The county still owes DEMA more than $860,000. Commissioners opted to not take action amid unanswered questions about those invoices.
McKenna Oxenden
McKenna Oxenden is a reporter covering Harris County for the Houston Landing. She most recently had a yearlong fellowship at the New York Times on its breaking news team. A Baltimore native, she previously covered criminal justice and breaking news at the Baltimore Sun. Prior to working for her hometown paper, McKenna worked at the Tampa Bay Times in a variety of roles including, reporter, social media/homepage editor and podcast producer. Her work has also appeared in the Washington Post, USA Today and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. McKenna is a graduate of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a degree in journalism, photography and digital media. She is a self-proclaimed “horse girl” who competes in three-day eventing. McKenna is also an avid ultimate frisbee player, firmly believes that being the cool aunt is a personality trait and is always looking for a new brewery to try.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Auditor says HART vendor may have billed Harris County for hours worked in California
The Holistic Assistance Response Team was created as an alternative response to police for 911 calls involving mental health or homelessness issues.
Posted inAround the Region
Houstonians left in the dark by CenterPoint turn to social media to tackle power outages
More than 900,000 homes lost power from derecho storm. As restoration dragged on, information was sparse, frustrating many.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Harris County halts HART program after Commissioners Court disagrees on paying vendor
The Holistic Assistance Response Teams program aims to reduce non-emergency 911 phone calls from law enforcement to trained behavioral health professionals.
Posted inAround the Region
Officials say most areas without power in Houston could see restoration by Sunday
Widespread power outages will end for most CenterPoint Energy customers by Sunday after a storm with hurricane-force winds pounded the region.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Tension between Whitmire, Hidalgo goes from behind the scenes to front and center
Harris County’s top elected leaders held their first joint press conference Friday morning, making their behind-the-scenes tension public as the two traded passive-aggressive remarks while providing updates on Thursday’s deadly storm. The tension between Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was almost immediately palpable when both appeared at the press conference […]
Posted inAround the Region
Some residents could be without power for weeks after deadly storm strikes Houston area
Strong winds of up to 110 mph ripped through the Houston area, leaving at least seven people dead and significant infrastructure damage in its wake.
Posted inDiverse Communities
Houston civil rights icon William Lawson, founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, dies at 95
Pastor William Lawson, who established one of Houston’s largest congregations nearly 70 years ago, was praised by the community as a civil rights icon.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Harris County official spars with other counties over flood control and prevention
Liberty and Montgomery counties officials say that better drainage and flood management across the region requires collaboration.
Posted inAround the Region
Cleanup underway as floodwaters recede and evacuation orders lifted for Houston region
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she would press officials in Washington to speed up relief funding and grants for those affected by the flooding.