Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on October 28, 2026. A chill one, but they did update some of the requirements for businesses getting a tax abatement. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/10/29/o...

Houston City Council Notes from October 28, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on Oct 28, 2026, including a visit from Tank Dell and tax abatement updates

emilytakesnotes.com

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on October 21, 2026. My favorite was Item 12, in which they approved money to renovate a fire station almost done being renovated because there was a fire inside of a truck inside of the station?? Wild. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/10/22/o...

Houston City Council Meeting Notes - October 21, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on October 21, 2026, including a public hearing and budget approvals

emilytakesnotes.com

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on October 14, 2026, including the property tax rate discussion and vote. The mayor called this "the most transparent" tax rate process ever. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/10/15/o...

Houston City Council Notes for October 14: Tax Rate Discussion and vote

Notes on the Houstons City Council meeting on October 14, 2026, including the tax rate discussion and vote

emilytakesnotes.com

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on October 7, in which the mayor overrode the controller to use drainage funds for car washes. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/10/08/o...

Houston City Council Meeting notes for October 7, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on October 7, 2026, including a new anti-homelessness initiative and the mayor overriding the controller

emilytakesnotes.com

we gotta be really careful when throwing around the phrase "as you well know" like you better really know that they know, you know?

ah me? i'm just lying on the floor eating cantaloupe hanging out with the cat waiting for my friends to come over

this week has gone on long enough tbh

is there a way to share photos with your friends on the internet that isn't evil?

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on September 16, 2026. Highlights include an update on the HISD takeover of Grimes Park and budget woes at the parks department. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/09/10/s...

Houston City Council Meeting Notes: September 9, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on September 9, 2026, including public comment, council member comments, and spending.

emilytakesnotes.com

reading another incredible newsletter from West Street Recovery please go get on their mailing list if you're not already www.weststreetrecovery.org

West Street Recovery - West Street Recovery

WESTSTREETRECOVERY West Street Recovery was formed during Hurricane Harvey by a group of people who came together to perform rescues, distribute food and water, and meet the needs of flood survivors. ...

weststreetrecovery.org

love these opening lines: "The Southeast Lions little league football team know how to take hits on the field. One hit they didn’t see coming was the closure of Grimes Park in Sunnyside, where the team has practiced for nearly 30 years." spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/ne...

Houston-area little league team responds to Grimes Park closing

Members of the Southeast Lions little league football team know how to take hits on the field. One hit they didn’t see coming is the closure of Grimes Park.

spectrumlocalnews.com

Back in July I spoke before Houston City Council. Now @embaleez.bsky.social has done a story for Houstonia Magazine about what it likes to speak before Council, and I'm quoted in the story. I think it's an interesting read, and not just because I'm in it. www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-cit...

Anyone Can Speak at Public Comment Meetings, But Are Houston Councilmembers Actually Listening?

Some residents don’t feel heard, but that’s exactly what public comment meetings are for.

houstoniamag.com

it's pretty crazy that you can find anyone's address just by seeing if they're registered to vote, right?

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on September 9, 2026. Highlights include 9/11 reflections and new HFD appointments. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/09/10/s...

Houston City Council Meeting Notes: September 9, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on September 9, 2026, including public comment, council member comments, and spending.

emilytakesnotes.com

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on September 2, 2026. Highlights include The Great Woodlands Debate™️ and the current Controller investigating the former Controller. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/09/03/s...

Houston City Council Meeting Notes for September 2, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on September 2, 2026, including debate on The Woodlands funding and annexation

emilytakesnotes.com

it's pretty shitty that "working across the aisle" means voting against what you believe to be in your voters best interests, and maybe even against your own conscious, for a weak verbal promise that you might get helped out in the future

Who do I know that monitored / watched / attended public comment during Mayor Turner's time? Need to verify something real quick.

I am teaching an Inprint non-fiction writing workshop with my GUST pals in September! This is a pretty big deal for me. I hope you'll consider signing up if creative non-fiction is your thing! inprinthouston.org/event/nonfic...

There’s no real consensus on what distinguishes suicides by cop from other police shootings. Some critics have dubbed it “junk science” and compared it to debunked concepts like “excited delirium,” the purported spontaneous death of people being restrained by police.

'Suicide by Cop': How a Poorly Defined Term Shifts Accountability for Lost Lives

Austin officers killed an unarmed 17-year-old at a park last month in what the chief swiftly deemed "suicide by police." Some call the concept a type of "junk science."

texasobserver.org

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on August 19, 2026, including much of the discussion on the new AC ordinance. CMs Flickinger and Carter voted against it. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/08/20/a...

Notes on the Houston City Council Meeting on August 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on August 19, 2026, including the new air conditioning ordinance.

emilytakesnotes.com

Sara is doing going work over on Substack bayoucitysludge.substack.com/p/12-million...

1.2 million Texas voter registrations are in "suspense"

And other news you should know

bayoucitysludge.substack.com

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on August 12, 2026. Highlights include a World Cup report, two public hearings, and and update from Controller Hollins on his investigation into Chris Brown. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/08/13/a...

Houston City Council Meeting notes for August 12, 2026

Notes on the Houston City Council meeting on August 12, 2026, covering public hearings, the monthly financial report, and the World Cup.

emilytakesnotes.com

hi houston I have a new play to show you, we open August 27 and run for two weekends! buytickets.at/emilyhynds/2...

Buy tickets – No Kiss, a new play by Emily Hynds – Alabama Song

No Kiss, a new play by Emily Hynds – Alabama Song, Multiple dates and times - No Kiss, a new play by Emily Hynds, in August at Alabama Song in Houston No Kiss is a darkly comedic play that starts mid-...

buytickets.at

u know it's hot when it's 94 and u go ah not so bad

Here's my wrap up of July for Houstonia. I cover the city's response to Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's death, the current controller investigating the former controller, and more. www.houstoniamag.com/news-and-cit...

Houston City Council News, July 2026: ICE Murder, Investigations, and Heat

Plus, more money for parks, and the investigation into the murder of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

houstoniamag.com

Here are my notes for this week. CM Salinas called out Mayor Whitmire on spreading incorrect ICE information. Much dismay over court ruling Houston's MWBE program unconstitutional. And more! emilytakesnotes.com/2026/07/30/j...

Houston City Council Meeting notes for July 29, 2026

Houston City Council meeting notes for July 29, 2026, including MWBE updates, ICE and HPD debate, and back-to-school events

emilytakesnotes.com

"We’re told to show up and make our voices heard because that’s how our representatives know what we desire. But if our representative don’t care what we’re saying, or consider us unworthy, then why bother showing up, why bother making the effort?"

John Royal@johnroyal.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Hey @kissphoria.bsky.social @jenrice.bsky.social @embaleez.bsky.social @saracress.bsky.social @neilaquino.bsky.social I wrote about speaking to City Council and how depressing it is and how hostile Council seems to treat speakers. open.substack.com/pub/johnroya...

nothing like making up a budget for a grant application to really drive home how much work you do for free -_-

Here are my notes for the Houston city council meeting on July 22, 2026. There is a congressional hearing in Houston on Friday regarding the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was killed by ICE. Also, everyone please be careful in this heat. emilytakesnotes.com/2026/07/23/7...

notes on the Houston city council meeting on July 22, 2026

Notes on the Houston city council meeting on July 22, 2026, including information about Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the heat wave, and general spending.

emilytakesnotes.com