Episode 3938: Trump announces $300 BILLION Brownsville refinery, Hearst media belittles project – Pratt on Texas 3/13/2026

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Because Trump announced it, the Hearst newspapers are down playing, even belittling, the planned $300 billion, yep, with a “B”, refinery at the Port of Brownsville. Such a massive investment is transformational for the Rio Grande Valley as well as Texas and it will mainly refine West Texas Intermediate crude. It would be the first new, and modern tech, refinery in the county in almost half a century. But note how hard the Houston Chronicle goes to downplay it all: Trump’s $300B Texas refinery project draws skepticism from experts. (Note how light the story is on these supposed “experts!”)Oil and gas drilling rig count down this week in Texas.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Local sales tax numbers are in for the March report. Look up your city here.Funniest story of the week and yet I will likely not have time to cover it on the show: Lina Hidalgo says rodeo revoked her ex officio title after dispute.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com