News from the South - Texas News Feed
Christian Menefee will run for Houston-area congressional seat
Christian Menefee, top civil attorney for Harris County government, files for Sylvester Turner’s congressional seat
“Christian Menefee, top civil attorney for Harris County government, files for Sylvester Turner’s congressional seat” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
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Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee intends to run for the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Democratic U.S. Rep. and former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, according to a Saturday filing with the Federal Election Commission.
Menefee filed his intent to run as a Democrat for the seat representing the 18th Congressional District on Saturday evening, hours after a memorial service was held in West Houston for Turner.
Menefee is 37 years old and currently serves as chief government lawyer for Texas’ most populous county.
Menefee did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
Elected officials who announce their candidacy in any special, general or primary election automatically resign their position if they have more than a year and 30 days left of their term, according to a provision of the Texas Constitution. But Gov. Greg Abbott has not yet declared a special election to fill Turner’s seat. Menefee was just reelected to a second four-year term in November.
The race to replace Turner will mark the second time within a year that the coveted seat is up for election. Turner filled the spot vacated by former U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died after a battle with pancreatic cancer after having served in the seat for decades.
Menefee was first elected to county office in Nov. 2020 at 32 years old, becoming the youngest person and first African American elected to the position, according to his office’s website.
As the chief civil lawyer for Harris County government, Menefee has fought legal battles over environmental issues and sought to address the disparate impacts of pollution on communities of color. He has also been a vocal opponent of President Donald Trump’s executive orders and signed an amicus brief in a federal lawsuit challenging Trump’s order to terminate birthright citizenship.
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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2025/03/16/christian-menefee-congress-sylvester-turner/.
The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
The post Christian Menefee will run for Houston-area congressional seat appeared first on feeds.texastribune.org
News from the South - Texas News Feed
Forever 21 files for bankruptcy and will close all US locations
SUMMARY: Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in nearly six years and is winding down its U.S. operations. Liquidation sales began in February for 236 underperforming locations (Wave 1), which will close by March 30. Another 118 locations (Wave 2) will close before May 1. The company, which once had over 800 locations globally, now has 354 U.S. stores remaining. International locations and e-commerce are unaffected. Forever 21, with $1.6 billion in debt, blames rising inflation and competition from online retailers like Temu and Shein. Gift cards will be honored until April 15.
The post Forever 21 files for bankruptcy and will close all US locations appeared first on www.kxan.com
News from the South - Texas News Feed
Dallas weather: Wildfires spread throughout Texas
SUMMARY: On St. Patrick’s Day, Dallas wakes up to 50°F with beautiful sunrise. Winds are expected to intensify later, gusting up to 28 mph, increasing fire danger due to dry conditions. Unlike last Friday’s weather, which was dusty, the winds today come from the South, reducing dust issues. The day will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching the 80s. A cold front is approaching midweek, bringing a drop in temperature and more winds, especially on Wednesday. The upcoming week will see a mix of warm, windy days, with a chance of storms by Sunday as spring officially arrives.

Winds pick up later in the metroplex and a Red Flag Warning remains in effect. Meteorologist Evan Andrews has your St. Patty’s Day forecast.
News from the South - Texas News Feed
4 shot in social media sale gone wrong in NW Harris County
SUMMARY: Four people were shot during a social media sale gone wrong in Northwest Harris County. The incident occurred at an apartment complex on Bamel North Houston and F Brook Drive around midnight. A 24-year-old victim was shot multiple times and airlifted to a medical center, while three others sustained minor injuries; all are expected to recover. The Harris County Sheriff’s office reported that the two groups intended to buy and sell a gun but were involved in a robbery that led to gunfire. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses to gather more information.

Four people were shot in what authorities are calling a social media sale gone bad in Northwest Harris County. Investigators say the victims were involved in a gun deal that turned violent. A 24-year-old was airlifted with multiple gunshot wounds, while three others had minor injuries. #HoustonNews #CrimeAlert #HarrisCounty #SocialMediaSale
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