Troy Finner “retires” from the Houston Police Department
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner’s abrupt retirement, announced by Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday, has come as a surprise to many, including critics who had long demanded Finner’s resignation. Finner’s departure follows months of pressure from a police accountability group after he disclosed that thousands of cases, including serious offenses like sexual assault, had been dropped due to staffing shortages. While some view Finner’s retirement as a positive step, community activists remain concerned about the unresolved issues surrounding the dropped cases. Mayor Whitmire, who assumed office recently, cited the scandal’s distraction as a reason for accepting Finner’s retirement. The fallout from the controversy also saw the demotion of two assistant chiefs and the resignation of a third, as revealed by Finner in April.
Arcola mayor voted out
Veeda Williams has been elected as the new mayor of Arcola, bringing an end to Fred Burton’s six-year run as mayor and a contentious campaign season. Williams’ victory comes after months of political turmoil in the city filled with a legal battle over a council member’s residency and criticism over Burton’s use of public funds. Williams, an Arcola native, is Burton’s first challenger since 2022. She ran on a platform of bringing “common-sense solutions” to City Hall and making Arcola a destination city. Williams also founded Community Express, a summer youth program focused on the social well-being of children in Arcola. During the campaign season, Williams was often targeted by the former mayor. The path to this election has been surrounded by drama and scandal. Conflicts between city officials and council members have stopped city business. Arcola has not had a full city council meeting since January.
Houston parks department to open all city pools after years of closures
After shutting down public pools in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Houston has struggled to reopen these summertime staples during record-breaking heatwaves. In 2022, only 12 out of 38 opened; last summer, the city was able to open 23 pools for three days a week. This year, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department has set a goal to open 37 aquatic centers around the city.
“It’s crucial to do this,” said City Council Member Letitia Plummer, who was outspoken about the need to open more pools last summer. “A lot of Black and Brown communities don’t have access. And it’s going to be really hot this summer. They’re already saying we’re going to see temperatures higher than normal.”
Is the Houston Library Foundation bouncing checks?
The Houston Public Library Foundation issued at least a dozen checks that city employees and vendors were unable to cash in 2023 — a problem that left people scrambling for answers as the foundation and the city’s beleaguered public library system point fingers at each other. The returned checks include at least nine reimbursement payments to Houston Public Library employees who had pre-paid for event costs and travel funded by the foundation, a nonprofit organization that funds library programming and events. One employee was issued two checks that would not clear over the course of the year. In total, the returned checks accounted for thousands of dollars due to employees and vendors. Officials say the faulty checks didn’t “bounce”. According to Licia Green-Ellis, the foundation’s longtime board chair until last month when Mayor John Whitmire elected not to extend her expiring term, the checks were returned due to clerical issues stemming from the city library’s finance team.
