Tag Archives: The Woodlands

The Woodlands non-annexation agreement

Posted on September 3, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

I have mixed feelings about this. Houston leaders have approved a $50 million deal with The Woodlands, guaranteeing the city will never annex the township and winding down a shared project fund between the entities. The agreement passed city council … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Drag ban ruled unconstitutional again

Posted on August 27, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe this time it’ll stick. Texas once again cannot enforce its restrictions on some public drag shows after a federal judge on Tuesday declared a 2023 law unconstitutional for the second time. U.S. District Judge David Hittner initially declared Senate … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

You can’t sing that in The Woodlands!

Posted on June 30, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious, and ridiculous. Leaders at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion rejected a township official’s proposal to try to censor profane and sexually explicit performances, citing free speech in a statement that was echoed by the township’s attorney on Thursday. Township … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what they do. Texas can enforce a 2023 law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal appeals court reaffirmed in a new ruling on Wednesday. Senate Bill 12 prohibits drag performers from dancing suggestively or wearing certain prosthetics on … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

Posted on November 9, 2025 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not quite sure how to interpret this. Texas can enforce a 2023 law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday. Senate Bill 12 prohibits drag performers from dancing suggestively or wearing certain prosthetics on public … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Fifth Circuit allows drag ban enforcement

Houston re-ups its membership in H-GAC

Posted on November 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

It’s hard not to get really effing discouraged sometimes. Houston City Council voted 9-4 to renew its membership in the Houston-Galveston Area Council Wednesday after fiery discussions over whether the city’s continued involvement violated the city charter. Council Members Tarsha Jackson, Abbie Kamin, Edward … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Fifth Circuit hears drag ban appeal

Posted on October 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hope for the best as always. A Fifth Circuit panel grappled with questions of free speech and expression on Wednesday as it deliberated whether to uphold a lower court’s ruling that a Texas law dealing with sexually explicit performances and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The 911 drones of Montgomery County

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m kind of fascinated by this. Drones could soon take on a new role in The Woodlands, responding to 911 calls ahead of first responders. Leaders of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office see the drone pilot program as a way … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 911 drones of Montgomery County

Could Montgomery County replace CenterPoint?

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see. I’m very skeptical, but I consider this to be an interesting test case of the proposition that CenterPoint’s service area could be reduced. After Beryl wiped out power in the [Creekside Park] neighborhood and the county, officials within … Continue reading →

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Drag ban officially ruled unconstitutional

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. Texas cannot enforce a new law that restricts some public drag shows, a federal judge said Tuesday in declaring the legislation unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge David Hittner found Senate Bill 12 “impermissibly infringes on the First Amendment and chills … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Drag ban blocked

Posted on September 2, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

Good. U.S. District Judge David Hittner temporarily blocked a new state law Thursday from going into effect that would have criminalized sexually-oriented performances in front of children or effectively banned some public drag shows. LGBTQ+ groups sued the Texas attorney … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Lawsuit filed against anti-drag bill

Posted on August 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

The lawsuit count increases again. LGBTQ+ Texans and advocates filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to block a new state law that criminalizes some drag shows — and other performances — if they occur in front of children. Senate Bill 12, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit filed against anti-drag bill

Tesla autopilot crash mystery solved

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

It wasn’t on autopilot after all. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board apparently have solved the mystery of why no one was found behind the steering wheel of a Tesla that crashed near The Woodlands two years ago, killing … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla autopilot crash mystery solved

Spare a thought for the nurses

Posted on January 28, 2022 by Charles Kuffner

And do everything you can to avoid getting COVID. [Kristen McLaury, a nurse and unit manager at Methodist Hospital The Woodlands] treated one of the hospital’s first COVID patients and hasn’t stopped since. She now runs the respiratory unit, where … Continue reading →

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

November 2021 election results

Posted on November 3, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

At 9:45 PM last night, this is what we had: . People still voting at Weekly! We’ll release the EV results once all voters have been processed. Standby, watch the Astros, and we’ll catch you soon. — Isabel Longoria (@IsabelTX) … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Endorsement watch: Wrapping it up

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The Chron counsels a Yes vote on Prop 2. For 30 years, the Texas Constitution has allowed the Legislature to authorize cities to issue bonds to raise needed funds to more quickly build roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2021 | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tesla crash update

Posted on May 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Interesting. Federal investigators on Monday released their preliminary assessment of a deadly crash in Spring involving a Tesla, though many details of the incident remain under scrutiny, including whether anyone was in the driver’s seat at the time of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla crash update

Tesla disputes official account of that autopilot crash

Posted on May 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t say I’m surprised. Tesla officials are disputing numerous assertions of local police related to a recent deadly crash in the Spring area, reiterating statements by founder Elon Musk that autopilot was not engaged on the vehicle. Further, company officials … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tesla disputes official account of that autopilot crash

What’s up with that Tesla autopilot crash?

Posted on April 25, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I assume you’ve heard about this. Woodlands Fire department, Montgomery County Hospital District and Cypress Creek EMS were dispatched around 9 p.m. Saturday to a fire in the woods in the Carlton Woods Subdivision on Hammock Dunes Place. Several neighbors … Continue reading →

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

2019 election results: Elsewhere

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I think we can all agree that this was the most important race on anyone’s ballot. One of the most contested elections in the brief history of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors came to a close Tuesday night, as … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2019 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Democratic Club of The Woodlands

Posted on September 21, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, there are Democrats in The Woodlands. That should not come as a surprise to anyone. Residents of The Woodlands who identify as Democrats often say they feel out of place or unwelcome in Republican-dominated Montgomery County. Some have relayed … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Anadarko anxiety

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

We know how you feel, The Woodlands. Occidental last month agreed to buy Anadarko for $38 billion, outbidding the much bigger oil company Chevron. The looming question is whether Oxy will maintain a presence in The Woodlands or move out … Continue reading →

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Anadarko anxiety

Hogs in the city

Posted on March 18, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Too close, y’all. Too close. If you have noticed more feral hogs in your Houston-area neighborhood recently, you are not alone. Neighbors across the Greater Houston report the wild animals are more frequently making their way into their subdivisions and … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

More fire department sexual harassment allegations

Posted on April 3, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to the Woodlands. When she began her job at the fire department of The Woodlands Township in July 2013, Julie Thomas believed her skin was sufficiently thick to endure a work environment dominated almost entirely by “men with big … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on More fire department sexual harassment allegations

Here comes Conroe

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Not so little anymore. This isn’t the first time Conroe, population 82,286, has recorded notable growth. In 2015, it was one of the 13 fastest-growing cities by percentage, ranking sixth below other Texas cities like San Marcos, Georgetown and Frisco. … Continue reading →

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Montgomery County officials indicted over road bond shenanigans

Posted on June 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I know I’m a bad person, but this continues to amuse me greatly. A grand jury has indicted Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal and two commissioners, charging them with violating Texas’ open meetings law last year while developing a bond … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My vision for Metro: Expansion

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Part 1: Buses Part 2: Marketing itself One of the things that new Metro Chair Carrin Patman has been talking about is a regional transportation plan, to get everyone – including cities and counties not currently involved with Metro – … Continue reading →

Posted in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on My vision for Metro: Expansion

Pro softball returns to Houston

Posted on November 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Didn’t know we had pro softball here, but it’s cool that we do. The new sports franchise debuting here this summer is appropriately named: the Houston Scrap Yard Dawgs. After an eight-year absence, professional women’s fastpitch softball is coming back … Continue reading →

Posted in Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The struggle is real in The Woodlands

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

One last opportunity – for this year, at least – to mock the flailing efforts at self-governance in Montgomery County. [Bruce] Tough believes the tea partiers are after “control’ and, in so doing, could stamp out independent thought. “I don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The struggle is real in The Woodlands

Bondings

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Congratulations, Montgomery County! After rejecting two bond measures for new and improved roadways in four years, including one last spring, traffic-weary voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly backed a $280 million plan to unplug bottlenecks in rapidly growing Montgomery County. With all … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bondings

Chron overview of the Montgomery County bond referendum

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

The voters there are engaged in this issue, that much is for sure. Life is on hold in the parking lot that is Rayford Road, 4 miles of too many cars squeezing into too few lanes. Even when it isn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2015 | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Chron overview of the Montgomery County bond referendum

The Woodlands versus its neighbors

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The Woodlands prides itself on being the best-planned community around, with tree-studded neighborhoods, miles of trails, sprawling parks and a town center with a distinctly urban feel. Across Montgomery County, however, some … Continue reading →

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

No way to run a road bond election

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Am I a bad person for being unreasonably amused by this? A special prosecutor has been assigned to determine whether behind-the-scenes negotiations could void a last-minute deal struck by Montgomery County commissioners to get a scaled-back $270 million road bond … Continue reading →

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

Montgomery County “voter fraud” case update

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Glad to hear this. The whole case is ridiculous. A self-described “egghead,” Jim Jenkins accomplished his dream by founding his own microsystems company. He also takes satisfaction in being a Christian conservative who is unabashedly proud of his 11 grandchildren. … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments