Articles

Thousands of people are processed through the City of Houston jail system every year for public intoxication. But the city is taking steps to divert those people away from jail cells to a sobering center where they could receive social services.

Before getting into politics, Councilmember Ed Gonzalez was a Houston police officer for 18 years.

He’s used that experience to launch an idea that would change how the Houston Police Department responds to people who are publicly intoxicated. Continue Reading »

Washington, D.C. – As part of the Energy Department’s ongoing efforts to highlight President Obama’s State of the Union address and discuss the Obama Administration’s commitment to American energy resources, tomorrow, Thursday, February 2, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will meet with executives from various oil and gas companies, tour a recently completed major energy efficiency upgrade at the Texas Medical Center, and host a State of the Union Town Hall with students from Houston Community College. Continue Reading »

This week served as an important reminder about safety during storms and rising water. Wednesday’s major storm system drenched the Houston area, flooding many of our neighborhoods.

This is the second system to hit us this month. During the storm two weeks ago, the Houston Fire Department rescued over 100 people from flood waters and responded to over 1000 calls. Let’s make sure that all of us are prepared the next time hard rains and flooding strike our city Continue Reading »

This week a woman in need of help contacted my office at City Hall. She was understandably concerned and frustrated that she was experiencing unusally low water pressure at her home in the Airline Drive area. She mentioned that she didn’t know who to call, but hoped we could assist. We explained that this is exactly the kind of issue we can help address. We notified Utility Maintenance in the City’s Public Works and Engineering Department, described the situation that our constituent faced, and the department promptly investigated the situation and repaired the faulty water line. Continue Reading »

The city of Houston is planning to make a record breaking announcement Wednesday. It has to do with crime, and what you’ll hear may surprise you. Continue Reading »

BARC Animal Shelter and Adoption Center met with Council Member Edward Gonzalez to accept the 2nd annual holiday gift from Natural Pawz. Continue Reading »

Growing pains for the expanded 17-member Houston City Council will start with a simple task: finding a place for everyone to sit around an already crowded table. Continue Reading »

Councilman Ed Gonzalez is the Matt Leinart of the City Council today.

With Mayor Annise Parker in Israel, Gonzalez chairs today’s council meeting in his capacity as acting mayor pro tem. The title basically means he shows up where the mayor can’t or won’t. He also takes the gavel temporarily at meetings when the mayor leaves the dais to eat, drink, make phone calls or blow off steam about a council member’s comments. Continue Reading »

A federal judge will draw interim boundaries for Harris County commissioner precincts after the county and the Latino activists who sued them over their redistricting plan could not agree on a map. Continue Reading »

Harris County Commissioners will convene for a special meeting to push through a redistricting plan that passes legal muster. The county has been in litigation with a group of plaintiffs who say the new redistricting map dilutes the voting strength of Hispanics. Continue Reading »