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Local Texas News
Kilgore Teacher Gets No Prison Time for Student Sex Crime
Kayla O’Dell pleaded guilty to an “improper relationship” with a Kilgore High School student but received deferred adjudication.
Austin’s Record Tax Increase Proposal Fails at Ballot Box
Prop Q would have raised city property tax bills 20 percent.
Retired Judge Reprimanded for Telling Juveniles She Hopes ‘Big Black Men’ Use Them as ‘Sex Toys’
Judge Eggen was found to have made many similar statements.
Two Lovejoy ISD Teachers on Leave Over Alleged Misconduct
Sean McMurry and Mike Rodriguez teach at Lovejoy High School.
Local Archive
Alvin Ex-Gymnastics Coach Faces Prison for Child Pornography Charges
An Alvin man who worked closely with children has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and now faces decades in prison. Franklin Joseph Perkins, 41, was arrested in November 2023 on multiple child pornography charges. Now, he has pleaded guilty to two offenses...
Attorney General Drops Charges Against Harris County Judge’s Former Chief of Staff
The Office of the Attorney General dismissed one of two charges that were pending against the last of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo’s staffers accused of public corruption. The OAG agreed to pretrial diversion, a program that allows defendants to avoid criminal...
South Texas Teacher, Coach Caught in Snapchat Sex Solicitation Sting
Federal authorities arrested a “state-recognized” South Texas teacher and coach for trying to solicit sex from a minor using the social media app Snapchat. Kenneth Mulkey, 43, was charged with attempted enticement of a minor. If convicted, he faces 10 years to life in...
Northeast Texas Teacher Charged With Sexually Assaulting a Child
A now-former northeast Texas teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a child. Jimmy Lee Hanks, 52, was arrested Monday and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 years of age. Hanks was a teacher and coach at Wills Point High School. Superintendent...
Houston Deficit Grows After Legal Loss
Following a Texas Supreme Court ruling denying the City of Houston’s appeal of a decision ordering the city to spend $100 million more on water drainage infrastructure, City Controller Chris Hollins warned that without significant cuts or increased revenue, he might...
Water Leak Leads to Destruction of Crucial Evidence in Missouri City Police Department Cases
A water leak in the Missouri City Police Department's evidence room has led to the destruction of key criminal evidence, potentially jeopardizing around 100 cases and sparking a full-scale investigation. The issue began on October 30, 2024, when a water leak in the...
Former Houston Public Works Manager Sentenced to 10 Years for Bribery
Former Houston Public Works Manager Patrece Lee has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for bribery after pleading guilty. The Harris County District Attorney's office dropped four other felony charges in exchange for Lee pleading guilty to bribery. Lee reportedly...
‘Qualified Immunity’ Arguments On Trial in Lorena ISD Sex Abuse Case
An appellate court ruling in a pre-K student’s sex abuse lawsuit against Lorena ISD could impact the success of “qualified immunity” claims used by Texas school district officials to avoid responsibility for kids being physically harmed on campus. On Monday, a...
Houston ISD Budgeted $2 Million for Bond Election Prep
Houston Independent School District’s 2024-2025 budget reveals a $2 million allocation for planning a bond election. The 2024 bond was ultimately shot down by voters, but the allocation has sparked concerns about the district’s use of public funds and the legality of...