Results tagged “commissionerscourt”

Good morning, Houston. So this is what it must be like to live in California, huh? We're looking at a string of fantastic days, with highs in the lower to mid 70s and lows around 50 into the weekend. Today, expect a high of 73 with clear skies. You know what that means? We all have to spend as much time as possible outside. Yep, you have our permission to skip school and work...

If you didn't like the idea of our beloved Astrodome becoming a fancy hotel, then you won't be happy that a hotel plan is still in the works. The difference this time around, though, is that the new convention hotel will not incorporate the "historic" Texas themes which could have included an Alamo facade, faux courthouse, and a bunch of other corny things. The new plan, which doesn't yet have detailed renderings, opts for a...

So all day yesterday, we heard people complaining about about the Harris County commissioners' proposal to raise the cost of using the county toll road system — and we even added our two cents. But is the rate increase a done deal? No, according to KHOU, which reports that commissioners approved a "toll-setting policy" on Tuesday, with the actual toll increase decision still to come in another vote. Or yes, according to KTRK, which says...

Depending on the outcome of a vote by Harris County Commissioners Court tomorrow, rates on the county's toll road system could increase 25 cents by the end of the summer, the first step in a plan to double tolls over the next 20 years. That means that, by 2027, drivers would pay $2 per EZ Tag transaction and $2.50 per cash transaction on Harris County toll roads — though it's not clear just how that'll affect flying cars, which we completely expect to be in widespread use in 20 years. We guess we'll just have to wait and find out.

A series of developments and twists over the weekend brought the case of murdered Texas A&M student Tynesha Stewart to a grisly point: Investigators said there would definitely be no search for her remains because there aren't any remains to be found. "There are no remaining body parts," Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas said in a news conference Saturday night. "We have determined through this investigation that the defendant dismembered the victim and burned her...

Looks like we won't be able to catch a rocket ship to outer space in Houston's back yard anytime soon: Earlier this week, the Brazoria County Commissioners Court voted to dissolve a nonprofit corporation that was formed to build a commercial spaceport. The group, called the Gulf Coast Regional Spaceport Development Corp., was formed in 2000 to build a port for spacecraft to deliver commercial satellite into orbit; an initial proposal was to develop the facility off Fm 2004 near Demi-John.

So, the big political news around Harris County today is that County Judge Robert Eckels will step down. It's not like nobody expected the announcement — rumors have been going around for at least a couple of weeks — and it's not like we know when Eckels will quit or what he'll do afterward, but still, it's big news. Right? Eckels, reportedly fighting back tears, began his goodbye during Thursday's State of the County address:...

Harris County Commissioners Court gave the go-ahead for a private firm's proposal to redevelop the Astrodome as a mega-hotel, saying the 41-year-old stadium will no longer be a part of the county's disaster shelter plans.

some serious cash — and it's way more than preliminary studies suggested.)

It's hard to continue operating a historic ferry. If you don't believe us, just ask Harris County, which found out no one really wants to build new boats for the Lynchburg Ferry route — and when they do, it could cost nearly twice as much as officials expected. The county Commissioners Court agreed two years ago to spend $3 million on new boats for the ferry route, which has been in operation since 1822 (before...

The fun is back: Former Houston first lady Elyse Lanier has been appointed to the port commission to replace Cheryl Thompson-Draper, who resigned over an alleged racial slur she made in Shanghai last year. Harris County Commissioners Court appointed Lanier on a unanimous vote. But it came after County Judge Robert Eckels made a motion to appoint Leroy Hermes, a local architect and chair of the University of Houston board of Regents. That motion failed....