Flanked by a chemical plant and an oil rig construction yard, the site on Corpus Christi Bay may be the last of its kind on this stretch of coastline, now occupied by petrochemical facilities.
A look back at some of The Texas Tribune’s best reads of 2025
As 2025 draws down, the Tribune reflects on some of its most memorable storytelling of the year.
Texas A&M System declines to reinstate fired lecturer despite faculty panel’s findings
A vice chancellor upheld the firing of Melissa McCoul, seen in a viral video being confronted by a student on her gender identity teachings, saying the termination was done with “good cause.”
Trump administration weighing new South Texas land exchange with Elon Musk’s SpaceX
Federal officials are considering swapping 775 acres of the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge with the aerospace company, according to The New York Times.
Government liable for damage to homes near Houston dams during Hurricane Harvey floods, court rules
The ruling came in a lawsuit from a group of homeowners and could be appealed. An estimated 14,000 homes were inside the Addicks and Barker reservoirs when Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rain in 2017.
Texas comptroller GOP primary attracts big money from donors with business before the agency
One candidate received about $1 million within an eight-day span from the head of a Dallas tax firm — and 72 of his employees — that helps corporations secure tax breaks under comptroller-run programs.
“Construction can’t continue”: South Texas builders say ICE arrests have upended industry
More than 300 people attended an impromptu meeting that industry leaders in the Rio Grande Valley hosted to draw attention to the chilling effect ICE arrests have had on construction.
Texas National Guard’s deployment in Illinois blocked by U.S. Supreme Court
Around 200 Texas National Guard troops were deployed to the Chicago area in early October, despite opposition from local and state governments in Illinois.
Federal judge temporarily blocks Texas law restricting kids from app stores
Senate Bill 2420, which would have gone into effect on Jan. 1, likely violates the First Amendment, according to the ruling.
“Terrorist” designation doesn’t apply to local CAIR chapters, Paxton argues in defending Abbott order
In his office’s response to a lawsuit filed by Texas chapters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the AG said the governor’s “foreign terrorist organization” proclamation applies only to CAIR’s national entity.


