The economy may be in a slump everywhere else, but here in the vicinity of Floresville,  it's one of of the few places in the United States where it's a boomtown. It's all due to shale oil. Workers have come from all over the U.S. to work on the fracking and processing of shale rock. No refinery, just the "harvesting" of the shale rock.

There's a lot of controversy about fracking. It involves as far as I have heard, the drilling into oil bearing shale rock and pumping in water (from a beleagured aquifer) to help break up the rock. There's a lot of controversy about using precious aquifer water, plus the drilling companies aren't too concerned about effluent and waste disposal etc. But! Having folks coming from all over has transformed this little town.

Growth is rap[id, new hotels/motels, eateries and everything needed to serve the influx of workers.Prices have gone up with the boom--price gouging? A bunch of grapes at the HEB grocery store was $8.00!!  Everything at that store is frightfully expensive. Not much bettet at the Walmart.It's  said the shale oil boom will probably last about five years. That's hearsay. After it's all over, bust will follow the boom.
bye for now, love to everyone, susil