In-Depth
El Pasoans Remain Politically Divided 1 Year After Mass Shooting
Posted on · Residents of the border city are split over whether President Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric inspired the shooter.
In-Depth
Health & Science
Houston Officials Are Using Sewage To Help Fight Coronavirus. Here’s Why
Posted on · Health officials in Houston are turning to an unlikely source to track the spread of the virus -- the city’s sewage system.
Immigration
Decades Of Uncertainty Continue As Trump Blocks New DACA Applicants
Posted on · President Trump is trying limit the DACA program once again, in what is the latest milestone for "Dreamers" in their fight for protection against deportation.
Health & Science
New UH Medical School Looks To Tackle Texas’ Primary Care Shortage
Posted on · The brand new medical school aims to take a new approach to solving an old issue in Texas: a lack of primary care physicians in underserved areas.
In-Depth
Backlash Over Anti-Racist Billboard Challenges Houston’s Vietnamese American Community
Posted on · In Southwest Houston, a Vietnamese American businessman received death threats and a boycott when he put up a bilingual Black Lives Matter billboard.
Transportation
METRO CEO Discusses Challenges Of Operating Transit Service During A Pandemic
Posted on · Along with adjusting service because of reduced ridership and the need for social distancing, METRO is also trying to figure out why so many of its employees and contractors are testing positive for the virus.
In-Depth
Chinese Consulate’s Closure Could Have Serious Ramifications For Houston
Posted on · Experts warn the Trump Administration’s order to close the consulate could damage Texas businesses and exacerbate discrimination against Chinese Americans
Immigration
People In Texas ICE Detention Centers Are 15 Times More Likely Than The Public To Have COVID-19
Posted on · Detainees inside Texas immigrant detention centers are 15 times more likely to have COVID-19 than people in the state's general population, considering active cases. More than 1,200 have tested positive since the pandemic started.
Health & Science
For Parents Of Young Children, COVID-19 Brings A Unique Set Of Challenges
Posted on · There are more than 2,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in children 9 and younger in Harris County. And parents trying to take care of those children have been forced to put themselves at risk.
In-Depth
HCAD Waited Three Months To Offer Virtual Hearings. Harris County Homeowners May Have Missed Out On Better Deals
Posted on · The Harris County Appraisal District (HCAD) expanded options for remote hearings, but not until after the deadline for filing a protest had passed
Business
The Houston PR Firm Helping Companies Struggling To Tackle The Current Social Justice Climate
Posted on · Etched Communication specializes in culturally inclusive public relations and has seen increased demand in the wake of the recent anti-racism protest.
Energy & Environment
Some Texas Petrochemical Facilities Get A Pass On Chemical Leak Monitoring During The Pandemic
Posted on · State documents show dozens of requests from petrochemical companies to suspend routine monitoring for chemical leaks due to the pandemic. Companies say it’s necessary to keep staff members safe from COVID-19, but environmentalists warn it puts fenceline communities at risk.
Energy & Environment
Is Houston Ready For The Big Oil Bust?
Posted on · Oil prices are hovering at an uncomfortable $40 a barrel, and aren't expected to rebound anytime soon. For some workers it's starting to sound a lot like the 1980s, when oil prices plummeted and stayed low for years and wreaked havoc on Houston's economy.
City of Houston
With Hundreds Of Firefighters Quarantined, Houston Struggles With Staffing Shortage
Posted on · HFD began the pandemic understaffed, due to relatively low firefighter salaries, according to the Houston firefighters union president.
News
Report: Texas Leads Country With Widest Digital Divide For Students, Teachers
Posted on · The nonprofit Common Sense found that 34% or 1.8 million K-12 public school students in Texas do not have adequate access to the internet at home, and that 25% of Texas' kids do not have an adequate device at home like a laptop or a computer.