KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

David Brown

Texas A&M alumni raise concerns over ‘politicization’ of school

Gasoline prices on the rise, a looming crisis in Corpus Christi, and more fallout from a Texas congressman’s decision to end his reelection bid.
We’ll have the latest on Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales’ abrupt decision to end his reelection efforts amid a House ethics investigation on sexual misconduct allegations.
Also, a deep-pocketed Aggie alunmus weighs in on what he calls the “politicization of his alma mater.” We’ll dig into what that could mean for Texas A&M.
In Nacogdoches, Steven F. Austin State University calls for the removal of an historic house. One local historian fears for its future.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

‘Riverbend’ returns to audiences after decades of obscurity

After winning a spot in a runoff, Congressman Tony Gonzales drops his bid for reelection amid growing pressure over an affair scandal. We’ll dig into the latest today.
Also, confusion at some polling places on primary day: What really happened and what’s the fallout?
And a film of Black resistance shot in Texas — but largely lost to history — has now been resurrected. We’ll share more about the rediscovery of “Riverbend.”
Plus, three big takeaways from a busy week in Texas politics.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Amid ethics probe, Rep. Tony Gonzales admits affair

South Texas lawmaker, Rep. Tony Gonzales, is facing a runoff and has now admitted to carrying out an affair with an aide who later died by suicide. Now a House committee is investigating the scandal.
How the primary election turned Tejano music star Bobby Pulido into a Democratic political contender in the general election.
The taco truck: A staple of life in Texas. Taco journalist Mando Rayo on why many working in those trucks are feeling more anxious right now.
A preview of the Texas Film Awards happening tonight.
And commentator W.F. Strong on a love of Texas authors and what may be untapped wealth on your shelf.

Iran strikes stoke fears of wider war, impact on energy prices

Fighting widens as U.S. and Israeli warplanes pound Iran. Iran and its proxies hit back, leading to a spiraling expansion. We’re following a rapidly expanding Middle East conflict with a close eye on the implications for Texas. UT international affairs expert Jeremi Suri answers some of the critical questions right now.
Also, we’ll have a warning about energy prices Texans may be facing with the conflict underway as well as reactions from people in Texas with ties to Iran.
Plus, a deadly shooting at a bar in Austin this weekend is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.

The town where Texas declared its independence

Who’s up, who’s down, and who’s in trouble  — a final poll before primary day in the Lone Star State. We’ll go over what the numbers are telling us.
President Trump is in Corpus Christi today, hitting the hustings on this last day of in-person early voting before crucial primaries in Texas. James Henson of the Texas Politics Project joins us with results of a new survey.
Also, echoes of politics of the past as Texas prepares to mark 190 years since its own declaration of independence. Michael Adkison of Houston Public Media on a critical convention of 1836 and why it matters today.
And the fight over data centers takes a new turn.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Paxton sues more out-of-state providers over abortion pills

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton files suit against a California doctor and a larger international organization for providing abortion pills to Texans. Paxton’s lawsuit is not the first time he’s gone after out-of-state providers of mifepristone — though so far, he’s had little to show for it.
After the floods in Kerrville, volunteers round what may be a post-flood turning point.
A political scandal involving South Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales is gaining attention. We’ll delve into how it could shake up this election season.
And what’s behind the latest protein craze?

Killing of cartel head ‘El Mencho’ touches off violence in Mexico

Gov. Greg Abbott is urging Texans in Mexico right now to follow shelter-in-place orders as violence sweeps much of that nation. We’ll have a report from Mexico City on the wave of coordinated retaliatory attacks and widespread uncertainty as wanted drug cartel leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes – known as “El Mencho” – is killed by Mexican special forces.
The start of a federal trial of nine people connected to a July 4 shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas.
Also, this week in Texas music history remembers virtuoso Esteban “Steve” Jordan, considered by many to be the “Jimi Hendrix of the accordion.”

Amid scandal, calls grow for Rep. Tony Gonzales to step down

After violence on the streets in parts of Mexico, things are returning to normal. But will it last? We’ll dig into the latest following the killing of cartel head “El Mencho” in Mexico.
Why turnout for early voting for the March primaries is exceeding expectations – especially for Democrats.
The growing calls for Congressman Tony Gonzales to step down and abandon his re-election campaign.
An inside look at the rural hospitals at risk of closing in West Texas.
And our bug lady answers kids’ questions about male and female insects.

What happens now after Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs

A major repudiation of one of the Trump administration’s signature initiatives: The Supreme Court’s tariff decision and the Texas impact today on the Standard.
A new investigative report reveals six deaths in six weeks at immigration detention centers in Texas. Other stories we’re tracking: As the first week of early voting in the Texas primaries comes to a close, what GOP voters in one reliably red district are thinking about as they head to the polls south of Austin.
Also, why Tejano’s taking center stage at a major Texas university. All that and more today.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Talarico interview on Colbert controversy shakes up race

James Talarico’s campaign raises millions after an interview with Stephen Colbert is pulled. But was it really a backfire against President Trump? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with the lowdown.
A look at a hugely important hearing today for four men accused of the notorious 1991 yogurt shop murders in Austin.
Also, why are so many barbecue joints closing?

The Texans in the Epstein files

Can Sylvia Garcia, Houston’s only Latina U.S. representative, hang on to her seat? We may know sooner than some realize.
If you were waiting for this fall for the start of election season, wait no more. Early voting in the state’s primaries is set to begin tomorrow. A closer look at a race with huge implications for Texas – and beyond.
Amid concerning reports from the immigration detention center at Dilley, what are conditions really like inside? Ask the children being held there. We’ll talk with a ProPublica reporter who did just that.
Also, the Texans found in the Epstein files.

New exhibit peels back mystique surrounding Daniel Johnston

Major changes at one of the state’s flagship universities, with UT Austin consolidating seven departments focused on ethnic and gender studies into two new ones.
Five years since Winter Storm Uri and a massive blackout that led to investigations and a rethink of how the state manages the power grid. What’s changed? A look back.
The Standard’s Michael Marks on a new pest hitting rice growers at a very bad time.
Hi, how are you? A new exhibit focuses on the life and legacy of the artist Daniel Johnston, who became a Texas cultural icon.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

How an AI data center is driving a housing crisis in Abilene

What really happened that led to a sudden and largely unprecedented shutdown of the airspace and the airport in El Paso? We’ll dive in on today’s Texas Standard.
With just days to go before early voting begins in the Texas primaries, Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on the Democratic race between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, as well as a GOP showdown featuring Sen. John Cornyn, AG Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Also, Discord tells users it will begin age verification. Pushback and confusion ensue. Our go-to tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why.
Plus, a new real estate trend in Houston that hearkens back to college dorm days: The rise of co-living deals.
Also, how a data center is driving housing affordability challenges in Abilene.
Those stories and much more today.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Untangling legal questions in the age of AI photo manipulation

One of the most closely watched political contests in this midterm election year is happening in Texas, and a new poll offers some surprises.
The race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by John Cornyn has recently been characterized as tightening up, but a new poll suggests Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat Jasmine Crockett are pulling ahead from the rest of the pack.
As AI makes image manipulation easier than ever, are the laws keeping up?
Plus, the fastest-growing group online? It’s not young people. Our conversation with Eszter Hargittai, co-author of the new book “Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online.”

Walking Dallas, one mile at a time

Redistricting wars may sound like esoteric politics, but a race in Houston shows how high the stakes are for some Texas communities. We’ll look at how a lesser-known political contest in Houston’s 29th district illustrates the impact of the redistricting fight on some Texas communities.
It may sound like a social media trend, but it’s a real medical condition with dangerous, potentially life-altering effects: Understanding Alpha-gal syndrome.
Unwalkable cities in Texas? The Dallas man who put that to the test.
Plus, the story of a gospel group founded in East Texas that earned a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Why many Texans are getting ready for the ‘Benito Bowl’

Texas becomes the first state with a strict abortion ban to provide doctors with guidelines on exceptions. We’ll dig into what’s in those guidelines with ProPublica reporter Cassandra Jaramillo.
Coming soon to the pristine spaces of the Big Bend: Construction of a border wall. We’ll look at how many locals are trying to push back.
And in a state that loves football, why the Bad Bunny halftime show will be the main event in many Texas homes this Super Bowl Sunday.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Democrat makes surprise win in solid-red Texas district

In a little-watched race, Taylor Rehmet’s surprise win for Democrats in Texas may be a potential warning shot for Republicans in a midterm election year. Is this a one-off, or is the GOP in trouble in the Lone Star State?
Also, Texas environmental regulators greenlight what looks like the largest fossil-fueled power plant project in the country. We’ll dig into what it might tell us about energy and the environment in Texas going forward.

Austin’s Banana Phone turns public roasting into performance art

With national attention focused on the tactics of immigration enforcement, a concern is growing among Texas Republicans about the political fallout.
We’re still months away for an important midterm election. But this weekend, voters in one part of Texas will be picking their representative to Congress. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media brings us the backstory of the race to replace the late Sylvester Turner.
A new order from Gov. Abbott on H-1B visas has many institutions of higher education in Texas are concerned about the impact.
And the comedy show where bombing is just the beginning. Those stories, the week in politics and more.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Protesters, DPS troopers clash outside Dilley ICE detention facility

Protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley called for the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father who were taken into ICE custody in Minnesota.Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a massive military buildup as President Trump warns Iran to abandon its nuclear program – or else. But this may be about more than just nukes.Also, what new census numbers tell us about the state of the Lone Star State.

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