Many of Houston’s poor neighborhoods have only become poorer in the last 40 years despite strong, if not record, economic expansions over much of those four decades, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data.Houston has the second largest number of census tracts in the country in which the poverty rate rose above 30 percent in 2018 from less than 20 percent in 1980, according to a , a Washington think tank. Only Detroit had more neighborhoods that saw such a broad increase in poverty rates.In Houston, 80 census tracts out of 111 included in the analysis of high poverty neighborhoods, or...…Many of Houston’s poor neighborhoods have only become poorer in the last 40 years despite strong, if not record, economic expansions over much of those four decades, according to an analysis of U.S. Census data.Houston has the second largest number of census tracts in the country in which the poverty rate rose above 30 percent in 2018 from less than 20 percent in 1980, according to a , a Washington think tank. Only Detroit had more neighborhoods that saw such a broad increase in poverty rates.In Houston, 80 census tracts out of 111 included in the analysis of high poverty neighborhoods, or...WW…

The state is trying to recoup that it mistakenly paid to thousands of Texans, many of whom have already spent the money and face difficulties paying it back.The Texas Workforce Commission has sent 46,000 notices to jobless workers seeking repayment of unemployment benefits that the state says were too high or for which the workers were not eligible. But people who received the notices say they applied for , approved by the state after navigating a difficult and confusing application process.Cathy Rohde, a substitute teacher in Conroe, applied and was approved for unemployment benefits after...…The state is trying to recoup that it mistakenly paid to thousands of Texans, many of whom have already spent the money and face difficulties paying it back.The Texas Workforce Commission has sent 46,000 notices to jobless workers seeking repayment of unemployment benefits that the state says were too high or for which the workers were not eligible. But people who received the notices say they applied for , approved by the state after navigating a difficult and confusing application process.Cathy Rohde, a substitute teacher in Conroe, applied and was approved for unemployment benefits after...WW…

A majority of Phillips 66 investors voted for a shareholder proposal that asked the Houston refiner to produce information about the public health risks of expanding petrochemical operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The proposal, which was , As You Sow, argued that building chemical facilities in areas more prone to climate risks such as frequent storms, flooding and sea level rise, could pose financial, health, environmental and reputation risks to the Houston refining and pipeline company.Some 54 percent of shareholders approved the proposal on May 6. The proposal requests the company...…A majority of Phillips 66 investors voted for a shareholder proposal that asked the Houston refiner to produce information about the public health risks of expanding petrochemical operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast.The proposal, which was , As You Sow, argued that building chemical facilities in areas more prone to climate risks such as frequent storms, flooding and sea level rise, could pose financial, health, environmental and reputation risks to the Houston refining and pipeline company.Some 54 percent of shareholders approved the proposal on May 6. The proposal requests the company...WW…

Editor's note, June 14, 2021: ERCOT has as many power generators are unexpectedly offline. Officials said it "appears unlikely" there will be power outages at this time.Electricity outages in Texas could occur again this summer — just a few months after the devastating winter storm that left millions of Texans without power for days — if the state experiences a severe heat wave or drought combined with high demand for power, according to recent assessments by the state’s grid operator.Experts and company executives are warning that the power grid that covers most of the state is at risk of...…Editor's note, June 14, 2021: ERCOT has as many power generators are unexpectedly offline. Officials said it "appears unlikely" there will be power outages at this time.Electricity outages in Texas could occur again this summer — just a few months after the devastating winter storm that left millions of Texans without power for days — if the state experiences a severe heat wave or drought combined with high demand for power, according to recent assessments by the state’s grid operator.Experts and company executives are warning that the power grid that covers most of the state is at risk of...WW…

As a nuclear waste company’s plan to store the most dangerous type of radioactive waste in West Texas moves forward at the federal level, state lawmakers are aiming to ban the materials from entering the state.Environmental and consumer advocates for years have decried a proposal to build a 332-acre site in West Texas near the New Mexico border to store the riskiest type of nuclear waste: spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants, which can remain dangerously radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.A bill advancing in the House, filed by Rep. , whose district includes Andrews County...…As a nuclear waste company’s plan to store the most dangerous type of radioactive waste in West Texas moves forward at the federal level, state lawmakers are aiming to ban the materials from entering the state.Environmental and consumer advocates for years have decried a proposal to build a 332-acre site in West Texas near the New Mexico border to store the riskiest type of nuclear waste: spent fuel rods from nuclear power plants, which can remain dangerously radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.A bill advancing in the House, filed by Rep. , whose district includes Andrews County...WW…

When the power went out for Marsha Hendler on Feb. 15, she rushed to her downtown San Antonio office to ride out the winter storm. Thankful to find the electricity and heat still on, she typed out an email to the elected officials who regulate her small, independent oil and gas company.“I strongly urge you to make public statements, to develop a PR program around our current energy conditions,” Hendler wrote at 2 p.m. that day to the three members of the Texas Railroad Commission, according to an email obtained by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica. “Assure citizens that blending oil and gas...…When the power went out for Marsha Hendler on Feb. 15, she rushed to her downtown San Antonio office to ride out the winter storm. Thankful to find the electricity and heat still on, she typed out an email to the elected officials who regulate her small, independent oil and gas company.“I strongly urge you to make public statements, to develop a PR program around our current energy conditions,” Hendler wrote at 2 p.m. that day to the three members of the Texas Railroad Commission, according to an email obtained by The Texas Tribune and ProPublica. “Assure citizens that blending oil and gas...WW…

, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Both the Texas Senate and House have written bills that attempt to prevent another massive power failure in extreme temperatures. But parts of their legislative proposals are drawing criticism for not going far enough to prepare electricity infrastructure for increased risks posed by climate change.And critics are also wary that some measures would leave enforcement of the mandated upgrades to the Public Utility Commission without increasing its funding or resources to do the job., sponsored by State Rep....…, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.Both the Texas Senate and House have written bills that attempt to prevent another massive power failure in extreme temperatures. But parts of their legislative proposals are drawing criticism for not going far enough to prepare electricity infrastructure for increased risks posed by climate change.And critics are also wary that some measures would leave enforcement of the mandated upgrades to the Public Utility Commission without increasing its funding or resources to do the job., sponsored by State Rep....WW…

, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.The Texas Senate on Monday unanimously approved a sweeping bill that would overhaul the state’s electricity industry and infrastructure, including mandating that power plants and outlawing ., filed by Republican state Sen. of Georgetown, now heads to the Texas House where its prospects are uncertain. Members in the lower chamber will take up a series of related, standalone bills on Tuesday.“There were a multitude of failures,” Schwertner said from the Senate floor Monday, referring to the during the ....…, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.The Texas Senate on Monday unanimously approved a sweeping bill that would overhaul the state’s electricity industry and infrastructure, including mandating that power plants and outlawing ., filed by Republican state Sen. of Georgetown, now heads to the Texas House where its prospects are uncertain. Members in the lower chamber will take up a series of related, standalone bills on Tuesday.“There were a multitude of failures,” Schwertner said from the Senate floor Monday, referring to the during the ....WW…

On Valentine’s Day, the major utility that supplies electricity to West Texas readied for a severe winter storm. Hired contractors prepared to fix power lines, managers started up the storm emergency center, and operators reviewed the list of facilities that should — no matter what — keep power during an emergency: 35 of them on Oncor’s list were natural gas facilities that deliver fuel to power plants.As Sunday turned to Monday, Allen Nye, the CEO of Oncor, one of the state’s largest transmission and delivery utilities, thought his team was ready.But the situation rapidly deteriorated as...…On Valentine’s Day, the major utility that supplies electricity to West Texas readied for a severe winter storm. Hired contractors prepared to fix power lines, managers started up the storm emergency center, and operators reviewed the list of facilities that should — no matter what — keep power during an emergency: 35 of them on Oncor’s list were natural gas facilities that deliver fuel to power plants.As Sunday turned to Monday, Allen Nye, the CEO of Oncor, one of the state’s largest transmission and delivery utilities, thought his team was ready.But the situation rapidly deteriorated as...WW…

The state is trying to recoup that it mistakenly paid to thousands of Texans, many of whom have already spent the money and face difficulties paying it back.The Texas Workforce Commission has sent 46,000 notices to jobless workers seeking repayment of unemployment benefits that the state says were too high or for which the workers were not eligible. But people who received the notices say they applied for , approved by the state after navigating a difficult and confusing application process.Cathy Rohde, a substitute teacher in Conroe, applied and was approved for unemployment benefits after...…The state is trying to recoup that it mistakenly paid to thousands of Texans, many of whom have already spent the money and face difficulties paying it back.The Texas Workforce Commission has sent 46,000 notices to jobless workers seeking repayment of unemployment benefits that the state says were too high or for which the workers were not eligible. But people who received the notices say they applied for , approved by the state after navigating a difficult and confusing application process.Cathy Rohde, a substitute teacher in Conroe, applied and was approved for unemployment benefits after...WW…