Rodeo Carnival Ride

Arts & Culture

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo improves ADA compliance in response to federal investigation

Posted on · The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas said it found "significant barriers to accessibility" at the annual rodeo, but those issues were remedied ahead of this year's event, which kicks off Tuesday.

Criminal Justice

Mother of teen killed in Harris County Jail sues county, sheriff’s department in federal court

Posted on · Michael Ownby faces a murder charge in the 2021 death of fellow inmate Fred Harris, a 19-year-old Houston man who suffered from mental illness, according to the attorney representing his family.

Houston Matters

Maria Town: Her Vision for the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

Posted on · Mayor Sylvester Turner recently announced that Maria Town will head the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. Town previously served as the disability community liaison for the Obama Administration's Office of Public Engagement. Maggie Martin talks with her about her previous national experience and what she hopes to accomplish here in Houston.

Houston Matters

Harris County and Justice Department Battle Over Claims of ADA Non-Compliance at Polling Places

Posted on · Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department sued Harris County, alleging the county hasn't taken enough steps to make polling places more accessible to voters with disabilities, citing — among other things — architectural barriers at some locations. The suit seeks a court order to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act by the […]

Full Show

Pensions and ADA Compliant Voting: Tuesday’s Show (August 16, 2016)

Posted on · Last week (August 9, 2016), Rice University's Kinder Institute for Urban Research released a report highlighting the current financial state of Houston's pensions. The report lays out why the city's unfunded liabilities are growing, and offers options for reform (though it does not make any recommendations about those options). On this edition of Houston Matters, […]

Houston Matters

Was the City of Beaumont Intentionally Trying to Restrict People with Disabilities from Living There?

Posted on · Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department announced that the City of Beaumont agreed to pay $475,000 and change its zoning and land use practices to resolve a lawsuit alleging it discriminated against people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who sought to live in small group homes in the city's residential neighborhoods. The settlement stems […]

Full Show

Fair Housing and Making a Murderer: Tuesday’s Show (May 17, 2016)

Posted on · Earlier this month, the U.S. Justice Department announced that the City of Beaumont agreed to pay $475,000 and change its zoning and land use practices to resolve a lawsuit alleging it discriminated against people with intellectual or developmental disabilities who sought to live in small group homes in the city's residential neighborhoods. The settlement stems […]

Houston Matters

Lex Frieden on the ADA and the Past, Present, and Future of Disability Rights

Posted on · This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark legislation, signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunities for disabled Americans in "employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation." On this edition of Houston Matters, we talk with […]

Full Show

Lex Frieden on Crafting the ADA: Friday’s show (July 24, 2015)

Posted on · This Sunday marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The landmark legislation, signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush, prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunities for disabled Americans in "employment, government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation." On this edition of Houston Matters, we talk with […]