Texas produces a lot of gasoline but doesn't have the lowest gas prices in the country. We asked an expert why.

Why it matters: We're all feeling the effects of soaring gas prices, which contributed to the biggest monthly inflation spike in four years in March.

State of play: For the first time in four years, the national average has topped $4 per gallon, per AAA.

• Plus: The worst of the inflation surge in other categories, including airfares and groceries, may still be ahead, Axios' Courtenay Brown reports.

By the numbers: The national average for gas was $4.11 per gallon yesterday, while Texas was at $3.77 and the Dallas area was at $3.69, per AAA.

• Despite Texas having the most refineries, Southern and Midwest states have the cheapest gas. Oklahoma's average was $3.44 yesterday.

What they're saying: "That's because of logistics," Kenneth Medlock, energy and resource economist at Rice's Baker Institute, tells Axios. There are many different factors at play, including the type of gasoline that certain regions require.

Zoom in: Parts of Texas, including several North Texas counties, require lower-emission gasoline blends. The extra processing raises costs.

• Gas moves from refineries to storage hubs (called "racks") and then by truck to stations. "The farther away from the rack you are, the higher the price," Medlock says. And Texas is big.
• The state is the largest gasoline consumer in the country, which keeps prices from dropping too low.

Zoom out: States like Nebraska and Oklahoma often have cheaper gas because they don't require special cleaner blends and are closer to cheaper ethanol used in gasoline.

• Compare that to places like California, where stricter environmental rules raise costs even more.

Fun fact: Big-name gas stations can cost more because they pay for guaranteed supply and additives. Smaller unbranded stations are usually cheaper — but can run out first during disruptions.

What we're watching: Oil prices are expected to stay elevated as tensions with Iran remain unresolved, which could keep pressure on gas prices as we transition to more expensive summer-blend gasoline.

A state district judge said yesterday she would continue to block the owners of Camp Mystic from making repairs in the area where 27 girls died in the July 4 floods, per multiple news reports.

• The judge also said that Camp Mystic may have violated rules by not having a written evacuation plan.

Why it matters: The 3-day hearing, which included emotional testimony by members of the family that runs the camp and a night security guard who rescued girls, provided the most insight into the catastrophe the public has gotten since the flood more than nine months ago.

The big picture: The parents of 8-year-old Cile Steward, whose body has not been found, sued the camp's owners for negligence, one of several lawsuits filed against the camp.

Catch up quick: At the request of the Steward family, who wants the Guadalupe River site to be preserved for evidence, Travis County state District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble last month temporarily blocked Camp Mystic from renovating or altering it.

• The Eastland family, which has long operated the camp, wants to reopen another site that is roughly 2 miles from the Guadalupe site, saying 850 families have enrolled for this summer.

What's next: Guerra Gamble moved up the date of the trial to June 2027, according to the Kerr County Lead.

• A hearing in an appeals court on the temporary injunction is scheduled for Monday in Austin.

What state regulators say

🏥 Baylor Scott & White will stop offering plans on the federal health insurance marketplace and cut 321 jobs. (Dallas Business Journal)

🚴 The Loop Dallas opened the second phase of the Trinity Forest Spine Trail in Pleasant Grove, expanding the city's growing trail network. (D Magazine)

🛍️ Painted Tree Boutiques abruptly closed all of its stores, including six in North Texas, leaving vendors scrambling. (CultureMap Dallas)

🎨 Collect or window shop. The Dallas Art Fair features nearly 90 dealers and galleries from more than a dozen countries including one exhibiting two Jean-Michel Basquiat sketches estimated at $1.15 million and $835,000.

• Thursday-Sunday at the Fashion Industry Gallery in Dallas. Tickets start at $40.

🎨 Explore the finer things in life. Find more inspiration at the Fort Worth Art Fair, featuring dozens of local artists along with TCU's fine arts students.

• Thursday-Sunday at Sundance Square Plaza. Free.

🌇 Admire more art. Head to the Main Street Fort Worth Arts Festival to explore different art mediums, kid-friendly activities and performances by the UT Arlington Jazz Orchestra.

• Thursday-Sunday along Main Street in downtown Fort Worth. Free.

🫶🏽 Don't worry, be happy. Learn about Indian culture at the Festival of Joy, which includes a parade, chariot pull, yoga and crafts.

• 11am-9pm Saturday at Klyde Warren Park. Free.