Greenberg unveils plans for mountain bike park at former homeless camp in south Louisville

Mayor Craig Greenberg unveiled plans for a new mountain bike park in Louisville's South End on Tuesday.
The park will be on Park Boulevard, underneath the I-264 overpass near the Muhammad Ali International Airport. Preliminary plans show four sections of track for beginners up to advanced bikers, complete with jumps, hairpin turns and more.
"We're going to create spaces that will make it possible to host mountain biking events that will draw people from all around, from each end of the country and add to the outstanding momentum that we have in our tourism and hospitality sectors," Greenberg said.
The proposed park is on the site of a previous homeless encampment that the city "relocated," Greenberg said.
"There were homeless encampments in this area and crime," Greenberg said. "People in this area could not feel safe, and that's not acceptable."
Greenberg said individuals experiencing homelessness have local options, including the Community Cares Campus, which recently opened a temporary shelter to house six to 12 families. The full campus, which will include a family emergency shelter, is not expected to be completed until later this year.
Local homeless outreach workers have criticized the Greenberg administration's use of the term relocation for camp clearings, saying those forced to move often have nowhere to go.
According to data from the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 600 people were living unsheltered during a Point In Time count in 2024.
Deputy Mayor Nicole George could not give a specific date on when the camp where the bike park will be was relocated but said the city continues working to relocate encampments.
"Parcels of property that lack consistent management, which are going to compound with drugs, make them ripe for illicit activities," George said.
No budget or cost estimates are set for the park yet, as it's still in the early development phase, George said. A community meeting to give input on the preliminary designs will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Beechmont Community Center.
Derek Fetko with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association said mountain bikers often have to drive several hours to find a similar park to practice skills or participate in competitions.
"This is how people come together, make new friends and develop their hobby," Fetko said.
Louisville Metro Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe, who represents the district the proposed park will be in, said she believes the park will benefit the area.
"I'm really excited to bring something positive to a neglected area and to bring an asset to our city that we don't have," Ruhe said.
More: A Louisville abortion clinic drew intense protests. Now it's being demolished
Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville to build mountain bike park on site of former homeless camp

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Hamilton Spectator

2 days ago

• Hamilton Spectator

He beat his stepfather to death — and was found not criminally responsible

George Howson was defenceless. Health issues, including Parkinson's disease, meant the 73-year-old spent most of his time in a chair in the west Hamilton apartment he shared with his wife, Donna Brown. They had lived together for 20 years. In early 2021, Donna's troubled son, Timothy Brown , had moved in to help his mom care for George, but also because family didn't want Tim to live alone, according to court documents. On March 14, the condo, on the fifth floor of 1968 Main St. W., was undergoing renovations. Earlier that week, George had struck up a conversation with a tradesperson about an antique German Luger pistol that George's father had acquired in the Second World War. George Howson, 73, was killed by his stepson Tim Brown, who was found not criminally responsible due to post-seizure psychosis. George was thinking about selling the inoperable gun to the man, court heard. He asked his stepson to help him retrieve it from his bedroom closet before the workers returned. Without warning, Tim turned on George. The 54-year-old beat George repeatedly with his hands, his feet and a lamp. He called George a Nazi. Donna called 911, screaming that her son was 'going crazy' and 'you've killed him,' according to a transcript of the call. Tim picked up the phone and told the dispatcher 'there was a Nazi here' and 'I killed him.' When police arrived, Donna was in the lobby and Tim was in the condo. He refused to open the door, so officers forced their way in and found Tim standing in the living room covered in blood, a phone still in his hands. George lay bleeding on his bedroom floor. His breathing was laboured and he gurgled blood. Officers had to use force to arrest Tim, who they placed in the back of a police cruiser. He demanded an apology and said: 'If I leave this property, the wrath of God is coming after you.' At central police station, he continued to fight with officers including jumping up and wrapping his legs around a sergeant. At one point, officers attempted to Taser him, but it didn't work. Eventually, police got him under control, handcuffed and shackled him, then placed him in a holding cell. The next day, Tim was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a broken left hand and two broken ribs. He was also found to have epilepsy, a diagnosis that would change the trajectory of the case. In hospital, his bizarre behaviour continued, including talking about 'Jews in WW2' and claiming his rib pain was from a 'Russian weapon,' court heard. After about a week, he was released from hospital on March 22, back into police custody. George never recovered from his injuries, including fractures to his nose and orbital bone, and a brain bleed. Ten days after being beaten, he died at Hamilton General Hospital. Tim was charged with second-degree murder. What happened next blindsided George's family, including his four children from his first marriage who had long been concerned about Tim's behaviour. Tim's epilepsy diagnosis led to his admission to St. Joseph's West 5th psychiatric hospital and eventually to court, where he was found not criminally responsible (NCR) for George's murder nearly eight months after the attack. St. Joseph's West 5th Campus is where Tim Brown is detained after being found not criminally responsible for the death of his stepfather. The case sped through the court process despite objections from George's family, led by one of his sons, Michael Howson. They believe the NCR finding was rushed, and that the case should have had a criminal trial. It has been a long and frustrating battle for Michael and his siblings, who say the anger they hold for being let down by the justice system has made it hard for them to grieve. It clouds every thought about their dad. Michael has shared correspondence and documents with The Spectator that show he appealed to the Crown, police and even the judge to consider other options. He filed complaints and asked that other angles, including Tim's history of anger issues, be investigated further. Michael, a nurse who has worked in psychiatric hospitals and is aware of the NCR process, is skeptical of the epilepsy diagnosis and its convenient timing. He and his siblings do not believe Tim was properly assessed and feel the NCR finding was rubber-stamped without due consideration. If Tim had been diagnosed with schizophrenia or another psychiatric condition, Michael said he wouldn't have objected because they're common in NCR verdicts. But in this case, the finding was psychosis not caused by a serious mental disorder, but by a neurological disorder, epilepsy. Postictal (post-seizure) psychosis is a rare and temporary reaction following a seizure that can cause confusion, and in some cases, violence. While there can be some overlaps between mental disorders and neurological ones, they are different. Mental disorders — such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia — affect thoughts, emotions and behaviour. Neurological disorders affect the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Since the verdict, Michael has continued to push for accountability, seeking to have the case reopened or — at minimum — ensure Tim remains in hospital without access to the public. None of his complaints have led to any action. George Howson, with grandchildren before his death. Mental health, addiction and the justice system overlap frequently. But having mental illness does not automatically lead to a finding of not criminally responsible, with NCR findings representing less than one per cent of criminal cases annually. In almost every case in which someone is found NCR, it is because a serious mental illness rendered the person incapable of appreciating the nature, quality and consequences of their actions. The accused is assessed by a forensic psychiatrist, who then presents expert evidence in court. Ultimately, it is up to a judge to make the determination. While Tim's epilepsy diagnosis came from a neurologist, two separate assessments for criminal responsibility were conducted by forensic psychiatrists who presented the only expert evidence in court. A psychiatrist with expertise in neuropsychiatry, which focuses on mental disorders linked to neurological conditions, was consulted for the St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton assessment. However, a neurologist or expert in epilepsy was never called in court. This is crucial for Michael, because it means the court never asked — or answered — key questions about how someone with this condition is assessed for criminal responsibility. For instance, how does the psychiatrist test for malingering — the faking of an illness — in a case of postictal psychosis? Did the assessing psychiatrists understand the characteristics of postictal psychosis, and how they might differ from psychosis caused by another condition? From left, Michael, Marissa, Jason and Kevin Howson outside St. Joseph's West 5th Campus with a photo of their dad George. To Michael, it appears only he and his family seem concerned about getting answers to these questions. The Ministry of the Attorney General, on behalf of the Crowns office, said it would be 'inappropriate' to comment because the matter remains before the Ontario Review Board (ORB), which has jurisdiction over those found NCR and reviews their cases annually. St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton said it cannot comment on individual cases and that no one was available to speak about the issue generally. Another psychiatric hospital said a doctor who typically has no issue doing expert interviews on the NCR process wasn't comfortable speaking, even generally, about this type of case because it's so unusual. Experts at other psychiatric institutions across Ontario also declined The Spectator's interview requests. Through his lawyer, Tim declined to comment. Donna could not be reached for comment. The ORB does not keep statistics on the mental disorders that lead to NCR findings. But generally, the accused in most cases are found NCR due to psychotic or mood disorders, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, said Gavin MacKenzie, general counsel and spokesperson. The number of people found NCR because of a neurological disorder 'is a relatively small percentage of ORB accused,' he said. The Spectator is aware of one other recent case in which someone was found NCR based on a neurological condition. It also happened to be in Hamilton and involved a patient assessed at the same hospital (St. Joseph's West 5th) and by the same forensic psychiatrist (Dr. Joseph Ferencz). The case was also decided by the same Superior Court judge (Justice Paul Sweeny). In that instance, Devon Ambrose was found to have stabbed his parents, killing his mom, amid psychosis brought on by undiagnosed multiple sclerosis. Again, the court did not hear any expert evidence from a neurologist or an expert in MS. A review of other court cases involving accused persons with epilepsy revealed several cases in which the charged person was found not guilty of committing a crime that happened during a seizure, because they were not in control of their actions. None of those cases involved NCR assessments. To understand how rare postictal — or post-seizure — psychosis is, it is important to understand what epilepsy is and how it's diagnosed. Seizures are electrical discharges in the brain, with symptoms that vary depending on the area of the brain affected, said Dr. Jorge Burneo, a neurology and epidemiology professor and chair of epilepsy research at Western University. If a seizure happens in the temporal lobe — an area of the brain that is the centre of emotions, with impacts on awareness and memory processing — a person can appear as if they're just staring. This is the type of epilepsy Tim was diagnosed with, according to court records. Burneo has no involvement in Tim's care and is not commenting on this case, but rather on epilepsy and the rarity of postictal psychosis in general. He says epilepsy is commonly misdiagnosed, usually when the assessment is made by nonexperts in the field. In Tim's case, court records say the diagnosis was made by a neurologist. He had one abnormal EEG — a test that measures electrical activity in the brain — following his arrest. Since then, no others have shown irregular activity — something that has made Michael and family question the epilepsy diagnosis and whether a neurologist is involved in his treatment. Burneo said there is no reason to suspect misdiagnosis in a case in which epilepsy is diagnosed by a neurologist. He also said it's not uncommon to see normal EEGs in epilepsy patients while they are not having seizures. Epilepsy is not diagnosed based on an EEG alone, rather a 'clinical diagnosis' is also based on symptoms and patient history. In Tim's case, he and his family reported episodes of him staring and memory gaps before the homicide. Sometimes he appeared to have religious delusions, which can occur after a seizure, according to court records. He was admitted to hospital for a mental-health assessment after a Dec. 20, 2020, crash in which he veered into opposing traffic and later had no memory of what happened. The postictal period occurs after someone has a seizure. If the seizure happened in the temporal lobe, symptoms could include speech problems, confusion or erratic behaviour. In a 'very uncommon' number of cases, about five per cent, a person will experience psychosis, Burneo said. Common symptoms include hallucinations of grandiosity or of a religious nature. Occasionally, he said, a patient will become violent. There are 11 beds where patients can be monitored at the epilepsy monitoring unit where Burneo works in London, Ont. Occasionally, a patient becomes violent after a seizure. The episode may last just a couple of minutes, or longer. This reaction is most common in temporal lobe epilepsy. If a person experiences postictal psychosis, they are more likely than others to have that same reaction again in the future. Burneo said it's important to clarify that postictal psychosis can cause erratic or violent behaviour, but that behaviour is 'not complex.' For instance, a person might push or hit someone in their path. However, if they leave and get a weapon and return to assault someone with it, they are likely not experiencing postictal psychosis. This raises some questions related to Tim's case: Was grabbing a lamp and continuing to assault George too complex a behaviour to be classified as postictal psychosis? His erratic behaviour continued after his arrest at the police station. Was that time frame too long to be considered postictal psychosis? And what about the following day, when he made the bizarre comments about Jews and Russian weapons? There are no clear answers, since none of these questions were explored in court. And the ORB won't consider them — it's not the board's role. Instead, an ORB panel looks at how the accused person is doing and decides whether it's safe to release them, usually gradually, back into the community. Unlike a prison sentence, there is also no guaranteed end date for how long a person, regardless of the crime, can remain under the jurisdiction of the ORB. That's because they are not guilty and the amount of time they spend in hospital isn't punitive, but rather has to do with their current condition. Before the NCR verdict, Tim was given two criminal-responsibility assessments — one at St. Joseph's West 5th in summer 2021 and one at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health in Whitby, Ont., that fall. They contained a wealth of information about his life. Tim is the youngest of four siblings. He was born in Burlington and raised in Flamborough. He left school in Grade 10 and later worked as a welder. He eventually married and had two sons, court records show. The couple separated in 2003 and Tim moved into a rental property owned by his stepdad, before finding his own apartment. Tim was injured at some point and stopped working. He moved to Hagersville, where he lived for about six years before moving in with his mom and stepdad shortly before George's death. In the West 5th report, Tim said his marriage was 'great.' It also acknowledges he and his ex-wife argued and ultimately divorced, and she was granted full custody of their children. The information on his marriage appears to be based on Tim's word. By contrast, the Ontario Shores report includes interviews with his ex-wife and one of his sons that raise concerns about his threatening behaviour. Tim's ex-wife described him as angry virtually all his adult life. She believed he had a lengthy history of mood and anger issues and recalled reading about anger concerns on his kindergarten report card. She was told he once pulled a knife on his brother when he was 13. Shortly before they separated in 2003, he got angry and put his head through a wall in their house. When their marriage was ending, Tim mistakenly blamed a client of hers (she works supporting people with terminal illness) and started following the client and threatening him, according to the report. One of his sons slept with a knife under his pillow for fear his dad would hurt his mom. He described Tim as 'always mad about something.' Both reports detail Tim's medical and psychiatric history, and reference four visits to the emergency room, including for mental-health concerns, prior to George's death. Tim reported trouble controlling his anger, bizarre behaviour, memory gaps and the December 2020 crash. He was treated for depression and anxiety. Both reports also include information from interviews, medical and investigative records, and psychiatric assessments. Cannabis-induced psychosis was also considered due to his history of substance use, but he denied using cannabis on the day he attacked his stepdad and his drug screens were negative. Michael and family have asked when the drug testing was done, as they say they were initially told it was not completed. They have never been provided with details. Tim told doctors he had no memory of the assault. He just remembered feeling scared, and has memory fragments of his mother shouting and feeling that his stepfather was a Nazi. Donna told doctors her son and husband had an excellent relationship and nothing that morning was out of the ordinary. She and Tim went on their usual walk. When they returned, Tim had a period of odd behaviour in the kitchen in which he appeared detached and unresponsive for about five minutes before returning to normal, the West 5th assessment says. Later that day, when her husband asked Tim for help, her son suddenly became enraged. The West 5th report notes that Dr. Patricia Rosebush, a professor and head of general psychiatry at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, was consulted because she is an expert in neuropsychiatry, which focuses on mental disorders that are linked to neurological conditions. She 'confirmed the opinion' that Tim was 'likely suffering with temporal lobe epilepsy and recurrent psychotic symptoms directly related to that diagnosis.' This report notes that psychotic symptoms in temporal lobe epilepsy occur following a seizure in roughly five to seven per cent of cases. '(Tim) was clearly in a grossly impaired state of mind such that he was unable to make a rational decision about the wrongfulness of his actions,' Dr. Joseph Ferencz, the forensic psychiatrist, concluded in the West 5th report. Similarly, the Ontario Shores report by Dr. Andrew Wang concluded that Tim should be found not criminally responsible. With both reports reaching the same conclusion, and the Crown and defence in agreement, the judge found Tim not criminally responsible. 'I am … satisfied that he was, at the time, suffering from a mental disorder that rendered him incapable of appreciating the nature and quality of the acts or of knowing that they were wrong,' Justice Paul Sweeny said in court Nov. 12, 2021. George Howson was the kind of man who could talk to anyone. He liked people and always saw the best in them, said his son, Michael. 'He was generous, kind and trusting,' and he was always willing to help. He had a good sense of humour and family was very important to him, he added. Before retiring, George ran a family electrical contracting business. That was where he met Donna, who worked as a secretary. Michael said he and other family members were worried about Tim living with George and Donna, because of how vulnerable George was. He needed a lot of help, and they didn't believe Tim had the patience or ability to properly care for him. Tim was quick to anger and appeared only self-interested, he said. 'I would prefer someone off the street to come in; anyone but him,' Michael said. Michael and his three siblings offered to take turns helping at the condo on weekends, but their offer was rejected. They didn't realize Tim had moved in with George and Donna for about a month. In the months leading up to his death, George required more care because of his health issues and Donna seemed burnt out. There had also been a long-standing issue because George did not allow Donna access to all of his money, Michael said. There was an incident at the bank about a week before his death in which George told family he wasn't being treated nicely, but family didn't learn details until after his death. Michael felt like his dad couldn't even talk privately because he couldn't hold the phone himself. On the day of the attack, they didn't find out what happened until late that night. By the time Michael got to the hospital, his dad was on life support, his face swollen and battered. 'It was like he was dead,' Michael said. 'He was unrecognizable.' George never regained consciousness. Michael Howson says he feels let down by the justice system after his father George was killed. George's stepson Tim Brown was found not criminally responsible based on exceptionally rare finding that he killed his stepdad while in the midst of post-seizure psychosis. Upon meeting with police, Michael says he felt the narrative was already decided. Tim isn't a psychiatric patient — he's angry, Michael said he told them. But he said they didn't even appear to take notes. He filed his first complaint alleging an insufficient police investigation with the former Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), soon after. Since then, he's complained to the chief of police, head Crown, regulatory bodies for both police and lawyers, and filed Freedom-of-Information requests for more details. 'This is a difficult case and our thoughts are with the Howson family on their loss,' Hamilton police spokesperson Jackie Penman said in response to questions from The Spectator. She noted that police charged Tim Brown with second-degree murder and that it was the court that eventually found he was NCR. Once that happens the matter lies with the ORB. 'We understand the family is frustrated with the NCR determination and have filed complaints,' she said, adding that they were investigated and 'all found to be unsubstantiated.' Throughout court, including in the judgment, it was repeated that Tim has no history of violence. He has never been convicted of any violent offence, but Michael says his family felt like the way the case was framed completely ignored Tim's history of anger and threatening behaviour, including with his ex-wife, that was documented in the second psychiatric assessment. Dean Paquette, a high-profile defence attorney, was hired before George was even removed from life support. Michael believes there was more to investigate and that everyone was too quick to jump to the NCR finding. At every step, he's met a dead end or disinterest, Michael said. Like every person found NCR, Tim appears before the ORB annually and a panel hears from his doctors about how he's doing in the forensic unit at West 5th. The ORB decides what privileges, including any release into the community, he should be granted. Michael and his family go every year. At the last hearing in January, Tim didn't attend, so his lawyer represented him. The ORB heard Tim's diagnosis is considered in remission, with ongoing antiseizure medication prescribed by a neurologist. He has also been diagnosed with a personality disorder, including 'mixed personality features, and prominent paranoid and borderline traits.' Since being admitted to West 5th, Tim has repeatedly threatened staff, according to hospital records included in ORB decisions. This includes threatening to burn staff and their families, and threatening to put his fist though a staff member's throat. In May 2024, he was transferred to a different unit 'due to staff on his previous unit needing respite.' The ORB report noted 43 recorded occurrences between January and October 2024. Most include incidents in which he insulted, threatened or intimidated staff. None of the incidents involved physical violence. '(Tim) continues to exhibit behaviour resulting from underlying frustration,' it says. 'He shows irritability and has anger management issues, as noted in the hospital report.' By 2023, Tim was allowed outside on hospital grounds, without issue. And he used some passes in the community, accompanied by approved family members. The next year, he was allowed on the grounds unsupervised. At the January 2025 hearing, the hospital asked to be allowed to 'very cautiously' introduce indirectly supervised passes into the community. Indirect supervision means a person is allowed to leave the hospital unsupervised, but only for pre-approved purposes. The ORB concluded Tim continues to represent a 'significant threat to the public' and will continue to be detained in hospital. But the board also unanimously agreed to allow him to enter the community indirectly supervised, understanding the hospital would proceed 'extremely cautiously.' A proposal to allow community living, should it become suitable, was rejected by a majority of board members. In his victim impact statement, Michael said victims' rights have been ignored. 'We are aware that our victim impact statements have no impact,' he told the ORB. 'Our voices have been silenced.' From his perspective, authorities have ignored Tim's history of anger, disregarded his family's safety concerns, and rewarded seemingly bad behaviour with more privileges, he said. 'It has been disrespectful and insulting to my father and our family,' Michael said, adding that Tim has shown an unwillingness to follow rules or direction. If he is angry in a controlled environment, Michael wonders how Tim would behave in public on his own. The ORB does not comment on specific cases, but generally, when deciding if someone is a threat to public safety, the board would consider evidence of a person's neurological condition the same way it treats evidence of a psychotic or mood disorder, counsel Gavin MacKenzie said. Broadly speaking, if someone has neurological condition, the forensic hospital can consult experts, such as neurologists, he said. The ORB also has authority to order an assessment if it believes such evidence is required. 'It is not uncommon for victims or members of the public to query the appropriateness of an NCR verdict in a particular case,' said Anita Szigeti, whose firm represents Tim. She spoke generally about the NCR process as a lawyer who specializes in that area of practice and not about Tim's case specifically. NCR verdicts are made based on strict criteria, she said. 'Victims are almost always frustrated with review board hearings and processes,' Szigeti said, adding that the frustration is often legitimate and born from the 'wrong-headed inclusion' of victim impact statements. While victims have rights that allow them to give victim impact statements, she said the statements have almost no direct influence on the review board's decision. 'Permitting their participation leaves victims with the false promise that they can meaningfully influence the result, doing them a massive disservice and almost invariably retraumatizing them with no appreciable benefit,' she said. The ORB has no jurisdiction on the verdict itself. It's the board's role to decide whether an accused is still a significant threat to public safety and then make the 'least restrictive disposition.' That decision is based on the accused's current condition. It's important to remember that someone found not criminally responsible is not serving a sentence that is intended to be punishing, because they are not responsible for their actions, Szigeti said. She argued that victims should have robust supports outside the ORB. And those found NCR who committed serious violent crimes are also often 'extremely traumatized' by the event and should also have access to trauma-informed services. At the January hearing, Tim asked, through his lawyer, to no longer be required to undergo drug or alcohol testing. He also asked for community living. Both were denied. In May, Michael received notice that Tim has appealed the most recent disposition and that he believes a community living clause should have been included. The hearing to determine whether there are grounds for appeal is scheduled for September. When Michael thinks of his father, he cannot unsee the injuries — George's face and head swollen nearly to the width of his shoulders. 'I can imagine the fear he felt with his Parkinson's hindering his ability to shield himself from the attack,' Michael said. 'I can imagine his feelings of betrayal.' Despite all the dead ends he's faced filing complaints and appealing for the case to be reopened, Michael says he won't stop. He believes the next step is to push for a discretionary coroner's inquest. Inquests do not determine liability but explore the circumstances of a death. A jury can make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future. Everything that happened since his father's death has left Michael and his family without trust in the justice system, he said. It is something he and his family will never get over. Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .

Newsweek

4 days ago

• Newsweek

Texas Judge Switches to GOP After Being Charged With Money Laundering

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ford Bend County Judge KP George, who is currently facing charges over alleged money laundering and misrepresentation of identity, has announced his defection from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. Newsweek contacted George, one of his attorneys and both the Texas Democrats and Republican Party of Texas for comment via email or online inquiry form. We are yet to receive a response but this story will be updated if we do. Why It Matters George's defection means the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court in Texas now contains three Republicans and two Democrats, a reversal of the previous situation. Despite their name, Commissioner Courts are legislative and administrative bodies that have influence over a range of subjects in the county including its budget, infrastructure and electoral districts. Speaking to the Houston Chronicle, Fort Bend County Republican Party President Bobby Eberle said he hoped the move would lead to "real change" including "fair and balanced voting maps and correcting the obscenely gerrymandered commissioners' precinct lines forced on the county by the Democrats in 2021." What To Know Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, George said he was joining the Republican Party after concluding "the Democratic Party has embraced a corrupt and radical ideology" with "its positions no longer reflecting the values of Fort Bend County families, small businesses [and] also hardworking residents." By contrast, George said the GOP was the party of "faith, family and freedom" adding: "I chose a side, and it turned out to be the wrong place, and I'm fixing that." He added he plans to stand for reelection in 2026 as a Republican candidate. George has been charged with money laundering between $30,000 and $150,000, a third-degree felony with a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Prosecutors allege the laundering was campaign finance fraud and took place between January 12, 2019, and April 22, 2019. George took office on January 1, 2019, following a 2018 election. According to Houston Public Media, in April 2025 George denied wrongdoing, accusing the district attorney's office of "weaponizing" its powers against him. Fort Bend County Judge KP George speaking to reporters at a press conference, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Richmond, Texas. Fort Bend County Judge KP George speaking to reporters at a press conference, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, in Richmond, Texas. Godofredo A. Vásquez/Houston Chronicle/AP He also said the money that is subject to the investigation was to repay a loan of personal funds to his campaign in what he described as a "standard and lawful practice." Separately in September, 2024, George was indicted on a misdemeanor charge of misrepresentation of identity, following allegations he conspired with his former staffer Taral Patel to target George's own campaign with falsified racist comments on social media during his 2022 reelection campaign, some of which were attributed to real people. George narrowly secured reelection in the 2022 contest, with 51 percent of the vote. Prosecutors claim the racist comments were posted by Patel using fake accounts and that George was aware this was taking place. George has denied any wrongdoing. In April, 2025, as part of a plea deal, Patel admitted he committed misrepresentation in a bid to support George politically What People Are Saying In a statement Republican Commissioner Andy Meyers said: "Regardless of Judge George's party affiliation, I'll continue to collaborate with him and other members of commissioners court for the good of our community." Judge Dexter McCoy, one of the two remaining Democrats on the commissioners court, described George as "morally corrupt." He said: "He has chosen to prioritize his own personal self-interests over the will and well-being of the people who elected him. He has turned his back on the values he claimed to represent, and in so doing, has betrayed the trust of our community." What Happens Next George could face a primary challenge from other Republicans if he goes ahead with his plan of seeking election in 2026 under the party's platform. The legal cases against him are ongoing and it remains to be seen how they will be resolved.

Yahoo

11-06-2025

• Yahoo

Louisville did not delay police reform order, say mayor, chief in response to criticism

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg talks with attendees of The Louisville Forum at Vincenzo's in downtown Louisville. June 11, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) LOUISVILLE — Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and Louisville Police Chief Paul Humphrey said the city should not be blamed for delaying a court order to correct civil rights abuses by Louisville police and to reform the department. During the monthly meeting of The Louisville Forum Wednesday, Humphrey pointed to federal 'bureaucracy' while Greenberg acknowledged that 'a lot of people … think that our administration and the LMPD was the reason' a consent decree mandating police reforms was not signed before the Republican Trump administration killed the agreement as expected. The mayor insisted that is not the case. Responding to an audience question, Greenberg told the gathering that it took more than 11 months for the Justice Department under Democratic President Joe Biden to get the city a draft agreement after then-Attorney General Merrick Garland came to Kentucky in 2023 to discuss the police department's civil rights violations. Greenberg said the city at that time offered to provide an initial draft of a consent decree. 'They insisted that they would provide us with the first draft. Notwithstanding our weekly requests (of) when that draft was coming, we got the first draft of the consent decree 11 and a half months later,' Greenberg said. 'So we waited basically a year to see a first draft of the consent decree after Attorney General Garland came to our city.' Trump Justice Department moves to end consent decree aimed at reforming policing in Louisville The agreement was announced in December 2024, the month before President Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term. In May, the Trump administration's U.S. Department of Justice pulled back from the consent decree, saying such actions are 'handcuffing local leaders.' The consent decree came in response to the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor, an unarmed Black woman, and a subsequent federal investigation that exposed a pattern of constitutional violations by Louisville police. Taylor's mother criticized the mayor, Louisville Public Media reported in May, accusing him of 'dragging his feet' on the issue. Louisville Metro Council member J.P. Lyninger, a Democrat, also has voiced disappointment with Democrat Greenberg's administration. 'The findings were announced two years ago,' he told Louisville Public Media last month. 'If we had more speedily entered into agreement with the Department of Justice, this would already be on the books and we wouldn't be talking about this today.' A consent decree is a negotiated agreement that avoids a trial by spelling out requirements that a federal judge signs and enforces. On Wednesday, Greenberg said, 'Louisville Metro government was not the reason why this took time.' Instead, he said, the police department and city had 'worked day and night with getting this done as their primary focus.' Humphrey agreed, saying there are 'a lot of things that could be improved about that process' at the federal level to expedite the consent decree process. The federal government, Humphrey said, was 'more concerned with protecting the case than they were with improving the police department.' On the same day the Trump administration moved to let LMPD off the hook for reform, Greenberg and Humphrey announced the city would move forward with its own Community Commitment, a 214-page handbook with goals similar to those outlined in the proposed consent decree. 'If we were using delay as a negotiating tactic, we would not have voluntarily signed the community commitment within hours of the Department of Justice announcing they were dropping the case,' Greenberg said at the Louisville Forum. 'It would have been a very different response.' Under the Community Commitment, the city will issue a request for proposals (RFP) seeking candidates to fill the role of an independent monitor. The public will be able to weigh in on monitor candidates via an online survey and at community listening sessions. The independent monitor will cost Louisville around $750,000, Greenberg said, and will have a five-year contract. 'We have our community commitment that we're moving forward with, and so … looking back at what the federal government did or didn't do is a waste of time, in all honesty,' Humphrey said. 'Let's move forward and … make this community better.' The city has several listening sessions already scheduled where the public can weigh in on reforms. 'I encourage you to be a part of the solution,' Greenberg said. 'It's very easy to criticize, it's very easy to observe and talk to friends. We want (people) across the community to be a part of the solution.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX