Town Crier

The New $5 Fee That Has Everyone Talking Trash, Plus Other Houston City Council News from June

A solid waste fee, a budget vote with one dissenter, speed cushions at triple the cost, and what’s coming after the World Cup wraps.

06/30/2026 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

Joe Panzarella Officially Joins City Council, and Houston Braces for World Cup

Plus, apartment inspection reform is finally here, and even more about the budget.

05/29/2026 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

Houston’s ICE Policy Fight, the District C Runoff, and More City Council News

A street name change, the District C election continues, and a Houston Police Department/ICE policy rollercoaster—here’s what you missed inside City Hall this month.

04/27/2026 By Emily Hynds

Growing Pains?

Houston Is a Young City. So, Why Are So Many of Our Politicians Old?

Houston’s median age is 36. So why does the city keep electing politicians twice that age—and what would it take to change that?

04/23/2026 By Erica Cheng

Only in Houston

Trump vs. Turtles, AI vs. Traffic, Meteors vs. Roofs

Star light, star bright, first chunk of space rock to smash a roof tonight.

04/14/2026 By Meredith Nudo

Bayougraphy

How Joe Panzarella Went from "Never Coming Back" to Running for Houston City Council

Joe Panzarella spent years abroad before Houston pulled him back, transforming a BikeHouston volunteer into District C's most compelling candidate.

04/01/2026 By Erica Cheng

Town Crier

Why Houston’s Mayor and This City Councilmember Keep Clashing

Plus, new parks, Houston's response to ICE, a District C special election, and more from City Hall this month.

03/24/2026 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What Houston City Council Is Saying About ICE, Police Overtime, and More

This February, city councilmembers and citizens clashed over ICE’s presence in Houston. The George R. Brown is getting a $2 billion facelift, and the city is overbudget (again).

02/23/2026 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month, January 2026

Questions over a controversial drainage fund, how a councilmember butted heads with the mayor, and welcoming in a new member.

01/26/2026 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council in December 2025

Continued inaction on apartment inspection reform, potential misuse of funds, and Councilmember Plummer says farewell.

12/29/2025 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month, November 2025

New civility ordinances, ICE collaboration questions, and another stalled apartment reform dominated this month’s city council meetings.

11/25/2025 By Emily Hynds

2025 Houstonian of the Year

Councilmember Edward Pollard Is Our Houstonian of the Year

From street cleanup to implementing job boards, Pollard’s policies have resonated beyond District J.

11/21/2025 By Erica Cheng

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month, October 2025

From tax rate battles to the removal of Montrose’s rainbow crosswalk, here’s what you missed inside city hall this month.

10/30/2025 By Emily Hynds

Bayougraphy

From Sunnyside to City Hall: City Council Hopeful Jordan Thomas Talks the Talk

The At-Large Position 4 candidate grew up across Houston, from Sunnyside to Katy, and now hopes to turn personal struggles into policy change.

10/22/2025 By Erica Cheng

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month, September 2025

The state meddling in local affairs, even more restrictions on pedestrians, and a unified MLK Day parade.

09/22/2025 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

The Drama You Missed at Houston City Council This Month, August 2025

Hotly debated housing funding, a makeover for the Booker Landfill, and a solid waste department comeback for the books (so we’re told).

08/25/2025 By Emily Hynds

We're Outside

Dress Code Ordinances and Crime Crackdowns: Is Houston's Nightlife Scene the New Policy Battleground?

Inside the clash between policies, crime crackdowns, and a nightlife industry possibly caught in the middle.

07/31/2025 By Erica Cheng

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month

Budget, budget, budget, more budget, and finally an end to the requirement that police personnel make at least one traffic stop on every shift.

06/23/2025 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month

Giddy up for budget season, y’all. Plus: Whitmire has another strange interaction.

05/19/2025 By Emily Hynds

Town Crier

What You Missed at Houston City Council This Month

The removal of bike lanes on Austin Street stirred up some drama and Airbnb operators have new mandates.

04/21/2025 By Emily Hynds