Hamza Abuharb speaks about his move from Gaza to Houston, organizing student movements for Palestine at South Texas College and his love for poetry.
Elena Bruess
Elena Bruess covers the environment for the Houston Landing. She comes to Houston after two years at the San Antonio Express-News, where she covered the environment, climate and water. Elena previously worked in the Midwest as a reporter for Circle of Blue, a nonprofit newsroom where she focused on water issues in the Great Lakes region. Before that, Elena covered health and inequity in Chicago as a Pulitzer Center reporting fellow. She is originally from Northeastern Iowa and holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University and a degree from University of Iowa's undergraduate writing program. When not on the beat, Elena will be reading a book in the sun or getting ultra-caffeinated at a coffee shop.
Posted inPolitics & Government
White House rescinds grant freeze that had governments, nonprofits scrambling to gauge impact
UPDATE 12:17 p.m. Wednesday: The Trump administration has withdrawn its freeze on federal grants. Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect that a federal judge in Washington, D.C. temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s directive to freeze as much as $3 trillion in federal grants and loans. A federal judge blocked President Donald Trump’s […]
Posted inEnvironment
Chevron Phillips’ carbon project leaves Sweeny residents concerned over more air pollution
While Chevron’s new petrochemical furnace will lower its intensity of carbon emissions, it will also increase other harmful emissions.
Posted inAround the Region
‘No zoning’ in Houston provides flexibility, complications, experts say. Why does it matter?
Houston residents feel the effects of the city’s lack of zoning every day – just look at all the strip malls. But why does Bayou City look so different?
Posted inEnvironment
12 Texas counties failed federal air quality standards. Only 4, including Harris, will be reported to EPA
The TCEQ is recommending counties that failed national air quality standards be given a passing grade, concerning officials, residents and activists.
Posted inEnvironment
Plastic pellets left by Highlands train derailment worry residents, environmentalists
Several train cars derailed Friday in East Harris County, smashing into a facility and leaving behind plastic harmful to wildlife and the environment.
Posted inEnvironment
It’s holiday time, so let’s talk trash. Did you know leftover turkey could power your home?
Decomposing waste creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas, at landfills. The waste-derived gas can function as a renewable source of power and heat homes.
Posted inEnvironment
After nearly a year, Houston’s first resilience hub will get a generator in Kashmere Gardens
The resilience hubs, which are also coming to Alief, Sunnyside and Acres Homes, will be a safe space for residents to turn to during emergencies.
Posted inEnvironment
The petrochemical industry has a community alert system. But it’s far from perfect, critics say.
On a Thursday evening in early October, Brian Murray’s phone pinged with an email alert as he was getting in the car to get dinner with his family. The email had very little initial information; it seemed something was going on in Deer Park off Highway 225. Murray is used to situations like this in […]
Posted inEnvironment
EPA, Union Pacific testing nearly completed in Greater Fifth Ward over rail yard contamination
Despite testing, community residents expressed frustrations at a public meeting over location and historic limitations.