Latest news with #Texa
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Opinion: Please don't undo our federal investments in energy and technology
The United States, for many years now, has enjoyed the best economy in the world. We have long been the most prosperous nation as measured both by total size of the economy and by income per person. We got to this enviable position because of the wise decisions and hard work of those who came before us. Some of the conditions that have allowed us to prosper have been the availability of abundant energy as well as a societal structure that allowed, encouraged and rewarded innovation. But we currently find ourselves in a precarious situation, where a similar prosperity for our children and grandchildren is by no means guaranteed. The second largest economy (with no close third place) in the world is China, and it is clear that the outcome for the entire world economy over the next few decades is going to be shaped by how the competition between the U.S. and China plays out. In some very important ways, we are currently not in a good position with respect to China, and we need to understand clearly where things stand to be able to make good decisions for our future. Although China has just 17% of the world's population, they have built themselves into an energy manufacturing powerhouse. China manufactures over 80% of all the world's batteries, over 70% of the world's electric vehicles and over 70% of the world's solar panels. The most advanced battery manufacturing plants in the world are not in the U.S. or Europe — they are in China. Over 70% of rare earth metals (needed to run all of the electronics and small motors in our computers, cars, dishwashers and other household appliances) are mined in China. The situation is even worse with mineral processing. Over 90% of the processing capacity to purify the rare earth metals to a usable form is in China. With respect to computer chips, we have gone from a time when essentially all computer chips were manufactured in the U.S. to where less than 10% of total chips are manufactured here — and essentially none of the advanced chips needed for our most powerful computers are being produced here. The recognition of these problems is not new. On a federal level, we have taken steps to move in the right direction over recent years with the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. These made significant federal investments via tax credits to companies that invested in the production of computer chips here in the U.S. and that made investments in new clean energy production (including nuclear, solar, biodiesel, geothermal and others) and new battery technologies. These important investments have started producing the outcomes that had been hoped for. The benefits here in Utah include billions of dollars in planned private sector investment and the catalyzing of 4,300 clean-energy related jobs that have been added since the passage of the IRA. A couple of the larger-scale projects that are underway are the Nucor solar transmission projects in Brigham City and the planned Texas Instruments Semiconductor plant in Lehi. Unfortunately, many of these critical investments are now hanging in the balance because the House version of the budget bill that was sent to the Senate diminishes and eliminates many of these tax incentives. Already in this last year, many Utahns have seen a 13% increase in electricity rates. Many other increases will likely follow if we don't continue to invest in energy innovation. Furthermore, these kinds of large projects take years to plan and carry out. They cannot be started and stopped on the spur of the moment. As Sen. John Curtis has aptly warned, 'repealing the IRA would train businesses that they can't trust us.' Predictability matters for business investments and economic growth. There is a proverb that says, 'The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago, and the second best time is now.' A corollary to that true statement is this: 'If you planted a tree five years ago, and it is just starting to do well, now is a very bad time to go pull it up by the roots.' Investing in new energy production and storage, computer chips, and mining and production of minerals should remain top national priorities. We are not winning this race currently, and our children and our nation will not do well if we uproot the investments we have made in these critical areas. Sen. Curtis has been a principled and effective advocate for investment in energy innovation. It is my hope that Curtis, and all the rest of our federal delegation, will stand for the protection of these programs in the budget bill. Maintaining and expanding our ability to produce the energy, minerals and technologies we need to compete with China and provide for our country will not come without effort, and we certainly cannot afford to abandon our investments which have just begun to bear fruit.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
These were Texas' fastest-growing cities in 2024, according to new Census Bureau estimates
This story is part of the KXAN Data Hub, where numbers help tell the whole created several data-driven stories and databases on topics including weather and climate, politics, education, sports and growth in Texas. Each story in the KXAN Data Hub is updated as new data becomes available. AUSTIN (KXAN) — Suburban communities in Texas continue to see the fastest growth in the state, according to new population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau Thursday. The estimates show Fulshear, Celina and Leander all in the top five fastest-growing cities in the country with populations greater than 50,000. Fulshear, west of Houston, grew at a rate of 27% between July 2023 and July 2024. Celina, a suburb of Dallas, grew by 18.2%, while Leander, north of Austin, grew by 8.7%. Georgetown, which had been the fastest-growing city in the country for three years in a row, dropped to 21st place among cities with more than 50,000 residents, growing at a pace of 4.8%. Population estimates: These were Texas' fastest-growing counties in 2024 The Census Bureau previously estimated Texas added 562,941 new residents between July 2023 and July 2024, more than any other state. Texas is now home to an estimated 31,290,831 people, making it the second-most populous state in the country, behind California. While Fulshear, Celina and Leander were the fastest-growing cities with more than 50,000 people, some smaller cities grew at an even faster pace. Princeton, a Dallas suburb, grew by 30.6% between July 2023 and July 2024, from 28,336 residents to 37,019. Jarrell, north of Austin, grew at a rate of 28.8%. Caddo Mills and Boyd, both also in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro, saw population increases of more than 25%. In the KXAN viewing area, four cities appear in the top 30 fastest-growing in the state: Jarrell (28.8%), Marble Falls (24%), Dripping Springs (16.9%) and Liberty Hill (15%). MORE DATA: See the population changes in each state On the opposite end, three local cities appear in the top 30 fastest-declining cities: Meadowlakes (-3.1%), The Hills (-2.3%) and Bee Cave (-2.2%). Use our interactive map and table below to see population changes across the state. You can look up a specific city or county using the search feature in the top left of the map. When looking at population totals, Houston added the most new residents between July 2023 and July 2024, with more than 43,000. San Antonio was second with almost 24,000, while Fort Worth was close behind, with more than 23,400 new residents. The three cities also rank in the top five nationwide for the largest population increases. Rounding out the top five in Texas were McKinney and Fulshear, both of which added more than 11,000 to their populations. Only three cities in Texas saw population declines of more than 200 residents. Richardson, north of Dallas, dropped by 405, while Lakeway, west of Austin, dropped by 320. Wichita Falls saw a population decrease of 261 between July 2023 and July 2024. Five Texas cities rank among the top 15 largest in the nation. Houston remains the largest city in the state, and the fourth-largest nationwide, with almost 2.4 million people. San Antonio ranks seventh-largest in the nation, with more than 1.5 million residents, while Dallas ranks ninth with 1.3 million. Fort Worth and Jacksonville, Florida, each surpassed the 1 million mark. Austin continued to drop in rankings, falling from tenth in 2022 to eleventh in 2023 to 13th in 2024, slipping below Fort Worth and San Jose, California. New York, Los Angeles and Chicago remain the three largest cities nationwide, with Phoenix in fifth place behind Houston. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration cuts to Head Start programs in proposed budget
The Brief A proposed budget by the Trump administration would cut funding for Head Start programs. Many were shocked to see funding eliminated from the program when a draft budget by the Trump administration was leaked. There are more than 1,200 Head Start programs across Texas and 50,000 parents in the state rely on Head Start childcare to be able to work or attend college. WASHINGTON D.C. - A proposed budget by the Trump administration would cut funding for Head Start programs. Experts say that would have a negative ripple effect across the country and here in Texas on everything from child health and development, to jobs. There are more than 1,200 Head Start programs across Texas and 50,000 parents in the state rely on Head Start childcare to be able to work or attend college. Due to rapid brain development, the first five years of a child's life will shape the remainder of his or her life in profound ways. Kim Kofron is the director of early childhood education for Children at Risk. A non-profit organization focused on safety, health and economic security for Texas children. She says the return on investment in early childhood education is profound. It's why many were shocked to see funding eliminated from the program when a draft budget by the Trump administration was leaked. What they're saying "If we pull funding from Head Start, we are not trimming the fat, but we are cutting into the bone of our future," said Kofron. "It reduces crime, it improves health options and health outcomes, strengthens families and fuels our economy." Dr. Deborah Bergeron says during her time working with the first Trump administration, there was increased funding for a head-start. "I want to first lead with saying I actually led the Office of Head Start for President Trump's first term and during that time, I experienced nothing but full support," said Bergeron. Dr. Bergeron says the program that also provides for mental and oral health is much more than an educational program. "The response during COVID was just amazing. We were able to support programs, programs stayed open, children continued to eat healthful food and receive support services," said Bergeron. The proposed cuts would not just impact children. Head Start programs in Texas employ 19,000 childhood educators. "When they enter Head Start, yes, their parents are experiencing poverty. They may be experiencing homelessness or other issues. But Head Start gives them the foundation to lift up and out of that situation. So ultimately, those children are no longer reliant on government services. This is exactly in line with the priorities of this administration," said Bergeron. Local perspective Kriston Jackson-Jones is with a child care group in Dallas. "What we know is what we know. The early childhood workforce is already in crisis in Texas and nationally. Cutting Head Start will turn the shortage into a collapse," said Jackson-Jones. "Simply put, this cut would add to unemployment and shrink the Texas economy." The Source Information in this article was provided by
