Abortion restrictions in Texas could lead to a shortage of OB-GYNs, survey suggests

Oct 28, 2024
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services predicts a nationwide shortage of OB-GYNs by 2030.
On Sept. 1, 2021, Texas passed one of the most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the country, prohibiting all voluntary termination of abortions from the time a fetal heartbeat is visible on ultrasound, about four weeks after fertilization.
FRANCOIS PICARD/AFP via Getty Images

New pipelines are expected to ease glut of Permian natural gas

Sep 10, 2024
Natural gas is a byproduct of oil production, and there's been a lot of that in Texas. The excess gas has depressed prices.
The U.S. recently hit a record of 13.4 million barrels of oil produced a day, nearly half of which comes from the Permian Basin in Texas. And where there's oil production, there's natural gas.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Demand for generators grows amid Texas outages. But who can afford them?

Sep 9, 2024
The price of a generator can range from hundreds to many thousands of dollars, putting them out of reach for the most vulnerable.
Extreme weather means blackouts are a part of life in Texas. But for low-income seniors and others in need, buying a generator to operate an air conditioner or medical equipment may be out of reach.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Restaurant industry still struggles with staffing, consultant says

Sep 4, 2024
Restaurants across the U.S. have the same problems, says Alexis Percival. "There's been a bit of a reckoning" about how hard the work is.
Alexis Percival, once a restaurant owner, now works as a consultant in the industry. Her current project has brought her to Texas.
Phoebe Landrum Photography

Fracking shifts U.S. oil production away from California

Sep 4, 2024
Once a leading source of oil, California produced fewer barrels of oil in June than in any month since the federal government began counting in 1981.
As fracking in places like the Permian Basin in Texas took off, California started pumping fewer and fewer barrels of oil.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

In a rural Texas town, the constant hum of a bitcoin mine haunts residents

Aug 7, 2024
People have attributed symptoms from ringing ears to heart issues to the noise, Andrew Chow of Time explains.
Cryptocurrency mines are basically facilities that hold thousands of computers, which are cooled by fans.
Maxim Zmeyev/AFP via Getty Images

In a tight housing market, Texas is seeing some relief for buyers

Jul 30, 2024
"I have not seen us write more than two offers before getting an acceptance, whereas before it was writing offer after offer after offer," said Houston real estate broker LaTisha Grant.
House prices are continuing to rise nationally, but Texas is an exception.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

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Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum's next steps on energy could make waves in the U.S.

Jul 4, 2024
Whether Sheinbaum follows her predecessor’s lead or strikes a new path could have significant implications for the U.S., particularly for Texas.
Mexico's president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum on June 24.
Lennin Domínguez/ObturadorMX/Getty Images

Rural paramedics are making routine house calls to avoid costly emergency room visits

Jun 28, 2024
Experts say community paramedicine programs, which involve paramedics checking in on people with known health issues before an emergency happens, can cut costs and ease strains on health care systems in rural areas.
Paramedic Alexandria Hollenbeck and Terlingua Fire and EMS Chief Susan Martin are involved in the first community paramedicine program in rural Terlingua, Texas.
Travis Bubenik/Marfa Public Radio

In far west Texas, a disappearing river poses a challenge to tourism 

Jun 6, 2024
The Rio Grande has gone dry in the Big Bend region, forcing the industry to adapt — less boating and more hiking and biking.
An area of dry Rio Grande riverbed. Because the Rio Grande is a binational river, it is managed jointly by Mexico and the U.S.
Zoe Kurland/Marfa Public Radio