Past Contributions

• Texas’ grid operator told a power plant to delay repairs ahead of a May heat wave. It was among six that crashed.

  By Mitchell Ferman May 17, 2022

  Climate change and other factors are shortening the window when aging Texas power plants can make repairs to run at full strength in hot summer months. Full Story 

• Texans asked to limit electricity use after six power plants go down ahead of a hot weekend

  By Mitchell Ferman May 13, 2022

  The Electric Reliability Council of Texas is asking electricity consumers to keep their thermostats at 78 degrees or above and avoid using large appliances between 3 and 8 p.m. from Friday through Sunday. Full Story 

• In Railroad Commission runoff, GOP candidates court North Texas voters — who want them to change agency’s confusing name

  By Mitchell Ferman May 11, 2022

  Incumbent Wayne Christian and oil and gas lawyer Sarah Stogner pitched voters in Paris, Texas, ahead of the May 24 election. Early voting runs May 16-20. Full Story 

• Si termina la protección legal al aborto en Estados Unidos, más texanos podrían ir a México en busca de medicamentos

  By Eleanor Klibanoff, Mitchell Ferman and Uriel J. García May 9, 2022

  Para muchos texanos, es común ir a México a comprar medicamentos baratos. La demanda por fármacos que inducen el aborto podría aumentar si la Corte Suprema de Estados Unidos elimina la protección constitucional con la que actualmente cuenta el procedimiento. Full Story 

• With Roe v. Wade on the line, some Texans look south of the border for abortion drugs

  By Eleanor Klibanoff, Mitchell Ferman and Uriel J. García May 6, 2022

  Cheap regulated and unregulated medication is available over the counter at Mexican pharmacies, including abortion-inducing drugs that are strictly regulated in the U.S. Full Story 

• Abbott ends inspections that clogged commercial traffic at U.S.-Mexico border for more than a week

  By James Barragán, Mitchell Ferman and Uriel J. García April 15, 2022

  The deals Abbott made with three of the four Mexican border governors don’t include any new security measures south of the border. Abbott threatened to restart the inspections if Mexican states don’t slow migration to Texas. Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott eases state inspections at one commercial bridge, as trade remains snarled across the border

  By Uriel J. García and Mitchell Ferman Updated: April 13, 2022

  The move provides little relief as trade between Texas and Mexico is hampered along the border because of Abbott’s order. The Colombia bridge is just one of 13 commercial crossings between the two countries and the only one connected to Nuevo León. Full Story 

• Delays, closures and chaos mount at Texas-Mexico border crossings from new state inspections

  By Mitchell Ferman, Uriel J. García and Ivan Pierre Aguirre April 13, 2022

  U.S. Customs and Border Protection called the state inspections ordered by Gov. Greg Abbott “unnecessary” and said commercial traffic at the Texas-Mexico border has dropped 60% since they began. Full Story 

• International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections

  By Mitchell Ferman, James Barragán and Uriel J. García Updated: April 11, 2022

  Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores. Full Story 

• Texas power grid, energy sectors facing elevated Russian cyber threats during war in Ukraine

  By Mitchell Ferman March 31, 2022

  Utility companies and key oil and gas transportation hubs are on high alert as Russian hackers have been probing energy infrastructure’s digital networks for weak points. Full Story