Alejandra Martinez, Author at The Texas Tribune https://www.texastribune.org/author/alejandra-martinez/ Independent news. Trusted by Texans. Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:40:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.texastribune.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/cropped-cropped-texas-tribune-favicon-32x32.png Alejandra Martinez, Author at The Texas Tribune https://www.texastribune.org/author/alejandra-martinez/ 32 32 249301168 Corpus Christi is scrambling to ward off a water crisis. Here’s a guide to its water projects. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/24/texas-corpus-christi-water-supply-project-guide-tracker/ Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=224701 A sign reading "Healthy Water, Healthy Community" sits next to a hike and bike path in Cole Park in Corpus Christi on March 19, 2026.

From drilling groundwater wells to recycling wastewater, Corpus Christi has launched a host of projects as it races against the clock to find more water.

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Corpus Christi water emergency may be just two months away, city leaders say https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/17/texas-corpus-christi-water-emergency-city-council-meeting/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 02:54:16 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=224331 The Corpus Christi City Council meets to discuss the city's depleting water supplies on March 17, 2026.

Two out of the five projections city leaders presented Tuesday showed water shortages beginning in May. The city has yet to detail plans for how to reduce water use for residents and businesses.

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As Corpus Christi water shortage worsens, residents and businesses may soon have to cut their usage 25% https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/17/texas-corpus-christi-water-supply-guide-city-council-meeting/ Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=224133 A Corpus Christi water intake plant on the Nueces River on Oct. 20, 2025.

The City Council will discuss the looming crisis Tuesday. One model predicted a water emergency in November. Other scenarios show that happening in May.

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Why an East Texas rancher donated part of his water rights to the state https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/16/east-texas-water-trust-rights-conservation/ Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=223976 Bob Sanders of Cypress River Ranch looks over Big Cypress Bayou while speaking about the flow of water from Lake O' the Pines to Caddo Lake and Big Cypress Bayou on Oct. 9, 2025. Sanders is one of only three donors to the Texas Water Trust, a program created in 1997 to allow landowners and water rights holders to voluntarily dedicate water rights to the state.

As Texas faces growing water challenges, the donation to the Texas Water Trust — a little-known conservation tool created nearly 30 years ago — was the first in two decades.

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Governor blasts Corpus Christi leaders over looming water shortage, threatens a state takeover https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/10/texas-governor-greg-abbott-corpus-christi-water-crisis/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:53:46 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=223567 Gov.Greg Abbott at a campaign event in Houston on Feb. 11, 2026.

Residents and businesses’ demand for water could soon exceed supply. Gov. Greg Abbott said the state could step in if solutions aren’t found.

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John Cornyn, Ken Paxton advance to runoff to be Republican nominee for U.S. Senate  https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/03/john-cornyn-ken-paxton-wesley-hunt-runoff-primary-texas-senate-republican/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 03:03:57 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=222199 From left: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will face off in a runoff.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt came in third, missing the runoff which is May 26.

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Xcel will replace high-risk power poles after attorney general sues over 2024 wildfires https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/23/texas-ag-ken-paxton-injuction-xcel-energy-company-texas-largest-wildfire/ Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:23:05 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=221466 A new utility pole, bottom left, occupies the site of the original that caused the Smokehouse Creek fire outside of Stinnett.

A damaged Xcel pole owned sparked the Smokehouse Creek fire, the largest in state history.

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Attorney General Paxton launches investigations into three Texas school districts over students protesting ICE https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/16/texas-ken-paxton-investigation-isd-schools-immigration-protests-ice/ Mon, 16 Feb 2026 19:33:47 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=220751 Protesters, many of them high school students, show up in front of a site believed to be an ICE detention facility on Algreg Street in Pflugerville on Feb. 13, 2026.

Paxton said his office is examining claims that administrators and faculty helped organize the demonstrations.

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Texas county rejects a moratorium on data center development amid AI boom https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/10/texas-hood-county-rejects-data-center-development-pause-ai/ Wed, 11 Feb 2026 01:30:56 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=220196 The Hood County Courthouse in Granbury on July 28, 2021.

The 3-2 vote from Hood County commissioners Tuesday came after they received a letter from a state senator saying they did not have the power to issue a moratorium.

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Attorney general sues Bastrop factory after residents complain about noxious odors https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/09/texas-ken-paxton-lawsuit-bastrop-factory-odors/ Mon, 09 Feb 2026 23:19:17 +0000 https://www.texastribune.org/?p=220055 Bastrop on Feb. 7, 2025. Local residents have complained of foul smells there for months.

The state’s environmental regulator has issued multiple environmental violations and the lawsuit states the company has failed to fix the problems.

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