SWEPCO Takes Next Step in Powering the Future with Hallsville Site Preparation Underway
HALLSVILLE, Tx, (June 8) – Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) and American Electric Power (AEP) recently marked a major construction milestone at the Hallsville plant site, formerly home to the H.W. Pirkey Power Plant, with the completion of a large-scale concrete pour for the new turbine foundation. The pour was completed in a single continuous…
Read MoreBarrio Energy Data Center in Tyler
While major tech giants like Google and Meta are dropping multi-billion dollar “hyperscale” data center campuses across Texas, Tyler’s current development footprint is focused on a highly targeted, mid-sized project right near downtown. The primary development making waves in Tyler is the **Barrio Energy Data Center** project. The Barrio Energy Project: “Project Rose” Rather than…
Read MoreAn unprecedented data center boom means new challenges for Texas. Find out what’s planned near you.
By Emily Foxhall, Apurva Mahajan and Alex Ford, The Texas Tribune June 8, 2026 Late last year, Texas electricity officials faced an astonishing rush of requests from data center developers wanting to connect to the state’s grid. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the grid operator, was logging dozens of new requests each quarter from…
Read MoreLocal Texas election officials await appointment of new secretary of state as midterm preparations ramp up
By Natalia Contreras, The Texas Tribune June 8, 2026 This coverage is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Sign up for Votebeat Texas’ free newsletters here. Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson’s unexpected departure only a few months before the November midterm election, which includes one…
Read MoreWhere are the data centers in Texas? Help us continue our reporting.
By María Méndez, The Texas Tribune June 8, 2026 Across Texas, more than 200 new data centers are planned as computing demand grows for the artificial intelligence boom. For many communities, this has raised conversations about how these data centers will affect regional power and water resources. However, the state grid does not publicly disclose…
Read MoreBalcones Canyonlands wildlife refuge, home to endangered songbird, adds more than 600 acres
By Colleen DeGuzman, The Texas Tribune June 8, 2026 The tiny golden-cheeked warbler’s home in Central Texas just got a little bit bigger. The 28,000-acre Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge that spans Burnet, Travis and Williamson counties on Monday announced it has added nearly 300 acres, about a year after a 317-acre addition through an…
Read MoreTexas Weekly Gas Price Update
June 8, 2026 Average gasoline prices in Texas have fallen 18.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.57/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 49.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 86.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago. The…
Read MoreDiscover the June Issue of Lone Star Lit
What does it mean to feel empowered? This month, we’re exploring that question through stories, insights, and conversations designed to encourage you to step into your strengths, embrace your unique voice, and make an impact on the literary world around you. The June issue of The Lone Star Literary Life Magazine is now available, and…
Read MoreDPS Reminds Drone Operators to Follow FAA Restrictions Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup
June 5, 2026 AUSTIN – As Texas prepares to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reminds all unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drone, operators to follow all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) surrounding stadiums and event venues. With large crowds and increased security…
Read MoreFighting Texas Hunger
Join Mrs Baird’s in Fighting Texas Hunger! Throughout the month of June, we will be donating over 175,000 fresh loaves of Mrs Baird’s bread to local food banks in Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, East Texas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio and Tyler. We need your help too. According…
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