Petrochemical expansion in Texas will fall heavily on communities of color, study finds
| December 10, 2025
Researchers at Texas Southern University in Houston have analyzed demographic data around the locations of almost 100 industrial facilities proposed statewide and found that about 90 percent are located in counties with higher concentrations of people of color and families in poverty than statewide averages.
New Texas energy package could help older adults in long-term care facilities during extreme weather
| October 20, 2025
A growing body of research warns that climate disasters are disproportionately dangerous for older adults, especially those in long-term care settings who rely on others for essential support. Those risks are often compounded in rural areas, where resources are scarce and emergency support is slower to arrive.
Clearing the air in DFW: A look at local steps to improve air quality
| September 23, 2025
Between a bustling population, long commutes, industrial activities, and the limited public transportation access, it’s not too surprising that the Dallas-Fort Worth area ranks as the 10th-worst city for ozone pollution. That’s according to the American Lung Association’s 2025 air quality report, which in 2024 ranked DFW at no. 13. The report collects data on […]
WATCH: Houston pastor reflects on Hurricane Katrina
| August 26, 2025
Two decades after Hurricane Katrina, Houston pastor Shannon Verrett reflected on the devastating storm, the choas of evacuating and the heartbreak of personal loss.
“Most of the time when you're going through traumatic experiences in your life, you don't even know how strong your faith is. But when you weather the storm—when you're on the other side of through you begin to see: He had me back then. I was stronger than I knew,” Verrett, a pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, told COURIER Texas.
Katrina struck Louisiana on Aug. 29, 2005, killing 1,392 people and causing $125 billion in damages. Tens of thousands of New Orleans residents, like Verrett, evacuated to Houston.
Don’t sweat it: How SSRI users can protect themselves in the Texas heat
| August 8, 2025
climate | Community | environmentalism | HARDGATE | HEALTH | HEALTHCARE | heat | heat safety | TEXAS
And while this can make anyone feel uncomfortable, those who take Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, more commonly known as SSRIs, can be more easily affected by high temperatures than others.