9am Newscast September, 4, 2026

0:00Bye from News 88 17 Houston. I'm Matt Harib. The last long weekend of summer is here and ahead of it Harris County is getting out the word about impaired driving news 88 7's Tom Perumian reports. The first recent one constable Alan Rosen has a warning for people who drink and drive over the Labor Day weekend. And so this is not a general reminder but a very forceful reminder that law enforcement is going to be out this weekend and it's a no refusal. We can draw blood from you with a blood warrant. It's just as emphasizing every drunk driving crash starts with the decision and a family does not deserve to live through the tragic consequences of somebody's bad decisions. I'm Tom Perumian News 88 7. A big win fall the city of Houston is getting from the woodlands township will nearly wipe out the city's budget deficit. The city's budget is paying the city $50 million in exchange for promising to not annex the community of more than 110,000 people. But as our Dominic Anthony Walsh reports financial challenges remain Houston has struggled with gaps between revenue and spending facing the largest two deficits in city history over the past two years.

1:10Mayor John Whitmeyer implemented reforms in the funding structure for solid waste and the water utility this year cutting the projected deficit down to about $26 million. The first of four annual payments from the woodlands about 23 million will nearly erase that. But costs are still ballooning because of lucrative multi-year contracts with the police and fire departments. Our vision is a city that has a reliable revenue stream and we're getting there but it's a challenge. Whitmeyer has ruled out a property tax hike for now but has signaled it may come later if he secures a second term next year. I'm Tom Perumian News 88.