Penelope Rivera
Tarrant County Accountability ReporterPenelope Rivera is KERA’s Tarrant County accountability reporter. She joined the newsroom in 2024 as an intern before becoming a full-time breaking news reporter. In 2025, she received a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her continuous coverage of North Texas church scandals. Penelope was born and raised in Fort Worth.
In her free time, she enjoys painting, creative writing and trying new local restaurants and coffee shops.
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Tarrant County paid Recana Recruiting and Staffing Solutions about $2.3 million seven months of its early terminated two-year contract. -
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Tuesday heard oral arguments on whether Tarrant County and several detention officers should be added back to Anthony Johnson Jr.’s wrongful death lawsuit. They were dismissed from the suit last year. -
Commissioners vote on whether to close the proposed sites during their 10 a.m. meeting Aug. 4. -
The lawsuit, which claimed Gateway Church mishandled millions of dollars in church donations, was dismissed last month. The former church members who filed the suit are asking that decision to be appealed, according to a July 17 court filing. -
Tarrant County commissioners approved the new policy in a 3-1 vote during Tuesday's meeting. -
Dozens of community members protested Tuesday before the Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting and spoke out during public comment. -
Victor Runnels, 61, was arrested June 11 on a parole violation, according to court records. -
Kailey Muir shared details of her termination in an interview with KERA News. -
Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn, Judge Tim O'Hare and Commissioner Manny Ramirez celebrated the newly renovated facility at a blue ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday. -
The lawsuit was filed in October 2024 and claimed Gateway Church and founding pastor Robert Morris misused up to $15 million in tithes. -
Police in Fort Worth have received nearly 1,700 calls to the Super Inn 7 and Delux Inn since 2024 over different criminal complaints, Tarrant County District Phil Sorrells said Tuesday. -
The three county jail deaths have occurred over the span of four days. County Commissioner Alisa Simmons was joined by family at a press conference Friday who demanded details surrounding their son’s death.
