Overbilling from the city of Houston’s water department has frustrated residents. Proposed changes could fix some of these issues. But not all.
Maggie Gordon / Columnist
Maggie Gordon is a columnist who has worked at newspapers across the country, including the Stamford Advocate and the Houston Chronicle. She has covered everything from the hedge fund industry and education to craft beer and alligator hunting. No matter the topic, Maggie’s favorite stories combine quirky characters, adventure and humanity. Bonus points if she can find a love story. Maggie grew up on a cow farm in upstate New York, and graduated from nearby Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. These days you can find her at her home in Houston’s East End – or on Twitter.
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How Houston’s recently passed Proposition B can offer a model for increasing voter turnout
Changing the year in which Houston holds mayoral elections could increase voter turnout. The passage of Prop B serves as a beacon of inspiration.
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Walking Houston’s deadly 4-mile stretch of Westheimer, from Fondren to the 610 Loop
38 people died from 2018 to 2022 along the 4-mile stretch of Houston’s Westheimer between Fondren and 610. We walked the span to identify its issues.
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Houston ISD teachers say sick policy forces them to pit their families against their jobs
New practices implemented under HISD Superintendent Mike Miles have put teachers in fear of losing their jobs if they’ve recorded more than four absences.
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How can Houston make cyclists feel safer? Enforcing no parking in bike lanes is a start.
Houston is working hard to eliminate cyclist deaths. Adding ‘no parking’ signs along bike lanes could push the initiative toward the finish line.
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Houston’s low voter turnout isn’t driven by motivation issues; it’s driven by access issues
Transportation is a barrier to accessing polling places for many Houstonians. So this band of volunteers provides free rides to the polls.
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By outing 19 students to their parents, Katy ISD violated Texas ethics codes for educators
Katy ISD alerted parents of 19 students of name or pronoun changes at school. The move is not just morally reprehensible, it violates Texas code.
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Mental health is the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths. So how do we fix it?
In 2019, 63 Texas women died from causes related to pregnancy. One in four of those deaths was related to a mental health condition — making maternal mental health the leading cause of death for those women, according to new data released last week by the Texas Department of State Health Statistics. So what are […]
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His Houston water bill was wrong. But after 11 months, he still hasn’t found a resolution.
Disputing your city of Houston water bill can take months. Even if the city’s numbers look wrong, good luck getting anyone to listen.
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Heighten your hopes, Houston. High voter turnout is possible. Here’s how we can do it.
No one is expecting Houston’s voters to turn out en masse in the coming weeks, as the city elects its first new mayor in nearly a decade. Houston, everyone says, is a city where people don’t vote. These experts point to demographics: Voters are largely older, whiter and more educated than the average American; in […]