Oil Patch Schools Facing Budget Nightmare
The oil bust is threatening to deal a serious financial blow to schools in oil-producing regions across the state — particularly if it lingers. Full Story
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![During the oil boom, Cuero voters approved a $76 million bond to construct a performing arts center and two elementary schools that are still under construction. The facilities are expected to open this fall.]()
Credit: Robin Jerstad for The Texas Tribune -
Despite Oil Bust, Midland is Still Bustling
Amid the worst oil bust in decades, the energy capital of West Texas hasn’t slowed down much. Full Story
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![Mayor Jerry Morales stands by the counter in Mulberry Cafe, which he bought months after oil prices tanked. The Midland native made the purchase not without some trepidation, he said, but knowing that things would bounce back eventually.]()
Credit: Jerod Foster for The Texas Tribune -
At the Top of Texas, Town Offers Lessons In Oil Bust Survival
Nearly three decades ago, Perryton's town-wide celebration for $20-per-barrel oil made news across the country, delivering a hopeful message to those mired in an oil bust. The Panhandle town faces a modern day oil bust, but residents are sure they'll stay on the map. Full Story
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![Bruce Jones, president of Perryton-Ochiltree Chamber of Commerce, offered a sip of a non-alcoholic sparkling beverage to a man from Woodward, Okla., on June 16, 1987. The driver was passing by during a town celebration of rising oil prices.]()
Credit: Perryton Herald
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In Texas Drilling Country, Oil Plunge Means Too Many Rooms at the Inn
Cotulla, population 4,000, built 20 hotels during a yearslong oil boom, calling itself the "Hotel Capital" of the Eagle Ford Shale. A plunge in oil prices has prompted questions about whether that was a good idea. Full Story
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![Cotulla Motel employee Jared Ramirez bags ice on April 7, 2016. Ramirez began working at the motel after work in the oil fields dried up.]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Has the Oil Downturn Affected You or Someone You Know?
Has the oil downturn impacted you or someone you know? Share your story with our reporters. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Jennifer Whitney