Under The Volcano

Somehow the Houghs slept through the latest blast. By then they had moved into a new apartment less than a mile from Crown, enabling Ricky to go to the same school with minimal disruption to his routine. Tamathia Hough has developed a fatalistic perspective on their neighbor.

"If you're going to die, you're going to die," she says. She wishes the world could return to the days of horses and wagons. But since that won't happen anytime soon, she says, people ought to clean up their own messes and not fixate on refineries like Crown.

Deron Neblett

Tamathia Hough, Ricky and pal Joe Lopez, one day after learning their apartments were being condemned.

Deron Neblett

Crown executive Randy Trembly finds the refinery's latest troubles "heartbreaking."

Related Content

• State and EPA Battle Over Fracking, Flaming Well Water
  April 26, 2012
• NBA Formalwear: Chase Budinger's NBA Socks Worn Under His Suit At Tilman Fertitta's Charity Event
  May 14, 2012
• The Betting Lines on the First 15 Texans Games Are Here!
  May 11, 2012
• Jacoby Jones Released by the Texans
  May 2, 2012
• Ranking The Local Sports Radio Shows From Worst To First
  May 1, 2012

More About

• Tamathia Hough
• Houston Texans
• AFC South Division
• Nature and the Environment
• Environmental Issues and Protection

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

"The way I feel about plants is they're always going to be there, so people have to deal with it," she says.

"Until we run out of fossil fuels," chimes in Ricky.