[WB1] Last week, we predicted that we would learn that the killer of Harris County Constable Corporal Charles Galloway already had warrants, was out on bond, or was in the country illegally (or some combination).
As it turns out, “some combination” was the correct prediction.
The accused killer, habitual criminal Jose Oscar Rosales, was apprehended by American law enforcement officials in Mexico this week, and hauled back to Harris County to stand trial (eventually).
Five people total have been charged in connection with the crime. ICE has also lodged immigration detainers on Rosales, his wife, and his wife’s brother.
Rosales is, so far, being held without bond (seemingly proof that it CAN be done).
[WB2] KRIV-26 reports that Houston leads Chicago, New York City, and LA in homicides so far this year, despite having a lower population than all three.
[WB3] Kudos to Charles Blain for calling out all of the area leaders quick to hold press conferences to talk about what we must do as a community after particularly egregious violent crimes. No – our elected officials need to make the public safety crisis their singular focus (but probably won’t). We (taxpayers) are doing our part.
[WB4] A convicted sex offender is on the run after Harris County judge Chuck Silverman granted him five bonds.
[WB5] Harris County’s after-hours clubs are the source of an enormous amount of violent crime in the area, yet they basically operate with impunity (TABC claims it has no authority to address the problem, and HPD and Harris County generally don’t act decisively until there is an associated fatality). One DA office official has estimated there are hundreds of these clubs operating in Harris County (generally from 2 am to sometime around sunup, most nights). Nothing good happens at any of them.
[WB6] Former County Commissioner Steve Radack blasted Democrats on Harris County Commissioners Court this week over the dramatic rise in violent crime in Harris County since they took control of the body.
[WB7] Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and DA Kim Ogg have requested additional resources to deal with the violent crime crisis. The Democrats who control Commissioners Court have regularly denied the DA’s requests for additional resources, finding many other progressive priorities to fund instead.
[WB8] The City of Houston and Harris County have announced plans to spend an additional $100 million to address homelessness. Federal COVID funding will be tapped, according to the area newspaper of record (though what this has to do with COVID is entirely unclear).
[WB9] Progressive Chris Hollins, who tweeted nothing this past week about the death of Corporal Galloway or area violent crime, did find time to tease his likely mayoral bid on twitter (and to accuse Republicans of voter suppression and share Wordle results). Priorities.
[WB10] A group of Latino activists is hoping to remake representative government in the City of Houston with a lawsuit and a ballot proposition that would replace the five at-large council seats with single-district seats (more geared towards electing Latinos).
[WB11] The Chronicle ran a sympathetic feature on some Afghan refugees who are being assisted by Houston area nonprofits (which we sometimes call Houston’s Immigrant Importation Industry) as they try to resettle in Houston. The story notes that these agencies are attempting to resettle some 4,286 Afghans in our area, a staggering number that surely will surprise many Houstonians.
[WB12] Harris County has hired a new budget director, county engineer, and director for the flood control district. As usual, Bob Rehak remains the indispensable source of coverage for flooding issues in the county (Link1, Link2)
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