INSIDER
A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissions
Read full article: A West Texas lawmaker wants to redirect millions of tax dollars to plug abandoned wells, curb emissionsThe proposal comes after the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency said it needs more money to plug wells that are in some instances erupting.
Texas’ uneven population boom is creating ghost towns in many rural counties
Read full article: Texas’ uneven population boom is creating ghost towns in many rural countiesLocal leaders and rural revitalization experts say Texas’ smallest towns can survive — despite a shift to urban and suburban counties — but it will take investments.
Cal Hendrick wins Odessa mayor’s race, beating incumbent who focused on faith
Read full article: Cal Hendrick wins Odessa mayor’s race, beating incumbent who focused on faithOdessa City Council critics have worried Joven and his allies have focused too much on social issues and not enough on infrastructure.
Republican Christi Craddick reelected to Railroad Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency
Read full article: Republican Christi Craddick reelected to Railroad Commission, the state’s oil and gas regulatory agencyThe three-member board oversees Texas’ oil and gas industry. The agency has faced criticism over safety concerns linked to fracking, well blowouts and groundwater protection.
State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowouts
Read full article: State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowoutsAbandoned wells in the Permian Basin are increasingly erupting with briney, polluted water. The Texas Railroad Commission says it needs emergency money to respond.
Terlingua’s tourist season has started. Here’s why and how you can help conserve water on your visit.
Read full article: Terlingua’s tourist season has started. Here’s why and how you can help conserve water on your visit.It’s unclear how much water resides underneath this booming West Texas tourist haven. That makes conservation critical.
A West Texas pecan farm fights to save its water supply as neighbors sell it to growing cities
Read full article: A West Texas pecan farm fights to save its water supply as neighbors sell it to growing citiesA yearslong dispute over exporting water to growing Texas cities offers a hint at the battles to come as the state’s population booms and water supply dwindles.
Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National Park
Read full article: Texas buys two ranches near the border, including a huge property next to Big Bend National ParkA Starr County property was purchased to build border wall, while Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said the state has many options for a sprawling ranch in West Texas.
From Denton to Edinburg, Texas cities are spooking their residents and tourists this Halloween
Read full article: From Denton to Edinburg, Texas cities are spooking their residents and tourists this HalloweenDenton has renamed itself Halloween, Texas, and has planned 31 days of events to drive up tourism and family entertainment.
“More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominance
Read full article: “More than our wombs”: Women in conservative Texas cities mobilizing to end GOP dominanceDemocrats in Lubbock and Amarillo hope Kamala Harris’ candidacy and a backlash to abortion laws will help make their long-held vision of a blue wave a reality.
Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water system
Read full article: Laredo enters its sixth day of a boil-water notice after E. coli is discovered in water systemThe South Texas city is the latest to grapple with aging water infrastructure, which officials suggested could have been the cause for the E. coli outbreak.
“Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggs
Read full article: “Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggsExperts warn that more blowouts should be expected unless oil and gas companies change their methods.
West Texans split on proposed direct air capture project that could be largest in U.S.
Read full article: West Texans split on proposed direct air capture project that could be largest in U.S.Residents were worried about the impact on their drinking water while business leaders were excited for the new jobs.
Supreme Court steps into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste in rural Texas and New Mexico
Read full article: Supreme Court steps into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste in rural Texas and New MexicoThe Supreme Court has agreed to step into a fight over plans to store nuclear waste at sites in rural Texas and New Mexico.
Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing Texas lizard as endangered
Read full article: Ken Paxton sues Biden administration over listing Texas lizard as endangeredThe lawsuit claims federal regulators have undermined the Texas oil and gas industry by misusing environmental law, negatively impacting drilling and production.
Texas prisons and jails are recruiting more teenagers to shore up guard shortage
Read full article: Texas prisons and jails are recruiting more teenagers to shore up guard shortageTwo counties house training programs in local high schools as officials pitch corrections jobs as gateways to criminal justice careers.
Texas’ battle against deer disease threatens breeding industry
Read full article: Texas’ battle against deer disease threatens breeding industryTexas has seen a record number of chronic wasting disease cases this year. The state is looking for new ways to contain the spread without driving deer breeders out of business.
Odessa’s mayor ran to help the West Texas city “repent.” Now he wants a second term.
Read full article: Odessa’s mayor ran to help the West Texas city “repent.” Now he wants a second term.Under Javier Joven’s leadership, his critics say, the Odessa City Council has lost focus on municipal issues like roads and water infrastructure.
The oil industry is booming. This West Texas small business worries it’s been left behind.
Read full article: The oil industry is booming. This West Texas small business worries it’s been left behind.Before the pandemic, Ben Bilbrey worked with some of the largest oil companies. Now he’s waiting for the phone to ring.
A West Texas ranch and resort will limit water to residents amid fears its wells will run dry
Read full article: A West Texas ranch and resort will limit water to residents amid fears its wells will run dryResidents at the sprawling Terlingua Ranch near Big Bend National Park will limit residents to 1,000 gallons of nondrinking water per month.
Texas’ overcrowded and understaffed jails send people awaiting trial to other counties and states
Read full article: Texas’ overcrowded and understaffed jails send people awaiting trial to other counties and statesLimits on who can be released without paying bail and difficulties hiring guards worsen the situation.
After six years, a Texas town’s boil-water notice has been lifted, but residents are still concerned
Read full article: After six years, a Texas town’s boil-water notice has been lifted, but residents are still concernedThe town’s troubles started in 2018, when its water tested positive for the dangerous E.coli bacteria.
Rising costs and stagnant state funds pushed this West Texas school district to the financial brink
Read full article: Rising costs and stagnant state funds pushed this West Texas school district to the financial brinkThe Ector County school district boosted student learning but now faces financial uncertainty. It closed schools and cut costs to stay afloat, but it won’t slash teacher jobs.
At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to build
Read full article: At half a mile a week, Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall will take around 30 years and $20 billion to buildThe state has built about 34 miles of wall spread out across at least six counties on Texas’ 1,254-mile border with Mexico.
Truckers hope protest over unpaid hours and lack of restrooms will spark a Permian Basin labor movement
Read full article: Truckers hope protest over unpaid hours and lack of restrooms will spark a Permian Basin labor movementTruckers say they can wait up to 18 hours without pay to load or unload fracking sand. The drilling sites often lack restrooms.
Texas Ethics Commission will require influencers to disclose when they’re paid for advertisement
Read full article: Texas Ethics Commission will require influencers to disclose when they’re paid for advertisementThe action comes after The Texas Tribune reported that influencers were being paid to defend impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Speakers pull out of prominent activist group’s pro-Christian nationalist conference
Read full article: Speakers pull out of prominent activist group’s pro-Christian nationalist conferenceThe venue also canceled, but Fort Worth city officials demanded it still host the event. True Texas Project blamed public backlash on “woke attacks.”
Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trend
Read full article: Water is bursting from another abandoned West Texas oil well, continuing a troubling trendPecos County rancher Schuyler Wight says the Railroad Commission continues to plug wells. But each time they do, another one starts flowing.
Weeklong heat wave loosens grip slightly on US Southwest but forecasters still urge caution
Read full article: Weeklong heat wave loosens grip slightly on US Southwest but forecasters still urge cautionThe weeklong heat wave that baked most of the U.S. Southwest in temperatures well into triple digits is on its last legs, but forecasters are still urging people to be cautious.
Unchecked growth around Big Bend sparks debate over water — a prelude for Texas
Read full article: Unchecked growth around Big Bend sparks debate over water — a prelude for TexasNo one knows how much water sits beneath the desert of Terlingua. Residents worry their wells will run dry, as developers and local officials cheer the tourism boom.
“Why now?”: Biden’s new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in Texas
Read full article: “Why now?”: Biden’s new immigration policy to limit asylum seekers faces quick criticism in TexasPresident Joe Biden’s new executive order, unveiled Tuesday, will restrict the number of asylum seekers allowed to cross the border when crossings reach a certain level.
How Texas Speaker Dade Phelan turned the tide to keep his seat
Read full article: How Texas Speaker Dade Phelan turned the tide to keep his seatAfter coming in second in the primary, Phelan was at a disadvantage heading into the runoff. With record breaking cash infusions, Phelan blanketed airwaves and hired an army of campaign staffers.
At Texas GOP convention, Republicans call for spiritual warfare
Read full article: At Texas GOP convention, Republicans call for spiritual warfareAt the three-day convention, delegates moved the needle further to the right, preaching Christian nationalism and approving rules that would give them unprecedented control of elections.
Davis Riley leads Scottie Scheffler by 4 at somber Colonial after the news of player's death
Read full article: Davis Riley leads Scottie Scheffler by 4 at somber Colonial after the news of player's deathDavis Riley has a four-shot lead over hometown favorite and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler going into the final round at Colonial.
AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Texas primary runoffs
Read full article: AP Decision Notes: What to expect in the Texas primary runoffsTexas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are looking to settle political scores within their own party in the upcoming primary runoff elections, in which voters will decide nearly three dozen unresolved races from the state’s March 5 primary.
Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far right
Read full article: Texas’ Republican old guard mobilizes to protect Dade Phelan from the far rightPhelan’s primary has emerged as a last stand for the Republican Party’s business-minded establishment against an insurgency primarily motivated by social and cultural issues.
Under scrutiny from legislators, Texas university leaders attest to how they’re complying with the state’s DEI ban
Read full article: Under scrutiny from legislators, Texas university leaders attest to how they’re complying with the state’s DEI banTuesday’s Texas Senate hearing comes as lawmakers are expected to propose new laws next year to enforce the DEI ban and prevent antisemitism.
Far-right activist Jonathan Stickland starts new group, months after white supremacist scandal
Read full article: Far-right activist Jonathan Stickland starts new group, months after white supremacist scandalThe former lawmaker registered “RaTmasTeR Holdings” along with Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi. The name is a nod to Stickland’s alias as an infamous internet troll.
Amid fears of arsenic in private water wells, Texas A&M is offering low-cost tests in Ector and Midland counties
Read full article: Amid fears of arsenic in private water wells, Texas A&M is offering low-cost tests in Ector and Midland countiesOfficials are worried that there’s arsenic in some of the estimated 13,500 private water wells in Ector and Midland counties.
Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positions
Read full article: Former Texas House speaker says GOP megadonor Tim Dunn told him only Christians should hold leadership positionsStraus, who is Jewish, publicly confirmed the conversation for the first time Thursday. It had previously been reported by Texas Monthly.
Texas wind energy firms need more technicians. Can they drum up student interest without state support?
Read full article: Texas wind energy firms need more technicians. Can they drum up student interest without state support?The wind industry promises attractive salaries. But a lack of training programs and waning political support make it difficult to find new recruits.
In El Paso, apathy, alienation and discontent with candidates drives low voter turnout
Read full article: In El Paso, apathy, alienation and discontent with candidates drives low voter turnoutAcross this border city, which sees some of the state’s lowest voter turnout, many residents either didn’t know there was an election in March or had reasons for avoiding the polls.
Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political posts
Read full article: Texas could require social media influencers to disclose paid political postsThe Tribune reported last year that a company called Influenceable LLC was paid to recruit influencers to defend Attorney General Ken Paxton over his impeachment.
Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on meeting the state’s health care workforce needs
Read full article: Watch a Texas Tribune conversation on meeting the state’s health care workforce needsAt Texas State Technical College in Waco, medical experts discussed how Texas schools are addressing workforce shortages and what else is needed to address our state’s needs.
Small nuclear reactors may be coming to Texas, boosted by interest from Gov. Abbott
Read full article: Small nuclear reactors may be coming to Texas, boosted by interest from Gov. AbbottA nuclear power plant hasn’t been built in Texas in decades because of cost and public fears of a major accident. Now the governor wants to find out if smaller reactors could meet the state’s growing need for on-demand power.
New Mexico regulators worry about US plans to ship radioactive waste back from Texas
Read full article: New Mexico regulators worry about US plans to ship radioactive waste back from TexasTop officials were gathering Tuesday in southern New Mexico to mark the 25th anniversary of the nation’s only underground repository for radioactive waste.
Texas GOP chair candidate tried to confront wife’s alleged lover with a loaded gun, police say
Read full article: Texas GOP chair candidate tried to confront wife’s alleged lover with a loaded gun, police sayAbraham George is running to lead the state party with backing from current Chair Matt Rinaldi, who announced last week he will not seek reelection. He was not arrested or charged.
Texas firefighters completely contain Panhandle inferno that burned more than 1 million acres
Read full article: Texas firefighters completely contain Panhandle inferno that burned more than 1 million acresA series of deadly wildfires have burned for nearly three weeks, destroying farms and ranches in several counties.
Two West Texas infants in the same neighborhood diagnosed with rare botulism
Read full article: Two West Texas infants in the same neighborhood diagnosed with rare botulismA third infant nearby also contracted botulism last August. Local and state health officials said there is no public health emergency.
Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear ethics lawsuit brought by conservative activist Michael Quinn Sullivan
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court refuses to hear ethics lawsuit brought by conservative activist Michael Quinn SullivanIn 2014, and following a two-year investigation, the Texas Ethics Commission fined Sullivan $10,000 for failing to register as a lobbyist.
Amid white supremacist scandal, far-right billionaire powerbrokers see historic election gains in Texas
Read full article: Amid white supremacist scandal, far-right billionaire powerbrokers see historic election gains in TexasAll told, 11 of the 28 House candidates supported by Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks won their primaries outright, and another eight are headed to runoffs this May.
Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recovery
Read full article: Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recoveryRural Texans are more than twice as likely to go without homeowners insurance than their urban peers.
Texas Panhandle wildfires: What you need to know about the blazes, damage and recovery
Read full article: Texas Panhandle wildfires: What you need to know about the blazes, damage and recoveryThe full scope of damage still isn’t known, but some Panhandle residents have returned home. Firefighters continue battling the infernos.
“Nobody really knows what you’re supposed to do”: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West Texas
Read full article: “Nobody really knows what you’re supposed to do”: Leaking, exploding abandoned wells wreak havoc in West TexasThe Texas Railroad Commission is tasked with plugging wells. But the state regulators say their scope is limited.
Texas Tech System receives 6,000 acres in state’s “Big Empty” region for research, learning labs
Read full article: Texas Tech System receives 6,000 acres in state’s “Big Empty” region for research, learning labsThe property is currently an observatory surrounded by open land. System officials say they’ll use it for agricultural research and other opportunities.
Rural Texans, internet providers worry that feds’ broadband expansion plan will have a painfully slow rollout
Read full article: Rural Texans, internet providers worry that feds’ broadband expansion plan will have a painfully slow rolloutA historic $3.3 billion federal investment in broadband could connect millions of Texans to the internet. But getting the money to the right hands could be a challenge.
Texas House candidate Kyle Biedermann blasts expulsion of Bryan Slaton, removed for having sex with a drunk intern
Read full article: Texas House candidate Kyle Biedermann blasts expulsion of Bryan Slaton, removed for having sex with a drunk internIn a statement, Biedermann said the point he was trying to make was that leaders “selectively punish impropriety.”
Texas’ oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulations
Read full article: Texas’ oil and gas production surges even as federal government clamps down on environmental regulationsCrude oil and natural gas extraction in Texas reached record levels in 2023, according to the industry’s annual report.
After Fuentes scandal, Texas billionaires fund new PAC to support conservative candidates
Read full article: After Fuentes scandal, Texas billionaires fund new PAC to support conservative candidatesIn the wake of a scandal tying them to white supremacists, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks started a new PAC to support far-right candidates
Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi backed a group with white supremacist ties — while working for its billionaire funder
Read full article: Texas GOP chair Matt Rinaldi backed a group with white supremacist ties — while working for its billionaire funderFarris Wilks is a key funder of Defend Texas Liberty, the state party’s largest donor, which is under fire for its ties to white supremacists
This West Texas town has a lot of money in the bank. Why can't it pick up its trash?
Read full article: This West Texas town has a lot of money in the bank. Why can't it pick up its trash?Like local leaders in many other towns in West Texas, the Kermit City Council spent years saving its tax revenue fearing the energy economy would crash. Now it is struggling to keep up with essential services like trash and road repair.
Texans grapple with numerous challenges, yet many are actively seeking solutions
Read full article: Texans grapple with numerous challenges, yet many are actively seeking solutionsAcross the state, people are looking for ways to make Texas a better place to live as they tackle hunger, rural “brain drain,” health care obstacles and other impediments.
Tim Dunn, the powerhouse GOP donor, to sell his West Texas oil company for $12 billion
Read full article: Tim Dunn, the powerhouse GOP donor, to sell his West Texas oil company for $12 billionTim Dunn has used his wealth to establish a network of organizations that push his ultraconservative views across Texas. The deal comes amid a time of consolidation in the Permian Basin.
Police fatally shoot man who officers say charged them with knives in West Texas
Read full article: Police fatally shoot man who officers say charged them with knives in West TexasPolice say officers investigating a domestic disturbance fatally shot a man who they say ran at them with knives in West Texas.
Conservative consulting group rebrands with new name after leader met with white supremacist Nick Fuentes
Read full article: Conservative consulting group rebrands with new name after leader met with white supremacist Nick FuentesIn a Nov. 13 filing with the Texas Secretary of State, an attorney for Pale Horse Strategies LLC wrote that the firm would also conduct future business under the name “West Fort Worth Management LLC.”
A Texas politician wants to provide emergency services to constituents who don’t have them. Will they let him?
Read full article: A Texas politician wants to provide emergency services to constituents who don’t have them. Will they let him?In unincorporated West Odessa, residents relish their freedom. And they also go without basic services. Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett, a young Republican with Ronald Reagan good looks and politics, wants to change that.
An effort to prepare West Texas students to work in the oil and gas industry is expanding
Read full article: An effort to prepare West Texas students to work in the oil and gas industry is expandingThe expansion, which will start with a smaller pilot in four high schools between Texas and New Mexico, is being paid for by the Permian Strategic Partnership, a group funded by major energy producers.
Texas approves new textbooks after friction over fossil fuels in the US's biggest oil and gas state
Read full article: Texas approves new textbooks after friction over fossil fuels in the US's biggest oil and gas stateThe Texas education board has approved new textbooks but called on some publishers to change their depictions of fossil fuels in the U.S.'s biggest oil and gas state.
Voters in one of West Texas’ largest cities will decide whether to decriminalize marijuana in 2024
Read full article: Voters in one of West Texas’ largest cities will decide whether to decriminalize marijuana in 2024Voters in several Texas cities have sought to decriminalize marijuana. However, their efforts have been met by reluctant city councils that say they can’t go against state law.
Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supply
Read full article: Midland fights disposal of oilfield wastewater near its drinking supplyAs oil and gas companies struggle to dispose of their wastewater in the Permian Basin, the city of Midland is challenging applications for disposal wells near one of its drinking water sources.
Texans approved billions for water and broadband infrastructure. Now what?
Read full article: Texans approved billions for water and broadband infrastructure. Now what?The legislation behind the historic investment directs state agencies to send money to the state’s smaller, cash-strapped towns that have difficulty paying for upgrades. Federal money is also expected to flow to regions that need broadband.
Texas schools asked voters for $18 billion in new debt to fix its campuses. They largely said yes.
Read full article: Texas schools asked voters for $18 billion in new debt to fix its campuses. They largely said yes.The voter approval rate for school maintenance and construction costs dipped in 2021 after lawmakers required school boards to call them “tax increases.”
Another large earthquake shows seismic activity continues to increase in West Texas, experts say
Read full article: Another large earthquake shows seismic activity continues to increase in West Texas, experts sayThe 5.2 magnitude earthquake is tied for the fourth strongest in Texas history. It occurred in an area where oilfield companies have long been injecting wastewater from fracking underground.