Rebecca Noel

Reporter

Rebecca Noel is a daily reporter at Houston Public Media. She covers a wide range of topics, including state and local government, public health and the Texas electrical grid. Rebecca has also covered Houston-area school districts, including Houston ISD and Katy ISD, some of the largest in the state.

Rebecca is a Houston native who received her undergraduate degree from Rice University before earning her MA in journalism at the University of Missouri. She got her start in public media as an afternoon anchor for KBIA, mid-Missouri’s NPR station.

Energy & Environment

Six Houston-based refineries dump millions of gallons of contaminated wastewater with little penalty, report finds

Posted on January 30, 2023 · When they are penalized, researchers said the penalties are little more than a “slap on the wrist.”

Coronavirus

Houston experts agree annual COVID-19 shot best way to keep people protected

Posted on January 27, 2023 · Nationally, only around 15% of people report having gotten the most recent bivalent booster. In Harris County, numbers are even lower.

Politics

Poll: Texans support spending state surplus on public school safety, Medicaid coverage

Posted on January 24, 2023 · A substantial portion of respondents — 46% — indicated they believe the state should save between $10 billion and $19 billion, and 73% of participants indicated support for raising the property tax exemption from $40,000 up to $60,000.