Tag Archives: Houston

HISD presents its longer-year calendar options

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

See if you have a preference. After months of speculation over potential changes to Houston ISD’s academic calendar, district officials are considering four options for 2024-25 that would each move up the first day of classes and increase the number … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Feral peacocks

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I will admit that the headline of this story made me think it would be little more than a laugh, but it had me fully engaged. Kellie Donoghue proceeds with trepidation when she takes her four dogs for a walk. … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Whitmire’s approach to HISD

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on brand, I’ll say that. Mayor John Whitmire met Monday with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to reaffirm his support for Houston ISD’s appointed leadership, signaling a new approach from City Hall toward the state’s stewardship of the district … Continue reading →

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Driverless trucks minus human “safety drivers” set to debut later this year

Posted on January 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I-45 will be where to find them. Driverless trucks with no humans on board will soon cruise Texas highways if three startup firms have their way despite objections from critics who say financial pressures, not safety, is behind the timetable. … Continue reading →

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What’s going on at the Houston Landing?

Posted on January 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever it is, it’s not great. Before the Houston Landing even had a name, it was already powered by one of the biggest investments in any single nonprofit local news startup. A full year before launch, the project had secured … Continue reading →

Posted in Websurfing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sunnyside solar farm update

Posted on January 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m really rooting for this. As Efrem Jernigan surveyed the young men attending a solar installation training session on his plot in Sunnyside, he spoke about his dreams for the land nearby. The 240-acre former city dump across Reed Road … Continue reading →

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

We return once again to the subject of a garbage fee

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe this is the time it happens. Maybe not. Who can say? For many residents, Houston’s unreliable garbage collection is a familiar issue — and it’s one that even the city’s newly elected mayor apparently must confront. In his inaugural … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Houston bids for the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Posted on January 7, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Ooh, cool. Houston is bidding to be a host city for the World Baseball Classic when the international tournament is next played in 2026. The city hosted WBC representatives for a visit in September and submitted its bid prior to … Continue reading →

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Chris Hollins begins his term as Controller

Posted on January 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of potential for action here. Houston Controller Chris Hollins knows that following Tuesday’s inaugural celebration comes the hard work. But the 37-year-old former Harris County Clerk says he is up to the task. “The people of Houston put (me) … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Precinct analysis: 2023 Controller’s runoff

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Mayoral runoff The City Controller runoff also wasn’t particularly close, as Chris Hollins bested many (many, many, many) time candidate Orlando Sanchez by 17 points. There are some interesting things to point out here though, so let’s get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mayor Whitmire orders negotiations with the firefighters

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

New regime, new directions. In a major step toward reconciliation with the firefighters union, Mayor John Whitmire has asked the city attorney to drop an appeal that former Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration filed just days before the change in city … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Precinct analysis: 2023 Mayoral runoff

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

You might want to hide your children’s eyes, these numbers are quite ugly if you were a Sheila Jackson Lee supporter: Dist Whitmire J Lee ======================= A 12,578 3,807 B 2,625 11,199 C 29,030 8,769 D 5,012 14,150 E 20,469 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

On solving the crimes

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a nice profile of Precinct One Deputy Constable Joe Bowden, who is good at his job. His specialty is solving bike thefts, and I want to highlight this bit that shows him in action, and then share some … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Mayor Whitmire inaugurated

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations and best wishes to the new Mayor. Former state Sen. John Whitmire was sworn in as Houston’s 63rd mayor just after midnight Monday in a private ceremony with family and friends at City Hall. Judge Victor Trevino III conducted … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“The Shows That Got Away”

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

What are your great musical regrets? If you’ve been going to live music concerts for any length of time, you know the pain. The pain and misery of knowing a performer or band is coming to town, thinking about going … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Whitmire officially resigns from the Senate

Posted on December 30, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Let the election-palooza to replace him begin! Mayor-elect John Whitmire has submitted his resignation from the Texas Senate days before he will take over the state’s largest city. Whitmire, the Senate’s longest tenured member, served for 50 years under seven … Continue reading →

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It’s a matter of trust

Posted on December 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

This is a long story that recaps what incoming Mayor John Whitmire promised to do as Mayor, with a bit of analysis about how and when he might try to do them. It’s a good review for anyone who slept … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Time once again to recycle your Christmas tree

Posted on December 29, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Speaking of annual traditions… Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) encourages residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holidays. This holiday season, assist the City of Houston in diverting landfill waste by repurposing your live Christmas tree into mulch … Continue reading →

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A crime threefer

Posted on December 28, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Houston on pace to post 20% decline in homicides in 2023 Houston’s homicide rate is down 20% compared to the year before, outpacing a historic decline in killings nationwide. The city logged 339 homicides thorough Dec. 18, down from 425 … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Precinct analysis: City Props A and B

Posted on December 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Mayor’s race Controller’s race Harris Health bond referendum At Large #1 At Large #2 At Large #3 At Large #4 At Large #5 Finishing up with the two citywide ballot propositions. The first one, Prop A, established that three … Continue reading →

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Crypto ATM data breach

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. People who used Coin Cloud cryptocurrency ATMs — a brand that was installed in some H-E-B stores beginning in 2021 — may have had their personal information compromised by hackers. The San … Continue reading →

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Get ready for a shorter summer

Posted on December 22, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Your HISD student will be back in school before you know it. Houston ISD is poised to begin the upcoming school year more than two weeks earlier than usual after the Board of Managers voted last week to make HISD … Continue reading →

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Precinct analysis: At Large #5

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

PREVIOUSLY: Mayor’s race Controller’s race Harris Health bond referendum At Large #1 At Large #2 At Large #3 At Large #4 Returning to this as promised for the November elections. I will be doing the same for the runoffs shortly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

City ordered to negotiate a contract with the firefighters

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

A day of reckoning is arriving. The city of Houston and the firefighters union are sparring over who bears responsibility for their years-long legal battle, following a judge’s request for them to start renegotiating the firefighters’ contracts within the next … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Autonomous Metro shuttle 2.0

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Cool. Metro is restarting its delayed study of autonomous transit, with the full-throated support of outgoing Houston mayor Sylvester Turner as a vital step toward a region not further choking on cars and trucks. “Those objectives do not end at … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

HISD Board approve District of Innovation plan

Posted on December 16, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

No suspense there. Houston ISD will be allowed to extend the school year and begin it earlier after the district’s state-appointed board of managers unanimously approved a “District of Innovation” plan Thursday, marking the end of a process that began … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Amtrak gets some federal high speed rail funds

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. Amtrak has been awarded a $500,000 federal grant to further study and develop a proposed high-speed railway between Houston and Dallas, a long-envisioned plan that until earlier this year had appeared to have fizzled out. Amtrak, the national … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Get ready for the SD15 special election

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It’s closer than you think. The candidates looking to replace Mayor-elect John Whitmire in the Texas Senate may have to win as many as five elections next year before they ever get to vote on a piece of legislation. Whitmire, … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

So now what for SJL?

Posted on December 11, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

At least one big question about what comes next for Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee after losing the Mayoral runoff should be settled today. Following her decisive defeat in Saturday’s mayoral runoff, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee now has less than … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023, Election 2024 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2023 runoff results: Whitmire and Hollins win

Posted on December 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I’m writing this at about 11:30 PM, with 169 of 450 voting centers reporting results. One race is very much in the balance, one other could possibly swing. Keep all that in mind. John Whitmire led 65-35 in Harris County … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Would you please fix that Verizon debacle, HISD?

Posted on December 10, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It sure would be nice. Twelve state legislators representing the Houston ISD area sent a letter to Superintendent Mike Miles on Monday asking him to reconsider a decision to end a program that provided free Verizon internet access to tens … Continue reading →

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Today is Runoff Day 2023

Posted on December 9, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

You know what to do if you haven’t already. Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth reminds voters that Election Day for the Joint Runoff is tomorrow, Saturday, December 9. There will be 450 vote centers across the county open from 7 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The recent history of runoff early voting

Posted on December 8, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

I brought this up in yesterday’s post, so let’s take that look at how much of the runoff vote has been cast early in the last few Mayoral elections. Year Early E-Day Total EV % ======================================= 2003 77,984 138,804 216,788 … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

2023 final runoff Early Voting totals

Posted on December 7, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Early voting has ended. Early takes are flowing in. As of Tuesday night, nearly 132,000 votes – 120,155 in-person ballots and 11,732 mail ballots – had been recorded in Harris County, according to the Harris County Clerk’s Office. That compares … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2023 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments