119-470: Spring Valley Village is a city in Harris County, Texas , United States, and an enclave of Houston . The population was 4,229 at the 2020 U.S. census . In 1936 state highway maps indicated a cemetery and a church. Initially the settlement consisted of one and one-half square miles. In the mid-1950s, efforts to form a Spring Branch municipality (proposed to be called the city of Spring Branch in roughly
238-464: A Commissioner to represent them on the commissioners court and oversee county government functions in the precinct. Other elected positions in Harris County include a County Attorney , a County Clerk , a District Attorney , a District Clerk , a Sheriff , eight Constables , a Tax Assessor-Collector, a County Treasurer , and every judge in the county except municipal judges, who are appointed by
357-600: A prenuptial agreement that kept most of her family's assets under her name; they kept their finances separate and filed separate income tax returns . McCain decided to leave the Navy. It was doubtful whether he would ever be promoted to the rank of full admiral , as he had poor annual physicals and had not been given a major sea command. His chances of being promoted to rear admiral were better, but he declined that prospect, as he had already made plans to run for Congress and said he could "do more good there." McCain retired from
476-703: A Baptist. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academy , where he was a friend and informal leader for many of his classmates and sometimes stood up for targets of bullying . He also fought as a lightweight boxer . He earned the nickname "John Wayne" "for his attitude and popularity with the opposite sex." McCain did well in academic subjects that interested him, such as literature and history, but studied only enough to pass subjects that gave him difficulty, such as mathematics. He came into conflict with higher-ranking personnel and did not always obey
595-504: A Republican for an open seat in Arizona's 1st congressional district , which was being vacated by 30-year incumbent Republican John Jacob Rhodes . A newcomer to the state, McCain was termed a carpetbagger . McCain responded to a voter making that charge with what a Phoenix Gazette columnist later described as "the most devastating response to a potentially troublesome political issue I've ever heard": Listen, pal. I spent 22 years in
714-459: A bellwether in presidential elections, voting for winners of every presidential election from 2000 through 2012 (both Barack Obama and Texas resident George W. Bush won the county twice). As a result of the Obama sweep in 2008, many Democratic candidates in contests for lower-level offices also benefited, and many Republican incumbents were replaced by Democrats in the Harris County courthouse. Some of
833-646: A complete listing, see list of cities and towns in Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land MSA Harris County, Texas Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas ; as of the 2020 census , the population was 4,731,145, making it the most populous county in Texas and the third-most populous county in the United States . Its county seat is Houston , the most populous city in Texas and fourth-most populous city in
952-691: A daughter, Sidney. The same year, he was a one-day champion on the game show Jeopardy ! McCain requested a combat assignment, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal flying A-4 Skyhawks . His combat duty began in mid-1967, when Forrestal was assigned to a bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder , during the Vietnam War . Stationed in the Gulf of Tonkin , McCain and his fellow pilots became frustrated by micromanagement from Washington; he later wrote, "In all candor, we thought our civilian commanders were complete idiots who didn't have
1071-540: A fascinating history of a remarkable military family." McCain announced his candidacy for president on September 27, 1999, in Nashua, New Hampshire , saying he was staging "a fight to take our government back from the power brokers and special interests, and return it to the people and the noble cause of freedom it was created to serve". The frontrunner for the Republican nomination was Texas Governor George W. Bush , who had
1190-411: A female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.38. In the county, 29.00% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.3% was from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.4%
1309-548: A half years, until his release on March 14, 1973, along with 108 other prisoners of war. His wartime injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head. After the war, McCain, accompanied by his family, returned to the site on a few occasions. McCain was reunited with his family when he returned to the United States. His wife Carol had been severely injured by an automobile accident in December 1969. She
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#17328917449781428-683: A large beer distributorship . They began dating, and he urged his wife, Carol, to grant him a divorce, which she did in February 1980; the uncontested divorce took effect in April 1980. The settlement included two houses and financial support for her ongoing medical treatments due to her 1969 car accident; they remained on good terms. McCain and Hensley were married on May 17, 1980, with Senators William Cohen and Gary Hart attending as groomsmen . McCain's children did not attend, and several years passed before they reconciled. John and Cindy McCain entered into
1547-489: A leg when he ejected from the aircraft, and nearly drowned after he parachuted into Trúc Bạch Lake . Some North Vietnamese pulled him ashore, then others crushed his shoulder with a rifle butt and bayoneted him. McCain was then transported to Hanoi's main Hỏa Lò Prison , nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton". Although McCain was seriously wounded and injured, his captors refused to treat him. They beat and interrogated him and he
1666-484: A number of severe weather events, such as the following hurricanes and tropical storms: According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 1,777 square miles (4,600 km ), of which 1,703 square miles (4,410 km ) is land and 74 square miles (190 km ) (4.2%) is covered by water. Both its total area and land area are larger than the U.S. state of Rhode Island . As of
1785-483: A path to citizenship provided they speak English and have no criminal record, holding from 83% in 2013, which was up from 19% in 2009. In 2013, 87% supported background checks for all firearms, the latest year that question was included in the Kinder Houston Survey. This measure has moved up steadily from 60% in 1985 to 69% in 2000. The 1910 county courthouse was renovated in the 1950s to update its systems. In
1904-625: A representative because he was interested in current events, was ready for a new challenge, and had developed political ambitions. Living in Phoenix, he went to work for his new father-in-law's large Anheuser-Busch beer distributorship. As vice president of public relations at the distributorship, he gained political support among the local business community, meeting powerful figures such as banker Charles Keating Jr. , real estate developer Fife Symington III (later Governor of Arizona) and newspaper publisher Darrow "Duke" Tully . In 1982, McCain ran as
2023-545: A reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to break from his party on certain issues, including LGBT rights , gun regulations , and campaign finance reform where his stances were more moderate than those of the party's base. McCain was investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as one of the Keating Five ; he then made regulating the financing of political campaigns one of his signature concerns, which eventually resulted in passage of
2142-495: A reputation as a man who partied. He completed flight school in 1960, and became a naval pilot of ground-attack aircraft ; he was assigned to A-1 Skyraider squadrons aboard the aircraft carriers USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas . McCain began as a sub-par flier who was at times careless and reckless; during the early to mid-1960s, two of his flight missions crashed, and
2261-511: A reputation for independence during the 1990s. He took pride in challenging party leadership and establishment forces, becoming difficult to categorize politically. As a member of the 1991–1993 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs , chaired by fellow Vietnam War veteran and Democrat, John Kerry , McCain investigated the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue , to determine the fate of U.S. service personnel listed as missing in action during
2380-479: A senator—and as a lifelong gambler with close ties to the gambling industry —McCain was one of the main authors of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act , which codified rules regarding Native American gambling enterprises . McCain was also a strong supporter of the Gramm–Rudman legislation that enforced automatic spending cuts in the case of budget deficits. McCain soon gained national visibility. He delivered
2499-401: A successful example of "retail politics", and he used free media to compensate for his lack of funds. One reporter later recounted that, "McCain talked all day long with reporters on his Straight Talk Express bus; he talked so much that sometimes he said things that he shouldn't have, and that's why the media loved him." On February 1, 2000, he won New Hampshire's primary with 49 percent of
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#17328917449782618-411: A third mission collided with power lines, but he received no major injuries. His aviation skills improved over time, and he was seen as a good pilot, albeit one who tended to " push the envelope " in his flying. On July 3, 1965, McCain was 28 when he married Carol Shepp , who had worked as a runway model and secretary. McCain adopted her two young children, Douglas and Andrew. He and Carol then had
2737-601: A way of saving taxpayer money. The chief administrative officer of a Texas County, as set up in the Texas Constitution , is the County Judge , who sits as the chair of the county's Commissioners' Court (the equivalent of a Board of Supervisors in some other states). In 2019, Judge Lina Hidalgo was sworn in as the County Judge. The county is split into four geographical divisions called precincts. Each precinct elects
2856-640: A well-received speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention , was mentioned by the press as a short list vice-presidential running mate for Republican nominee George H. W. Bush , and was named chairman of Veterans for Bush. McCain became embroiled in a scandal during the 1980s, as one of five United States senators comprising the so-called Keating Five . Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received $ 112,000 in lawful political contributions from Charles Keating Jr. and his associates at Lincoln Savings and Loan Association , along with trips on Keating's jets that McCain belatedly repaid, in 1989. In 1987, McCain
2975-558: A younger brother, Joe . At that time, the Panama Canal was under U.S. control, and he was granted U.S. citizenship at the age of eleven months. His father and his paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr. , were also Naval Academy graduates and both became four-star admirals in the United States Navy . The McCain family moved with their father as he took various naval postings in
3094-448: Is near the Crosby census-designated place and has a Crosby postal address. The county had a poor farm in what is now West University Place that closed in 1923. The county cemetery was formerly there; the bodies were transferred to the new property. The county has an elections administrator and elections office, which was non-partisan but under the oversight of Democrat Lina Hidalgo ,
3213-596: Is served by the Houston Community College System . The Harris County Public Library (HCPL) system operates the Spring Branch Memorial Branch at 930 Corbindale Road in the City of Hedwig Village . The 10,500-square-foot (980 m) branch opened in 1975. The Houston Chronicle is the metropolitan newspaper. The Memorial Examiner is a local newspaper distributed in the community. For
3332-452: Is the fifth-most populous metropolitan area in the United States. Human remains date habitation to about 4000 BC. Other evidence of humans in the area dates from about 1400 BC, 1 AD, and later in the first millennium. The region became uninhabited from 1 AD to European contact. Little European activity predates 1821. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca may have visited the area in 1529. French traders recorded passing through in
3451-459: The Houston Chronicle said that residents of Harris County were "consistently conservative in elections" and that they were, according to a Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research opinion poll, "surprisingly liberal on topics such as immigration, gun control and equal matrimonial rights for same-sex couples". Harris is regarded as a moderate or swing county in Texas, and has been
3570-478: The 2020 census , there were 4,731,145 people, 1,692,730 households, and 1,156,059 families in the county. The population density was 2,771.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,070.2/km ). There were 1,842,683 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 38.2% White , 19.0% African American , 1.1% Native American , 7.9% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 17.7% from Some Other Races and 15.8% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.9% of
3689-752: The American Health Care Act of 2017 , which would have partially repealed the ACA. After being diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2017, he reduced his role in the Senate to focus on treatment, dying from the disease in 2018. John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone , to naval officer John S. McCain Jr. and Roberta Wright McCain . He had an older sister, Sandy, and
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3808-738: The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987 , and voted to override President Reagan's veto of that legislation the following March. Senator McCain became a member of the Armed Services Committee , with which he had formerly done his Navy liaison work; he also joined the Commerce Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee . He continued to support the Native American agenda. As first a House member and then
3927-627: The Clinton administration but opposed by the industry and most Republicans, the bill failed to gain cloture . In November 1998, McCain won re-election to a third Senate term in a landslide over his Democratic opponent, environmental lawyer Ed Ranger. In the February 1999 Senate trial following the impeachment of Bill Clinton , McCain voted to convict the president on both the perjury and obstruction of justice counts, saying Clinton had violated his sworn oath of office. In March 1999, McCain voted to approve
4046-568: The House Committee on Interior Affairs . Also that year, he opposed creation of a federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day , but admitted in 2008: "I was wrong and eventually realized that, in time to give full support [in 1990] for a state holiday in Arizona." At this point, McCain's politics were mainly in line with those of President Ronald Reagan ; this included support for Reaganomics , and he
4165-531: The McCain–Feingold Act in 2002. He was also known for his work in the 1990s to restore diplomatic relations with Vietnam . McCain chaired the Senate Commerce Committee from 1997 to 2001 and 2003 to 2005, where he opposed pork barrel spending and earmarks . He belonged to the bipartisan " Gang of 14 ", which played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations. McCain entered
4284-760: The NATO bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , saying that the ongoing genocide of the Kosovo War must be stopped and criticizing past Clinton administration inaction. Later in 1999, McCain shared the Profile in Courage Award with Feingold for their work in trying to enact their campaign finance reform, although the bill was still failing repeated attempts to gain cloture. In August 1999, McCain's memoir Faith of My Fathers , co-authored with Mark Salter ,
4403-657: The Obama administration , especially with regard to foreign policy matters. In 2015, he became Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee . He refused to support then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election and later became a vocal critic of the Trump administration . While McCain opposed the Obama-era Affordable Care Act (ACA), he cast the deciding vote against
4522-461: The San Jacinto River . One of these passengers, a Mr. Ryder, settled at what is now known as Morgan's Point, Texas . Also in 1822, John Iiams settled his family at Cedar Point after sailing from Berwick's Bay, Louisiana . Dr. Johnson Hunter arrived just after Iiams. He also wrecked his boat near Galveston. He settled at Morgan's Point and was a grantee of land there. Nathaniel Lynch settled in
4641-733: The Spring Branch Independent School District . Spring Valley Village is zoned to Bear Boulevard School in Spring Valley Village, Valley Oaks Elementary School in Spring Branch , Houston , Spring Branch Middle School in Hedwig Village , and Memorial High School in Hedwig Village. Spring Branch School of Choice is located in Spring Valley Village. Spring Branch ISD (and therefore Spring Valley Village)
4760-531: The U.S. Naval Academy in 1958 and received a commission in the U.S. Navy. McCain became a naval aviator and flew ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers . During the Vietnam War , he almost died in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire . While on a bombing mission during Operation Rolling Thunder over Hanoi in October 1967, McCain was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese . He
4879-660: The USS ; Oriskany , another carrier employed in Operation Rolling Thunder. There, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star Medal for missions flown over North Vietnam. McCain was taken prisoner of war on October 26, 1967. He was flying his 23rd bombing mission over North Vietnam when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a missile over Hanoi . McCain fractured both arms and
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4998-423: The commissioners' court . Each Texas county has four precinct commissioners and a county judge. Although this body is called a court, it conducts the general business of the county and oversees financial matters. The commissioners court may hire personnel to run major departments, such as health and human services. Besides the county judge and commissioners, the other elective offices found in most counties include
5117-456: The 18th century. Spaniards attempted to establish a fort in the area around the same time, but did not persist for long. The first recorded European settlers in Harris County arrived in 1822. Their schooner sailed into Galveston Bay and ran aground on the Red Fish Bar. Some of those passengers traveled further up the bay system, but it is not known whether they settled up Buffalo Bayou or
5236-510: The 21st century, the facility received another major renovation. Completed in 2011, the $ 50 million, eight-year project was designed to restore notable historic aspects of the courthouse while providing for contemporary communication and building needs. The Texas First Court of Appeals and the Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals , since September 3, 2010, are located in the 1910 Harris County courthouse. Previously they were located on
5355-528: The 7th congressional district is represented by a Democrat , Lizzie Pannill Fletcher . Harris Health System (formerly Harris County Hospital District) designated Northwest Health Center for ZIP code 77055. The nearest public hospital is Ben Taub General Hospital in the Texas Medical Center . The Village Fire Department serves all of the Memorial Villages. Spring Valley Village is served by
5474-702: The American Community Survey estimated the population of Spring Valley Village was 4,319. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 4,229 people, 1,394 households, and 1,242 families residing in the city. At the census of 2010, there were 3,715 people, 1,368 households, and 1,099 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city by population was 3,445 White , 218 Asian , 36 African American , 16 Native American , 1 Pacific Islander , 43 from other races , and 11 from two or more races, and 286 Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 1,368 households, out of which 476 had children under
5593-642: The Harris County Cemetery on Oates Road in Houston, which previously had housing for elderly people. It has 18 acres (7.3 ha) of land. It was established in 1921 on property taken from police officers who had acted corruptly. The county paid $ 80,000 for 100 acres (40 ha) of land, then put in the Harris County Home For the Aged, a poor farm for elderly people of all races which had a capacity of 100;
5712-468: The Harris County Judge. The State of Texas Legislature passed a law, SB 1750, that asks for the position to be abolished effective September 2023, as the law states that any county with at least 3,500,000 persons should have elections done by the clerk and tax assessor-collector; of all Texas counties, only Harris would be affected. This was done following failings in the 2022 election, as confirmed by
5831-619: The Houston Area Asian Survey of the Kinder Institute of Urban Research Houston Area Survey stated that between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population in Harris County increased by 76%; between 2000 and 2010, it increased by 45%. Economically, Harris County along with other Texas counties has one of the nation's highest property tax rates. In 2007, the county was ranked in the top 25 at 22nd in the nation for property taxes as percentage of
5950-555: The Navy as a captain on April 1, 1981. He was designated as disabled and awarded a disability pension . Upon leaving the military, he moved to Arizona. His numerous military decorations and awards include: the Silver Star , two Legion of Merits , Distinguished Flying Cross , three Bronze Star Medals, two Purple Hearts , two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals , and the Prisoner of War Medal . McCain set his sights on becoming
6069-508: The Navy's liaison to the U.S. Senate beginning in 1977. In retrospect, he said that this represented his "real entry into the world of politics, and the beginning of my second career as a public servant." His key behind-the-scenes role gained congressional financing for a new supercarrier against the wishes of the Carter administration . In April 1979, McCain met Cindy Lou Hensley , a teacher from Phoenix, Arizona , whose father had founded
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#17328917449786188-470: The Navy. My father was in the Navy. My grandfather was in the Navy. We in the military service tend to move a lot. We have to live in all parts of the country, all parts of the world. I wish I could have had the luxury, like you, of growing up and living and spending my entire life in a nice place like the First District of Arizona, but I was doing other things. As a matter of fact, when I think about it now,
6307-522: The North Vietnamese a propaganda victory. From late 1969, treatment of McCain and many of the other POWs became more tolerable, while McCain continued to resist the camp authorities. McCain and other prisoners cheered the U.S. "Christmas Bombing" campaign of December 1972, viewing it as a forceful measure to push North Vietnam to terms. McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and
6426-579: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as the highest performing housing authority in the region and was named one of America's 10 best Public Housing Authorities. Guy R. Rankin , IV is chief executive officer of Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA). The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates some correctional facilities in Harris County, including: As of 2001, Kegans and Lychner serves male state jail offenders from Harris County, with Kegans getting lower-risk offenders and Lychner getting higher-risk and special-needs offenders. If both of
6545-589: The U.S. from a Bangladeshi orphanage run by Mother Teresa . The McCains decided to adopt her and named her Bridget. McCain's Senate career began in January 1987, after he defeated his Democratic opponent, former state legislator Richard Kimball , by 20 percentage points in the 1986 election. McCain succeeded Arizona native, conservative icon, and the 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater upon Goldwater's retirement as U.S. senator from Arizona for 30 years. In January 1988, McCain voted in favor of
6664-595: The United States and in the Pacific. As a result, the younger McCain attended a total of about 20 schools. In 1951, the family settled in Northern Virginia , and McCain attended Episcopal High School , a private preparatory boarding school in Alexandria . He excelled at wrestling and graduated in 1954. He referred to himself as an Episcopalian as recently as June 2007, after which date he said he came to identify as
6783-421: The United States, behind only Cook County, Illinois . Harris also has the second largest Hispanic population in the nation, behind only Los Angeles County, California . As of the 2010 census , there were 4,092,459 people, 1,435,087 households, and _ families resided in the county. The population density was 2,402.4 inhabitants per square mile (927.6/km ). There were 1,598,613 housing units. The racial makeup of
6902-487: The United States. The county was founded in 1836 and organized in 1837. It is named for John Richardson Harris , who founded the town of Harrisburg on Buffalo Bayou in 1826. According to the July 2023 census estimate, Harris County's population has shifted to 4,835,125 comprising over 16% of Texas's population. Harris County is included in the nine-county Houston–The Woodlands–Sugar Land metropolitan statistical area , which
7021-588: The Vietnam War. The committee's unanimous report stated there was "no compelling evidence that proves that any American remains alive in captivity in Southeast Asia." Helped by McCain's efforts, in 1995 the U.S. normalized diplomatic relations with Vietnam. McCain was vilified by some POW/MIA activists who, despite the committee's unanimous report, believed many Americans were still held against their will in Southeast Asia. From January 1993 until his death, McCain
7140-423: The Vince brothers. Nicolas Clopper arrived in the Galveston Bay area from Ohio in the 1820s. He attempted to develop Buffalo Bayou as a trading conduit for the Brazos River valley. He acquired land at Morgan's Point in 1826. John Richardson Harris (1790–1829), for whom the county was later named, arrived in 1824. Harris had moved his family to Sainte Genevieve, Missouri Territory, where they had been residing until
7259-425: The age of 18 and 469 who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. As of 2023 the mayor of Spring Valley Village is Marcus Vajdos. Allen Carpenter, Bo Bothe, David Dominy, Joy McCormack and Steve Bass currently serve as members of the city council. Spring Valley Village Police Department is a 24-hour police organization that provides police services to the City of Spring Valley Village. As of 2016
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#17328917449787378-403: The age of 18 living with them, 964 were married couples living together, 100 had a female householder with no husband present, and 269 were non-families. 243 households were made up of individuals, and 126 had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.09. In the city, the population was spread out, with 2,671 over
7497-495: The area and operated a ferry. In 1824, the land empresario, Stephen F. Austin convened at the house of William Scott for the purpose of conveying titles for Mexican headrights. He was joined by the land commissioner, Baron von Bastrop, and Austin's secretary, Samuel May Williams . About thirty families gained legal titles to land in what would later be known as Harris County. A few immigrants settled on Buffalo Bayou in these early years, including Moses Callahan, Ezekial Thomas, and
7616-425: The area known today as the Memorial Villages) failed. The city incorporated in 1955 as Spring Valley. There had been two elections for incorporation. The first result was against incorporation, and state law mandated that the next election for incorporation of the same boundary would have to be held at least one year later. Some advocates of incorporation convinced Robert R. Casey , then a Harris county judge, to modify
7735-413: The boundary of the proposed area by removing the Campbell Place area and therefore many voters who opposed incorporating. The following election, held on April 9, 1955, was in favor of incorporation, 183 for and 165 against. Because of the 1955 incorporation, Houston did not incorporate Spring Valley's territory into its city limits, while Houston annexed surrounding areas that were unincorporated . In 1960
7854-422: The brutality of American politics". A variety of interest groups, which McCain had challenged in the past, ran negative ads. Bush borrowed McCain's earlier language of reform, and declined to dissociate himself from a veterans activist who accused McCain (in Bush's presence) of having "abandoned the veterans" on POW/MIA and Agent Orange issues. Incensed, McCain ran ads accusing Bush of lying and comparing
7973-407: The campus of the South Texas College of Law . The Harris County Jail Complex of the Harris County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is the largest in Texas, and one of the largest in the nation. In July 2012, the facility held 9,113 prisoners. To handle overcrowding in the facility, the county had to ship inmates to other counties and some are housed out of the state. The county has a potter's field ,
8092-446: The city had 3,004 residents and two businesses. The city had 3,800 residents in 1976 and 3,392 residents in 1990. In 2007, the name of the city was officially changed from Spring Valley to Spring Valley Village. Regardless of the name change, all postal addresses in Spring Valley Village are Houston-based. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km), all land. In 2019,
8211-412: The corrupting influence of large political contributions—from corporations, labor unions, other organizations, and wealthy individuals—and he made this his signature issue. Starting in 1994, he worked with Democratic Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform ; their McCain–Feingold bill attempted to put limits on " soft money ". The efforts of McCain and Feingold were opposed by some of
8330-883: The county aged five and older spoke English only, while 44.4% spoke another language at home, alone or together with English; Spanish remained the second most spoken language (35%). In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Harris County was the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston–Houston , with 1,947,223 Catholics worshiping at 109 parishes, followed by 579,759 Southern Baptists with 811 congregations, 348,461 non-denominational Christian adherents with 577 congregations, 182,624 United Methodists with 124 congregations, an estimated 117,148 Muslims with 47 congregations, 44,472 LDS Mormons with 77 congregations, 39,041 Episcopalians with 43 congregations, 34,957 PC-USA Presbyterians with 49 congregations, 33,525 Churches of Christ Christians with 124 congregations, and 30,521 LCMS Lutherans with 46 congregations. Altogether, 58.4% of
8449-520: The county attorney, county and district clerks, county treasurer, sheriff, tax assessor-collector, justices of the peace, and constables. As a part of the checks and balances system, counties have an auditor appointed by the district courts. Harris County was one of the earliest areas of Texas to turn Republican. It voted Republican in all but one presidential election from 1952 to 2004, the lone break coming when native Texan Lyndon Johnson carried it in his 44-state landslide in 1964. In 2008, Barack Obama
8568-411: The county during the 2018 elections, as it did nationwide. In 2020, Joe Biden improved Clinton's performance by two points while Donald Trump only increased his vote share by one point. Though it has shifted towards Democrats in recent years, Harris County has nevertheless voted to the right of Dallas , Travis , Bexar , and El Paso , each of which has a smaller population. In 2013, Allen Turner of
8687-556: The county was 58.3% White , 18.8% African American , 0.6% Native American , 6.7% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 12.9% from Some Other Races and 2.6% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.8% of the population. As of the 2000 census , there were 3,400,578 people, 1,205,516 households, and 834,217 families resided in the county. The population density was 1,967.0 inhabitants per square mile (759.5/km ). There were 1,298,130 housing units at an average density of 751 per square mile (290/km²). The racial makeup of
8806-409: The county was 58.73% White , 18.49% African American , 0.45% Native American , 5.14% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 14.18% from Some Other Races , and 2.96% from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 32.93% of the population. Of the 1,205,516 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 13.7% had
8925-408: The county were Spanish or Spanish Creole (1,106,883 speakers), Vietnamese (53,311), Chinese (33,003), French including Louisiana French and Patois (33,003), and Urdu (14,595). Among these groups, 46% of Spanish speakers, 37% of Vietnamese speakers, 50% of Chinese speakers, 85% of French speakers, and 72% of Urdu speakers said that they spoke English at least "very well". In 2020, 55.6% of
9044-496: The county), and the 701 Jail (formed from existing warehouse storage space) are on the same site. The Community Services Department provides community services. The department maintains the 20 acres (8.1 ha) Oates Road Cemetery (also known as the Harris County Cemetery) for indigents in eastern Houston , near the former Southern Bible College . In March 2010, the county adopted a cremation first policy, meaning that
9163-458: The county. The Harris County Sheriff's Office operates jail facilities and is the primary provider of law enforcement services to the unincorporated areas of the county. The sheriff is the conservator of the peace in the county. The Harris County jail facilities are in northern downtown on the north side of the Buffalo Bayou. The 1200 Jail, the 1307 Jail, (originally a TDCJ facility, leased by
9282-742: The county. They include: the Harris County Sheriff's Office , the Harris County Constable Office, the Houston Police Department , METRO Police Department , other municipal police departments, and school district police departments. The combined yearly sum spent by these agencies circa 2018 was $ 1.6 billion. That year the Rice University Kinder Institute for Urban Research released a report advocating for consolidating several of these agencies as
9401-584: The default preference for most indigents is to have them cremated instead of buried. As of 2010, the county authorized the Community Services Department to purchase about 50 acres (20 ha) of land in the Huffman area so the county will have additional spaces for indigent burials. The Harris County Housing Authority (HCHA) is a governmental nonprofit corporation which addresses the need for quality affordable housing. The HCHA has been recognized by
9520-734: The defeated Republican district court judges were later re-appointed to vacant District Court benches by Governor Rick Perry. In 2018, Democrats swept the court capturing all 59 seats on the civil, criminal, family, juvenile and probate courts. The Kinder Institute's Houston Survey in 2018 found that from 2014 through 2018 the number of Houston residents who supported adoption of children by same-sex couples climbed above 50% and remained there, while in 2017 over 56% of residents reported gay or lesbian persons among their circle of close personal friends. A 2013 opinion poll had found that 46% of Harris County residents supported same-sex marriage, up from 37% in 2001. Just above 82% favored offering illegal immigrants
9639-629: The department employs 32 persons: 26 sworn Texas Peace Officers and 6 Telecommunication Officers. The City of Spring Valley Village was recognized as the safest city in Harris County 2019, (per Houston Chronicle survey). The Police Department was recognized by the Texas Police Chiefs Association as a recognized agency in early 2020. Spring Valley Village is located in District 133 of the Texas House of Representatives . Jim Murphy represents
9758-685: The district. Spring Valley Village is within District 17 of the Texas Senate , which is currently represented by Joan Huffman . Spring Valley Village is in Texas's 7th congressional district ; in 2008, the publication Human Events identified ZIP code 77024 as the ZIP code that gave the eighth largest contribution to John McCain 's 2008 US presidential election campaign. The SIP code, which includes Hedwig Village , gave $ 540,309 by October 24, 2008. As of 2019, however,
9877-635: The early 1820s. Harris was granted a league of land (about 4,428 acres) at Buffalo Bayou. He platted the town of Harrisburg in 1826, while he established a trading post and a grist mill there. He ran boats transporting goods between New Orleans and Harrisburg until his death in the fall of 1829. The First Congress of the Republic of Texas established Harrisburg County on December 22, 1836. The original county boundaries included Galveston Island, but were redrawn to its current configuration in May 1838. The area has had
9996-450: The governor to Bill Clinton , which Bush said was "about as low a blow as you can give in a Republican primary". An anonymous smear campaign began against McCain, delivered by push polls , faxes, e-mails, flyers, and audience plants . The smears claimed that McCain had fathered a black child out of wedlock (the McCains' dark-skinned daughter was adopted from Bangladesh), that his wife Cindy
10115-531: The homes value on owner-occupied housing; the list only includes counties with a population over 65,000 for comparability. Additionally, Harris County residents had a median household income of $ 63,022 with a mean income of $ 93,184. Families had a median income of $ 73,274 and mean of $ 105,534; married-couple families $ 93,961 with a mean of $ 128,211; and non-family households a median of $ 43,488 and mean of $ 62,435. In 2000, 1,961,993 residents of Harris County spoke English only. The five most spoken foreign languages in
10234-535: The investigation initiated by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg 's office. In August 2023, Karin Crump, the presiding judge of the 250th civil district court of Travis County, stated that this went against the Texas Constitution , citing how the law only affected one county. Crump's ruling was overturned by the Texas Supreme Court. The Harris County Flood Control District manages the effects of flooding in
10353-549: The least notion of what it took to win the war." On July 29, 1967, McCain was a lieutenant commander when he was near the center of the USS Forrestal fire . He escaped from his burning jet and was trying to help another pilot escape when a bomb exploded; McCain was struck in the legs and chest by fragments. The ensuing fire killed 134 sailors. With the Forrestal out of commission, McCain volunteered for assignment with
10472-736: The male state jails in Harris County are full, excess offenders go to the Gist Unit in Jefferson County . Female state jail offenders from Harris County go to the Plane Unit in Liberty County . The South Texas Intermediate Sanction Facility Unit, a parole confinement facility for males operated by Global Expertise in Outsourcing , is in downtown Houston, west of Minute Maid Park . As of 2018 there are over 60 law enforcement agencies operating in
10591-620: The mayors and confirmed by city councils of their respective cities. Many of the organs of the Harris County government reside in the Harris County Campus in Downtown Houston . In 2000, the largest employers in Harris County were Administaff , Compaq , Continental Airlines , Memorial Hermann Healthcare System , and Southwestern Bell . John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018)
10710-428: The moneyed interests targeted, by incumbents in both parties, by those who felt spending limits impinged on free political speech and might be unconstitutional as well, and by those who wanted to counterbalance the power of what they saw as media bias . Despite sympathetic coverage in the media, initial versions of the McCain–Feingold Act were filibustered and never came to a vote. The term " maverick Republican"
10829-676: The outskirts of Hanoi. In December 1967, McCain was placed in a cell with two other Americans, who did not expect him to live more than a week. In March 1968, McCain was placed in solitary confinement , where he remained for two years. In mid-1968, his father John S. McCain Jr. was named commander of all U.S. forces in the Vietnam theater, and the North Vietnamese offered McCain early release because they wanted to appear merciful for propaganda purposes, and also to show other POWs that elite prisoners were willing to be treated preferentially. McCain refused repatriation unless every man taken in before him
10948-414: The place I lived longest in my life was Hanoi. McCain won a highly contested primary election with the assistance of local political endorsements, his Washington connections, and money that his wife lent to his campaign. He then easily won the general election in the heavily Republican district. In 1983, McCain was elected to lead the incoming group of Republican representatives, and was assigned to
11067-522: The political and financial support of most of the party establishment, whereas McCain was supported by many moderate Republicans and some conservative Republicans. McCain focused on the New Hampshire primary , where his message appealed to independents. He traveled on a campaign bus called the Straight Talk Express. He held many town hall meetings , answering every question voters asked, in
11186-524: The poor farm opened in 1922. Around that time, the county cemetery was also established there. The Harris County Commissioners closed the poor farm in August 1958. In 2014, no more burials were allowed to occur at the Oates Road facility due to overcapacity. By 2013 the county was building a second potter's field due to overcapacity at the first. Harris County Eastgate Cemetery had started operations in 2014. It
11305-474: The population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, the county had 1,607 religious organizations, the third most out of all U.S. counties. County governments serve as agents of the state, with responsibilities defined in the Texas Constitution. Counties are governed by
11424-463: The population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over. Overall, Harris County's population has recorded positive growth since the 1850 census tabulated-population of 4,668. Among the county population, once predominantly non-Hispanic white , the largest racial or ethnic group has become Hispanic or Latino Americans (43.01%) as of 2020. Following, non-Hispanic whites declined to 27.68% of
11543-450: The population. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 6.7% were under 5 years of age, and 12.1% were 65 and older. With a poverty rate of 15.6% as of 2020, Children At Risk —a local nonprofit research organization—estimated 21% of the Harris County children lived in poverty, 6.5 per 1,000 die before age one, and 38% drop out of high school as of 2007. As of 2023, Harris County had the second largest population of Black Americans in
11662-405: The population; Black or African Americans were 18.72% of the area population, and Asian Americans made up 7.29% of the county; multiracial Americans increased to 2.57%, American Indians and Alaska Natives declined to 0.18%, and Pacific Islanders grew to 0.07% of the population. Having a large and growing Asian American community alongside Hispanics and Latinos and Black and African American,
11781-545: The powerful Senate Commerce Committee; he was criticized for accepting funds from corporations and businesses under the committee's purview, but in response said the small contributions he received were not part of the big-money nature of the campaign finance problem. McCain took on the tobacco industry in 1998, proposing legislation to increase cigarette taxes to fund anti-smoking campaigns, discourage teenage smokers, increase money for health research studies, and help states pay for smoking-related health care costs. Supported by
11900-405: The race for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination , but lost a heated primary season contest to George W. Bush . He secured the 2008 Republican presidential nomination , beating fellow candidates Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee , though he lost the general election to Barack Obama . McCain subsequently adopted more orthodox conservative stances and attitudes and largely opposed actions of
12019-419: The rules. "He collected demerits the way some people collect stamps." His class rank (894 of 899) was not indicative of his intelligence nor his IQ , which had been tested to be 128 and 133. McCain graduated in 1958. McCain began his early military career when he was commissioned as an ensign , and started two and a half years of training at Pensacola to become a naval aviator. While there, he earned
12138-704: The troops too late; in the interim, the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing killed hundreds. McCain won re-election to the House easily in 1984, and gained a spot on the House Foreign Affairs Committee . In 1985, he made his first return trip to Vietnam, and also traveled to Chile where he met with its military junta ruler, General Augusto Pinochet . In 1984, McCain and Cindy had their first child, daughter Meghan , followed two years later by son John IV and in 1988 by son James. In 1991, Cindy brought an abandoned three-month-old girl needing medical treatment to
12257-547: The vote to Bush's 30 percent. The Bush campaign and the Republican establishment feared that a McCain victory in the crucial South Carolina primary might give his campaign unstoppable momentum. The Arizona Republic wrote that the McCain–Bush primary contest in South Carolina "has entered national political lore as a low-water mark in presidential campaigns", while The New York Times called it "a painful symbol of
12376-430: Was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 42,598, and the median income for a family was $ 49,004. Males had a median income of $ 37,361 versus $ 28,941 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 21,435. About 12.10% of families and 14.97% of
12495-654: Was Chairman of the International Republican Institute , an organization that supports the emergence of political democracy worldwide. In 1993 and 1994, McCain voted to confirm President Clinton's nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court , Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer , whom he considered qualified. He later explained that "under our Constitution, it is the president's call to make." McCain had also voted to confirm nominees of presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, including Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas . McCain attacked what he saw as
12614-506: Was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture and refused an out-of-sequence early release . He sustained wounds that left him with lifelong physical disabilities. McCain retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona. In 1982, McCain was elected to the House of Representatives, where he served two terms. Four years later, he was elected to the Senate, where he served six terms. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain also gained
12733-674: Was active on Indian Affairs bills. He supported most aspects of the foreign policy of the Reagan administration , including its hardline stance against the Soviet Union and policy towards Central American conflicts , such as backing the Contras in Nicaragua. McCain opposed keeping U.S. Marines deployed in Lebanon , citing unattainable objectives, and subsequently criticized President Reagan for pulling out
12852-486: Was again on the short list of possible vice-presidential picks, this time for Republican nominee Bob Dole . While Dole instead selected Jack Kemp , he chose McCain to deliver the nominating speech for him in the presidential roll call vote at the 1996 Republican National Convention . The following year, Time magazine named McCain as one of the "25 Most Influential People in America". In 1997, McCain became chairman of
12971-523: Was also released. Such early release was prohibited by the POWs' interpretation of the military Code of Conduct , which states in Article III: "I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy." To prevent the enemy from using prisoners for propaganda, officers were to agree to be released in the order in which they were captured. Beginning in August 1968, McCain was subjected to severe torture. He
13090-463: Was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a U.S. senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and was the Republican Party 's nominee in the 2008 U.S. presidential election . McCain was a son of Admiral John S. McCain Jr. and grandson of Admiral John S. McCain Sr. He graduated from
13209-858: Was bound and beaten every two hours, and he was suffering from heat exhaustion and dysentery . Further injuries brought McCain to "the point of suicide", but his preparations were interrupted by guards. Eventually, McCain made an anti-U.S. propaganda "confession". He had always felt that his statement was dishonorable, but as he later wrote: "I had learned what we all learned over there: every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine." Many U.S. POWs were tortured and maltreated to extract "confessions" and propaganda statements; virtually all eventually yielded something. McCain received two to three beatings weekly because of his continued refusal to sign additional statements. McCain refused to meet various anti-war groups seeking peace in Hanoi, wanting to give neither them nor
13328-587: Was frequently applied to McCain, and he also used it himself. In 1993, McCain opposed military operations in Somalia . Another target of his was pork barrel spending by Congress, and he actively supported the Line Item Veto Act of 1996 , which gave the president power to veto individual spending items but was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1998. In the 1996 presidential election , McCain
13447-401: Was given medical care only when the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was an admiral. His status as a prisoner of war (POW) made the front pages of major American newspapers. McCain spent six weeks in the hospital, where he received marginal care. He had lost 50 pounds (23 kg), he was in a chest cast, and his gray hair had turned white. McCain was sent to a different camp on
13566-425: Was one of the five senators whom Keating contacted to prevent the government's seizure of Lincoln, and McCain met twice with federal regulators to discuss the government's investigation of Lincoln. In 1999, McCain said: "The appearance of it was wrong. It's a wrong appearance when a group of senators appear in a meeting with a group of regulators, because it conveys the impression of undue and improper influence. And it
13685-546: Was published; a reviewer observed that its appearance "seems to have been timed to the unfolding Presidential campaign." The most successful of his writings, it received positive reviews, became a bestseller, and was later made into a TV film . The book traces McCain's family background and childhood, covers his time at Annapolis and his service before and during the Vietnam War, concluding with his release from captivity in 1973. According to one reviewer, it describes "the kind of challenges that most of us can barely imagine. It's
13804-459: Was reinstated. In 1976, he became Commanding Officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida. He improved the unit's flight readiness and safety records, and won the squadron its first-ever Meritorious Unit Commendation . During this period in Florida, he had extramarital affairs, and his marriage began to falter, about which he later stated: "The blame was entirely mine". McCain served as
13923-466: Was the first Democrat to win the county since Texas native Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The city of Houston itself holds one of the highest concentrations of Democratic voters in the state, while suburban areas such as Cypress , Spring , and Katy in the county's western and northern areas, tend to be strongly Republican. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won the county by the largest margin for a Democrat since 1964. The Democratic Party performed very strongly in
14042-605: Was the wrong thing to do." In the end, McCain was cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee of acting improperly or violating any law or Senate rule, but was mildly rebuked for exercising "poor judgment". In his 1992 re-election bid, the Keating Five affair was not a major issue, and he won handily, gaining 56 percent of the vote to defeat Democratic community and civil rights activist Claire Sargent and independent former governor, Evan Mecham . McCain developed
14161-530: Was then four inches shorter, in a wheelchair or on crutches, and substantially heavier than when he had last seen her. As a returned POW, he became a celebrity of sorts. McCain underwent treatment for his injuries that included months of physical therapy . He attended the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C., during 1973–1974. He was rehabilitated by late 1974, and his flight status
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