Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig (@ThinkwingRadio) is now on Wednesdays at 11AM (CT) on KPFT-HD2, Houston’s Community Station. You can also hear the show:

1. Live online at KPFT.org (from anywhere in the world!)
2. Podcast on your phone’s Podcast App
3. Visiting Archive.KPFT.ORG

Welcome to Thinkwing Radio with Mike Honig where we discuss local, state, national, and international stories. My co-host and show editor is Andrew Ferguson.

• An educated electorate is a prerequisite for a democracy.
• You’re entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.

1. Make sure you are registered to vote! VoteTexas.GOV – Texas Voter InformationTEXAS SoS VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOT APPLICATION (ALL TEXAS COUNTIES) HarrisVotes.com­ – Countywide Voting Centers, (Election Information Line (713) 755-6965), Harris County Clerk
   1. Harris County “Vote-By-Mail’ Application for 2022
      1. Fort bend County Elections/Voter Registration Machine takes you to the proper link
      2. GalvestonVotes.org (Galveston County, TX)
      3. Liberty County Elections (Liberty County, TX)
      4. Montgomery County (TX) Elections
      5. Brazoria County (TX) Clerk Election Information
      6. Waller County (TX) Elections
      7. Chambers County (TX) Elections
      8. For personalized, nonpartisan voter guides and information, Consider visiting Vote.ORG.   Ballotpedia.com and Texas League of Women Voters are also good places to get election info.
      9. If you are denied your right to vote any place at any time at any polling place for any reason, ask for (or demand) a provisional ballot rather than lose your vote.
      10. HarrisVotes.com – Countywide Voting CentersHARRIS COUNTY – IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED FOR VOTING: Do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of these IDs?
          1. Fill out a declaration at the polls describing a reasonable impediment to obtaining it, and show a copy or original of one of the following supporting forms of ID:
          2. A government document that shows your name and an address, including your voter registration certificate
          3. Current utility bill
          4. Bank statement
          5. Government check
          6. Paycheck
          7. A certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes your identity (which may include a foreign birth document)
          8. You may vote early by-mail if:You are registered to vote and meet one of the following criteria:
             1. Away from the county of residence on Election Day and during the early voting period;
             2. Sick or disabled;
             3. 65 years of age or older on Election Day; or
             4. Confined in jail, but eligible to vote.
             5. Make sure you are registered:
             6. Ann Harris Bennett, Tax Assessor-Collector & Voter Registrar
             7. CHECK REGISTRATION STATUS HERE
             8. CLICK How to register to vote in Texas
             9. Outside Texas, try Vote.org.
2. BE REGISTERED TO VOTE, and if eligible, REMEMBER TO FILL OUT AND MAIL YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT APPLICATIONS FOR 2022
   1. You can track your Mail Ballot Activity from our website with direct link provided here https://www.harrisvotes.com/Tracking
   2. May 7 Constitutional & Local Election
      1. 25Apr – First Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance (EVERYPLACE EXCEPT BRAZORIA CTY, WALLER CTY (SORT OF))
      2. 26Apr – Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked)
      3. 03May – Last Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance
      4. 07May – Election Day & Last day to Receive Ballot by Mail
   3. May 24 Primary Runoff & Precinct Chair Election
      1. 25Apr – Last Day to Register to Vote
      2. 13May – Last Day to Apply by Mail (Received, not Postmarked)
      3. 16May – First Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance
      4. 20May – Last Day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance
      5. 24May – Election Day & Last Day to Receive Ballot by Mail
   4. Other sources of election information: The League of Women Voters of Texas’s has a nonpartisan Voters Guide available English or Spanish. Also Ballotpedia.com, among others.
3. Missed the tax deadline? Can’t pay money owed? Answers to your tax deadline questions; Andrea Slaydon, Special Projects Producer; Amy Davis, Investigative Reporter | CLICK2HOUSTON.COM | Published: April 19, 2022, 1:23 PM
   1. MIKE: There’s some good, basic information here, with referral links. For example:
   2. What if I missed the tax deadline? Anyone who didn’t file and owes tax should file a return as soon as they can and pay as much as they can to reduce penalties and interest.
   3. What if I can’t pay the taxes I owe? Don’t panic if you can’t pay the taxes you owe you may qualify for a self-service, online payment plan, including an installment agreement, that allows you to pay off the balance over time. …
   4. What are the fees and penalties for filing taxes late? [MIKE: Too complex to read on-air, but the article and link will explain.]
   5. What if I don’t file a tax return, but expect a refund? Some people may choose not to file a tax return because they didn’t earn enough money to be required to file. Generally, they won’t receive a penalty if they are owed a refund. However, they may miss out on receiving a refund. …
   6. What if I made a mistake on my taxes? The IRS will usually correct any math errors on a return and notify the taxpayer by mail. The agency will send a letter requesting any missing forms or schedules. Taxpayers who discover they made mistakes on their tax return can correct them by filing an amended tax return. Electronic filing options, including IRS Free File, are still available on IRS.gov through October 17, 2022, to prepare and file returns electronically.
   7. How can I track my tax return? Taxpayers who owe taxes can view their balance, and pay with IRS Direct Pay, or by debit or credit card. You can track your tax return on the IRS website. …
4. Conroe approves increasing minimum lot size width following concerns from Wedgewood residents; By Maegan Kirby | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM |7:57 PM Apr 14, 2022 CDT | Updated 7:57 PM Apr 14, 2022 CDT
   1. At Conroe City Council’s April 13 workshop and April 14 meeting, residents of the Wedgewood subdivision crowded the chambers to show support for amending an ordinance that would increase the minimum lot size width for residential developments in a golf course tract. Homeowners said they were concerned about the devaluation of property in the subdivision if 40-foot lots are allowed. The amendment was approved at the April 14 meeting.
   2. The Wedgewood golf course … was closed in 2016, and now developers are looking to make the land a residential area. The ordinance approved April 14 changes the minimum lot size for residential development on a golf course tract to 60 feet instead of the previous 40-foot minimum.
   3. Council Member Curt Maddux said at the workshop April 13 that the devaluation of property due to lot sizes on golf course tracts has already affected other Houston properties.
   4. “This has happened several times in Houston and in Humble … and we saw some downward spirals over there with their property,” Maddux said at the workshop. …
   5. “It’s certainly become apparent that Wedgewood has lost value in your homes in the fact that the golf course disappeared, and then to have an additional devolution of your homes with 40-foot lots, is tragic,” Council Member Marsha Porter said at the workshop.
5. Katy City Council denies request to rezone 17 acres of residential land for commercial use, urged by residents and city officials; By Asia Armour | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 5:52 PM Apr 18, 2022 CDT | Updated 5:51 PM Apr 18, 2022 CDT
   1. Katy City Council denied a request to rezone 17 acres of residential land as … commercial use, near the Pine Meadows neighborhood. This came after the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and city staff recommended the council deny the change and 14 residents spoke up in opposition at a public hearing on April 11.
   2. The area, designated … residential, single-family land space—is located at the southwest intersection of Franz Court and Avenue D. The request to rezone was received as a written petition by the residents of the subject area, according to Rachel Lazo, city planner for the Public Works Department.
   3. Officials at a Feb. 8 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting recommended denial of the rezoning based on the timing of the request …
   4. First, commercial land uses are slated to be updated in May. And second, a Future Land Use Plan projection and map are being developed as part of Katy’s new comprehensive plan, which the city plans to finalize in spring 2023. …
   5. City officials described Franz Road as a high-interest area based on the public hearing.
   6. Council member Janet Corte pointed out the northern side of Franz Road has been a commercial zone, while the southern portion remained residential. Corte said that over the past few decades, these zoning ordinances have caused contention between neighbors, when they should have brought harmony.
   7. She said she hopes to take a more detailed look at these ordinances as part of the comprehensive plan.
   8. “There is a balance we have to do between commercial and residential, because the commercial is what helps us lower your property taxes,” Corte said. “But does that mean we have to put it throughout the city? No. We have to depend on things like our comprehensive plan to tell us the best place for residential and [the] best place for commercial.”
   9. According to City Attorney Arthur Pertile III, city officials must base zoning maps and ordinances on the comprehensive plan.
   10. “That is why you do your comprehensive plan first,” Pertile said. “Then you overlay your zoning on top of that.” …
   11. TAGS: Katy City Council Zoning Residential Commercial Franz Road Avenue D
6. Houston exploring changes to noise ordinance, new permit for commercial establishments near residences; By Sofia Gonzalez | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 5:00 PM Apr 12, 2022 CDT | Updated 5:00 PM Apr 12, 2022 CDT
   1. During an April 12 Houston Regulatory and Neighborhood Affairs Committee meeting, City Council members proposed changes to Houston’s noise ordinance.
   2. District C Council Member Abbie Kamin and At-Large Position 5 Council Member Sallie Alcorn said they have been working on revisions to the noise ordinance in an effort to mitigate problems they have heard from constituents while also finding a fair balance for the establishments the changes would affect. …
   3. Under the current ordinance, there are three permits for loud noise that can be purchased: a daily permit that can be used from 8 a.m.-10 p.m., an extended daily permit that can be used for multiple authorized dates from 8 a.m.-10 p.m., and an annual permit that is valid throughout the year for Sundays through Thursdays from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
   4. During the valid hours for those three permits, the sound is allowed to measure up to 75 decibels. The limit is 68 decibels during all other times for nonresidential properties.
   5. MIKE: We’ll do a little explaining of decibels after this article.
   6. [Under the new proposed permit, establishments would still be allowed to play music at 75 decibels during [8 a.m.-10 p.m,] [NOTE: This is rated at ~150x louder than normal conversation; see table below] but with a new after-hours rule. On Sundays through Thursdays from 10 p.m.-2 a.m., sound must not exceed 68 decibels if measured from the establishment’s property line and 58 decibels [MIKE: normal conversation is considered to be 60 dB] if measured from the property line of a residential home. On Fridays and Saturdays, the time period is 11 p.m.-2 a.m. From 2-8 a.m., amplified sound is not allowed.]
   7. [A] commercial establishment is “any business entity that offers for sale or allows its patrons the ability to consume food or beverages, or any combination thereof, on its premises.”
   8. This new permit would be required for a “commercial establishment within 300 feet of a residence if playing outdoor amplified sound or sound that can be appreciated outside,” according to the presentation. …
   9. During the public comment section of the meeting, residents from different parts of Houston voiced grievances about the noise they hear from the bars.
   10. One of the speakers was Mark Fairchild, president of the Rice Military Civic Club. Fairchild said residents in his area leave town on weekends, sleep with a mattress against their door, change the windows in their home and even switch their work shifts to avoid the noise.
   11. “These changes give hope to residents who had to alter lives and work schedules because staying home while bars are operating are no longer an option,” Fairchild said. …
   12. MIKE: There are both existing and proposed enforcement rules mentioned in the article, up to and including fines and revocation of permits, but enforcement is entirely based on neighbors’ complaints to police. DO NOT USE 911 FOR THIS!
   13. TAGS: Houston Houston City Council Houston Metro Houston Metro Government
   14. From HOWSTUFFWORKS.COM: On the decibel scale, the smallest audible sound (near total silence) is 0 dB. A sound 10 times more powerful is 10 dB. A sound 100 times more powerful than near total silence is 20 dB. A sound 1,000 times more powerful than near total silence is 30 dB. Here are some common sounds and their decibel ratings:
       1. Near total silence – 0 dB
       2. A whisper – 15 dB
       3. Normal conversation – 60 dB
       4. A lawnmower – 90 dB
       5. A car horn – 110 dB
       6. A rock concert or a jet engine – 120 dB
       7. A gunshot or firecracker – 140 dB
7. Houston may require security cameras, lighting for some businesses as fight against crime continues; By Sofia Gonzalez | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 3:35 PM Apr 19, 2022 CDT | Updated 5:05 PM Apr 19, 2022 CDT
   1. Houston City Council is expected to vote on an ordinance at its April 20 meeting that would add and amend sections of the city code by requiring security cameras and lighting at certain businesses.
   2. The ordinance — pitched as a measure to increase public safety — would require that all Houston nightclubs, bars, sexually oriented businesses, convenience stores and game rooms install security cameras to ensure coverage from the exterior of the business to its property line. Under the new amendments, convenience stores would also be required to have lights outside with at least six foot-candles in brightness—enough to illuminate a 6-square-foot surface from the source of the light—in in any area customers are allowed.
   3. According to the ordinance, cameras must operate at all times, and the lighting must be on from sunset to sunrise.
   4. If the ordinance passes, requirements would go into effect 90 days after approval and will require that camera owners or operators keep videos for no fewer than 30 days. If the footage is requested by the Houston Police Department, the operator must provide it within 72 hours. …
   5. At-large Council Member Mike Knox spoke out against the ordinance during the April 13 meeting, arguing if the intent is to help solve crimes, it should be applied to every business in the city. Knox said he would be more likely to vote for the ordinance if it did not unfairly target the five specific business types.
   6. Mayor Sylvester Turner said this ordinance will strategically cover the places where crimes are being committed. Other council members said they supported Knox’s views but said the item could always be expanded later on.
   7. During an April 19 public session, Savannah Kumar, a Samuels Family Legal Fellow for the American Civil Liberties Union, spoke in opposition to the ordinance. Kumar said the ACLU finds the ordinance to be unconstitutional, citing privacy violations. Owners and operators should not have to provide the police with footage unless there is a warrant with probable cause, which she said was not reflected in the wording of the proposed ordinance.
   8. Turner said the ordinance is not in violation of privacy rights because the cameras are public facing, and the footage will only be taken from an owner or operator in the event of an incident. Turner said he also wants the cameras to serve as a deterrent to criminals.
   9. The proposed ordinance is a part of Turner’s One Safe Houston plan, which aims to reduce violence in the city, among other goals. …
   10. TAGS: One Safe Houston Houston Metro Houston City Council Houston Metro Government Houston Metro Public Safety
8. Sales tax holiday for emergency supplies to save Texans estimated $1.5M; By Maegan Kirby | COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM | 12:39 PM Apr 18, 2022 CDT | Updated 2:08 PM Apr 18, 2022 CDT
   1. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminded Texans in an April 14 news release that with severe weather season starting, emergency preparation supplies can be purchased tax free from 12:01 a.m. April 23 until midnight April 25.
   2. “Whether it’s fires, freezing temperatures or tornadoes, severe weather conditions can strike at any time, so it is important that families, homes and businesses have the supplies they need to face these and other emergencies,” Hegar said in the news release. “This tax holiday can help Texans save money while stocking up for emergency situations.”
   3. There is not a limit on the number of qualifying items that can be purchased. Some tax-free supplies include household batteries, fuel containers and flashlights priced at less than $75; hurricane shutters and emergency ladders priced at less than $300; and portable generators priced at less than $3,000.
   4. The Texas Legislature approved the tax holiday in 2015, and Texans will save an estimated $1.5 million in state and local taxes during the holiday, according to the comptroller’s office.
   5. Delivery, shipping, handling and transportation costs for online orders are a part of the sales price, so consider these charges when determining if an item can be purchased tax free.
   6. A list of qualifying purchases can be found here: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-1017.php.
   7. TAGS: Houston Metro Austin Metro DFW Metro San Antonio Metro Houston Metro Government Austin Metro Government DFW Metro Government San Antonio Metro Government
9. 2021 marks deadliest year on Texas roads in 4 decades; The Texas Department of Transportation said 4,486 people were killed in fatal crashes last year. That’s the second deadliest year on Texas roads. Author: Marcelino Benito | KHOU.COM | Published: 9:18 PM CDT April 19, 2022, Updated: 9:38 PM CDT April 19, 2022
   1. Despite more people staying home during the pandemic, 2021 proved to be one of the deadliest years on Texas roadways.
   2. The Texas Department of Transportation said 4,486 people were killed in fatal crashes last year. That’s the second deadliest year on Texas roads. …
   3. 2021 was the deadliest year for Texas roads since 1981. Experts said the pandemic only made things worse. 
   4. “People were engaging in behaviors that were riskier and even though the risk was small for the individual, it had disastrous consequences for a significant number of people,” said Dr. Art Markman, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. 
   5. TxDOT said the factors that led to the sharpest increase in deaths were work zones, cyclists and folks not wearing a seatbelt. It’s that last one that’s most concerning for TxDOT. 
   6. “We cannot control decisions people make behind the wheel,” said Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan. 
   7. TxDOT plans to use crash data to improve areas where drivers are more prone to get into accidents. That includes new roadway design features. But the agency says that won’t solve the problem on its own. …
   8. REFERENCE: TxDOT unveils traffic barrel sculptures to encourage work zone awareness
10. Former state Sen. Wendy Davis challenges Texas abortion law in court; by Eleanor Klibanoff | TEXASTRIBUNE.ORG | April 19, 2022, 6 hours ago
    1. Former Texas State Sen. Wendy Davis, best known for her 13-hour filibuster of a 2013 abortion bill, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Texas’ recent abortion law. The suit claims the law is “blatantly unconstitutional” and written to “make a mockery of the federal courts.”
    2. The law, which went into effect in September and empowers private citizens to bring civil lawsuits against anyone who “aids or abets” in an abortion after fetal cardiac activity is detected, has led abortion clinics to stop providing the procedure after about six weeks of pregnancy.
    3. Meanwhile, abortion funds — nonprofit advocacy groups that help pay for abortions and related expenses — have seen increased demand from pregnant Texans seeking care outside the state. This financial support has put these funds in the crosshairs of abortion opponents, who have claimed on social media and in legal filings that abortion fund donors, employees and volunteers are susceptible to lawsuits and criminal charges.
    4. Davis, … donates to and works with the Lilith Fund for Reproductive Equity, an Austin-based abortion fund, according to the lawsuit. She claims in the suit that these threats against donors and volunteers “have had a chilling effect” and stop her from associating with “like-minded people to express her views and achieve her advocacy goals.”
    5. She is joined in the suit by the Stigma Relief Fund, an abortion fund associated with abortion provider Whole Woman’s Health, and Marva Sadler and Sean Mehl, who both work for Whole Woman’s Health and serve on the board of the Stigma Relief Fund. Sadler and Mehl say in the suit that they have stopped donating to abortion funds “until the Court clarifies whether and to what extent [they] can face liability for doing so.”
    6. They are suing state Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, and three private citizens who have made efforts to bring lawsuits against abortion funds. Cain recently sent cease-and-desist letters to all the Texas abortion funds, accusing them of criminal conduct.
    7. In a written response late Tuesday, Cain reiterated statements made in his cease-and-desist letter and repeated his intention to pass legislation next year that would allow district attorneys to prosecute abortion-related crimes outside their home jurisdictions.
    8. The lawsuit filed Tuesday claims that the law violates the plaintiff’s rights to due process and free speech and asks the court to declare both this law and Texas’ older abortion law unenforceable.
    9. “We are asking the courts today to stop the unconstitutional harassment of abortion funds by confirming S.B.8 cannot be used to silence donors with bogus threats,” Davis said in a statement. “More than that, we are asking the courts to stop the nightmare S.B.8 has created for Texans if they need abortion services.”
    10. MIKE: As the article goes on, there’s a lot of information about the legal background surrounding the suit.
    11. REFERENCE: Analysis: Texas’ new standard is abortions for those who can afford to leave Texas, ORG, April 18, 2022