As Harris County Commissioners inch closer to finalizing a new budget, residents, county employees, and community organizations are left grappling with one major question: Is there still a deficit, or not?

Children are back in school and the summer season is winding now, but COVID numbers in Texas are surging, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

With a looming $200 million deficit, Judge Lina Hidalgo argued against cuts to youth programs and public safety, even walking out in protest.

Texas DFPS is investigating whether abuse or neglect occurred when children from two Houston daycares were brought to an August commissioners court meeting.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is set to deliver the State of the County address, focusing on topics such as economic mobility and the county's global impact.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will hold a press conference to discuss the county's budget and her plan to protect essential services for families.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will hold a press conference to discuss the county's budget and her plan to protect essential services for families.

Harris County commissioners voted 3-2 to approve pay raises for the county's eight elected constables, amidst a $200 million budget deficit.

Harris County is staring down a $200 million budget shortfall, and the tension over how to handle it has reached a boiling point on Commissioners Court.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is set to hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. following a censure by the Commissioners Court.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo joins KPRC 2’s Rilwan Balogun for a one-on-one conversation about the issues shaping our community.

Tensions are rising within Harris County leadership after a contentious Commissioners Court meeting led to the formal censure of County Judge Lina Hidalgo. The fallout has sparked debate among commissioners, and the public, about whether the judge should remain in office.

After a heated day in commissioners court, commissioners voted to censure Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo after her tax hike proposal for early childcare failed.

Harris County commissioners voted 3 to 1 to censure Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday after a wild meeting in court.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she was disappointed after her proposal for a tax increase for early childhood education on the November ballot had failed Thursday morning once it became clear the measure did not have the votes.

The debate over whether to ask voters to cover the program comes as the nation’s third-largest county faces a projected $270M budget shortfall.

CM Plummer is the third candidate to announce her run to unseat longtime Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

Leaders in Houston and Harris County have responded to a letter written by Congressman Wesley Hunt expressing concerns about upcoming protests in the city.

If Hidalgo decides to seek another term, she and Parker would face off in the March 2026 Democratic primary.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has been open about her mental health struggles and did not shy away from the topic when her duties as county judge were challenged by Commissioner Adrian Garcia during a recent commissioners court meeting.

Harris County Commissioners voted down two motions presented by Judge Lina Hidalgo for taxpayer money to be used to pay for members of her staff to accompany her on an international trade mission to France.

“Harris County is at a crossroads. Voters are tired of rising taxes, rising crime, and rising dysfunction,” said Mayor Aliza Dutt. “I’m running to restore common sense, protect our families, and get government back to doing the basics—safely, efficiently, and transparently.”

In observance of Mental Health Awareness Month, County Judge Lina Hidalgo spearheaded a panel discussion titled "Beyond the Stigma" to educate County employees about available mental health resources and support systems. The event featured healthcare experts and former Houston Texans players who shared personal experiences related to mental health. Key strategies discussed included building robust support networks, ongoing mental health management, and breaking stigmas associated with mental health, particularly among men and athletes. Harris County offers its employees extensive mental health support services, including onsite clinicians, peer support programs, and specialized training. Judge Hidalgo's own transparency regarding her mental health journey underscores the strength found in seeking care and aligns with national movements to normalize workplace mental health discussions.

Tensions erupted during a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting as deputies demanded urgent pay raises, highlighting a 20% pay gap compared to Houston Police Department salaries.

The current DA, Sean Teare, found no evidence of wrongdoing, reinforcing the former Health Director's stance.

Initially accused of multiple felonies related to contract awards, a thorough review concluded there was no evidence of misconduct.

Harvard is the 7th university to be threatened by the federal government, but is the only one to push back, and arguably is in the best condition to do so, considering its $50 billion endowment.

A recent survey conducted by the University of Houston showed stark divisions among residents when it comes to the direction the city is going in, how safe they feel and the job our elected leaders are doing.

Known for his three decades of public service, Turner was lauded by political figures and citizens for his leadership and advocacy.

As the number of measles cases in Texas climbs, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo joined Mayor Whitmire and health officials to discuss the disease’s impact on the Greater Houston area and efforts to curb its spread.

Harris County leaders are addressing a federal funding freeze that threatens crucial local services.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will soon address the legal proceedings involving her former staff members. This announcement comes as significant developments unfold in these cases.

The criminal charges against two former aides of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, related to a controversial $11M COVID-19 outreach contract, have been dismissed.

Campaign dollars are being used for criminal defense attorneys is a practice KPRC 2 Investigates first encountered during our investigation into over one thousand pieces of African Art being stored in a Harris County maintenance shed.

Houston, Harris County leaders are set to discuss safety plans, and stadium upgrades ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026.

Harris County is preparing for an impending Arctic front, with Judge Lina Hidalgo announcing a readiness plan to keep residents safe and warm.

Houston has found itself in the bullseye of the winter storm threatening to drop several inches of snow and wintry mix on states known for their mild winters.

Harris County is preparing for an impending Arctic front, with Judge Lina Hidalgo announcing a readiness plan to keep residents safe and warm.

On Monday, KPRC 2 Investigates showed you the attendance records of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo at Commissioners Court during 2024.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo recently celebrated a milestone, tying the knot in a small and intimate ceremony at the River Oaks Garden Club in Houston.

During Tuesday’s news conference, District Attorney Kim Ogg not only outlined the exact charges against Barbie Robinson, former executive director of Harris County Public Health who was fired earlier this year, but also addressed criticism from county leaders such as County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

After news broke that charges were filed against Barbie Robinson, the former executive director of Harris County Public Health who was fired earlier this year, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is calling out District Attorney Kim Ogg.

Barbie Robinson, who was fired earlier this year as the executive director of Harris County Public Health, has now been charged with felony misuse of official information.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will discuss Tuesday the county updating fire codes in the wake of Hurricane Beryl, including emergency preparedness measures for our senior citizen community.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo scolds Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order that mandates all state hospitals to ask patients whether they are in the U.S. legally and track the cost of treating people without legal status.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is not letting up on efforts to stop the controversial Uplift Harris program.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will speak to the public Thursday after walking around the area with Deer Park officials to access the damage left behind from the pipeline explosion.

According to Hidalgo, Energy Transfer, the company who owns the pipeline, is currently working to isolate the part of the pipeline closest to the burn by “clamping” the pipeline at the south side of the burn.

Sky 2 our KPRC 2 helicopter hovered over the pipeline fire the following morning after it was reported and found the flames were still shooting out.

Officials say Spencer Highway is currently closed in both directions and the area surrounding Walmart and H-E-B is blocked off to traffic.

The Office of Harris County Administration announced the decision to fire Barbie Robinson from her role as executive director of Harris County Public Health.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo delivered State of the County speech Thursday afternoon.

'I've been tested by fire, and the fire lost,' the county judge said.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo is off to the Democratic National Convention and she isn’t going alone.

The Texas Supreme Court previously paused the program

“My only regret is not having called attention sooner to his well-known history of blatant disrespect toward me and other colleagues, community leaders, and county employees who dare to disagree with him," Hidalgo said.

Fireworks and verbal blows were unleashed at Harris County Commissioners Court earlier this week. County records show that Tuesday’s meeting with the four county commissioners along with the county judge lasted for over 10 hours.

Reflections on the late Congresswoman from Houston's lie will also come from her children as well as local and national leaders.

A news conference will be held Thursday afternoon at the Four Seasons Hotel regarding CenterPoint’s transparency connected to Hurricane Beryl.

The Greater Houston Disaster Alliance will host a press conference today to announce the activation of the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Fund aimed at raising financial support for affected households.

Several city and state officials spoke up recently to address an issue they say is becoming a larger pattern: CenterPoint workers being attacked or threatened while working to restore power to the Houston area.

As we enter the fifth day since Hurricane Beryl swept through southeast Texas, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo expects to share additional information on relief efforts for thousands of residents still without power.

In a fiery message, Patrick said he reached out to Hidalgo several times ahead of Hurricane Beryl making landfall, where in the final message he alleges she said simply, “We’re good.”

Judge Hidalgo's expected to brief the public the day after Hurricane Beryl roared across Harris County.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo held a news conference Monday afternoon after Hurricane Beryl ravaged through the Houston area.

As Beryl approaches the Texas coast, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she had left on a pre-planned trip for the July 4th weekend.

The $500 fine from the Texas Ethics Commission comes after the agency found the Harris County judge broke state campaign laws barring use of government resources for political purposes.

We all say things in bad taste we later regret, and sadly our Mayor fell victim to that when he jokingly said in a deleted comment about Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo's fiance that he "looks like a nerd."

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo recently announced the launch of “MyHarrisCountyCase.com,” a new website that she hopes will reduce nonappearances in local court cases.

The Harris County Clerk’s Office announced at least a dozen voting centers have lost power during primary runoff elections after severe thunderstorms rolled through the Houston area Tuesday afternoon.

After the recent storm in Houston that caused widespread power outages, the question of burying power lines has been raised. While it may prevent outages during severe weather, it comes with a hefty price tag and maintenance challenges. Should Houston consider going underground with its power grid? Share your thoughts in the comments! #HoustonPowerGrid #StormRecovery #UndergroundPowerLines

In this article, we explore the reasons behind the variation in power availability among neighbors during outages.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo provided an update Sunday after Thursday’s deadly and damaging storms.

City of Houston has opened resource centers in response to a recent storm that caused significant damage and power outages.

Texas officials say power outages could last weeks in parts of Houston after thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds tore through the city and killed at least four people.

After a tumultuous night of storms throughout Harris County, many Houstonians have begun the process of cleaning up.

There seemed to be some passive aggressiveness during the deadly weather update Friday morning between Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo after they made their first joint press conference.

Restoration and recovery are at the top of mind for many Harris County residents after Thursday’s deadly storm ripped through parts of southeast Texas.

The severe storms that slammed into Houston Thursday afternoon and evening killed four people, blew windows out of downtown high rises, caused widespread damage and shut power off to nearly 900,000 customers.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says it could take “weeks” for power to be restored in some parts of Houston following fierce storms with winds of up to 100 miles per hour.

After several days of flooding in the Houston area, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo shares how she and other emergency officials continue to monitor impacted areas and help residents recover from storm damage.

Forecasters expect storms to begin tapering off but some roads remain closed due to flooding.

Floodwaters in the Houston area and parts of Southeast Texas are starting to recede, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes and assess damages after days of heavy rainfall.

Floodwaters in the Houston area are starting to recede, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes and assess damages after days of heavy rainfall.

After several days of heavy rainfall and flood threats, both voluntary and mandatory evacuations have been issued.

Harris County emergency managers are pleading with folks not to let that be a factor. Judge Lina Hidalgo said if you call 911, they'll work something out.

Thousands of residents have either evacuated or are now under shelter orders.

Call 911 if you need help getting out, said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo

Parts of Harris County, including The Woodlands, were under flood warnings Thursday.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has requested a voluntary evacuation for several areas in northeast Harris County along the East Fork of the San Jacinto River.

Many childcare centers struggled to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, but now Harris County is hoping to give those centers some much-needed relief.

Hidalgo’s staffers were indicted on felony charges related to how they allegedly helped award an $11 million contract to a political consulting firm headed by a Democratic strategist.

Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said it's the fair way to go.

The Texas Supreme Court issued an emergency stay blocking Harris County’s guaranteed income program from taking effect and releasing funds. One recipient shared how he was hoping to secure housing with the payment.

A deputy has died after he was struck by a vehicle Tuesday morning in northwest Harris County, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.

“Harris County officials cannot continue to abuse their power and the people’s money to score political points, and we will fight every step of the way to hold them accountable," Paxton said in a press statement.

The first of 18 monthly payments are supposed to go out this Wednesday. And despite a judge siding with Harris County, Paxton has filed an appeal. Leading County Judge Lina Hidalgo to wonder when and if they can even give recipients the money.

State and Harris County officials will go before a judge on Thursday morning to discuss a temporary injunction request Attorney General Ken Paxton asks the court to issue.

The NAACP Houston Branch and partners held a news conference Wednesday to announce their support for Uplift Harris, a pilot program to help low-income households in Harris County.

Harris County officials responded to a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over the county’s Uplift Harris program.