Houston Landing

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is continuing to fight Harris County’s guaranteed income initiative even after officials scaled it back to more closely resemble existing state and federal public assistance programs. Under the revamped program, what had been a monthly no-strings-attached stipend of $500 now will be limited to the purchase of food, housing and utilities with a pre-loaded debit card issued by the county.

Galveston is one of the few law enforcement agencies outside the border that has received funding from Operation Lone Star. Of this money, Galveston County has received almost $4.1 million to date. As Galveston residents prepare to vote for a new sheriff, the Democratic candidate has questioned whether participating in Operation Lone Star is the best use of resources.

Houston Landing spoke with a range of stakeholders and community members across Harris County to better understand what residents expect from their incoming district attorney. Those interviewed included police, defense lawyers, advocates for criminal justice reform, civic club leaders and a county commissioner.

As some small private universities weather financial struggles due to declining enrollment, Houston Christian University is in the midst of an ambitious enrollment push. The southwest Houston school, which rebranded from Houston Baptist University in 2022, is looking to increase enrollment from 4,000 to 10,000 students by the end of the decade. To help fill those seats, HCU is turning to a new and increasingly popular “direct admissions” pipeline, in which qualifying students are accepted before they formally apply.

If the Houston ISD Bond passes next week, the district plans to use half a billion dollars on career centers — here's a look inside a similar center. https://bit.ly/3Buw2zI

Mayor John Whitmire will announce a city-sponsored homeless encampment plan in the coming weeks, he said during a City Council meeting Wednesday. He did not elaborate on the plan, other than it would be a collaboration with the city’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security and housing department.

Learning curve: 📈 Each year, tens of thousands of students in the Houston region unexpectedly change schools — and the moves represent a key, often overlooked factor playing into children’s learning. The factors that prompt a family to change campuses — including eviction, divorce or parents getting a new job — are often outside a school’s control.

🗳️ With Election Day a week away, the Houston Landing politics team is gearing up for an unprecedented, results-filled day for a myriad of local races. Here’s how we’re approaching our coverage of the day, including what we will (and won’t) cover.

Thousands of parasports enthusiasts with disabilities traveled to Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center this past weekend for the 13th annual Metal and Muscle Expo to try a new parasport or showcase their skills in team sport competitions.

Three Houston ISD employees are among the five people charged in connection with a scheme to help hundreds of people cheat on state teacher certification tests, Harris County prosecutors said Monday. The scheme involved conspirators taking and administering tests on behalf of aspiring certified teachers, prosecutors said. Investigators believe the hundreds of participants are spread throughout the state, with some likely still in classrooms.