Harris County commissioners advance 7.6% property tax hike in 2027
They will still need to finalize a proposed $3.1 billion budget and take a final vote on the tax rate next week before the county's next fiscal year begins Oct. 1....
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GOP’s first midterm convention kicks off Wednesday, putting Dallas at center of national politics
The Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention begins in Dallas as Trump and GOP leaders rally voters, while Democrats prepare their own counterprogramming ahead of November....
Research: AI makes America dumber and more racist
We have been sold a dangerous lie wrapped in a glossy, high-tech bow: The myth that artificial intelligence (AI) is our inevitable, objective savior. From Silicon Valley boardrooms to neighborhood schools, we are told that leaning into AI will make our lives more efficient, our d...
Texas Board approves controversial Islam curriculum
Texas’ 15-member State Board of Education has approved a controversial overhaul of the state’s high school social studies curriculum that Muslim Texans and civil liberties advocates say presents Islam in a discriminatory and historically distorted way. The new standards require s...
UN approves new world map: What to know about 'Equal Earth'
The U.N. voted to endorse a new world map called "Equal Earth" that more accurately depicts the size of continents.
‘It’s time to deflock Manvel’: City council votes to end Flock contract after public hearing
The Manvel City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to remove all Flock license plate reader cameras from the city, sending a 30-day notice to end the contract and ordering all cameras covered within 24 to 48 hours. The 6-0 vote came after an hours-long public hearing that br...
Harris County commissioners advance proposed property tax increase; final vote set for Sept. 17
Harris County commissioners voted 3-2 to advance higher property tax rates. See the proposed rates, estimated cost and final vote date.
Willis shuts off Flock cameras until further notice amid residents’ concerns
The City of Willis has shut off its Flock camera system until further notice as city leaders prepare to review the technology and determine whether it should return. Mayor William Brown announced the decision Monday, Sept. 8, saying the matter will be brought before the Willis Ci...
Family questions courthouse ties ahead of civil trial involving Montgomery County commissioner
A Montgomery County mother says she fears political and professional relationships inside the county courthouse could prevent her family from receiving a fair trial in a lawsuit involving Precinct 4 Commissioner Matt Gray. The lawsuit stems from an October 2024 altercation involv...
The 2026 midterm general election season is upon us. Here’s what to watch
The week of Labor Day marks the unofficial kickoff of the general election season. President Trump's unpopularity and Democratic enthusiasm means control of Congress is on the ballot....
Bodies of 4 recovered after plane goes missing in Bahamas
Family members say the bodies of four people aboard a small plane that disappeared shortly after taking off from the Bahamas have been recovered.
Republican Midterm Convention: When will Texas leaders speak each night
Republicans will hold its first ever midterm convention in Dallas this week and the program will feature several key Texas Republicans as the party looks to rally and unify voters ahead of the November elections....
Harris County commissioners discuss proposed budget, property tax increase
Harris County commissioners are set to discuss the county’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget and a possible property tax increase Tuesday morning.
Texas Attorney General race tests long-running party loyalties
The upcoming race for the Texas Attorney General seat in the midterm elections will be slightly different from previous election cycles. For nearly three decades, Republicans have controlled the attorney general’s office. And for the first time in more than a decade, Texans will ...
Republican Midterm Convention schedule: Trump, Vance and what happens each night
The RNC released full schedule details for its Midterm Convention in Dallas, featuring keynotes from President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance ahead of November elections....
Texas Election Deadlines: Key Dates for November Voting
Texas Election Deadlines: Key Dates for November Voting CW39 Houston
Texas State Board of Education approves controversial curriculum that Muslims call discriminatory
The Texas State Board of Education approved an updated social studies curriculum that many Muslims says discriminates against them and ignores Islam's scientific and cultural contributions made through history....
Texas State Board of Education approves controversial new social studies curriculum for public high schools
Texas State Board of Education approves controversial new social studies curriculum for public high schools ABC13 Houston
State education board finalizes anti-Islamic rewrite of Texas social studies lessons
The contentious process to rewrite social studies has stretched several years. Hundreds of people have testified at meetings that often extended overnight, well into the early morning....
Elmo teething toy recalled over choking hazard
The new recall involves Baby Sesame Street Elmo Silicone Teethers which were sold in stores and online between January 2025 and March 2026, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission....
PREVIEW: Harris County commissioners to talk 2026-27 budget amendments, tax rates | Spring - Klein
PREVIEW: Harris County commissioners to talk 2026-27 budget amendments, tax rates | Spring - Klein Community Impact
Texas State Board of Education set to OK anti-Islam social studies curriculum
The State Board Education is expected to give final approval Friday to controversial social studies and history curricula that all Texas high school students must learn. Lessons depict Islam as a violent religion and Christianity as an essential cornerstone of the nation....
Here's How Voters Really Feel About Socialism
Here's How Voters Really Feel About Socialism News Radio 1200 WOAI
Hello Houston (September 3, 2026)
Today: The sons of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo share how their family has been impacted by the fatal ICE shooting of their father, Harris County Commissioner Lesley Briones discusses the proposed county budget, and we talk with Tony and Grammy-nominee Orfeh....
JetBlue unveils new first-class seating for domestic flyers
The airline's new BlueFirst cabin will offer more legroom, upgraded dining, priority airport perks and enhanced onboard technology on select domestic routes....
Eddie Nuñez On the Push To Fill UH’s Football Stadium, Calling For a Big Monday Home Game This Season and TDECU Stadium Upgrades
Bun B and The Mayor have both made personal public pitches. The nation’s No. 1 rated freshman quarterback Keisean Henderson took the mic and urged the students to come out at Cage Rage. The University of Houston’s offered flash ticket sales for as low as $23. Willie Fritz, Conner...
Pulpit wars: James Talarico, Ken Paxton test voter turnout strategies
Democrat James Talarico is spending part of the closing stretch of Texas’ U.S. Senate campaign inside Houston’s Black churches, trying to turn overwhelming support among Black voters into turnout. His opponent, Republican Ken Paxton, faces almost the reverse challenge. He enjoys ...
Houston Texans receiver Kayshon Boutte opens up in introductory press conference
The Houston Texans have a new receiver on board to ease pressure off of Nico Collins. After losing Jayden Higgins to a torn ACL recently Texans General Manager Nick Caserio reached out to strike a deal with the Patriots to land Boutte. With playing time in New England hard to com...
More than a million Texans are on voter suspense lists, face Oct. 5 deadline to update addresses
Voters on suspense lists who don’t meet the Oct. 5 deadline may still vote in the midterm elections, but they will have to fill out additional paperwork on Election Day to confirm their new addresses....
Texas voters split on top races, oppose data centers and Flock-style cameras
A new Texas poll shows the U.S. Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton effectively tied.
Tarrant County removes 92 polling sites ahead of November election
Historically a Republican stronghold, Tarrant County has emerged as a key battleground as voters narrowly supported Democratic candidates at the top of the statewide ballot in recent elections....
Middleton leads Johnson in race for Texas attorney general, but the contest is unusually close
State Sen. Mayes Middleton spent lavishly to capture the Republican nomination and build statewide name recognition. But the most recent polling shows him just five percentage points ahead of Democratic state Sen. Nathan Johnson -- with more than a fifth of voters still undecided...
Houston City Council greenlights investment in 25 neighborhood parks
The Houston City Council has cleared the way for construction to begin on 25 neighborhood parks across the city. It formalizes a roadmap for Let’s Play Houston, a public-private partnership Mayor John Whitmire has called the city’s biggest park investment ever. Through a partners...
1.2M Texas voters in ‘suspense’: What does that mean?
Ahead of the November midterm elections, more than 1.2 million Texas voters are once again on the state’s voter “suspense” list. In Houston, roughly 300,000 voters have been flagged. This is not the first time this has happened in Texas. In 2024, more than 2 million Texas voters ...
Whistleblower warns new USPS mail-in ballot system could threaten midterm elections
An anonymous whistleblower warns an untested online system for mail-in ballots could cause severe election disruptions as a legal battle over the Trump executive order plays out in federal court....
Texas A&M fans narrowly top UT Austin fans as Texas’ most obnoxious, survey finds
Texas A&M has officially been voted the most obnoxious college football fan base in Texas, though a major split among younger voters suggests a new rival might be coming for the crown....
TSU Athletics Exclusive: President J.W. Crawford and Board Chairman James Benham
The Texas Southern University athletic department has been engulfed in controversy for more than a year after it was first learned that decorated men’s basketball player and longtime Vice President of Athletics Kevin Granger was facing a lawsuit on sexual assault charges against ...
Texas Board of Education considers religious influence and framing in curriculum overhaul
Texas education leaders are debating controversial proposed high school social studies standards that emphasize America's biblical roots while framing early Islam around military conflict....
New icehouse opens near Kemah Boardwalk
New icehouse opens near Kemah Boardwalk Community Impact
Texas Killing Fields trial: Jury selection starts Monday for criminal trial
Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the first criminal trial directly tied to the deaths of women whose bodies were found in the area known as the Texas Killing Fields....
Why 1.2 million Texans are on the voter ‘suspense’ list and how to fix it
About 1.2 million Texas voters have been placed on the state’s "suspense" list with early voting in the 2026 midterm elections less than two months away....
The Last Mayor of Houston
The Last Mayor of Houston texasobserver.org
Texas suspense list — over 1.2 million voters may face extra step at polls
More than 1.2 million Texas voters are on the state’s “suspense list” ahead of the midterm elections — and while it doesn’t cancel your right to vote, it could mean an extra step at the polls if you don’t act before the deadline. Election officials place voters on the suspense li...
Tropical disturbance in the Gulf (Aug. 31, 2026)
On Monday's show: We learn the latest on a tropical disturbance in the Gulf. And we find out why Fort Bend County commissioners stripped funding and staff from the office of the elected county attorney....
Black voters mobilize after increased voting rights attacks
A new national study suggests attacks on voting rights may be producing the opposite of their intended effect: Motivating more Black Americans to become politically active. The research comes from the Black Opps Coalition, a national initiative of 10 civil rights, labor, and comm...
Mississippi mayor argues against lowering flag for Dolly Parton after her death
Mayor Ken Adams argued half-staff flags should be kept for military heroes, presidents and fallen first responders, not celebrities.
Colorado city leader dies after collapsing on 14,000-foot mountain hike
Englewood Mayor Pro Tem Joe Anderson, 45, died Friday after collapsing while hiking Colorado’s Quandary Peak, a 14,271-foot mountain in Summit County.
East Downtown community question structure of management district board
HOUSTON — The fight over the future of Bastrop Promenade in East Downtown is now raising questions about more than grass and decomposed granite. Residents who have been pushing to restore the promenade’s green space say they are questioning the structure of the East Downtown Mana...
Battleground Texas - Talking latest polls and news ahead of November election
Battleground Texas - Talking latest polls and news ahead of November election FOX 26 Houston
300K Houston-area voters are on Texas’ suspense list. What to know.
300K Houston-area voters are on Texas’ suspense list. What to know. Houston Chronicle
Manvel mayor calls for review of Flock Safety camera contract
Manvel Mayor Dan Davis is calling on the city to reconsider its relationship with Flock Safety, saying concerns over privacy, data security, costs and the broader use of information collected by the company’s automated license plate reader cameras have led him to no longer suppor...
Fort Bend commissioners vote to shift legal staff, funding from county attorney’s office
Critics say the move weakens the independence of country lawyers by transferring resources from the elected county attorney's office to a separate civil legal department that reports strictly to Commissioners Court....
President’s visit brings fundraising and political momentum for republicans
President Donald Trump’s visit to Houston could give Republicans a boost in both fundraising and momentum heading into the 2026 elections. FRIDAY TRAFFIC UPDATES: Trump at NASA Friday; road closures expected as president heads back to Ellington Air Force One touched down at Ellin...
New polling shows Texas Republicans leading in several key statewide races
New polling shows Republicans leading in several key statewide races with just a few weeks to go before voters head to the polls for the midterm elections....
Talarico leads Paxton as Texas voters rank affordability top concern, poll finds
A new Texas poll finds Democrat James Talarico leading Republican Ken Paxton in the 2026 U.S. Senate race. The survey also found affordability and cost of living are voters’ top concerns....
HPD chief a no-show at safety meeting (Aug. 27, 2026)
On Thursday's show: We learn why HPD Chief Noe Diaz was a no-show at a Houston City Council public safety committee meeting this week. And we get an update on developments in the bid for NHL expansion to Houston or Austin....
Texas education board exploring 3-year college degree programs
Gov. Greg Abbott is directing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to form a working group to develop a statewide framework for three-year bachelor's degrees....
Study: Black voters feel frustration, wary of political action
As the next election cycle intensifies, political organizers seeking to mobilize Black voters will have to confront a difficult divide. There is a growing concern that federal policies have not consistently translated into action, particularly among younger voters who distrust in...
Pearland city council member asks Brazoria County to publicly display pesticides used in mosquito spraying
A Pearland City Council member is requesting Brazoria County officials to be more transparent about the pesticides used during mosquito control operations, following a 2 Helps You report about the deaths of millions of bees in the county this summer. Layni Cade traveled to the Br...
Texas appeals court denies bid to block Galveston County’s new voting map
A Texas appeals court denied a request to block Galveston County from using voting maps drawn after the March primary elections for its November elections....