SYLVESTER TURNER

The Justice Department says it's investigating illegal dumping in Houston, including dead bodies and medical waste, that officials say is plaguing Black and Latino neighborhoods in the nation’s fourth largest city.

The plunge in prices for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies provides a cautionary tale for the handful of public pension funds that have dipped their toes into the crypto pool.

The Houston Fire Chief said the compression of the crowd toward the stage occurred while rapper Travis Scott was performing Friday night.

One by one, speakers took the stage at the National Rifle Association’s annual convention in Houston and denounced the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at an elementary school across the state.

The National Rifle Association begins its annual convention in Houston on Friday, and leaders of the powerful gun-rights lobbying group are gearing up to “reflect on” -- and deflect any blame for -- the deadly shooting earlier this week of 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

With the Republicans holding an iron grip on the Texas Capitol, some Democratic lawmakers are seeking their political fortunes in city mayoral races.

Officials in Texas’ busiest court system say they're hopeful a new online dashboard that details information on the granting of bail in criminal cases will address growing concerns over rising crime.

Houston police say a man who had just been robbed at an ATM opened fire in an attempt to stop his attacker but instead shot a 9-year-old girl in a truck driving nearby.

The family of a 9-year-old Houston girl still hospitalized following a road rage shooting is asked for the public’s help in finding those responsible for injuring her.

A new task force will look into how to improve the safety at large Houston-area events in the hopes of avoiding another tragedy like last year’s deadly Astroworld music festival.

HOUSTON (AP) — A new task force will look into how to improve the safety at large Houston-area events in the hopes of avoiding another tragedy like last year's deadly Astroworld music festival, offici[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

All three of the injured officers were in stable condition after being taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.

All three of the injured officers were in stable condition after being taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.

Authorities say a suspect led Houston police on a chase Thursday that ended with him wounding three officers in a shootout, hijacking a car and barricading himself inside a home for hours before officers took him into custody.

A Houston-area school board member is facing calls to resign after he linked more Black teachers to lower school district performance in response to a presentation on an audit of the district’s equity and culture.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner tests positive for COVID-19[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says he has tested positive for COVID-19.

Houston housing director Tom McCasland bravely spoke out against suspicious city hall deals—and paid the price. Houston housing director Tom McCasland bravely spoke out against suspicious city hall deals—and paid the price.

The Biden administration and Democrats talked the climate talk at U.N. negotiations in Scotland.

Attorneys for the family said last week that Blount had been placed in a medically induced coma​ to combat severe brain, liver and kidney trauma.

The Houston police and fire departments were deeply involved in safety measures for the music festival where a surging crowd killed eight people.

After two recent murders in Hamtramck, activists say they want to put an end to violent crimes in the city.

"Officers are on scene of a shooting, this is an active scene and I will provide more information as it becomes available," a Phoenix Police spokesperson said on Nov. 8.

A man and a woman have been hospitalized after they were both shot early Monday morning near downtown Phoenix.

One of the victims was a high school freshman, authorities said.

Police say one person is in custody after shots were fired during a dispute at a Tempe mobile home park near the U.S. 60 and Priest Drive. No injuries were reported.

Police are investigating the deadly shooting of a man found in the front yard of an empty home in southwest Atlanta.

Clearer pictures began to emerge Sunday of some of the eight young people who died when fans at a Travis Scott concert in Houston suddenly surged toward the stage.

One of the victims was a high school freshman, authorities said.

The Henry County Police Department is offering a $30,000 reward for the suspect's arrest. At last check, the officers was in critical condition.

Mourners began building a memorial to those lost at a Texas concert as authorities said they would watch video, interview witnesses and review concert protocols to determine how eight people died when fans suddenly surged toward the stage to watch rapper Travis Scott.

Seven of the victims ranged from 14 to 27 years old, Mayor Sylvester Turner said during a Saturday afternoon press conference.

Houston authorities have confirmed the ages of those who died at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival.

Houston Police and Fire Departments are holding a news conference Saturday afternoon after eight people died during a crowd surge at rapper Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival.

Those who died at the festival were between 16 and 23 years old, the mayor's office said, according to The New York Times.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston police officer was killed and another was wounded Monday morning during a shooting that also killed a 31-year-old man whom the officers were attempting to arrest on drug charg[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

Authorities say a Houston police officer was killed and another was wounded during a shooting that also killed a 31-year-old man who the officers were attempting to arrest.

Hurricane Nicholas made landfall along the Texas coast Tuesday, bringing the threat of up to 20 inches of rainfall to the same area hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and storm-battered Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Nicholas has weakened to a tropical depression as it slowed to a crawl over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as its heavy rains continued to drench the area, maintaining a flood threat.

Tropical Storm Nicholas has weakened to a tropical depression as it slowed to a crawl over southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana as its heavy rains continued to drench the area, maintaining a flood threat.

Tropical Storm Nicholas strengthened as it headed for the Gulf Coast on Sunday, threatening heavy rain and floods in coastal areas of Texas, Mexico and Louisiana.

Houston authorities on Friday announced two arrests in the fatal shooting of off-duty New Orleans Police Det. Everett Briscoe.

Because the last one ended so well.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is the most recent official to defy the governor’s order. He announced Monday that the city’s nearly 22,000 city employees will be required to mask up inside city buildings where social distancing is not doable.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston city workers are being told they must resume wearing masks while on the job, a requirement that could go against Gov. Greg Abbott's most recent executive order banning such mandates.

Governor Greg Abbott has said that local governments that try to impose mask mandates could be fined up to $1,000.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston city workers are being told they must resume wearing masks while on the job, a requirement that could go against Gov.[San Marcos, TX] [Hays County news] News San Marcos News, San Marcos Record [Texas State]

During Tuesday’s White House press briefing, press secretary Jen Psaki said that if Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis won't act to...

A teenager who was shot during a road rage incident after his family left a Houston Astros game has died from his injuries.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston police officer was critically wounded Monday when a man opened fire after an argument with a woman over a parking spot, police said.

Houston police say an officer has been wounded when a man opened fire after arguing with a woman over a parking spot.

One of the most popular fighters in boxing will make his 2021 debut in the AT&T Center next month.

More than 50 years after it provided the communications link between Houston and the moon, Collins Aerospace is again helping connect "Space City" with the future of U.S. activities in space.

From the Downtown Parade to the BBQ Contest, here is when some of those rodeo faves are returning!

Religious leaders, musical guests, spoken word artists and politicians gathered for a concert in Houston, the home town of George Floyd, to commemorate the anniversary of his death.

Houston area officials are expressing shock and anger after learning their communities, which suffered the brunt of damage from Hurricane Harvey, will be getting a fraction of $1 billion that Texas is awarding as part of an initial distribution of federal funding given to the state for flood mitigation.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has declined to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the Texas Rangers' home opener.

Congress is looking into the cause of the power blackouts across Texas last month. A House panel planned to hear Wednesday, March 24, 2021, from officials who oversee the state's energy industry and electric grid. (AP Photo/LM Otero File)DALLAS – Congress is looking into last month’s massive and deadly power outages across Texas and questioning officials who oversee the state’s energy industry and electric grid. After outages in February 2011, Robb’s group recommended that Texas power plants needed better protection against winter storms. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Texas grid was designed for peak summer heat, and policymakers wrongly believed that the 2011 severe winter storm was an anomaly.

“We went out and got what I feel is America's best chief," said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez standing alongside Acevedo at a news conference Monday after describing him to The Miami Herald as the Tom Brady or Michael Jordan of police chiefs. He is replacing Chief Jorge Colina, who retired in February, becoming Miami’s fifth chief the past decade. And Acevedo announced a few weeks after the raid that the police department would no longer use no-knock warrants. AdOn Monday, Acevedo acknowledged the problem with bad policing and said he thought he brings a new perspective to the Miami Police Department. "Do not confuse kindness for weakness," Acevedo said regarding his gestures over the past year to advocate for police reform.

A protester holds a sign during a July 23, 2019, news conference in Houston where community advocates called for a delay in plans to expand Interstate 45. HOUSTON – A federal lawsuit was filed Thursday to stop a massive $7 billion highway widening project in Houston that local officials and community advocates say won’t improve the area’s traffic congestion and will disproportionately impact minority residents who would be displaced by the proposed construction. The proposed 10-year construction project would improve 24 miles along Interstate 45 and several other roadways, with a major remaking of how these thoroughfares go through downtown Houston. This project displaces communities and the project is bad for our health,” Hidalgo said. “They are supposed to study and incorporate the feedback from the community before they bulldoze the community into a project that is not appropriate,” Hidalgo said.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler says enforcement of the mask rule will be limited. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneAustin and Travis County public health leaders say that they will continue requiring residents to wear masks in public, even though Gov. Austin authorities acknowledged that city governments alone can't impose mask orders, but argued that public health authorities can. Escott is the appointed public health physician and expert to whom our community entrusts our public health," Adler said. In a video message posted to Facebook late Tuesday, Adler said it's a Class C misdemeanor to violate the public health order.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner joins The Texas Tribune for a live event on March 11Cities are key contributors to climate change, as transportation, buildings and power plants are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Join The Texas Tribune at noon Central March 11 for a live interview with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, chair of the Climate Mayors coalition. AdThey’ll discuss the role that cities play in combating climate change and preparing for climate emergencies, such as hurricanes and winter storms. Previously, Turner served in the Texas House, representing parts of Houston, for more than 20 years. Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite Texas Tribune events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.

President Joe Biden speaks about the 500,000 Americans that died from COVID-19, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Washington. AdHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner said Sunday on CBS' “Face the Nation” the state of Texas should bear those “exorbitant costs," rather than residents. Biden previously tweeted about Texas and the other affected states, received regular updates from his staff and declared states of emergency in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. Biden spoke to the governors of the seven states most affected by the winter weather. Biden said last week that he hoped to travel to Texas but he didn't want his presence and the accompanying presidential entourage to distract from the recovery.

Her kitchen appeared mostly undamaged, but the plumber that cut into Espinoza’s wall found water had been pouring in underneath the floor. Many residents are unsure when they'll be able to make permanent repairs, what they'll have to pay out of pocket or even when they'll be able to go home. Roberto Valerio, a plumber in North Texas, said the broken pipes and other problems caused by the storm had led to “big chaos.”“We can’t find what we need easily,” he said. His office encouraged out-of-state plumbers to come fix Texas pipes. A rushing sound could be heard in Espinoza’s kitchen Saturday night, when Valerio turned the water back on.

Plus, a revealing interview with the COVID-19 point person on former President Trump's National Security Council, Matt Pottinger. But we want to turn to White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan. JAKE SULLIVAN (National Security Adviser/@jakesullivan): Good morning. It's-- it's been widely reported that you went into the Oval Office alongside National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien and told President Trump at the end of January that this would be the greatest national security threat that he ever faced. Matt, I mean, as a national security risk, did you ever look and say who exposed him and figure out how that happened?

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner on Sunday called on the state of Texas to pay for the enormous electric bills that scores of Texans reported after severe winter weather knocked out power and rose energy prices. Frigid conditions last week caused major grid failures and skyrocketing demand that left millions of people without heat and electricity. Now, as power resumes for most of Texas, some households face utility bills as high as $10,000. The high utility bills in Texas are due to the state's unregulated power grid that's nearly cut off from the rest of the country. "These systems need to be weatherized … we need to open up the Texas grid."

The following is a transcript of an interview with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner that aired Sunday, February 21, 2021, on "Face the Nation." MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to the mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner. MAYOR TURNER: You have to bear in mind that the power outages and the water system are all interconnected, so it's not one versus the other. And the power system, as you know, is- is powered by a mix of energy resources, fossil fuels and green energy. MAYOR TURNER: Ok.MARGARET BRENNAN: But for your constituents, they're going to have to pay to fix all this.

Houston mayor says Texas should pay for residents' "exorbitant" energy bills Mayor Sylvester Turner says the state government should foot the bill for high energy costs in the wake of a devastating storm.

"Face the Nation" Guest Lineup:Jake Sullivan, National Security AdviserNational Security Adviser Matt Pottinger, Former Deputy National Security Adviser, Fellow, Hoover Institution at Stanford UniversityFormer Deputy National Security Adviser, Fellow, Hoover Institution at Stanford University Mayor Sylvester Turner, (D-Houston)(D-Houston) Mayor Betsy Price, (R-Fort Worth)(R-Fort Worth) Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Former FDA CommissionerHow to watch "Face the Nation"Date: Sunday, February 21, 2021TV: "Face the Nation" airs Sunday mornings on CBS. Click here for your local listingsRadio: Subscribe to "Face the Nation" from CBS Radio News to listen on-the-goFree online stream: Watch the show on CBS' streaming network CBSN at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. With the latest news and analysis from Washington, don't miss Margaret Brennan (@margbrennan) this Sunday on "Face the Nation" (@FaceTheNation). And for the latest from America's premier public affairs program, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Houston Rockets' John Wall, bottom, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Philadelphia. All rights reservedHOUSTON – The game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night was postponed because of continued utility shortages in the area from this week’s winter storm. Friday’s game against Dallas was called off on Thursday. The team said the decision was made after discussions with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the NBA. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday placed blame for the state's widespread power outages on the grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The governor said that days before the disaster, ERCOT experts assured the state that it would be prepared for the then-approaching storm. "They said, five days before the winter storm hit, ERCOT assured that 'we are ready for the cold temperatures coming our way,'" the governor said. He added that ERCOT's "annual winter assessment, which was designed to ensure the state is prepared... assured the public of Texas that there would be enough power to meet peak demand this winter." The governor said he could not provide a date for when water will be returned to homes because Texas water treatment is managed locally.

About 260,000 homes and businesses in the Tennessee county that includes Memphis were told to boil water because of water main ruptures and pumping station problems. And water pressure problems prompted Memphis International Airport to cancel all incoming and outgoing Friday flights. Paul Lee Davis got to the front of the line at a water station set up by city officials only to have the water run out. Water service was restored Friday to two Houston Methodist community hospitals, but officials still were bringing in drinking water and some elective surgeries were canceled, spokeswoman Gale Smith said. AdMore than 192,000 Louisiana residents -- some still struggling to recover from last August's Hurricane Laura -- had no water service Friday, according to the state health department.

Anger over Texas' power outages in the face of a record winter freeze continued to mount Wednesday as millions of residents in the energy capital of the U.S. remained shivering. One night, the baby girl slept between her mom and dad in their bed just to stay warm. In some cases the desperate effort to stay warm turned deadly. But hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding four million customers. ERCOT CEO Bill Magness told CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca he supports an investigation, but argued the power outages were necessary to avoid greater damage.

But hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding 4 million customers. Forcing controlled outages was the only way to avert an even more dire blackout in Texas, Magness said. The outages are the widest Texas' grid has suffered but hardly a first in winter. A decade ago, another deep February freeze created power shortages in Texas the same week the Super Bowl was played in Arlington. A federal report later flagged failures in the system, including power plants that are unable to stand up to extreme cold.

Nearly 3.4 million customers around the U.S. were still without electricity, and some also lost water service. More than 100 million people live in areas covered by some type of winter weather warning, watch or advisory, the weather service said. Weather-related outages have been particularly stubborn in Oregon, where some customers have been without power for almost a week. At the peak of the storm, more than 350,000 customers in the Portland area were in the dark. In Oregon, authorities confirmed Tuesday that four people died in the Portland area of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Weather-related outages have been particularly stubborn in Oregon, where some customers have been without power for almost a week. The worst U.S. outages by far have been in Texas, where 3 million homes and businesses remained without power as of midday Wednesday. AdThe president of the Texas power grid manager, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, said he hoped many customers would see at least partial service restored by later Wednesday or Thursday. At the peak of the storm, more than 350,000 customers in the Portland area were in the dark. In Oregon, authorities confirmed Tuesday that four people died in the Portland area of carbon monoxide poisoning.

AdBut hours after those assurances, the number of outages in Texas only rose, at one point exceeding 4 million customers. The outages are the widest Texas' grid has suffered but hardly a first in winter. A decade ago, another deep February freeze created power shortages in Texas the same week the Super Bowl was played in Arlington. AdOn Tuesday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Texas had requested 60 generators and that hospitals and nursing homes would get priority. “There’s a serious lack of preparation on the part of the energy companies to not be ready,” Murdoch said.

Greg Abbott ordered the legislature to reform the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which is in charge of delivering electricty throughout the state. Because of ERCOT, Texas is lauded for energy independence through a "world-class" power grid. Officials blame the cold weather for freezing up power generators, according to the Houston Chronicle's Marcy de Luna and Amanda Drane. "I wish I had the power to do it," Turner said about power restoration in Houston. Oncor, which is the power utility company in the North and West Texas, tweeted that ERCOT is "unable to predict" when power will be restored.

(AP Photo/LM Otero)AUSTIN, Texas – Texas will likely partner with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to open two vaccination “supersites” in Dallas and Houston, and more could be on the way, Gov. The mutated version of the virus spreads more easily, and health officials worry vaccines could be less effective against it. The governor said adding more sites is possible, but his office did not immediately release further details, including whether that meant Texas would get more vaccine doses or if those sites would pull vaccine from other areas. AdThe announcement came one month after the first new known COVID-19 variant, one first identified in the United Kingdom, was identified in Houston. Meantime, the Texas COVID-19 death toll rose to 38,700.

HOUSTON – A street mural honoring George Floyd was unveiled Saturday in Houston along two blocks of the street that passes in front of Jack Yates High School, where Floyd was a student. Floyd’s death last year in Minneapolis after being pinned to the ground under a white officer’s knee helped spark summer long protests against police brutality. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner called the mural "another public statement that the life and death of George Floyd is not in vain.”The mural is to spell out “Black Lives Matter” with Floyd’s high school football jersey and the school mascot at either end. The mural was commissioned by Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis, Houston Society for Change and a non-profit social activism organization formed by Floyd’s former high school football teammates called 88 C.H.U.M.P.

The Houston Health Department has said that this week it will focus its vaccine allocation on people at the highest risk for severe illness and those in vulnerable communities. The state has received nearly 2.9 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine, according to the COVID Tracking Project. Texas providers have administered nearly 2.3 million doses of vaccine, according to the state health department. On Sunday, Texas health officials reported 11,155 new and probable coronavirus cases and 171 more deaths due to the illness caused by the virus. There have been nearly 2.1 million virus cases and 36,491 deaths as a result of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to the Texas health department.

FILE - Bow Wow attends WE TV's "Bridezillas" Season 11 premiere party on Feb. 22, 2018, in New York. HOUSTON – Rapper Bow Wow apologized after Houston’s mayor called him out for attending a crowded gathering at a city nightclub during a weekend packed with concerts as Texas continues to grapple with the coronavirus. I cant believe i get the blame for a whole weekend,” Bow Wow tweeted Monday morning. It was my boys 30th bday weekend and i came down off the love — Bow Wow (@smoss) January 19, 20213. — Bow Wow (@smoss) January 19, 2021But Turner made clear that he doesn’t dislike Bow Wow and said the pandemic is not the time for concerts.

(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)HONOLULU — Hawaii’s leaders say limited supply is the main thing constraining distribution of the coronavirus vaccine in the state. He said the sites have set the vaccine doses aside and will receive replacement doses on Tuesday and Wednesday. ___TORONTO — Canadian officials say the country won’t be getting any Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine next week and 50% less than expected over the next month. U.S. pharmaceutical company Pfizer confirmed last week it would temporarily reduce deliveries to Europe and Canada of its COVID-19 vaccine while it upgrades production capacity. ___JERUSALEM — Israel’s Cabinet on Tuesday extended an existing nationwide lockdown through the end of January as the country contends with a runaway surge in coronavirus cases.

SAN ANTONIO – With President-elect Joe Biden taking office in less than a week, mayors across the U.S. are already requesting more COVID-19 vaccines from his administration. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and several other mayors across the nation, including Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, penned a letter to Biden’s administration requesting the ability to bypass the state and get a direct line of vaccines to their communities. “I’m proud to join my mayoral colleagues in requesting that the Biden Administration prioritize a direct line of vaccines to our communities,” Mayor Nirenberg said on social media Thursday. Biden’s plan so far is to spend $25 billion on vaccine production and disbursement, NPR reports. Mayors said in the letter that they hope to develop a plan with the Biden administration on day one that will help residents to get their COVID-19 vaccines as quickly as possible.

The state took over the program this week and Torres and other residents who have applied for assistance say they’re worried that could lead to yet more delays. A third of the funding — nearly $428 million — went to a program for home repair and reconstruction. Harvey dumped up to 50 inches (1.3 meters) of rain on the Houston area following landfall on Aug. 25, 2017. In the Houston area, Harvey flooded more than 150,000 homes, with more than 16,000 residents identified as potentially needing repair help. In its own program, the land office has fixed more than 2,000 homes and has approved nearly 2,900 reimbursements statewide.

Bill Merrell, a professor in the Marine Sciences Department at Texas A&M University at Galveston and a former president of the school, sits along Galveston Bay as he talks about the Ike Dike project Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, in Galveston, Texas. The Ike Dike is a coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Houston-Galveston region including Galveston Bay from hurricane storm surge. The project was conceived by Merrell in response to the extensive surge damage caused by Hurricane Ike in September of 2008. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

The Ike Dike is a coastal barrier that, when completed, would protect the Houston-Galveston region including Galveston Bay from hurricane storm surge. Now the close call has renewed a debate about whether the Houston area should build a massive and expensive barrier to protect against storm surge. Galveston Bay is healthy, and fish and other animals thrive there because water circulates in and out of the gulf, said Bob Stokes, president of the Galveston Bay Foundation environmental group. “No hurricane storm surge barrier will ever protect us from 150 mph winds. No hurricane storm surge barrier will ever protect us from rain,” Stokes said.

Nursing homes, jails and prisons have become well-known locations for coronavirus outbreaks, but Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has identified another major hotspot for COVID-19 cases in his city: homeless shelters. "We are now testing people in our homeless shelter, and what we are finding is there are people who are infected with this virus, Turner said, according to the news report. Days later, the Dallas Life homeless shelter reported 38 cases in its facility. Large homeless shelters are traditionally very tight, congregate quarters, with people often sleeping in bunks lined up close together or side-by-side on mats on the floor. Nationally, the countrys homeless population is also aging rapidly: 40% of the 1 million people the National Health Care for the Homeless Council served were over the age of 50 in 2019.

Houston's mayor challenges Nirenberg via social media to give out hygiene kits to homelessHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling on his fellow Texas leaders, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, to help donate and assemble hygiene supplies to the homeless. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling on his fellow Texas leaders, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, to help donate and assemble hygiene supplies to the homeless. Photo: Josie Norris /Staff Photographer Photo: Josie Norris /Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Houston's mayor challenges Nirenberg via social media to give out hygiene kits to homeless 1 / 1 Back to GalleryHouston Mayor Sylvester Turner is calling on his fellow Texas leaders, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, to help donate and assemble hygiene supplies to the homeless. The city's communications department was not immediately available to provide comment on whether Nirenberg will respond to the call. Nirenberg also recently worked to distribute supplies with the San Antonio Food Bank.

Mayor Sylvester Turner defeated Tony Buzbee during Saturday's runoff election. Unofficial results released by the Harris County Clerk's Office on Sunday morning show Turner capturing just over 56% of the vote. In seeking a second term, Turner touted guiding Houston through the devastating floods of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and reducing the city's huge pension debt as some of his accomplishments. Turner had highlighted Buzbee hosting a fundraiser for Trump in 2016 and donating $500,000 to his presidential inauguration committee. While the race leading up to the Nov. 5 vote was full of bluster between Turner and Buzbee, the campaigning during the runoff was more subdued.

As Houston's mayor seeks a second term, he's hoping to use residents' antipathy toward President Donald Trump to help him beat his biggest challenger. One Turner campaign ad features a video clip of Trump calling Mexican immigrants racists and criminals as he launched his 2016 campaign. It ends by saying, "The last thing we need is more noise from Trump or his copycat Tony Buzbee." Like Trump, Buzbee has said he's an outsider who is going to shake things up. Buzbee, like Trump, is also known for having an extravagant lifestyle and he's self-financed his political campaign, having spent $10 million.