Texas Standard

June 23, 2026

Can desalination solve Texas’ water future?

As Texas copes with concerns about water, a small river agency near Corpus Christi makes plans to build the largest desalination plant in the country.Pesticides used in the Rio Grande Valley may be the link to the large number of Parkinson’s patients in the region.“The Last 12 Weeks,” a new podcast from The Marshall Project, […]

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June 22, 2026

Court ruling leaves Boca Chica beach fight unresolved

Texas’ Supreme Court hands down a major ruling that looks like a win for SpaceX on the surface but leaves open serious questions about a clause in the Texas Constitution.Texas Tech and Texas A&M try to narrow a health care gap in rural Texas.In North Texas, another World Cup match for Argentina today, this time […]

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June 19, 2026

Exploring Juneteenth and the history and culture of Black Texans

It’s been a celebration for more than 160 years — but only a federal holiday for a few. We’re recognizing Juneteenth on today’s Texas Standard.North Texan Opal Lee is known as the grandmother of Juneteenth for her efforts to get the holiday recognized on a national level. We’ll delve more into the history, as well […]

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June 18, 2026

What the World Cup has revealed so far

With a U.S. Senate contest stealing the political spotlight, where do we stand in the races for the two top spots in Texas politics? A check-in on the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s races.An unannounced feature in smart glasses could reveal the identities of people without their knowledge. Is this the future of personal networking, surveillance, […]

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June 17, 2026

Rural Texas pushes back on data centers

Weather off the Texas Gulf Coast has the potential to bring a lot of rain. We’ll dig into what it might mean for water-hungry cities around the state.We’ve talked a lot about the number of data centers coming to Texas, especially outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Now, a closer look at the legal bind […]

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June 16, 2026

Texas Extra: When the World Comes to Texas Episode 5

When the World Comes Comes to Texas is a podcast from our partners at KERA in North Texas exploring what it means to bring the World cup to the Lone Star State. We’re sharing these episodes with very Tuesday night through June 16th. Episode 5: How to Enjoy Every Kick This World Cup

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June 16, 2026

Corpus Christi’s water fight meets cryptomining

The Strait of Hormuz is set to reopen after months of conflict between the U.S. and Iran. We’ll look at what it could mean for Texas drivers and gas prices.As Corpus Christi faces potential water cuts, questions are mounting over a nearby crypto mine’s water consumption. Why are city officials withholding updated records?With the FIFA […]

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June 15, 2026

State regulators weigh new uses for fracking wastewater

Texas regulators are moving closer to allowing treated wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations to be reused on farmland and other sites outside the energy industry. Some fear the proposal is getting ahead of the science. Texas Republicans signaled their priorities at their convention in Houston, with Gov. Greg Abbott outlining his vision for […]

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