Tag Archives: Wanda Adams

HISD Board selects a successor for Wanda Adams

Posted on December 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Meet Myrna Guidry. Houston ISD trustees unanimously voted Tuesday to appoint lawyer Myrna Guidry to the board seat vacated last month by Wanda Adams, who represented parts of south Houston. Trustees considered eight applicants over two days before landing on … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD Board selects a successor for Wanda Adams

HISD Board declines to hire Lathan permanently

Posted on November 14, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

A national search will be conducted, with still-interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan encouraged to apply. Houston ISD trustees voted Thursday against committing to Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan as the district’s long-term leader, opting instead to launch a national search before filling … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

HISD to consider hiring Lathan permanently

Posted on November 11, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Houston ISD trustees are scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to name Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan as the lone finalist to lead the district, an unanticipated development amid ongoing litigation over the state’s effort to oust HISD’s elected board … Continue reading →

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

Initial reaction to the TEA action on HISD

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of wait and see so far. Houston-area political and community leaders offered muted response Thursday to a state recommendation issued this week to replace Houston ISD’s school board, reserving judgment until more details are known about a Texas Education … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Initial reaction to the TEA action on HISD

It looks like we’re getting a new school board

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

What a mess. Texas Education Agency officials have recommended that a state-appointed governing team replace Houston ISD’s locally elected school board after a six-month investigation found several instances of alleged misconduct by some trustees, including violations of the Texas Open … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

January 2019 finance reports: HISD

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Odd-numbered years mean three types of elections in Houston – city, HISD, and HCC. We’ve looked at the finance reports for city candidates, now let’s have a look at the reports for HISD trustees, which I’ve separated into those up … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Saavedra 2.0

Posted on October 13, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This was unexpected. In a raucous school board meeting filled with shouting and accusations lobbed by trustees against each other, the Houston Independent School District’s board of trustees late Thursday replaced interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan with former HISD Superintendent Abelardo … Continue reading →

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

July 2018 campaign finance reports: HISD

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Every level of government requires finance reports in January and June, whether or not there is an active election cycle in that year. That includes HISD and HCC, which are the last two groups I’ll be examining. I didn’t get … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on July 2018 campaign finance reports: HISD

Santos calls on Skillern-Jones to step down as HISD President

Posted on May 8, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

This happened last week. I’ve been waiting to see if there will be anything more to it. Houston ISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos on Thursday called for school board President Rhonda Skillern-Jones, to “immediately step down” from her position in light … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Santos calls on Skillern-Jones to step down as HISD President

2017 results: HISD and HCC

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

There were still precincts to be counted as I was writing this so there are a couple of races where I’ll have to equivocate, but here’s what happened in the local races that had actual candidates in them. Let’s start … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on 2017 results: HISD and HCC

Late money in the HISD races

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Here it comes. A political action committee mostly funded by the nation’s largest teachers’ union has received $225,000 to spend on supporting four candidates for the Houston ISD school board election and a city ballot measure, campaign finance reports show. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More on HISD IX, and a little on HISD VII Alief ISD

Posted on October 16, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

As noted before, I did not do interviews in HISD Trustee races in districts VII and IX. In VII, I did interview now-incumbent Anne Sung and challenger John Luman last year when they were running in the special election to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on More on HISD IX, and a little on HISD VII Alief ISD

Endorsement watch: HISD VII and XI

Posted on October 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Last two. Houston ISD, Trustee, District VII: Anne Katherine Sung Anne Katherine Sung won in a runoff for this district last year after former trustee Harvin Moore resigned. Now voters are faced with a rematch between Sung and her former … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Endorsement watch: HGLBT Political Caucus, CVPE, and GPS

Posted on September 13, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: The Houston GLBT Political Caucus PAC met on September 9, 2017. At the meeting the membership voted to endorse the following candidates: Kara DeRocha for HISD School Board Trustee – District V Holly Maria Flynn Vilaseca for … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

July 2017 campaign finance reports – HISD

Posted on August 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We still don’t know what’s happening with city of Houston elections this fall, but there’s plenty of action with HISD Trustee races. You can see all of the candidates who have filed so far and their July finance reports here. … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Reintroducing recapture

Posted on April 2, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The tune has changed, and it’s time we make sure everyone knows it. It felt like déjà vu to many of the 150 people who packed into Tinsley Elementary School’s auditorium Wednesday evening. Facing another controversial Houston ISD school finance … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Recapture re-vote will happen

Posted on February 11, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Mark your calendars for May 6. On Thursday, the board voted 5-3, with one abstention, to put another referendum on recapture on the May 6 ballot. Placing a second referendum on the May ballot will cost the district $800,000, according … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Recapture re-vote will happen

HISD Board to discuss recapture re-vote today

Posted on February 9, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

We should find out today if a re-vote on recapture is in our future. At their monthly meeting Thursday, trustees for the Houston Independent School Board will consider putting recapture back on the ballot. […] In November, HISD voters rejected … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sung and Vilaseca sworn in at HISD

Posted on January 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

The HISD Board is back at full strength. As Anne Sung and Holly Flynn Vilaseca took their oaths of office and became Houston ISD’s newest Board of Education trustees on Thursday, their husbands swaddled their months-old babies in one hand … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A look ahead to Houston’s 2017 elections

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

I want to return to something in that story about Mayor Turner’s 2017 agenda, which was near the bottom but which is a very big deal for the coming year: A lawsuit over the ballot language used last year to … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2017 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

We have a superintendent

Posted on July 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to Houston. The San Francisco public schools superintendent won over a divided Houston school board with what members described as his devotion to equity for all students, passion for the arts and willingness to collaborate. The trustees, often split … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We have a superintendent

Where are the women?

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have several things to say about this. The slate running to replace Mayor Annise Parker features a globetrotting sailor, a triathlete grandfather, a millionaire minister and no women. Despite the most-crowded pack of mayoral contenders in decades, no female … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Donna Edmunson

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: Mayor Annise Parker has selected Donna Edmundson to be the new city attorney. Upon confirmation by City Council, Edmundson will become the first woman to hold the position. She has nearly 30 years of experience with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Donna Edmunson

HISD approves its redistricting plan

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, HISD now includes all of the former North Forest ISD, and with that new territory came the need to reapportion its Trustee districts. They completed that task last week with a minimum of fuss. The Houston school … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD approves its redistricting plan

Payday lending ordinance passes

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

In the end, it wasn’t close. The Houston City Council overwhelmingly passed restrictions on payday and auto title lenders Wednesday, avoiding rumored parliamentary maneuvers to delay the vote and calling on the state Legislature to follow suit. The vote was … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Where things stand going into early voting

Posted on October 18, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

A few impressions of the state of the races as we head into early voting. Mayor – The thing that I will be looking for as initial results get posted at 7 PM on November 5 is how the gaggle … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Endorsement watch: HISD

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Clearly, this is an early endorsements year for the Chronicle, as they follow up their HCC recommendations with their endorsements in the contested HISD Trustee races. District 1: Anna Eastman, the board president, has been a thoughtful leader and a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Endorsement watch: HISD

Interview with Wanda Adams

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

As we know, longtime District IX Trustee Larry Marshall decided not to run for re-election this year. Three candidates are running to succeed him, one of whom is term-limited City Council Member Wanda Adams. Adams is serving her third term … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Interview with Wanda Adams

HISD race overviews

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron takes a look at the three contested HISD races. The District 9 race in south Houston sees the return of W. Clyde Lemon, an attorney who held the seat for two years until Marshall ousted him in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on HISD race overviews

The 2013 lineup

Posted on August 28, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

So many candidates. More than 60 candidates have filed to run for city of Houston elective office this fall, many of them rushing in before the 5 p.m. Monday deadline. […] Atop the ballot, [Mayor Annise] Parker is challenged by … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 2013 lineup

July finance reports for non-candidates

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Not everyone who files a finance report with the city is running for something this November. Term-limited incumbents, and former candidates who still have money in their campaign treasuries are required to file reports as well. Here’s a look a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on July finance reports for non-candidates

Payday and title loan regulation in Houston

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From Nonsequiteuse, who got the following email in her inbox: Proposed City of Houston Lending Ordinance Presentation to Council Committee Tuesday, February 5, 2013 The City of Houston Legal Department has proposed new regulations for credit access businesses, commonly referred … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The 2013 campaign season has officially begun

Posted on September 10, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Sort of, anyway. Some of us received this email in our inboxes recently, touting the virtues of former Bill White chief of staff Terence Fontaine as a candidate for District D; incumbent Wanda Adams is term-limited out next year. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2013 | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 2013 campaign season has officially begun

Budget amendment time

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Now that Mayor Parker has formally submitted her proposed budget for fiscal year 2013, it’s time for Council members to submit their amendments for consideration. I’m going to start at the bottom of the story with the two proposals that … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments