HTX-BMW: Impact 10/1/2025

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office has reduced the number of jail inmates housed outside of the county since June, a Sept. 18 quarterly jail data report shows. However, outsourcing inmates at other facilities was still a top expense in the fiscal year 2025-26 county general fund budget, approved Sept. 24.

What’s changed: HCSO oversees four different facilities in downtown Houston, with two jail facilities outsourced in Louisiana and Mississippi. As of Sept. 9, the Harris County jail was outsourcing about 16%—or 1,388 inmates—of 8,793 total inmates to facilities outside the county or state.

Cost to the county: Outsourcing inmates to jails outside of Harris County’s overcrowded jails is the single most expensive budgeted item taxpayers pay for. The county set aside $48 million in its FY 2025-26 budget for inmate outsourcing, about an 8% drop from the $52 million budgeted in FY 2024-25.
 

Slip Sliders sells chef-driven sliders and hand-battered chicken tenders in a fast but casual neighborhood setting.

On the menu: The quick-service restaurant opened next to Hermann Park in September and specializes in innovative sliders, sides and milkshakes, according to a Sept. 29 news release from the restaurant.  

Featuring a variety of options, Slip Sliders’ menu offers classic mini-burgers like The Backyard Burger, a traditional American cheeseburger, as well as more unique flavors like the Buffalo & Blue, which is a spicier chicken slider with buffalo sauce and blue cheese. 

Customers can pair their sliders with sides like Cajun cheese fries, truffle Parmesan fries and fried cheesy pickles or with hot beignet bites and hand-spun milkshakes.

📍1802 Binz St., Ste. 121, Houston

Here are some of the top trending Community Impact stories in Houston throughout September.

1. The Ritz-Carlton to bring first branded residences, hotel to Houston: Officials with the luxury hospitality brand, The Ritz-Carlton, announced Sept. 10 of its first-ever branded residences and hotel to Houston. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences, Houston, will be located in the Uptown district near the Galleria along Post Oak Boulevard.

The project will be 44 stories and over 600 feet tall, with 154 guest rooms and 114 private residences.

Read more from Editor Cassandra Jenkins.

2. See all the candidates running for Texas' 18th Congressional District: This November, a special election will be held to fill the vacant Texas 18th Congressional District seat after incumbent Sylvester Turner, who also previously served as Houston mayor, died March 4.

According to the Texas Secretary of State, 16 candidates are running for the special election. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 6. Early voting begins Oct. 20, and Election Day is Nov. 4.

Read now by Reporter Kevin Vu.

A number of celebrations for National Night Out, an annual community campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie, will be held Oct. 7 in the Greater Houston area.

Conroe
City of Conroe police are participating in National Night Out with free food and music in the community.

• Oct. 7, 5-8 p.m.
• Free
• JCPenney parking lot, 3165 I-45 N., Conroe

• Oct. 7, 5-8 p.m.
• Free
• Katy City Park, 5850 Franz Road, Katy