Geography of Texas
A Battle for Water When the Rio Grande Runs Low
It’s been a long summer in South Texas–drought has set in while temperatures continue to climb. And Mexico has been feeling the heat, too. “We’ve had a water shortage for the last two years,” said Homero Chavez, a farmer just outside of Delicias in the northern Mexico state of Chihuahua near the border. A 70-year-old […]
City of Austin Appeals to Residents to Fight 5-Year Drought
In Austin, Texas, a drought has plagued residents for five years. Now there is an initiative to replant parts of the city with “native” or “drought-resistant” plants that better suit the city’s rocky ecology. These drought-resistant plants would also save water in the future. To stay green, Austin is willing to parch it’s many lawns […]
Along Texas border, residents aren’t eager for more intense security
Texans who live in the border area say security in the region is tight enough. They don’t want a bigger fence, or a wall, and they say they’ve got enough drones and helicopters. And local police point to statistics that show their crime rate is far below big Texas cities. But is the border safe enough?
Mexicans near border rely on Texas media for news on drug violence
The drug war in Mexico has turned local journalism there into a potentially deadly career choice. Powerful cartels often threaten or kill hometown journalists who dare to report on the latest violence. But an innovative system for getting information out quickly — and safely — has recently emerged.
Cities on both sides of the border struggle as Mexico’s drug war rages
Laredo, Texas, and Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, are often referred to as “Los Dos Laredos,” or the two Laredos. The two cities sit on opposite sides on the U.S.-Mexico border, separated by the Rio Grande River. With their economies closely intertwined, both cities have suffered from the Mexican drug war.