Houston Blogs: Houston Political Blog

The lost sketch

About a week ago, I ran into Chron's editorial cartoonist Nick Anderson.  His political blog is much funnier than mine, sometimes it's hard to find something to laugh about during a four hour Houston City Council meeting.  Anyway, I convinced him to sketch a charicature of me, with the promise that I would post it on the political blog... well, I couldn't find it for a few days. And for anyone who's ever seen my desk at work, you'd understand why.  I finally dug it up, and here it is! Oh, and I also did a sketch of Nick, which he actually posted on his blog a few days ago.  My apologies for being slow.

The lost sketch

About a week ago, I ran into Chron's editorial cartoonist Nick Anderson.  His political blog is much funnier than mine, sometimes it's hard to find something to laugh about during a four hour Houston City Council meeting.  Anyway, I convinced him to sketch a charicature of me, with the promise that I would post it on the political blog... well, I couldn't find it for a few days. And for anyone who's ever seen my desk at work, you'd understand why.  I finally dug it up, and here it is! Oh, and I also did a sketch of Nick, which he actually posted on his blog a few days ago.  My apologies for being slow.

The lost sketch

About a week ago, I ran into Chron's editorial cartoonist Nick Anderson.  His political blog is much funnier than mine, sometimes it's hard to find something to laugh about during a four hour Houston City Council meeting.  Anyway, I convinced him to sketch a charicature of me, with the promise that I would post it on the political blog... well, I couldn't find it for a few days. And for anyone who's ever seen my desk at work, you'd understand why.  I finally dug it up, and here it is! Oh, and I also did a sketch of Nick, which he actually posted on his blog a few days ago.  My apologies for being slow.

The lost sketch

About a week ago, I ran into Chron's editorial cartoonist Nick Anderson.  His political blog is much funnier than mine, sometimes it's hard to find something to laugh about during a four hour Houston City Council meeting.  Anyway, I convinced him to sketch a charicature of me, with the promise that I would post it on the political blog... well, I couldn't find it for a few days. And for anyone who's ever seen my desk at work, you'd understand why.  I finally dug it up, and here it is! Oh, and I also did a sketch of Nick, which he actually posted on his blog a few days ago.  My apologies for being slow.

High Flying Charges in CD-22

With less than a week to go before the Texas Primary, the 10 candidates vying for the Republican nomination in CD-22 are stepping up their rhetoric.  Let's see who can get the most free press!  Earlier this week, I did a story profiling the race, and posted a blog entry about Brian Klock, one of the candidates hoping to make the runoff.  Yesterday, I got a call from Pete Olson's folks.  Olson is the former Congressional staffer now running in the race.  His people are angry about a mail piece by former Pasadena Mayor John Manlove.  A portion of their news release are as follows:

Just yesterday, John Manlove sent a mail piece to voters saying Pete Olson did not vote in Republican primaries in 2002, 2004, and 2006 while living in Virginia. The one problem – there were no Republican primaries for Pete to vote in. “This is more of the dirty politics that Americans rejected in the last election,” Olson said ... “I never had the opportunity to vote in a Republican primary because there wasn't one where I lived.” ...

Olson's folks were quick to point out that Virginia has a caucus system, and that's why Olson didn't vote in the Primary, because there wasn't one.  I've posted the back of the mailer in question. Click to read for yourself.  Of course, he's not the only one lighting up my mailbox.  Klock's campaign staff is making the rounds contacting the media after the candidate's first foray into the world of news conferences.  In addition to the much talked about Houston-under-attack billboard, Klock was also endorsed by Bob Perry of Perry Homes.  It's an interesting turn of events considering that Perry donated to Shelley Sekula-Gibbs a year ago. Anyway, back to the campaign, his staff is spending the day pointing out that the billboard is not a scare tactic:

As discussed, Brian and his campaign elected to launch this "Make Houston Safe" issue in the manner we did (i.e. a graphic billboard - an artist's rendering of a possible terror attack(s) at our refineries, the ship channel and/or downtown) in order to deliver (in one image) a highly focused, immediate attention to a serious issue, the serious vulnerability of this city and region to a terrorist attack. We would have done this sooner, and bought 10 billboards instead of just one, had we had more money.

So there you have it.  Less than a week to go, 10 candidates. Olson is mad at Manlove, Sekula-Gibbs is sending out email blasts against Olson, Klock is trying to show he's a serious candidate, and everyone's looking for air time! Let's see who makes it into the runoff, and eventually, face incumbent Nick Lampson in the fall.

High Flying Charges in CD-22

With less than a week to go before the Texas Primary, the 10 candidates vying for the Republican nomination in CD-22 are stepping up their rhetoric.  Let's see who can get the most free press!  Earlier this week, I did a story profiling the race, and posted a blog entry about Brian Klock, one of the candidates hoping to make the runoff.  Yesterday, I got a call from Pete Olson's folks.  Olson is the former Congressional staffer now running in the race.  His people are angry about a mail piece by former Pasadena Mayor John Manlove.  A portion of their news release are as follows:

Just yesterday, John Manlove sent a mail piece to voters saying Pete Olson did not vote in Republican primaries in 2002, 2004, and 2006 while living in Virginia. The one problem – there were no Republican primaries for Pete to vote in. “This is more of the dirty politics that Americans rejected in the last election,” Olson said ... “I never had the opportunity to vote in a Republican primary because there wasn't one where I lived.” ...

Olson's folks were quick to point out that Virginia has a caucus system, and that's why Olson didn't vote in the Primary, because there wasn't one.  I've posted the back of the mailer in question. Click to read for yourself.  Of course, he's not the only one lighting up my mailbox.  Klock's campaign staff is making the rounds contacting the media after the candidate's first foray into the world of news conferences.  In addition to the much talked about Houston-under-attack billboard, Klock was also endorsed by Bob Perry of Perry Homes.  It's an interesting turn of events considering that Perry donated to Shelley Sekula-Gibbs a year ago. Anyway, back to the campaign, his staff is spending the day pointing out that the billboard is not a scare tactic:

As discussed, Brian and his campaign elected to launch this "Make Houston Safe" issue in the manner we did (i.e. a graphic billboard - an artist's rendering of a possible terror attack(s) at our refineries, the ship channel and/or downtown) in order to deliver (in one image) a highly focused, immediate attention to a serious issue, the serious vulnerability of this city and region to a terrorist attack. We would have done this sooner, and bought 10 billboards instead of just one, had we had more money.

So there you have it.  Less than a week to go, 10 candidates. Olson is mad at Manlove, Sekula-Gibbs is sending out email blasts against Olson, Klock is trying to show he's a serious candidate, and everyone's looking for air time! Let's see who makes it into the runoff, and eventually, face incumbent Nick Lampson in the fall.

High Flying Charges in CD-22

With less than a week to go before the Texas Primary, the 10 candidates vying for the Republican nomination in CD-22 are stepping up their rhetoric.  Let's see who can get the most free press!  Earlier this week, I did a story profiling the race, and posted a blog entry about Brian Klock, one of the candidates hoping to make the runoff.  Yesterday, I got a call from Pete Olson's folks.  Olson is the former Congressional staffer now running in the race.  His people are angry about a mail piece by former Pasadena Mayor John Manlove.  A portion of their news release are as follows:

Just yesterday, John Manlove sent a mail piece to voters saying Pete Olson did not vote in Republican primaries in 2002, 2004, and 2006 while living in Virginia. The one problem – there were no Republican primaries for Pete to vote in. “This is more of the dirty politics that Americans rejected in the last election,” Olson said ... “I never had the opportunity to vote in a Republican primary because there wasn't one where I lived.” ...

Olson's folks were quick to point out that Virginia has a caucus system, and that's why Olson didn't vote in the Primary, because there wasn't one.  I've posted the back of the mailer in question. Click to read for yourself.  Of course, he's not the only one lighting up my mailbox.  Klock's campaign staff is making the rounds contacting the media after the candidate's first foray into the world of news conferences.  In addition to the much talked about Houston-under-attack billboard, Klock was also endorsed by Bob Perry of Perry Homes.  It's an interesting turn of events considering that Perry donated to Shelley Sekula-Gibbs a year ago. Anyway, back to the campaign, his staff is spending the day pointing out that the billboard is not a scare tactic:

As discussed, Brian and his campaign elected to launch this "Make Houston Safe" issue in the manner we did (i.e. a graphic billboard - an artist's rendering of a possible terror attack(s) at our refineries, the ship channel and/or downtown) in order to deliver (in one image) a highly focused, immediate attention to a serious issue, the serious vulnerability of this city and region to a terrorist attack. We would have done this sooner, and bought 10 billboards instead of just one, had we had more money.

So there you have it.  Less than a week to go, 10 candidates. Olson is mad at Manlove, Sekula-Gibbs is sending out email blasts against Olson, Klock is trying to show he's a serious candidate, and everyone's looking for air time! Let's see who makes it into the runoff, and eventually, face incumbent Nick Lampson in the fall.

High Flying Charges in CD-22

With less than a week to go before the Texas Primary, the 10 candidates vying for the Republican nomination in CD-22 are stepping up their rhetoric.  Let's see who can get the most free press!  Earlier this week, I did a story profiling the race, and posted a blog entry about Brian Klock, one of the candidates hoping to make the runoff.  Yesterday, I got a call from Pete Olson's folks.  Olson is the former Congressional staffer now running in the race.  His people are angry about a mail piece by former Pasadena Mayor John Manlove.  A portion of their news release are as follows:

Just yesterday, John Manlove sent a mail piece to voters saying Pete Olson did not vote in Republican primaries in 2002, 2004, and 2006 while living in Virginia. The one problem – there were no Republican primaries for Pete to vote in. “This is more of the dirty politics that Americans rejected in the last election,” Olson said ... “I never had the opportunity to vote in a Republican primary because there wasn't one where I lived.” ...

Olson's folks were quick to point out that Virginia has a caucus system, and that's why Olson didn't vote in the Primary, because there wasn't one.  I've posted the back of the mailer in question. Click to read for yourself.  Of course, he's not the only one lighting up my mailbox.  Klock's campaign staff is making the rounds contacting the media after the candidate's first foray into the world of news conferences.  In addition to the much talked about Houston-under-attack billboard, Klock was also endorsed by Bob Perry of Perry Homes.  It's an interesting turn of events considering that Perry donated to Shelley Sekula-Gibbs a year ago. Anyway, back to the campaign, his staff is spending the day pointing out that the billboard is not a scare tactic:

As discussed, Brian and his campaign elected to launch this "Make Houston Safe" issue in the manner we did (i.e. a graphic billboard - an artist's rendering of a possible terror attack(s) at our refineries, the ship channel and/or downtown) in order to deliver (in one image) a highly focused, immediate attention to a serious issue, the serious vulnerability of this city and region to a terrorist attack. We would have done this sooner, and bought 10 billboards instead of just one, had we had more money.

So there you have it.  Less than a week to go, 10 candidates. Olson is mad at Manlove, Sekula-Gibbs is sending out email blasts against Olson, Klock is trying to show he's a serious candidate, and everyone's looking for air time! Let's see who makes it into the runoff, and eventually, face incumbent Nick Lampson in the fall.

RIP: High Density Ordinance (for now)

After much protesting, lobbying, meetings, and a few other things that went round and round, we are here to report to you what happened with the High Density Ordinance:  NOTHING.  Yep, the city decided to refer the ordinance back to the administration.  As I've blogged about this before, the proposed ordinance was never all that popular outside of the the shadow of the proposed Ashby high rise.  The developers thought the high density ordinance was rushed, and would hinder development in unexpected ways.  Planning proponents were upset that the city wide ordinance didn't go far enough, and really only targeted the Ashby high rise.  The activists living near the Ashby high rise site has worked hard to push through a city ordinance, mainly because they don't want the high rise built.  Now, Council Member Anne Clutterbuck says no deal has been made between the developers and the nearby homeowners.  However, both sides are continuing to talk.  In the meantime, the City is reserving the right to bring back a more comprehensive (and perhaps better researched) ordinance that would impact more than one development.  Will a future ordinance satisfy planners and developers? We shall see... But it took a long time to get nowhere on the current ordinance!

RIP: High Density Ordinance (for now)

After much protesting, lobbying, meetings, and a few other things that went round and round, we are here to report to you what happened with the High Density Ordinance:  NOTHING.  Yep, the city decided to refer the ordinance back to the administration.  As I've blogged about this before, the proposed ordinance was never all that popular outside of the the shadow of the proposed Ashby high rise.  The developers thought the high density ordinance was rushed, and would hinder development in unexpected ways.  Planning proponents were upset that the city wide ordinance didn't go far enough, and really only targeted the Ashby high rise.  The activists living near the Ashby high rise site has worked hard to push through a city ordinance, mainly because they don't want the high rise built.  Now, Council Member Anne Clutterbuck says no deal has been made between the developers and the nearby homeowners.  However, both sides are continuing to talk.  In the meantime, the City is reserving the right to bring back a more comprehensive (and perhaps better researched) ordinance that would impact more than one development.  Will a future ordinance satisfy planners and developers? We shall see... But it took a long time to get nowhere on the current ordinance!