Culture
The State Fair of Texas and the Making of Big Tex
A fair chartered in 1886 sits inside one of the country's largest intact 1930s exposition grounds, watched over by a cowboy that began life as a small town Santa Claus.
Wes Kettering
Wes Kettering writes about the systems Texans lean on without thinking about them, like the electric grid and the rural clinic down the highway.
Wes also covers the fairs and gatherings that mark the Texas calendar.
Stories by Wes Kettering
Infrastructure
The Texas Power Grid and the Job ERCOT Does
Because Texas runs its own grid, one decision shapes who regulates it, how generators get paid and what happens when demand outruns supply.
Communities
Healthcare Access Across Rural Texas Communities
In much of rural Texas the nearest hospital sits a county or two away, with closures and provider shortages widening the gap.