April Towery
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April Towery
@apriltowery.bsky.social
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I cover Houston City Hall, the Texas Legislature and criminal justice for The Houston Press.
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www.houstonpress.com/news/cair-wi...
CAIR Will Continue Civil Rights Work Despite Abbott’s Terrorism Declaration - Houston Press
Being Muslim doesn’t make one a terrorist, but that didn’t stop Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott from condemning two prominent civil rights groups this Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared two Muslim grou...
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November 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/hunters...
Hunters Take a Shot at Ending Hunger - Houston Press
Caitlin Yates has a message for her hunter friends: if they see a whitetail deer in the scope of their rifles, it’s not just a small victory for a Four meat processing facilities are accepting donatio...
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November 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/chaos-e...
Chaos Erupts Over Judges' Ruling to Block Maps in 2026 Midterms - Houston Press
A panel of three federal judges ruled Tuesday that Texas can’t use the congressional redistricting maps approved in August — citing substantial evidence A panel of three federal judges ruled Tuesday t...
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November 19, 2025 at 1:17 PM
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Houston Council Members Denounce “Disgusting” ICE Tactics - Houston Press
It wasn’t exactly shocking when Mayor John Whitmire confirmed last week that Houston police officers have been cooperating with Immigration and Customs Houston City Council members denounced ICE's agg...
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November 18, 2025 at 2:29 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/edwards...
Edwards And Menefee District 18 Runoff Set for January 31 - Houston Press
Former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards and Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee won't get a holiday break from the campaign trail. Gov. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Monday that the ...
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November 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/was-the...
Was the Vote to End Shutdown a Compromise or Surrender?   - Houston Press
Fort Bend County resident Koretta Brown desperately wanted the federal government shutdown to end but she didn’t want it to come at the expense of Democrats were unable to negotiate an extension of Af...
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November 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/hisd-st...
HISD Students and Parents Challenge Mike Miles on Data Versus Anecdotes - Houston Press
Houston ISD parents and students chastised Superintendent Mike Miles during a Thursday board meeting for championing “data over anecdotes” as Houston ISD parents and students chastised Superintendent ...
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November 14, 2025 at 2:03 PM
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Ken Paxton Sues Harris County Over Immigrant Legal Services Fund - Houston Press
In a move that Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee referred to as a “cheap political stunt,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued county Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Harris County...
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November 12, 2025 at 4:30 PM
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I’m running to make sure that our schools are fully funded, that we expand Medicaid in the state that has the highest uninsured rates in the country, [and] that we turn our minimum wage into a livable wage.” - Odus Evbagharu

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Odus Evbagharu Hopes to Keep Texas House Seat Blue - Houston Press
A Cypress-Fairbanks ISD graduate who also served as the youngest chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party is taking his political ambitions to the Former Harris County Democratic Party Chair Odu...
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November 12, 2025 at 3:09 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/veteran...
Veteran Finds Best Friend Through Paws for Heroes Program  - Houston Press
Tedd Schonscheck had a void in his heart after retiring from the U.S. Army, and just when he thought the empty space could not be filled, a Belgian U.S. Army veteran Tedd Schonscheck found his best fr...
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November 11, 2025 at 1:09 PM
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“Democrats are unified and they’re willing to turn out; those are two things that didn’t happen in 2024. The Democrats are re-energized.” - University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus

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Can Anyone Beat Greg Abbott in 2026? - Houston Press
Texas Democrats say Gov. Greg Abbott’s blind loyalty to Donald Trump could be his demise, and the relationship wasn't mentioned at all when Abbott Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his re-election bid ...
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November 10, 2025 at 5:42 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/its-a-g...
“It’s a Great Day to Be an Owl” - Houston Press
Rice University's $120 million Gateway Project, announced Thursday, has almost everyone on campus excited about change.  Rice University's Gateway Project will connect the iconic renovated athletic st...
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November 7, 2025 at 1:24 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/snap-pr...
SNAP Program Lingers in Uncertainty - Houston Press
Editor's Note: Federal Judge John McConnell ruled Thursday afternoon that the Trump administration must fully fund November SNAP benefits immediately to Texans enrolled in SNAP Program may get partial...
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November 7, 2025 at 1:23 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/alejand...
Alejandra Salinas And Dwight Boykins Headed to Runoff for Houston City Council - Houston Press
Houston attorney Alejandra Salinas got the most votes in a crowded city council race, but she’ll have to face off against former Councilman Dwight Boykins Alejandra Salinas and Dwight Boykins are head...
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November 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/christi...
Christian Menefee and Amanda Edwards Are Headed to a Runoff - Houston Press
As predicted, Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Council member Amanda Edwards are headed to a runoff in the U.S. The Congressional District 18 Race will be decided in a ...
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November 5, 2025 at 1:42 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/progres...
Progressives Pick Up All 3 Cy-Fair ISD Trustee Seats - Houston Press
Lesley Guilmart, Cleveland Lane Jr. and Kendra Camarena — a slate of pro-public education candidates who support the separation of church and state in Progressive candidates Lesley Guilmart, Cleveland...
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November 5, 2025 at 1:37 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/all-17-...
All 17 Constitutional Amendments Poised for Approval - Houston Press
Texas voters appeared to support all 17 constitutional amendments on Tuesday’s ballot, as each of the measures — including tax exemptions and bans, a $20 As of late Tuesday, it appeared all 17 constit...
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November 5, 2025 at 5:33 AM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/its-ele...
It’s Election Day, And Here’s What’s on the Ballot  - Houston Press
By the end of the day, residents in Congressional District 18 could finally have a representative after a months-long vacancy, Houston could have a new It's Election Day in Harris County, and here's w...
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November 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
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“I’m not sure it’s going to solve the problem, but it’s going to go a long way to helping make better investments.” - Andrew Coppin, CEO of Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions

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Will Proposition 4 Save the Texas Water Supply? - Houston Press
Andrew Coppin lived through an Australian drought and water shortage so severe that some towns had to spend millions to truck in water from other regions. Proposition 4 could raise $1 billion a year t...
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November 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
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Fort Bend County Judge KP George's attorney Jared Woodfill said Friday the Signal messages, which disappear immediately if not captured by screenshot, were obtained from Taral Patel’s phone through discovery.

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Breaking: KP George Alleges Prosecutorial Misconduct by DA's Office - Houston Press
Attorneys for embattled Fort Bend County Judge KP George filed motions Friday morning to dismiss the felony and misdemeanor cases against him, or at least Fort Bend County Judge KP George filed four l...
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October 31, 2025 at 7:55 PM
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"If there are not enough services, it’s going to cost the county more because it will lead to more hospitalizations, homelessness and people going to jail, things that could have been mediated with the proper mental health services.” - Union VP Alma Castillo

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Mass Layoffs at Harris Center Could Amplify Mental Health Crisis - Houston Press
Alma Castillo has worked as a therapist for the Harris Center for 12 years, and while her job is safe for now, more than 180 of her colleagues have been More than 180 Harris Center employees have been...
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October 31, 2025 at 1:36 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/congres...
Congressional District 18 Boundaries Haven’t Changed Yet - Houston Press
As if low voter turnout wasn’t already a challenge in the November election, some Harris County residents have said they weren’t planning to vote in the Congressional District 18 candidates are remind...
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October 30, 2025 at 5:13 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/single-...
Single Mom Says SNAP Cuts Can Be Life-Threatening - Houston Press
Hillary Randall has had a hard life, admittedly because she made some poor choices as a young adult. She’s lived in her car and in cheap motel rooms, The Houston Food Bank will host distribution sites...
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October 29, 2025 at 4:49 PM
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www.houstonpress.com/news/food-ac...
Food Access Halted for SNAP Recipients - Houston Press
Employed single mothers who make less than $41,000 per year rely on about $400 a month in government assistance to feed their children. But as the federal The Houston Food Bank's call volume has spike...
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October 28, 2025 at 1:46 PM
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Chuck Thompson has been on Death Row for 27 years. Why has the Harris County DAs Office decided he should die now?

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Death Row Inmate Says He's Not Done Living  - Houston Press
For Charles Victor Thompson, the one constant in his life has been the almost three decades he's spent as Inmate No. 00999306 in a small, isolated prison After 27 years on Texas Death Row, Charles Vic...
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October 27, 2025 at 3:30 PM