I received word this afternoon that Houston’s City Council passed a settlement agreement with American Traffic Solutions to end the red light camera program. The city has been mired in a court battle for more than a year about a charter amendment passed in November 2010 mandating the city end the program. The battle was over …
Category: Houston
Discussion of things related to Houston
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/houstons-red-light-cameras-run-out-of-film-meanwhile/
Jan 18
Obama Admin flushes Keystone XL Pipeline
Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket… – Barack Obama, January 2008 The Obama administration today insured us that oil prices will also continue to skyrocket, by blocking the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas. As is typical of this Administration, they passed the blame to someone else, as the …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/obama-admin-flushes-keystone-xl-pipeline/
Dec 31
So Long 2011 – Welcome 2012
As we pop the cork to celebrate the new year, it’s time to reflect back on the past year, and the year to come. 2011 started off with the Republicans taking control of the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, with Campaigner-in-Chief Obama’s political grandstanding, along with the Democrat controlled Senate, gridlock was the order of business …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/so-long-2011-welcome-2012/
Aug 16
Red Light Cameras: Ok, we’re shutting them off again…
Update 2: (August 19th, 11pm): As expected, Council Member Lovell blocked the repeal bill from being voted on. Since the procedural delay is a one-time option, both items will face a vote on Wednesday. Update (August 17th, 7pm): Council Member Sue Lovell used a procedural maneuver to delay the vote on shutting the cameras off. It is expected she …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/red-light-cameras-ok-were-shutting-them-off-again/
Jul 11
Sheila Jackson Lee: Open mouth, insert foot, get sued
Once again, “Queen Sheila” has proved how out of touch she really is. This time, a former legislative director, Mona Floyd, is suing the congresswoman, for refusing to recognize and accommodate for a disability in the work environment.
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/sheila-jackson-lee-open-mouth-insert-foot-get-sued/
Jul 07
Mayor Parker to voters: cameras back on, despite vote
Much as I predicted previously, the mayor has decided to ignore the voters and allow American Traffic Solutions (ATS) to turn the red light cameras back on. This comes despite the fact that the voters clearly said in November 2010 that they wanted the cameras turned off. Of course, ATS took days to do so, …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/mayor-parker-to-voters-cameras-back-on-despite-vote/
Jun 18
Houston’s Red Light Cameras to start clicking again?
As one of the frequent topics I discuss on this blog, I am not a fan of red light cameras. Continuing from the story I posted last month, American Traffic Solutions or ATS, filed a federal lawsuit over the charter amendment in the 2010 election that the voters told the city to shut the cameras off. The …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/houstons-red-light-cameras-to-start-clicking-again/
May 02
Red Light Cameras: The emotional and money trap
As long time readers of my blog know, I am not a fan of Red Light Cameras or Speed Cameras. That’s why I applauded the citizens of Houston when they passed a referendum last November, that effectively banned their use. Much as I predicted, the city’s vendor, ATS, filed a lawsuit challenging the referendum and the legalities of …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/red-light-cameras-the-emotional-and-money-trap/
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/tsa-time-for-the-curtain-to-fall-on-security-theatre/
Nov 10
An Excursion of a Lifetime… Coming to Houston?
Union Pacific Railroad is the only surviving major railroad that still regularly operates Steam locomotives. While other steam engines are operated through muesums and historical societies, and depend on donations and volunteers to keep operating, Union Pacific has a full time crew to maintain and operate two complete steam excursion trains. Earlier this year, Union Pacific’s 844 …
Permanent link to this article: https://onthespotblog.com/an-excursion-of-a-lifetime-coming-to-houston/
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