Housing
Houston eviction courts are packed again as numbers return to pre-COVID levels
Posted on · With the increase in eviction filings comes crowded courtrooms, despite the risk of COVID-19 spreading.
Harris County
Criminal Justice
Alleged killer of Harris County Precinct 5 Corporal Charles Galloway arrested in Mexico, police say
Posted on · Police say Oscar Rosales, 51, was arrested in Mexico after fleeing the country in the wake of Galloway's death.
Education News
Katy ISD unblocks some LGBTQ websites after public complaints, but others remain banned
Posted on · Students are still pushing for the district to update its anti-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity.
Criminal Justice
Advocates and jailers fear riot conditions as violence persists in Harris County
Posted on · An analysis of state data shows that Harris County Jail facilities lead state in assaults, often twice the per-capita number of other large jails.
Criminal Justice
Harris County Democrats block proposal to void recent bail reforms
Posted on · Republican Commissioner Jack Cagle led the effort to seek a dissolution of a consent decree governing the county's misdemeanor bail system and to try to have a similar challenge to the county's felony bail system dismissed.
Criminal Justice
Houston police identify the alleged killer of Precinct 5 Corporal Charles Galloway
Posted on · Oscar Rosales, 51, was charged with capital murder for his alleged role in the shooting death of Corporal Charles Galloway.
Politics
Harris County leaders face a slew of challengers this election season
Posted on · County Judge Lina Hidalgo and County Commissioner Adrian Garcia each face multiple Democratic opponents, and Democrats are lining up to challenge Republican Commissioner Jack Cagle.
Harris County
3 teenagers found dead in Crosby-area home
Posted on · A family member of at least one of the kids discovered the scene inside the home near Houston, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Criminal Justice
The bail bond industry hopes a recent court ruling kills Harris County’s reforms. Supporters don’t see that happening
Posted on · The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that district court judges have sovereign immunity from the sort of suits that led to the consent decree that ended the O’Donnell v. Harris County lawsuit.
obituary
Dick Raycraft, longtime Harris County budget chief, dies at 82
Posted on · Raycraft worked in Harris County government for more than 40 years, and served as the forerunner to the modern county administrator.
Education News
Houston-area school trustee defends remarks about black teachers and dropout rates
Posted on · In defending his own district, Trustee Scott Henry appeared to link a higher percentage of Black teachers at Houston ISD to that district's dropout rate.
Health & Science
As COVID-19 leads to hospital worker burnout, Harris County will spend $41.5 million to hire hundreds of nurses
Posted on · The 664 new nurses will be spread to hospitals across the county, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.
Health & Science
Texans looking for COVID tests after the holidays find long lines, delayed results
Posted on · Across the state, people are waiting hours in line to get tested and seeing delayed results as cities and counties deal with a testing shortage.
The Coronavirus in Greater Houston
Harris County’s COVID-19 threat level raised to ‘red’ as region’s infection rate hits record high
Posted on · This comes after the county's positivity rate surpassed 34% as of Monday -- the highest it’s ever been since the pandemic began.
Politics
Texas Supreme Court denies GOP challenge to Harris County’s redistricting plan
Posted on · The ruling means the new maps, which could increase the Harris County Commissioners Court’s Democratic majority, will stand for the 2022 election.