Between agendas containing hundreds of items, lengthy remarks by members, and numerous resolutions, the bi-weekly court meetings have become a slog.
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
Three ways Commissioners Court could shorten its meetings without sacrificing transparency
Harris County could improve transparency and public access by meeting more often and changing the way it conducts those meetings, ethics experts said.
Posted inPublic Safety
Evacuations urged in Montgomery, Liberty and Harris counties as heavy storms hit Houston region
Local officials warned residents along forks of the San Jacinto River to evacuate after a line of powerful storms slammed the region.
Posted inPolitics & Government
The Texas Supreme Court blocks Harris County from sending guaranteed income payments
County officials said the $500 monthly stipends would be sent out Tuesday, but dropped that after the Supreme Court blocked the program.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Judge rejects Paxton’s attempt to block Harris County’s guaranteed income program
The judge rejected the state ’s arguments that the plan to give monthly stipends to more than 1,900 low-income residents violated the Texas Constitution.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Other cities and counties have tried guaranteed income programs. Ken Paxton didn’t sue them.
Paxton argues Uplift Harris violates the Texas Constitution’s prohibition on giving public money to individuals without seeking anything in return.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Paxton sues Harris County over guaranteed income program, calling it unconstitutional
The attorney general’s office is seeking an immediate ruling to block Harris County from making payments to program participants.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Auction of controversial African artwork canceled after last-minute bankruptcy filing
The auction was supposed to help cover a massive civil court settlement after years of back and forth with the owner of the artworks.
Posted inPolitics & Government
African art once stored at Harris County taxpayers’ expense to be auctioned off next week
The wood and metal statues, carvings, masks and other objects sat in a Harris County warehouse under mysterious circumstances for several years.
Posted inPolitics & Government
Harris County commissioners appoint Briones to H-GAC board of directors, replacing Hidalgo
The agenda originally included a motion to make Hidalgo an alternate, but commissioners opted to withdraw her from the board altogether for this year.