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government
Funding for Houston ICE shooting investigation approved by Harris County leaders
Harris County commissioners unanimously approved to issue an additional $2.5 million into a local investigation into last month's deadly Houston ICE shooting. Houston ICE shooting: Investigation funding approved The funding will go toward an investigation led by the Harris County...
News
Erik Arceneaux sentenced to life in prison for murder of Houston mother Maria Jimenez-Rodriguez
A Houston man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Maria Jimenez-Rodriguez, a northeast Houston mother who disappeared in June 2018 and whose body has never been found. Erik Fardell Arceneaux was sentenced August 6, 2026, about a month after a Harris County jury...
parks
Harris County sets aside $2.5M for DA’s independent probe into ICE shooting that killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo
Harris County leaders on Thursday unanimously passed a measure to set aside $2.5 million over three years to support District Attorney Sean Teare’s independent investigation into the shooting death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo during an ICE operation in Magnolia Park last month. Sal...
News
Ex-Harris County deputy accused of sexually assaulting 13-year-old girl
A former Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy is accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl, according to court documents. Records show Nicholas Burbridge, 34, was charged this week with aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14. He was also charged with solicitation ...
government
Harris County considers ballot measure for early childhood funding through proposed tax increase
Harris County commissioners discussed a proposal Thursday that could ask voters to decide whether to increase property taxes to fund early childhood programs, but no vote was taken. The proposal is for commissioners to consider the county’s proposed 2026 tax rate, including a rat...
News
Former Harris County sheriff’s deputy charged with sexually assaulting 13-year-old
A former Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputy is facing multiple felony charges after investigators accused him of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he allegedly met through a dating app. According to court records, Nicholas Burbridge was charged with aggravated sexual assa...
News
Former Pct. 7 sergeant not indicted after being accused of beating her adopted children with belt
A grand jury has declined to indict a former Harris County Precinct 7 sergeant accused of beating her adopted children with a belt.
schools
Harris County officials warn families as e-bike, e-scooter injuries surge
As students head back to school, Harris County medical experts and first responders are warning parents about a sharp increase in injuries involving e-bikes, e-scooters and electric motorcycles. Officials say the devices are becoming increasingly popular among elementary and midd...
News
Harris Co. sues Children's Museum of Houston after county employee injured in 'gravity chair'
Harris County is suing the Children's Museum of Houston over an allegation that a county employee broke his neck while on an attraction at the museum, according to a lawsuit....
safety
Tree service worker dead after suffering medical emergency in northwest Harris County: Pct. 4
A man is dead after suffering a medical emergency while cutting down a tree in northwest Harris County on Wednesday morning, according to deputies.
News
Houston immigration attorney rejects 18-year plea in assault case
A Houston immigration attorney facing a felony family violence charge rejected a plea offer that would have sent him to prison for 18 years. Hugo Balderas-Ibarra stood alongside his attorneys in a Harris County courtroom and formally rejected the state’s offer on Wednesday. The j...
safety
Man dies from medical emergency while cutting tree in northwest Harris County, officials say
A man died after suffering a medical emergency while cutting a tree in a northwest Harris County neighborhood on Wednesday morning, officials say. According to the Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, the incident occurred near a neighborhood clubhouse in the 13500 block of C...
News
Man electrocuted after tree branch reportedly hits power line in Cypress, Precinct 4 says
Deputies with Harris County Constable Precinct 4 say they were called to the 13500 block of Cahill Lane in Cypress after a 45-year-old man was injured while cutting a tree near a clubhouse. In an update, deputies later confirmed the man died from his injuries after being taken to...
News
New Harris County tool helps residents find low-cost healthcare clinics across Houston area
Finding affordable healthcare in the Houston area may soon become easier thanks to a new online tool launched by Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Department. The agencies have released the 2026 Access to Care Report and an interactive Low-Cost Clinic Finder Tool...
safety
Man charged with murder after alleged fentanyl delivery killed 18-year-old
A months-long fentanyl overdose investigation has led to the arrest of a man charged with murder after authorities say he allegedly supplied fentanyl that killed one teenager and hospitalized another. According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, the investigation began in Janu...
News
Former HCSO deputy charged with sexually assaulting teen girl, months after termination: Records
A former Harris County sheriff's deputy is charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl after court records state he communicated with her through a dating app and picked her up earlier this year....
safety
Harris County Precinct 7 Constable's Office sergeant 'no billed' after being charged with injury to a child
A Harris County Precinct 7 Constable's Office sergeant has been "no billed" after being charged with injury to a child. Harris County Precinct 7 Constable's Office sergeant "no billed" Sergeant Jocelyn Ballard was arrested and charged with two felony counts of injury to a child e...
safety
Man charged, accused of giving fentanyl to Harris County teenagers leading to 18-year-old’s death
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office says a 30-year-old man has been arrested and charged following an investigation into the death of an 18-year-old and the fentanyl overdose of a 16-year-old. The sheriff’s office says the investigation into Avery Williams began on January 10. On ...
News
Harris County suspected serial squatter evicted 9 times in same zip code, same precinct
Court records show Carmen Mata has been ordered evicted multiple times in recent years, while the property owner claims she has used the same explanation with several landlords. Houston-area landlord says court records show woman has had 9 evictions since 2022 According to court ...
safety
Harris County crime: Suspect charged after officials say woman was intentionally struck by a vehicle
An arrest has been made after authorities said a woman was intentionally struck by a vehicle this morning, officials said. Suspect arrested after authorities say woman was intentionally struck by vehicle According to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, 24-year-old Jorge Luis Perez...
safety
Houston traffic alert: Portion of Hardy Toll Road southbound reopened following double 18-wheeler crash
A portion of Hardy Toll Road southbound has reopened following a crash involving two 18-wheelers, officials said. Hardy Toll Road crash: 2 18-wheelers involved in crash near South Hardy Toll Plaza The crash occurred on the Hardy Toll Road and South Hardy Toll Plaza. According to ...
News
New report reveals barriers to health care access in Houston and Harris County
A new report from city and county health leaders revealed the biggest challenges keeping people in Houston and Harris County from getting the health care they need....
safety
Southwest Houston: 2 teenage suspects shot during armored car robbery on Bellaire Boulevard
Two teenage suspects were shot during an attempted robbery of an armored car in Southwest Houston on Tuesday afternoon, officials said. Shots fired during armored car robbery reported in Southwest Houston According to authorities, the shooting occurred near the intersection of Be...
safety
Man accused of intentionally hitting woman with vehicle after argument in N. Harris County
A woman is listed in critical condition after being intentionally struck by a vehicle in north Harris County Tuesday morning, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The crash was reported in the 400 block of FM-1960, near the North Freeway. The Harris County Sheriff’s O...
News
Cyclosporiasis cases at 54 in Harris County; 10 additional cases in Houston, health officials say
Harris County Public Health and the Houston Health Department confirmed the latest cases of Cyclosporiasis in the area.
News
Entrance ramp blocked on SH 146 at SH-225 in east Harris County due to heavy truck, hazmat incident
Drivers in east Harris County should expect significant delays Tuesday after a heavy truck and hazardous materials incident shut down multiple lanes along State Highway 146. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, southbound SH 146 at SH 225 has multiple main lanes b...
safety
HISD, Houston police launch Project Safe Start ahead of 2026-2027 school year
As Houston students prepare to head back to class, local law enforcement is making campus security a top priority. The Houston ISD Police Department, Houston Police Department and several local agency partners are set to announce Project Safe Start Tuesday morning — a multi-agenc...
schools
New lawsuit uses Texas religious-freedom law to challenge Ten Commandments mandate
Three Houston-area mothers are suing the State of Texas and three local school districts in an effort to remove Ten Commandments posters from public-school classrooms. The lawsuit was filed July 30 in Harris County District Court by Emily Roth, Audrey Rosa Nath and Sanjam Kaur So...
News
Amended gag order expected in Lee Gilley murder case after alleged violation by defense attorney
There has been no finding of contempt on the part of Dick DeGuerin, who was accused by Harris County prosecutors of violating a gag order in the Lee Gilley murder case, according to DeGuerin’s attorney Brian Wice. The issue came before Judge Peyton Peebles Monday, after Harris Co...
News
Harris County man charged with multiple child sexual abuse charges
A Harris County man has been charged with multiple child sexual abuse offenses, according to court documents. Eduardo Rocky Barraza, 39, is charged with three counts of continuous sexual abuse of a young child and one count of indecency with a child, according to criminal complai...
schools
33 Houston ISD schools ending automatic free lunch program: What parents need to know
As families prepare for a new school year, some Houston ISD parents will notice an important change when it comes to school meals. This school year, 33 Houston ISD campuses will no longer participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) , a program that allows qua...
safety
Family searching for answers 6 months after deadly NW Harris County hit-and-run
A family is still searching for answers nearly six months after Michael Shannon was killed in a hit-and-run crash along Jones Road near Mills Road in northwest Harris County. The family says the driver responsible still has not been caught, and they continue to push for justice i...
safety
1 killed after vehicle crashes into Spring retention pond
A person has died after a vehicle flipped into a body of water in the Spring area on Sunday. Deadly crash at Spring pond The incident happened at a retention pond on Northcrest Drive , near SH-99 and Gosling Road. Harris County Precinct 4 authorities first reported about the cras...
safety
Drug deal outside Spring Burger King leads to shooting; suspect arrested after man shot
The Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office says a drug deal lead to a man being shot outside a Burger King restaurant in Spring on Sunday. The shooting happened on E. Cypresswood Drive near the North Freeway. The injured man was transported to a local hospital. An adult male sus...
safety
18-year-old found fatally shot at north Harris County apartment complex
An investigation is underway after an 18-year-old was found shot and killed at an apartment complex in north Harris County. Houston crime: Deadly shooting along Ella Boulevard Precinct 4 constable deputies responded to a shooting call at around 8 p.m. Saturday at a complex on Ell...
News
Man hospitalized after overnight shooting in west Harris County
Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a reported shooting at an apartment complex in west Harris County, authorities said. The incident happened overnight at a complex in the 23400 block of Kingsland Boulevard. Investigators said an adult man was found with a gun...
safety
Deputies investigate teen’s death after gunfire reported at northwest Houston apartment complex
Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to an apartment complex in northwest Houston Saturday night after neighbors reported hearing a gunshot. According to HCSO Sgt. Greg Pinkins, deputies with Precinct 4 arrived at Hacienda Bonita Apartments in the 14400 block of El...
government
Beat the back-to-school heat: Harris County Precinct 4 serving up free snow cones on Monday
Families looking for a last splash of summer before classes begin can stop by a free snow cone event Monday hosted by Harris County Precinct 4. Constable Mark Herman and Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, partnering with Sunny Daze, plan to hand out snow cones from 10 a.m. to...
schools
Why getting your birth certificates ahead of the school year is so important
As families across the Houston area prepare for the first day of school, Saturday became another stop on the back-to-school checklist. Instead of shopping for backpacks or notebooks, hundreds of parents visited Harris County Clerk annexes to pick up one document many schools requ...
business
Career criminal charged with 12 felonies since 2025 creating havoc for business owner
A Houston business owner says a repeat offender has become a constant problem after Richard Herrin was convicted of four felonies this year yet spent only days in the Harris County Jail, prompting renewed calls for tougher penalties on habitual felony thieves. Richard Herrin has ...
safety
Piece of equipment catches fire on roof of Centennial Tower in Texas Medical Center
Emergency and fire crews responded to Centennial Tower in the Texas Medical Center after Houston Methodist says a piece of equipment on the roof of the building caught on fire Friday. The fire was reported at 6565 Fannin St. SKY 2 video showed black smoke billowing from the roof ...
safety
Houston Methodist fire: Piece of equipment catches fire on roof of Centennial Tower in Med Center, fire out
A fire on top of the roof of the Centennial Tower at Houston Methodist in the Medical Center has been put out. It all started after 5 p.m. when the Houston Fire Department received a call which was actually the wrong address. Following that report, officials put out a 211, and a ...
News
'I'm a celebrity': Unlicensed funeral director accused of stealing dead man's estate dodges questions after court
A Houston funeral home director accused of stealing a dead man’s estate stormed out of the Harris County criminal courthouse Friday morning, claiming to be a “celebrity” who had nothing to say — then quickly changed course and started hurling insults. Unique Green is accused of p...
safety
Pedestrian dies after being hit by vehicle in southwest Houston parking lot
An investigation is underway after a pedestrian died after being struck by a vehicle in a parking lot Friday morning in southwest Houston, according to the Houston Police Department. The incident was reported around 11 a.m. in the 9800 block of South Kirkwood Road. Police said th...
schools
How to apply for free or reduced cost meals at Houston ISD schools
The new school year is rapidly approaching and with its arrival, so is the reality of lunches for children. Some families may qualify for free or reduced cost meals for their children at Houston ISD schools, but there is a process to determine and apply for it. Application Famili...