Early voting underway for May 3 joint election
Early Voting is now underway for the May 3 Joint Election in Harris County. Voters will cast ballots in 46 districts, with races and propositions tailored to local jurisdictions. Early voting runs April 22–29, with Election Day on Saturday, May 3, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Harris County will operate 22 early voting centers and 187 locations on Election Day. For voting times and the latest wait times, visit www.HarrisVotes.com.
UH expert warns: Recession likely as tariffs pressure Houston’s economy
President Trump’s new 10% tariff on Canadian and Mexican crude oil imports isn’t hitting Houston-area refineries hard—yet. But University of Houston energy expert Ed Hirs warns a recession is likely coming.
“The tariffs have backed down GDP and a lot of activity,” said Hirs. “It looks like we’re going to have a recession this year.”
Houston refineries import around 1.5 million barrels of Canadian crude daily, and while prices at the pump haven’t spiked due to global oil price drops, Hirs says ripple effects are already hitting investment and job markets.
The broader Houston economy, including the Port of Houston, manufacturing, and logistics, is bracing for a slowdown.
Texas Senate bill could reshape how race, history are taught
A controversial bill limiting how race, gender and inequality are taught in Texas universities has passed the Texas Senate. Senate Bill 37, sponsored by Republican Brandon Creighton, passed on a 20–11 vote, despite Democratic objections and concerns from faculty across the state.
The bill bans curriculum that promotes ideas of racial or gender superiority and introduces a state committee to review and potentially cut college courses deemed non-essential.
Critics, including professors and education advocates, argue the bill could chill academic freedom, lead to lawsuits and disproportionately impact students of color.
“This is the death of higher ed,” said Houston Sen. Molly Cook, citing widespread concern from constituents.
The bill now moves to the Texas House.
Attorney Tony Buzbee files civil lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe
High-profile Houston attorney Tony Buzbee has filed a civil lawsuit against retired NFL star and media personality Shannon Sharpe, alleging multiple instances of sexual assault.
In a public Instagram post, Buzbee stated he is representing a “brave young woman” who claims she was sexually assaulted by Sharpe on several occasions, with the most recent incident occurring in January 2025. The suit also accuses Sharpe of a “pattern of intimidation, manipulation and abuse,” and is seeking $50 million in damages.
Sharpe responded via a post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a letter from his attorney, Lanny J. Davis and screenshots of what he describes as explicit, consensual messages sent by the complainant. The messages included graphic content and language depicting consensual sexual scenarios, some of which Sharpe’s legal team claims refute the assault allegations.
As the case unfolds, both legal teams are continuing to release statements and evidence publicly. As of this publication, no criminal charges have been filed.
