Cal Hendrick wins Odessa mayor’s race, beating incumbent who focused on faith
Odessa City Council critics have worried Joven and his allies have focused too much on social issues and not enough on infrastructure. Full Story
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Carlos Nogueras Ramos
Permian Basin Reporter
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Carlos Nogueras Ramos is a regional reporter based in Odessa. Carlos joined The Texas Tribune in 2023 as a corps member with Report for America. Carlos tells the stories of Texas from the vast energy-rich Permian Basin region. Before the Tribune, Carlos spent time in Philadelphia writing about local politics, including the city’s 100th mayoral election. A Spanish speaker, Carlos was one of the few Latino reporters on the campaign trail, covering the most expensive primary election to date in Philly. He is a proud Puerto Rico native, born and raised in Cayey. He studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Puerto Rico.
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![Odessa Mayor-Elect Cal Hendrick, left, celebrates with supporters during an election night watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
State oil regulator requests $100 million to tackle West Texas well blowouts
Abandoned wells in the Permian Basin are increasingly erupting with briney, polluted water. The Texas Railroad Commission says it needs emergency money to respond. Full Story
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![Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Christi Craddick, then-Chairman Wayne Christian, and Commissioner Jim Wright listen during an RRC hearing in Austin on Nov. 30, 2021.]()
Credit: Dimitri Staszewski for The Texas Tribune -
Terlingua’s tourist season has started. Here’s why and how you can help conserve water on your visit.
It’s unclear how much water resides underneath this booming West Texas tourist haven. That makes conservation critical. Full Story
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![South Brewster County residents and tourists congregate on the porch of the Terlingua Trading Company in December.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
A West Texas pecan farm fights to save its water supply as neighbors sell it to growing cities
A yearslong dispute over exporting water to growing Texas cities offers a hint at the battles to come as the state’s population booms and water supply dwindles. Full Story
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![General Manager Zachary Swick poses at Belding Farms on Sep 23, 2024]()
Credit: Julian Mancha for The Texas Tribune -
Odessa bans transgender people from using restrooms that don’t match sex assigned at birth
LGBTQ+ advocates called the ban one of the most extreme measures enacted by a local government. Full Story
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![The Odessa City Council listens to comments from a member of the public during a meeting Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune -
A West Texas well that exploded has been sealed, cleanup will take months
While residents smelled rotten eggs, the state’s environmental agency said it has not detected any air pollution. Full Story
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![An oil well blowout shooting a mixture of oil, water, and gas over 100 feet in the air west of Toyah on Oct. 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel courtesy of DeSmog -
“Should we be worried?”: Another well blowout in West Texas has a town smelling of rotten eggs
Experts warn that more blowouts should be expected unless oil and gas companies change their methods. Full Story
![An oil well blowout shooting a mixture of oil, water, and gas over 100 feet in the air west of Toyah on Oct. 4, 2024.]()
Credit: Justin Hamel courtesy of DeSmog -
West Texans split on proposed direct air capture project that could be largest in U.S.
Residents were worried about the impact on their drinking water while business leaders were excited for the new jobs. Full Story
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![From left, EPA officials Ken Johnson, Sona Chaudhary, Thomas Rucki and Scott Ellinger listen to testimony from West Texas residents during a public engagement hearing about the proposed construction of a series of carbon capture plants by Occidental Petroleum October 3, 2024, in Odessa.]()
Credit: Vincent Bao for The Texas Tribune -
The largest carbon capture project in the U.S. could be in West Texas. Do residents want it?
If approved, the Oxy carbon capture plant will be the largest in Texas. Critics worry the technology is not enough to beat back climate change. Full Story
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![Petra Nova CCS Facility at NRG Power Plant in Richmond, Texas, on May 18, 2018.]()
Credit: REUTERS/Trish Badger -
Odessa’s mayor ran to help the West Texas city “repent.” Now he wants a second term.
Under Javier Joven’s leadership, his critics say, the Odessa City Council has lost focus on municipal issues like roads and water infrastructure. Full Story
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![Javier Joven, Mayor of Odessa, poses for a photo at his childhood home Monday, Aug. 12, 2024, in Odessa.]()
Credit: Eli Hartman/The Texas Tribune