Tag Archives: Galveston

Galveston redistricting lawsuit gets underway

Posted on August 14, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This could be a big one. n the home of Juneteenth, the culmination of Galveston County’s decade-long effort to undermine the political power of Black and Latino voters is on trial. In the only county-level redistricting case which the federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Alabama, Commissioners Court, Galveston, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mark Henry, redistricting, SCOTUS, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Another look at Texas redistricting litigation after the Alabama SCOTUS ruling

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

An explainer from the Trib. The state faces an assortment of legal challenges to its congressional and statehouse maps, including allegations of intentional discrimination, vote dilution and racial gerrymandering. For example: In the Rio Grande Valley, the plaintiffs allege map-drawers … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Alabama, Commissioners Court, Congress, Election 2022, Election 2024, Galveston, Georgia, lawsuit, Louisiana, redistricting, SBOE, SCOTUS, Texas, The Lege, Voting Rights Act | 2 Comments

Will the SCOTUS ruling on Alabama redistricting affect Texas?

Posted on June 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s start here. In a surprise win for voting rights activists, the U.S. Supreme Court breathed new life into the Civil Rights Act and may have paved the way to end Texas’s gerrymandered district. The case, Allen v. Milligan, came … Continue reading →

What will it take to keep those ten appellate court benches we won in 2018?

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you may recall, Democrats won a ton of Appellate Court races in 2018. Ten of them, in fact, five each on the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals, the first such victories since winning a lone bench in 2008. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Austin County, Beto O'Rourke, Brazoria County, Chambers County, Colorado County, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, First Court of Appeals, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Grimes County, Harris County, Joe Biden, judicial races, MJ Hegar, precinct analysis, straight ticket voting, Texas, turnout, Waller County, Washington County | 1 Comment

What I want from the next HCDP Chair

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

As you know, the Harris County Democratic Party will soon have a new Chair. And as you know, I am a Democratic precinct chair, which means I’m one of the several hundred people that will vote on who that is. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Beto O'Rourke, Brazoria County, CD02, CD22, Chambers County, Congress, Ed Gonzalez, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2018, Election 2020, Election 2022, Election 2024, First Court of Appeals, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, HCDP, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Liberty County, Mike Doyle, Montgomery County, Odus Evbagharu, SBOE, SD07, SD17, Senate, Silvia Mintz, Texas, turnout, voter suppression, Waller County | 3 Comments

Let’s protect Galveston’s red wolves

Posted on September 4, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They’re one of the cooler things about Galveston. The coyotes that roam Galveston Island are quickly becoming famous. The animals are the subject of dedicated social media pages and their silhouettes have been emblazoned on T-shirts. Earlier this year, they … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Bridgett vonHoldt, DNA, endangered species, Galveston, red wolves, Ron Wooten, Texas | Comments Off

Rockport, Dickinson, Port Arthur: Five years after Harvey

Posted on August 24, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Yeah, we’re at “five years after Hurricane Harvey made landfall” time. Here’s a long story about how three smaller towns that were in its path are doing now. Each day, Gary Billy drives past the empty corner lot where his … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged Aransas County, County Judge, Dickinson, flooding, Galveston, Hurricane Harvey, Port Arthur, Rockport, Texas, William King | 1 Comment

Offshore wind farm proposed

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s do it. The Gulf of Mexico’s first offshore wind farms will be developed off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, the Biden administration announced Wednesday, and together they’re projected to produce enough energy to power around 3 million homes. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of Interior, electricity, ERCOT, Galveston, Gulf of Mexico, Houston, hurricanes, Joe Biden, Louisiana, Texas, wind energy | 2 Comments

Losing Clear Creek ISD candidate sues to overturn her loss

Posted on July 14, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

This is probably going to amount to nothing, but we still have to get through it. A conservative candidate who ran for a seat on the Clear Creek ISD school board to fight “indoctrination” in May, has filed a lawsuit … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2022, Legal matters | Tagged absentee ballots, CCISD, Clear Creek, Election 2022, Galveston, Jessica Cejka, lawsuit, Misty Dawson, Texas | 7 Comments

Another look at how Galveston County disenfranchised its voters of color

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib takes a deep dive. Carver Park in Texas City, created during segregation, is considered the first African American county park in the state. It sits on land donated by descendants of freedmen who survived slavery and pioneered one … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged Commissioners Court, Galveston, lawsuit, redistricting, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

The New Orleans perspective on the Ike Dike

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Kelly Burks-Copes braces herself against the wind and marches past the ruins of Fort San Jacinto, a strategic spot on a sandy, wave-battered point where Spain, France, the Republic of Texas, the Confederacy and the United States have … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, climate change, Congress, flooding, Galveston, Gulf of Mexico, Harris County, Houston, Hurricane Katrina, hurricanes, Ike Dike, Jim Blackburn, Kelly Burks-Copes, New Orleans, SSPEED, Texas, The Netherlands | 6 Comments

Second lawsuit filed over Galveston redistricting

Posted on April 17, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Similar grounds, different plaintiffs. A coalition of civil rights groups in Texas filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Galveston County, alleging that the county’s redistricting plan intentionally discriminates against a growing minority population in the Gulf Coast community. The complaint, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Commissioners Court, Galveston, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mark Henry, redistricting, SCOTUS, Southern Coalition for Social Justice, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Justice Department sues over Galveston County Commissioners Court map

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

Good, but remember how the federal courts are these days before getting too optimistic. The Department of Justice on Thursday sued Galveston County over its new redistricting map, accusing Republican county officials of violating the Voting Rights Act last year … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged Commissioners Court, Galveston, Justice Department, lawsuit, Mark Henry, redistricting, SCOTUS, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Voting Rights Act | Comments Off

Let’s pay some attention to the Gulf Coast Protection District

Posted on February 26, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

They may raise some tax revenue to help pay for the Ike Dike, so best to know what’s happening with it. Especially since they didn’t exactly go out of their way to make it easy to do that. Danielle Goshen … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, Bayou City Waterkeeper, Chambers County, Congress, flooding, Galveston, Gulf Coast Protection District, Gulf of Mexico, Harris County, Houston Ship Channel, Ike Dike, Jefferson County, Larry Taylor, National Wildlife Federation, Nicole Sunstrum, Orange County, property taxes, Texas, The Lege | Comments Off

Et tu, H-GAC?

Posted on February 18, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

WTAF? Houston is slated to get just 2 percent of the regional council’s $488 million tranche for storm mitigation, angering city leaders who say the city consistently has been shorted when it comes to the federal money. The Houston-Galveston Area … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged Austin County, Brazoria County, Chambers County, Colorado County, Congress, flooding, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, HGAC, Houston, Hurricane Harvey, Land Commissioner, Letitia Plummer, Liberty County, Matagorda County, Montgomery County, Sallie Alcorn, Sylvester Turner, Texas, Walker County, Waller County, Wharton County | 1 Comment

Galveston adopts all-white Commissioners Court map

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

In case you missed it. Dozens of residents crowded into a small county annex building Friday afternoon to urge, beg, lecture and warn commissioners against approving new precinct maps that dissenters called unfair, undemocratic and potentially illegal. The protest, mostly … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged Commissioners Court, Galveston, lawsuit, redistricting, Stephen Holmes, Texas, Tom Hofeller, Voting Rights Act | 1 Comment

Galveston ISD mask mandate remains, Round Rock gets halted

Posted on September 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A Galveston County judge Thursday denied an attempt by Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop Galveston ISD from requiring masks, according to a court document. Judge Kerry Neves ruled against Texas’ request for a temporary restraining order on mask … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged coronavirus, face masks, Galveston, Galveston ISD, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton, lawsuit, local control, Paris ISD, Round Rock ISD, schools, Texas, Williamson County | 6 Comments

Remembering Ike as Nicholas pays a visit

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Won’t be as bad, thankfully. But still be careful. Tropical Storm Nicholas is approaching the Texas coast Monday, threatening torrential downpours and flooding for Houston. It also brings with it memories of Hurricane Ike, which wrought havoc across the region … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged flooding, Galveston, Greg Abbott, Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Nicholas, Ike Dike, Texas | 3 Comments

The final Ike Dike plan

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s taken a long time to get to this point. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the final version of its Coastal Texas Study, which examines a proposed coastal barrier to protect the Houston region against storm surge. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, Congress, flooding, Galveston, Gulf of Mexico, Harris County, Houston, hurricanes, Ike Dike, stimulus, Ted Cruz, Texas | Comments Off

Greg Abbott will blame you if you get sick

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

He will take no responsibility at all. With COVID-19 hospitalizations soaring past 5,000 statewide for the first time in nearly five months, state officials are stepping up vaccination outreach programs and promotional campaigns but Gov. Greg Abbott insists that the … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Beaumont, Bell County, Bexar County, College Station, coronavirus, face masks, Galveston, Greg Abbott, Harris County, hospitals, Killeen, local control, schools, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, TSTA, vaccinations | 9 Comments

What will Harris County do about rising case numbers?

Posted on July 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’m afraid we’ll find out soon enough. The Harris Health System’s COVID-19 ward was down to just one patient at the beginning of July. Anxious to hit zero COVID-19 patients, Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, the hospital system’s CEO, purchased and stored … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged Austin, Brazoria County, Chambers County, coronavirus, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, Harris County Department of Public Health and Environmental Services, hospitals, Liberty County, Lina Hidalgo, Montgomery County, Texas, Travis County, vaccinations, Waller County | 5 Comments

Precinct analysis: State House district changes by county

Posted on July 6, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions Appellate courts, Part 1 Appellate courts, Part 2 Judicial averages Other cities District Attorney County Attorney Sheriff Tax Assessor County Clerk HCDE Fort … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged Barack Obama, Bexar County, Brazoria County, Chambers County, Collin County, Denton County, Donald Trump, Election 2008, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2018, Election 2020, Fort Bend County, Galveston, HD03, HD05, HD06, HD101, HD106, HD116, HD117, HD118, HD119, HD120, HD121, HD122, HD123, HD124, HD125, HD136, HD15, HD16, HD23, HD24, HD25, HD26, HD27, HD28, HD29, HD33, HD52, HD63, HD64, HD65, HD66, HD67, HD70, HD83, HD84, HD85, HD89, HD90, HD91, HD92, HD93, HD94, HD95, HD96, HD97, HD98, HD99, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Lubbock, Mitt Romney, Montgomery County, precinct analysis, President, redistricting, Smith County, Tarrant County, Texas, Tyler, Williamson County | 3 Comments

What are the limits on limiting vaccination requirements?

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

News item #1: Carnival will require COVID vaccinations for all passengers cruising from Galveston: Carnival Cruise Line today announced plans to begin cruising from the Port of Galveston on July 3. Cruises will be open to customers who are fully … Continue reading →

Posted in Bidness, That's our Lege, The great state of Texas | Tagged Carnival Cruise Line, coronavirus, cruises, Florida, Galveston, Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, Texas, The Lege, vaccinations | 3 Comments

The freeze was hard on the trees

Posted on March 15, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Palm trees in particular. Galveston’s majestic palm trees could be another casualty of Texas’s four-day freeze last month. The cold snap that left millions of Texans without power and caused burst pipes across the state has also had a pronounced … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Freeze 2021, Galveston, Houston, Texas, trees | 3 Comments

We also have to worry about water

Posted on February 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully not for too much longer. On Friday, as the ice melted and lights flickered back on in homes and businesses across the state, Texans were melting snow into their toilet tanks and mopping up water from busted pipes. The … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged Arlington, Austin, benzene, blackouts, Corpus Christi, Environmental Protection Agency, Fort Worth, Freeze 2021, Galveston, Harris County, Houston, Lina Hidalgo, San Angelo, San Antonio, Sylvester Turner, TECQ, Texas, water | 1 Comment

More vaccination hubs

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Keep ’em coming. State health officials Saturday announced 79 hub providers that are expected to receive allotments of COVID-19 vaccines this week, including newly designated hubs in some suburbs of Houston. The hub providers include two in Galveston County, one … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged coronavirus, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, Liberty County, Montgomery County, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, vaccinations | Comments Off

Precinct analysis: Appellate courts, part 1

Posted on December 22, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Introduction Congressional districts State Rep districts Commissioners Court/JP precincts Comparing 2012 and 2016 Statewide judicial Other jurisdictions My next two posts in this series will focus on the 1st and 14th Courts of Appeals. These courts are a little strange … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Amparo Guerra, Austin County, Brazoria County, Burleson County, Chambers County, Colorado County, Election 2004, Election 2008, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2020, First Court of Appeals, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Grimes County, Harris County, Jane Robinson, Jim Sharp, judicial races, precinct analysis, President, redistricting, Terry Adams, Texas, The Lege, Tracy Christopher, Trinity County, turnout, Veronica Rivas-Molloy, Walker County, Waller County, Washington County | 1 Comment

The regional COVID situation

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Not great, Bob. COVID-19 is surging across southeast Texas, especially in the suburban counties outside of Houston, which have seen a steady increase in the number of new cases, data show. Galveston, Chambers, Brazoria, Liberty, and Montgomery counties have all … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged bars, Brazoria County, Chambers County, coronavirus, face masks, Galveston, Greg Abbott, Harris County, hospitals, Liberty County, Montgomery County, quarantine, restaurants, stimulus, Texas, Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Restaurant Association | 1 Comment

Counties of interest, part one: Around Harris

Posted on November 18, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

There’s been so much focus in the past couple of years about the suburbs and how their traditional voting patterns have changed. I wanted to use the election results we have to take a closer look at what that means. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged Brazoria County, Chambers County, Election 2012, Election 2016, Election 2020, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, Liberty County, Montgomery County, precinct analysis, President, Texas, Waller County | 6 Comments

Harris County posts updated election results

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

From Twitter: . That won’t affect most races, and it probably does not affect any Harris-County specific races. But if provisional ballots are like that statewide, it could affect larger, close elections. I’m particularly watching Chief Justice for the 14th … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged 14th Court of Appeals, Amparo Guerra, Austin County, Brazoria County, CD07, Chambers County, Colorado County, Congress, Donald Trump, Election 2018, Election 2020, First Court of Appeals, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Gina Calanni, Grimes County, Harris County, HD132, HD135, Jane Robinson, Joe Biden, Jon Rosenthal, judicial races, Lizzie FLetcher, Mike Schofield, Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment Act, President, provisional ballots, Terry Adams, Texas, The Lege, Tracy Christopher, Waller County, Washington County | 1 Comment

Followup omnibus Election Day post

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Wanted to clear up some loose ends from the late night/early morning post and add a couple of things I’d missed the first time around. I’ll have a longer “thoughts and reactions” post probably tomorrow. – The district results from … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged 4th Court of Appeals, 5th Court of Appeals, absentee ballots, Amparo Guerra, Brazoria County, Chambers County, Congress, curbside voting, early voting, First Court of Appeals, Galveston, Harris County, HD132, HD134, HD135, Jane Robinson, President, provisional ballots, SBOE, SD19, Senate, Tamika Craft, Texas, The Lege, Third Court of Appeals, turnout, Veronica Rivas-Molloy | 4 Comments

Scrambling to finish the Census

Posted on September 13, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a hell of a job, and it’s so important. With a deadline looming for local governments to complete a population count for the 2020 Census, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is warning that the city could miss out on billions … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, The great state of Texas | Tagged Adrian Garcia, Census, Commerce Department, Donald Trump, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Harris County, Houston, lawsuit, Lina Hidalgo, Montgomery County, redistricting, Rodney Ellis, Sylvester Turner, Texas, Wilbur Ross | Comments Off

No, seriously, what are we going to do to prepare for the next Hurricane Laura?

Posted on September 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

I mean, the next one is coming whether we’re ready or not. We just don’t know when it will be here. Though the storm ultimately tracked east, sparing Houston, the problem remains: The region is disastrously unready to handle any … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged Army Corps of Engineers, Congress, Galveston, Galveston Bay Park Plan, Gulf of Mexico, Harris County, Houston, Houston Ship Channel, Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Laura, Ike Dike, Ike Floodgate, Jim Blackburn, SSPEED, Sylvester Turner, Texas, Texas A&M-Galveston | 10 Comments

Coronavirus and hurricane shelters

Posted on August 26, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Two things we have to be thinking about today. Houston officials and public health experts are expressing concern that Tropical Storm Laura could amplify the spread of COVID-19 by displacing residents to public shelters or residences outside the area, increasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged Beaumont, Chambers County, coronavirus, Deer Park, El Lago, evacuation, Friendswood, Galveston, Harris County, Houston, Hurricane Laura, Jefferson County, La Porte, League City, Lina Hidalgo, Morgan's Point, Orange County, Peter Hotez, Port Arthur, Red Cross, Seabrook, Sylvester Turner | 3 Comments

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