Harris County
Recent News About Harris County
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Christensen on concert safety task force's findings: 'The statutes referenced within the report simply do not apply to the Astroworld event'
Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen issued a formal response on Wednesday (April 20) to the final report published by Gov. Greg Abbott's Texas Task Force on Concert Safety, according to a press release issued by Christensen's office.
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Judge in case against indicted Hidalgo staffers: 'I sua sponte recuse myself'
The presiding judge in the criminal case against three senior staffers in Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's office has recused herself, Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reported. According to the station, Judge Natalia Cornelio of the 351st Criminal Court submitted her recusal on Wednesday (April 20).
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Batton on Harris County's purported trimming of constables' budgets: 'You just snatch it from them like a thief'
Despite Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's assertions that law enforcement budgets aren't being slashed, the county's eight constables allege in writing that the heavily Democratic commissioners court and County Administrator David Berry have siphoned more than $4 million from their agencies, according to a report from Houston FOX affiliate KRIV.
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Hidalgo on search for new Harris County elections head: 'Grateful to every member of the Elections Commission for working through this together'
Harris County has commenced a nationwide search for a new elections administrator, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's official Twitter account.
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Murder victim's relative on new minimum bail requirement: 'We're very happy that this motion passed'
A new rule approved by the Harris County Bail Bond Board last Wednesday (April 13) increases the minimum bail requirement for violent felonies from 2% to 10%, according to reports from Houston-based media outlets.
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Gonzalez as late deputy constable killed in accident laid to rest: 'The Harris County community is not the same today'
The family, friends and colleagues of the late Harris County Precinct 7 Deputy Constable Jennifer Chavis gathered at Fountain of Praise Church in Houston on Wednesday (April 13) to pay their final respects nearly two weeks after she lost her life in a fatal vehicular accident, according to Houston-based media outlets.
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Hidalgo on staffer indictments: 'I'm very confident that, when the facts are known, my team will be cleared'
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo addressed the felony indictments on Tuesday (April 12) against three of her senior staff members, according to a report from Houston CBS affiliate KHOU. The county judge, a Democrat, said she still stands with the staffers, who are each accused of misuse of official information and tampering with records, the station reported.
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Attorney on Hidalgo senior staffer's indictment: 'He ultimately will be vindicated'
Felony indictments were issued against three senior members of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's staff on Monday (April 11) as part of the criminal investigation into the $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract the county awarded and then cancelled last year, according to Houston-based media outlets.
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Zarzoza at husband's funeral: 'I can’t and I don’t know when I will be able to forget that night'
No one could blame Flor Zarzoza for wishing an alarm clock would buzz and rouse her from what she was sitting through. The widow of Harris County Sheriff's Deputy Darren Almendarez led mourners on Friday (April 8) in remembering the man whose last act of unconditional love for her was protecting her from supposedly armed catalytic converter thieves, according to reports from Houston-based media outlets.
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Cagle on potential revocation of Hidalgo's emergency powers: 'It’s time we get back to normal'
One of the two Republican members on the Harris County Commissioners Court asserted that the COVID-19 emergency powers granted to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo two years ago no longer apply, Houston NBC affiliate KPRC reported. Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner R. Jack Cagle is demanding those powers be revoked, citing Harris County's current COVID threat level of yellow and President Joe Biden's call for a return to normalcy, the station reported.
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Late deputy constable's sister: 'It’s just hard to come to terms with'
Jocelyn Fowler said that her sister, the late Harris County Precinct 7 Deputy Constable Jennifer Chavis, had a bright future to look forward to until a fatal car crash claimed her life at the age of 32 on April 2, according to a report from Houston NBC affiliate KPRC.
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Ogg on $7.5 million for prosecutor positions: 'We made some headway'
The Harris County Commissioners Court approved $7.5 million to fund prosecutor positions in the Harris County District Attorney's Office on Tuesday (April 5), Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported.
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Steve Almendarez on late brother: 'Everybody who met him loved him'
Just before off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy Darren Almendarez was fatally shot while attempting to stop a catalytic converter theft in progress on the night of March 31, he and his wife were grocery shopping for a cookout he had planned for his sister's birthday. The cookout occurred on Sunday (April 3), but it was more of a remembrance of a man whose loved ones recalled was all about love, per a report from Houston CBS affiliate KHOU.
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Gonzalez on fatal crash that claimed deputy constable's life: 'It saddens me to know how her life was senselessly cut short'
A vehicular crash claimed the life of a Harris County deputy constable on Saturday (April 2), Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez told Houston-based media outlets. Deputy Jennifer Chavis was killed by a suspected drunk driver who rear-ended her patrol unit and caused the vehicle to catch on fire, authorities said.
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Gonzalez on deputy killed by catalytic converter thieves: 'An outstanding member of our HCSO family, he will be missed'
An off-duty Harris County Sheriff's deputy was killed on Thursday night (March 31) when he attempted to stop an alleged catalytic converter theft, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and reports from Houston-based media outlets.
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Hidalgo on vaccine contract investigation: 'Let the process play out and the process will play out'
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo addressed the criminal investigation on Tuesday (March 22) into the $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract the county awarded and then cancelled last year, according to Houston-based media outlets. Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported that Hidalgo, a Democrat, announced that the county won't terminate the three members of her staff who were implicated in the investigation.
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'It's definitely a very emotional moment for me': Grand jury decides not to charge Texans quarterback Watson
A Harris County grand jury decided not to criminally charge Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson on March 11 after 22 women accused him of sexual assault and harassment.
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'My hope is that we are at a permanent turning point of this pandemic': Hidalgo lowers COVID-19 threat level to yellow
Citing decreases in hospitalization rates and COVID-19 cases, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo lowered the county's COVID-19 threat level to yellow Thursday.
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Texas Rangers execute search warrants at Hidalgo's office
Texas Rangers have executed search warrants at the Harris County Administration Building in Downtown Houston.
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'The vote on this nomination should be postponed': Domestic abuse accusation stalls Gonzalez ICE confirmation vote
An allegation of domestic abuse has placed the U.S. Senate confirmation vote on Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez's nomination as ICE director on hold.