🔥NEW: Houston Fire Department recruitment is at an all-time high, and the wait list to join is a year long for the first time in 20 years. Will increased recruitment efforts help stave the department's issue with overtime spending? www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... @houstonchronicle.com

♻️ Is your recycling behind? There's a reason for that. Houston officials say they're down about 50 trucks due to wear and tear. Solid Waste so far this month has notched more than 5,700 complaints about missed recycling pickup. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston Mayor John Whitmire may soon be required to give monthly reports to each council member on projects that have changed in their districts. The proposal from a council member comes after elected officials expressed communication concerns. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

BREAKING: Houston Mayor John Whitmire announces city will be asking HUD to put $50M of its $315M in disaster recovery dollars toward housing after residents and advocates expressed concerns about an initial $0 allocation. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston City Hall lost 24,000 years of institutional knowledge through Mayor Whitmire's retirement program aimed at cutting costs. One employee was with the city for 56 years. Another employee had only worked there for 53 days. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Mayor John Whitmire today said a letter from U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt regarding sending federal aid to Houston amid the LA "riots" was "not representative" of Houston protests. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

Houston's tax rate is one of the lowest of Texas' large cities. See how Dallas and Austin compare, via @abbschurch.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

Residents tired of being 'Houston Strong' now say local elected officials aren't prepared for storms, via @abbschurch.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

Controller Chris Hollins won’t certify Whitmire’s $7B budget until judge OKs drainage payment plan, via @abbschurch.bsky.social www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

EXCLUSIVE: ~30 chairs @harriscodemocrats.bsky.social have signed a resolution admonishing Mayor Whitmire for his upcoming appearance at a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw. The resolution also aims to bar Whitmire from seeking the party's endorsement. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

Some exciting news @houstonchronicle.com ahead of Houston's upcoming budget season💰 I’m interviewing Controller Chris Hollins about the growing $330M deficit and what to expect as officials look for solutions LIVE on April 22. 🎥💥 Sign up to watch here: www.houstonchronicle.com/events/artic...

News in the #TX18 race: Gov. Abbott has set a special election date. The announcement comes more than a month after U.S. Rep. Turner's death, and three lawsuit threats from the House Democrats, TX Democrats and @cdmenefee.bsky.social. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex... @houstonchronicle.com

So why IS Houston Mayor John Whitmire, a Democrat, listed as a "special guest" for a recently announced event for GOP U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw?🤔 The answer shouldn't really shock you, experts told me: www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: @cdmenefee.bsky.social threatens legal action against Gov. Greg Abbott if he continues to stall calling an election to fill the open #TX18 seat. "Your silence is suppression. Your doing nothing is disenfranchising our community.” www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... @houstonchronicle.com

BREAKING: Mayor John Whitmire has accepted Houston Solid Waste Director Mark Wilfalk's resignation, he wrote in a memo to council members this afternoon. Wilfalk had led the long-troubled city department since Oct. 2021. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston council delayed its vote on a disparity study officials plan to use in a lawsuit attempting to eradicate the city's minority contracting program. The study hit roadblocks last week due to accuracy concerns. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston council voted today to expand Mayor John Whitmire's comb of city finances and operations into Houston Public Works and the controller's office. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston is facing a lawsuit attempting to eradicate its minority business opportunity program. And now, a disparity study commissioned to help bolster the city’s case is facing questions of accuracy. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

New: Protesters on Wednesday stood on the steps of Houston City Hall and asked Mayor John Whitmire's team to pick up the pace on discussions surrounding the city's denied drainage appeal and when the cash will come down. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

Hello Bluesky! Gotta get better at using this. So what have I been tracking? We're back in another #TX18 race following U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner's death March 5. He took over the seat for U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee following her death in July. Some updates so far: 🧵 via @houstonchronicle.com

🚨@houstonchronicle.com is searching for its next local government editor🚨 There’s no shortage of interesting stories in Houston and Harris County politics. Another plus: you’ll get to edit me! Apply apply apply: eevd.fa.us6.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/Candid...

There are few changes to the forecast today. A legitimate, rare winter storm, with primarily snow and sleet is likely to impact most of the Houston area tomorrow night and Tuesday, causing significant travel disruption through at least Wednesday morning. #houwx #housky

NEW: Mayor John Whitmire said Wednesday city leaders "worked around" a stringent policy dictating when Houston opens warming centers to provide shelter during last week's cold front, but did not say whether the policy would be revised. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Houston is one of the few Texas metros that hasn't opened warming centers during this recent cold snap. ❄️ The reason? Houston has the most stringent warming facility opening threshold of all the major cities. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Gov. Greg Abbott is supposedly in talks with Houston Mayor John Whitmire about buying Houston's excess water. Will local officials use the request as a bargaining chip to fix the city's weakening water infrastructure? www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/tex... via @houstonchronicle.com

BREAKING: Houston, Harris County set to receive $382M from the Biden administration for Hurricane Beryl, flooding recovery: www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

Houston Council member Edward Pollard wants to rebrand his council district as "J City." What could the move mean for residents, and for Pollard's own political aspirations? www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Today for John Whitmire marks one year as Houston's mayor. @houstonchronicle.com has a package examining his time at City Hall so far. 🧵First up, what does Whitmire have to show for his first year? (all 🎁 links): www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

I’m very wary of sharing reporting — no matter how riveting — from Gateway Pundit and the Dallas Express. These are sites that peddle falsehoods, hoaxes, and ultra-conservative pink slime. Very ready to see what the rest of the press digs up on the situation with Rep. Kay Granger.

NEW: Did you forget anything John Whitmire said during his first year as Houston's mayor? @houstonchronicle.com gathered a list of some of his most memorable statements (and insults) that captured the curiosity of Houstonians in 2024: www.houstonchronicle.com/projects/202...

EXCLUSIVE: County Judge Lina Hidalgo denied a claim made by Mayor John Whitmire Thursday that she would not pursue another term in office. www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston... via @houstonchronicle.com

On Friday, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan dropped his bid to lead the Legislature’s lower chamber next year ahead of a critical vote scheduled for this weekend. Here’s what you need to know about the House speaker position and what might happen next. www.texastribune.org/2024/12/06/t...

New: A Houston council member has called to change to a controversial rule that kept a firefighter who shared a colleague's intimate video employed. Mayor John Whitmire suggests the issue should be taken up with the state. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

NEW: Mayor John Whitmire's administration has pulled the plug on $2.6M that was supposed to go toward adding lights to the Montrose bridges over the Southwest Freeway. Admin says the cash will now go toward the mayor's newly announced homeless plan. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

As Houston moves to approve an $850k settlement with a former firefighter for sexual misconduct, one council member seeks a safety net for employees in the union contract. On the law that kept the accused employee on at the department + the call for change: www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year is “brain rot” — a term that describes that overconsumption of material or content to the point that it deteriorates one’s mental state. (As in, how sludgy you feel after bingeing an entire Netflix show after — or while — doomscrolling.)

new hyperfixation treat just dropped (this time it's a very lifechanging strawberry chai latte)

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who spoke at a Trump rally on Jan. 6, is still withholding his communications related to that trip, watchdog group says. trib.al/3hp8DUJ

I'm really excited to share some news about our @propublica.org @texastribune.org collaboration!! In the new year, we will be launching a new initiative to work with five newsrooms in the state to cover an issue of importance to Texans.

Make sure to follow our Starter Pack! go.bsky.app/HWdRaQV

NEW: Houston council voted unanimously to change a city law requiring the Public Works head to be a professional engineer so Randy Macchi – the department's Chief Operating Officer, + former attorney/life coach – could be its lead. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchronicle.com

how it feels toggling back and forth all day between bluesky and x to make sure all audiences are informed

BREAKING: Mayor John Whitmire received a written rebuke from a national engineering organization concerned about a potential ordinance change that would allow a non-engineer to lead Houston Public Works. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou... via @houstonchron.bsky.social

Astros agree to 15-year with Daikin Industries as title sponsor for stadium after 22 years with Minute Maid. trib.al/1w4SQja

BREAKING: Mayor John Whitmire wants to change city ordinance to make Randy Macchi head of Houston Public Works. Rules require the HPW lead to be an engineer. Macchi, its COO and interim head, is an attorney and former life coach. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

Readers are invited to celebrate long-time restaurant critic Alison Cook as she leaves the Houston Chronicle. Join us for one last virtual conversation on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 at 11 a.m. CST to discuss food, criticism and her most memorable meals reviewing the Houston restaurant scene.

The Harris County-Houston Sports Authority has tapped Ryan Walsh, sports and convention corp + NRG CEO, as the agency's new leader. Walsh's hire follows a string of high-profile leadership exits from the agency. www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/hou...

The House Ethics Committee was set to vote this week on releasing a report about Matt Gaetz (R-Florida), who resigned from Congress on Wednesday after being picked as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general, according to four people familiar with the matter.

Hellooo Houston Bluesky users! I’m a local gov’t reporter who covers City Hall at the Houston Chronicle. Have a story to share? What do I need to know about how gov’t is or isn’t working for you? Shoot me an email/my DMs are open: [email protected]

To celebrate and discuss her career at the Chronicle, we invite readers to attend a panel discussion between Cook and restaurant columnist Bao Ong. trib.al/TvehBlu