas, by the end of June. In an interview with CNBC’s David Faber on Tuesday at … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Austin, California, Cybercab, driverless cars, Elon Musk, Los Angeles, San Francisco, taxis, Tesla, Texas, Waymo | Comments Off

We really should be composting more

Posted on May 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not too late to start. Alex Cantoran parks his truck at the final house on the block, jumps out and grabs the five-gallon white bucket sitting near the edge of the property. He unscrews the lid quickly. Inside are … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged Austin, climate change, compost, Houston, landfills, methane, solid waste, Solid Waste Management Department, Texas, Zero Waste Houston | Comments Off

Measles update: Maybe we really are slowing to an end

Posted on May 17, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t get much slower than that. Texas health officials reported only one new case of measles on Friday, the smallest increase since the outbreak began four months ago. The latest update from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Bailey County, Ben Edwards, Borden County, Brazoria County, Brown County, Carson County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Collin County, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Eastland County, Ector County, El Paso, Erath County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hardeman County, Hockley County, Houston, Kaufman County, Lacey Hull, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Midland County, Randall County, Reeves County, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Lege, Upshur County, vaccinations, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: The wastewater still has something to tell us

Posted on May 14, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Very cool. An outbreak detection program found the presence of the measles virus in samples of Houston wastewater in early January 2025, before cases were reported, new findings show. The findings were possible because almost three years earlier, a team … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Bailey County, Ben Edwards, Borden County, Brazoria County, Brown County, Carson County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Collin County, Colorado, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Eastland County, Ector County, El Paso, Erath County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hardeman County, HISD, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Kaufman County, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, Michigan, Midland County, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Randall County, Reeves County, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, RSV, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, Upshur County, vaccinations, wastewater, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: It would help if the people with measles stopped traveling while sick

Posted on May 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what else to say. An El Paso resident’s two-day visit to Austin has prompted a warning from city public health officials, after the person was confirmed to have measles. The person was in Austin from April 25 … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Bailey County, Ben Edwards, Borden County, Brazoria County, Brown County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Collin County, Colorado, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Eastland County, Ector County, El Paso, Erath County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hardeman County, HISD, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, Michigan, Midland County, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Randall County, Reeves County, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, RSV, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, Upshur County, vaccinations, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

Driverless taxis coming to Arlington

Posted on May 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Second city in Texas to get them. Startup May Mobility plans to deploy its autonomous vehicles on the Uber platform by the end of 2025, starting in Arlington, Texas, as part of a multi-year partnership. The tie-up with Uber offers … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Arlington, Atlanta, Austin, Avride, CartKen, Cruise, driverless cars, Lyft, May Mobility, Motional, Nuro, Phoenix, San Francisco, Serve, taxis, Texas, Toyota, Uber, Waymo, WeRide | 2 Comments

San Marcos and Austin marijuana ordinances struck down

Posted on April 28, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Strike one. A state appeals court has shot down a voter-approved ordinance that decriminalized marijuana in San Marcos. The Fifteenth Court of Appeals last week overturned a ruling that denied a temporary injunction to block the law’s enforcement in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged 15th Court of Appeals, Attorney General, Austin, Bastrop, Bell County, City Council, Dallas, Denton, Election 2022, Election 2023, Election 2024, Elgin, Ground Game Texas, Hays County, Ken Paxton, Killeen, lawsuit, Lockhart, marijuana, San Marcos, Texas, Texas State University, The Lege | Comments Off

Measles update: More on how we’ve done this to ourselves

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

From the Associated Press: The measles outbreak in West Texas didn’t happen just by chance. The easily preventable disease, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, ripped through communities sprawling across more than 20 Texas counties in part because health departments were starved of … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Arizona, Austin, Borden County, Brown County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Colorado, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, El Paso, Erath County, Fort Bend County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, Midland County, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Randall County, Reeves County, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: Time for another moment of perspective

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here are the Friday numbers. The measles outbreak centered in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 541 cases across the state on Friday, according to health officials. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported that 56 have … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Borden County, Brown County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Colorado, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, El Paso, Erath County, Fort Bend County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Houston Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Randall County, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: Another needless death

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

We have to start with some bad news. An 8-year-old girl with measles died Thursday morning, the second known measles-related death in an ongoing outbreak that has infected nearly 500 Texans since January. Her funeral was Sunday at a church … Continue reading →

Paxton sues San Antonio over abortion funding

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

First, this happened. In an election-year reversal, San Antonio city leaders voted 6-5 Thursday to fast-track distribution of $100,000 to organizations that provide reproductive services, including emergency contraception and transportation for out-of-state abortion care. Just months ago, city staff shut down a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged abortion, Adriana Rocha Garcia, Austin, City Council, Election 2025, John Courage, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, Manny Pelaez, Mayor, Melissa Cabello Havrda, San Antonio, Texas | 4 Comments

Measles update: We’re already making this harder on ourselves

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s your weekend update. The measles outbreak centered in the South Plains region soared past a combined 500 cases in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma on Friday, according to health officials. Texas has seen 481 measles cases amid the outbreak … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Brown County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Colorado, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, DOGE, Donald Trump, Ector County, Erath County, Fort Bend County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Houston Department of Health and Human Services, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | 2 Comments

Measles update: Moving around the state

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And we have some new counties to add to the board, too. The measles outbreak that began in the South Plains region of Texas rose to 422 cases and spread to two new counties on Tuesday, according to health officials. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Brown County, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, Dallam County, Dawson County, Ector County, Erath County, Fort Bend County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: Hello, Ohio

Posted on March 29, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Put another state on the board, Johnny. A measles outbreak in Kansas doubled in less than a week to 23 cases and has “a possible link” to outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico that have sickened more than 370, the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Andrews County, Austin, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Ector County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Roger Marshall, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

Measles update: Hello, Kansas

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Put a new state on the board, Johnny. State health officials report the number of measles cases is growing in Kansas this year as cases climb nationwide. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reported on March 20 on … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Ector County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Kansas, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, RFK Jr, Rockwall County, Roger Marshall, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Yoakum County | 8 Comments

The measles outbreak is going to go national

Posted on March 22, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the concern, anyway. With its measles outbreak spreading to two additional states, Texas is on track to becoming the cause of a national epidemic if it doesn’t start vaccinating more people, according to public health experts. Measles, a highly … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Ector County, Gaines County, Garza County, Hale County, Hockley County, Houston, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rockwall County, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, videos, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

Third Houston measles case documented

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Again, we hope that’s all there is. The Houston Health Department has confirmed the city’s third measles case, months after identifying two cases in adults which marked the first measles cases since 2018. The Houston Health Department Sunday reported an … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Ector County, Gaines County, Houston, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rockwall County, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Measles update: Hello, Oklahoma

Posted on March 15, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

The Texas count tops 250 and keeps on climbing. The measles outbreak that began in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 259 cases and spread to two more counties on Friday, health officials said. The latest update from … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, Cochran County, cod liver oil, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, Gaines County, Houston, Lamar County, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Immunization Partnership, The Lege, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | 7 Comments

Texas measles case count up to 223

Posted on March 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Just a brief update this time. Texas’ measles outbreak has grown to 223 cases, the state reported Tuesday morning. The outbreak began in Gaines County, near the New Mexico border. The reported cases have not spread outside of West Texas and the Panhandle, according … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, cod liver oil, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, Gaines County, Houston, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Immunization Partnership, The Lege, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | Comments Off

Rural Texas’ scramble to respond to the measles outbreak

Posted on March 11, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I have a lot of sympathy during these trying times, but there’s a reason for all this, and we should be clear about it. Five years ago, Melanie Richburg used a roll of duct tape, a HEPA filter and a … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, cod liver oil, coronavirus, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, Gaines County, hospitals, Houston, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Medicaid, Mexico, New Mexico, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Immunization Partnership, The Lege, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

Measles case count tops 200

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

And still going strong. The measles outbreak in West Texas has soared to 198 cases, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported Friday. In New Mexico, 30 cases have been reported in Lea County, which borders Gaines County, of as Friday. Twenty-three … Continue reading →

Waymo robotaxis are now officially available in Austin

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

If that’s the sort of thing you’re into. Uber will shift into a new gear in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday when its ride-hailing service will begin dispatching self-driving cars to pick up passengers. The autonomous option is being provided through … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Alphabet, Atlanta, Austin, Avride, California, Dallas, driverless cars, Google, Lyft, May Mobility, Moove, Phoenix, San Francisco, taxis, Tesla, Texas, Waymo | Comments Off

Here comes the CDC

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Good to know we still have one of those. A measles outbreak in Texas has grown to 159 cases, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is now on the ground in that state to respond. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Centers for Disease Control, cod liver oil, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, Gaines County, Greg Abbott, Houston, hydroxychloroquine, John Whitmire, Lina Hidalgo, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, Mexico, New Mexico, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Rockwall County, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Immunization Partnership, The Lege, vaccinations, Vitamin A, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

Time for a measles update

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

One forty-six. And counting. The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 146, according to new data released Friday. Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or individuals whose vaccination status … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Catherine Troisi, Centers for Disease Control, Dallam County, Dawson County, Donald Trump, Ector County, Gaines County, Greg Abbott, Houston, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Ken King, Kevin Sparks, Lubbock, Lynn County, Martin County, measles, New Mexico, Peter Hotez, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Rockwall County, rubella, Terry County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, The Immunization Partnership, The Lege, vaccinations, Yoakum County | 1 Comment

WNBA appears set on Cleveland

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

But Houston could be next in line, and soon. The WNBA is preparing to award Cleveland its 16th franchise, multiple sources have told SBJ, with an approximate bid worth a league record $250M. The sources put Cleveland’s expansion chances as … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged Austin, basketball, Charlotte, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Houston Comets, Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Texas, Tilman Fertitta, Toronto, WNBA | Comments Off

Solar For All grants caught in a trap

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

They can’t get out, at least not at this time. More than $400 million in federal funding for Texas-based organizations to implement clean energy programs remains frozen, jeopardizing efforts to expand access to rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems in … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Austin, Christian Menefee, Clean Energy Fund of Texas, Commissioners Court, Dallas, Dallas County, DOGE, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Environmental Protection Agency, Harris County, Harris County Attorney, Houston, lawsuit, San Antonio, solar energy, Tarrant County, Travis County, videos | Comments Off

Lyft gets into the robotaxi business

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Of course they are. Ride-hail giant Lyft plans to bring fully autonomous robotaxis, powered by Mobileye, to its app “as soon as 2026” in Dallas, with more markets to follow, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The news comes a day before … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Austin, Cruise, Dallas, driverless cars, Google, Lyft, Marubeni, Mobileye, Moovit, taxis, Texas, Uber, Waymo | Comments Off

Uber teams up with Waymo in Austin

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Okay. Uber customers in Austin may notice a new offer when they open the app and hail a ride: an invitation to signal their interest in a Waymo robotaxi. For now, this doesn’t translate into a Waymo picking them up. … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged Alphabet, Atlanta, Austin, California, driverless cars, Google, Moove, Phoenix, San Francisco, taxis, Texas, Waymo | 1 Comment

More on Tesla’s push for robotaxi service in Austin

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

Always consider the source. Tesla Inc. fleshed out plans to launch a robotaxi business Elon Musk is counting on to help usher in next phase of growth, after the company posted quarterly earnings that missed estimates. The electric-car maker expects … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged AirBnB, Austin, California, Cybercab, Donald Trump, driverless cars, Elon Musk, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, taxis, Tesla, Texas, Waymo | Comments Off

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