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Jim Malewitz was a reporter at the Tribune from 2013 to 2017, covering energy and environment and then working on investigations. Previously, he covered those issues for Stateline, a nonprofit news service in Washington, D.C. The Michigan native majored in political science at Grinnell College in Iowa and holds a master’s from the University of Iowa. There, he helped launch the nonprofit Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, where he currently serves on the board of directors. Jim also coaches the Texas Tribune Runoffs, which, sources say, is the scrappiest coed newsroom softball team west of the Mississippi.
Advances in oilfield technology have reawakened Big Lake, a town that long ago helped cement Texas’ reputation as an oil-rich state. Soar a few hundred feet above the town to see how it has evolved. This slideshow is part of our Shale Life project. Full Story
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The Southwest Area Regional Transit District helps shuttle people who cannot otherwise get to their medical appointments. But a rush to the Eagle Ford Shale is clogging that lifeline. This story is part of our Shale Life project. Full Story
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Some Texas towns are welcoming the bars, strip clubs and “man camps” that come along with an oil boom. Not Karnes City, which wants businesses that will stick around when the oil is gone. This story is part of our Shale Life project. Full Story
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That was fast. Just hours after Denton residents voted to ban hydraulic fracturing, the state’s General Land Office and biggest petroleum group filed legal challenges to the new rule. Full Story
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Denton on Tuesday became the state’s first city to ban hydraulic fracturing, setting up a high-profile property clash likely to be fought in courtrooms and the Legislature. Full Story
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Wendy Davis on Tuesday lost a bit more than her gubernatorial race. Her vacated Texas Senate seat flipped to Republicans on a rough night for Democrats in legislative races. Full Story
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The oil and gas industry almost singlehandedly lifted Texas from the country’s last recession. But how long will the bonanza last? And will an eventual drop in oil prices decimate local economies? This story is part of our Shale Life project. Full Story
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Hey, Texplainer: I heard that oil prices are plunging – down more than 20 percent since June. What does that mean for the state budget? Full Story
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Mark Miller, a Libertarian running for railroad commissioner, is no fan of the commission’s latest effort to address earthquakes possibly linked to disposal wells for oilfield waste. Full Story
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The legendary oilman reflects on plunging oil prices, cranky folks in Denton and silly congressmen. Full Story
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