Posted on 10/13/2025 3:58:58 PM PDT by Round Earther
AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man who is promising free housing for those willing to move to a rural part of West Texas now faces a lawsuit from the state’s attorney general. According to a press release from Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, Malcolm Tanner is accused of orchestrating an “illegal scheme” to take political control of Loving County, the least-populated county in Texas. Paxton is also requesting a temporary restraining order to stop him.
In videos posted on social media, Tanner claims he’s building 100 free homes and he’s offering $5,000 a month to people willing to move to the area.
According to the lawsuit, Tanner owns two undeveloped five-acre plots in Loving County. Investigative reporting from the Houston Chronicle reveals that roughly three dozen people have already moved to the area, many living in RVs, tents or makeshift shelters.
(Excerpt) Read more at kxan.com ...
WHERE IS THE $$$$$$$ COMING FROM?
Loving County has 64 people and a $60 million budget.
The county has 64 residents? SIXTY-FOUR???
“The county has 64 residents? SIXTY-FOUR???”
It’s the size of Rhode Island and has 64 people, but I hear that Billy Bob, Billy Jean, and Billy Bob Jr. went off the New Mexico for the week.
That leaves them at 63.
Yup, least populated county in the nation, not just Texas.
The seat, Mentone, has a population of 50.
These things are supposed to be done quietly!
Loving County should break away from Texas and apply for statehood.
And it has a song written about it - Charlie Robison, “Loving County.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uewrSagO-r4&list=RDuewrSagO-r4&start_radio=1
Drilled many wells just north of Mentone in Blowout Alley along the Pecos. Funny story about going to Mentone one very dark winter night looking for some dinner after a casing and cement job. Wonderful steak. Maybe I was just hungry. Nice husband and wife that ran a little store there fixed dinner and joined me. Good company nearly 50 years ago.
Sounds like a great story!
Classic Texas oil field story.
A Texas singer songwriter could make a great song out of that.
What makes Mr. Tanner different from every other property developer?
Frankly, Scarlett..
I’m gonna build a dam!
I had such a wonderful time of it. I loved my work and the times I worked, especially the early years in the Permian and the Rockies. Even Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas were fun. It was before the oilfield became proper, DEI and regulated to death. All you had to do was to do right, treat people like yourself, be ethical, be competent, moral and be good for your word.
No “Landman” crap, I was too busy learning and trying to do a great job of it I didn’t think of money making angles. I was paid well and treated well by my employer. Many companies and experiences later the Exxon of those days is the company I am most proud having worked for. I left them though for greater adventures. It became too much like working for the government, military or The Borg. I was young, impetuous, independent and a little rebellious and in a hurry. The experience taught me many great habits that have served me well though.
They already have one - it forms Red Bluff Lake. Good fishing there.
Lots of simple memories that mean nothing to most others. Not swashbuckling adventures for the most part but great times of my life I enjoyed.
Best steak ever? After running an “impossible” 17,100 feet of 7-5/8” casing with a rig too small for the job, and getting it well cemented but not until after stripping all new drilling line on to the rig because wires started popping out about 75% of the way in. Steak was a perfect rib eye grilled to the perfection it deserved by the sales rep of Oklahoma Casing Crews.
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