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Local Government

Houston Approves $7.5B Budget With New Garbage Fee, Utility Charges

The Houston City Council has approved a $7.5 billion municipal budget that reclassifies residential trash collection as a municipal utility, adds a new monthly fee to water bills, and charges the city's own water system to use public rights of way.

The Texas Dispatch · Jun 18, 2026

Reservoir Supplying Five Panhandle Towns Falls to Record Low

The reservoir providing drinking water to five Texas Panhandle communities has dropped to approximately 6% of capacity, the lowest level documented since the lake began impounding water in the late 1960s.

The Texas Dispatch · Jun 16, 2026

Mass shooting in Midland leaves one dead, nine injured

One person is dead and nine others are injured following an active shooting in Midland, Texas, on Friday morning that ended with the suspected shooter also dead, according to city officials and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

DaLeesa Quain · Jun 12, 2026

Midland Considers Property Code Reaching Inside Every Home to Address Local Blight

The Midland City Council is scheduled to consider a comprehensive municipal property maintenance code on Tuesday that critics say would grant local code enforcement officers the statutory authority to regulate both the interior and exterior conditions of every building within the city limits.

The Texas Dispatch · Jun 8, 2026