The Latest Breaking News from Joel Andrews

A data center proposed at a quiet corner of East Texas leaves a community bracing for a boom

Kaesha Avishai and other Angelina County residents are worried about what the data center's arrival means for their property and their way of life.

The Texas Tribune · Jul 9

In this East Texas county, you need a membership to drink at a bar. That may soon change.

Texas cities and counties largely control when and where liquor can be sold. Just three counties are totally dry.

The Texas Tribune · Jan 6

An East Texas landowner fenced off a community’s favorite fishing spot, igniting multiple legal battles

Phillip Surls, a local businessman who owns much of the property around the Cutoff, has argued he blocked access to the stream to protect his cattle and that the waterway is not public.

The Texas Tribune · Oct 23, 2025

This town wants to be named the quinceañera capital of Texas

Diboll’s growing Hispanic population has inspired a new economy of party planners and DJs to produce quinceañeras. City leaders are taking notice.

The Texas Tribune · Jan 4, 2024

In this East Texas town, a 45-foot tall oil pump is a holiday symbol and connection to the past

Rudolph the Red-Nose Pumping Unit has long been a holiday tradition in Lufkin. The machinery, now used worldwide to extract oil from the ground, was invented by a local businessman.

The Texas Tribune · Dec 6, 2023