A new report from the Wall Street Journal raises questions about how a prominent Texas Republican got rich as a politician. The report puts the personal finances of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the spotlight, though his supporters are calling it a hit piece. We’ll talk with one of the reporters behind the story.
A football rivalry like few others, only this year the stakes seem especially high for the Texas Longhorns as they take on Oklahoma.
What is the “Selena Effect”? A new exhibit at Texas State’s Wittliff Collections explores what is behind the enduring impact of a Tejano superstar.
Also, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
Texas school closures raise tough questions
Public schools across Texas are being put to the test. From Fort Worth to Grapevine, Austin to San Antonio, we’ll look at how communities are reacting – and in some cases, pushing back – on plans to shutter schools and shuffle the map for many students.
Also, a big fight over redistricting with huge consequences – no longer on the political stage, but instead, a rather small federal courtroom. We’ll hear from Nacar Devine, an El Pasoan keeping tabs on what’s going on amid the hearing over Texas’ new congressional map.
Those stories, the latest on H-1B visas, and so much more.
Houston megachurch faces legal revolt
A University of Texas professor says Congress has gotten so good at frequent government shutdowns, finding the political will to get back on track could be an obstacle in itself. We’ll take a closer look.
Nearly two weeks after the deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE facility, investigators say the motive may be more about notoriety than ideology.
Second Baptist Church in Houston is locked in a legal battle with its own members over leadership and finances, and the dispute is being heard in the city’s new business court.
Texas leads the nation in energy consumption, driven by population growth and the rise of AI data centers. What does it bode for the state’s grid and energy mix?
Amarillo startup wants AI to go nuclear
A Texas congressional redistricting fight enters the courtroom, with both sides taking different positions from those taken earlier. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of what’s expected to be a nine-day federal hearing over new congressional maps.
The most polluted air in Texas? We’ll hear why a Houston community may have a tough time getting companies to take speedy action to clear the air.
Also, would you vote for an increase in property taxes if it meant helping people who are homeless find a place to live? A test of that idea on the ballot in Austin.
Plus, the Amarillo startup wanting AI to go nuclear, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune, and much 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.
Talarico leads early in Democratic primary fundraising
The U.S. invasion of Grenada. The U.S. invasion of Panama. As the U.S. builds up a major military presence in the Caribbean, Katrin Bennhold of the New York Times talks about Venezuela and what she sees as the growing specter of regime change.
The latest on the federal government shutdown and what it means for vital ports along the Texas gulf coast.
Fundraising numbers show state Rep. James Talarico leading the pack for Democrats in the U.S. Senate race. What do the numbers tell us about how the race may be shaping up?
Plus, Daniel Vaughn, barbecue editor of Texas Monthly, has a bone to pick over a new list of top barbecue joints.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Police say Austin’s yogurt shop murders case is finally solved
A breakthrough in a murder case unsolved for more than three decades: Police say they know who was behind Austin’s yogurt shop murders. Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE on what has led police to declare the Austin yogurt shop murders “solved” after 34 years.
Many questions swirling around a highly unusual meeting of U.S. military top brass being brought in from around the world for a rare joint in person meeting. We’ll take a look.
Plus, a legacy of the Cold War: Nuclear missile silos hidden across Texas and the Great Plains, many now decommissioned. You may be surprised to hear how they’ve been repurposed.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
How thousands of blind and visually impaired Texans learn to get around safely
A looming budget deadline and threats of a government shutdown: what that could mean for Texans.
The Texas Democratic Party has launched an expansion plan that includes relocating its headquarters to Dallas. The decision has roiled quite a few within the party, even prompting an exodus of top staff.
In Texas, there are around 11,000 students who are blind or visually impaired, and many of them spend time in school learning how to get around safely. The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us inside the process of orientation and mobility training.
For years, birdwatching in Texas has been a tale of two jays: blue in the east, and green further south. Recently though, researchers have found a rare new species that lies somewhere in between – the Grue Jay.
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.
Where was the acting FEMA head during the July 4 floods?
An investigative report claims as Texas flooded on the July 4 weekend, the head of FEMA couldn’t be reached. We’ll hear more about a reported slow response from acting administrator David Richardson and what it meant for Texas during the Hill Country floods.
Concerns are rising in higher ed over millions of federal dollars for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) on hold, with no end in sight.
The latest on lawsuits challenging Texas’ new law for the Ten Commandments in the classroom.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga has the latest on a deal that would keep TikTok in the U.S. and growing concerns about who might be running that operation.
Plus, taco journalist Mando Rayo weighs in on Tex-Mex.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Rodney Crowell talks new album, career
A deadly shooting this morning at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas. We’ll share the latest details.
Workplaces across the state trying to calculate the implications of a new $100,000 fee for H-1B applications. We’ll hear more on the questions raised by the new policy and the possible fallout.
How college football in Texas and beyond is being reshaped by new NIL rules allowing for direct athlete pay by advertisers and sponsors.
And the return of Rodney Crowell: Music and conversation with a Texas songwriting legend.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Why voters in Odessa turned against the far-right local government
Some are calling it a new chapter in the relationship between higher education and Texas politics – we’ll have a closer look at what’s happening at A&M right now and why it matters.
Something is missing in a new report from the Agriculture Department: an explanation for the data. Michael Marks reports on why the missing link is raising eyebrows.
There’s been a boom in indie bookstores nationwide, with Texas leading the way. How did it happen?
Last November, after years of the Odessa City Council focusing on culture war issues, Odessa voters went in a different direction.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Texas A&M president resigns amid viral video controversy
Texas A&M President Mark Welsh is resigning after a week of turmoil over a viral video and a clash over gender identity content in the classroom.
What’s behind Texas’ redistricting push? KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on a political strategy started decades ago.
The flesh-eating new world screwworm, a parasite once eradicated from Texas, has been detected within striking distance of the border. What species may be most vulnerable.
The new documentary “When We Were Live” reflects on public access TV in Austin through rare archival footage and interviews with local producers.
A history of the Texas Civil Rights Project
Remember the Democratic walkout this summer over Texas redistricting? Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit accusing Beto O’Rourke of bribery and other charges for supporting the walkout continues – but O’Rourke appears to have the upper hand.
Recovery funds are finally on the way for many in Houston who suffered damage during Hurricane Beryl and last year’s derecho. But the need for assistance continues to outweigh available resources.
For decades, the Texas Civil Rights Project has been a force in battles for voter rights, disability access and racial and economic justice. We’ll hear from founder Jim Harrington, who’s released a new book tracing the organization’s history.
A new episode of the “Tacos of Texas” podcast delves into tequila’s deeper meaning, including personal connections and heritage.
Remembering Robert Redford’s Texas ties
Programs aimed at helping millions of low-income students earn college degrees is potentially on the chopping block. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Silas Allen joins us with a look.
A series of bills aimed at preventing a repeat of the July 4th flooding tragedy in Texas’ Hill Country has passed, but some are asking if they go far enough. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has been looking into that question.
He was known as the Sundance Kid and an icon of cinema. We’ll hear more about the late Robert Redford and his Texas connections.
And a UT researcher tells us about a new discovery involving black holes – and how it could help settle questions about the structure of the universe.
‘CleaVage’ musical is a deep cut into Texas plastic surgery history
The contours of Texas politics are changing – part of Republican’s decades-long plan? Texas Monthly’s Robert Downen joins us to talk about what he sees as an unprecedented consolidation of power aimed at ending fair elections in Texas.
Also, Texas A&M launches audits of its courses statewide – this after the firing of a professor over teachings involving gender identity in a children’s literature class.
And a lawsuit challenging the Texas Medical Board over who gets to call themselves a doctor.
Plus, did you know breast implants were first developed in Texas six decades ago? Well, one Dallas plastic surgeon is making sure you do with a new musical.
Those stories, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune, the talk of Texas and so much more.
Pushback in Mexico against SpaceX expansion
The latest on the dismissal of a Texas A&M professor and the removal of two top administrators after political pressure over what was being taught in a children’s literature class – an incident that has led to concern about academic freedom.
The impact of SpaceX launches in South Texas is felt across the border in Mexico, where some officials are even weighing legal action against the company.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga on how Facebook is bringing back one of its earliest features, the “poke,” to appeal to Gen Z.
The use of facial recognition technology in Juárez is raising red flags.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
What to know after black bear sightings in East Texas
As the dust settles on this year’s legislative action at the Capitol, where do the two main parties stand?
If you buy beef, you may have noticed that it’s gotten more expensive lately. Michael Marks has the story, and whether there are any signs of relief.
For several years, black bears have gradually spread throughout the Trans-Pecos region. But recently, bear sightings in East Texas have earned headlines, too
What does “BU” mean to you? The latest on a trademark battle between Boston and Baylor.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Antone’s celebrates 50 years of the blues in Austin with special box set
As Texas lawmakers return home, what are the big takeaways from six weeks of overtime at the Capitol? We’ll take a closer look at what happened – and what didn’t.
Why some think Collin County could become one of the nation’s most highly contested political battlegrounds.
Antone’s, known as Austin’s home of the blues, celebrates its 50th birthday with a new box set with deep Texas ties.
Plus: A recap of the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.
Corpus Christi cancels controversial desalination project
The Legislature’s second overtime comes to a close with new political maps and a slew of Republican wins. But how do Texas voters come down on the big issues of the day? A new survey offers some answers.
After years of planning and tens of millions spent already, Corpus Christi’s city council cancels a high-profile project to deal with growing water demands.
What’s in a name? A lot if you’re talking about so-called Gulf coast shrimp. Details of a new law aimed at cracking down on the imposters.
For barbecue lovers dreaming of turning their passion into a profession, help is now a phone call or click away with Nextep Q, a hotline and website offering business advice for pitmasters.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
New state law will give farmers a heads-up on pests and diseases
The fight over redistricting has shifted from the Capitol to the courthouse, but plenty of serious work is still on the table when legislators return to their offices Tuesday. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins with a look at what’s left on the agenda.
A new law in effect today creates a statewide alert system for pests and diseases that affect plants and wildlife. The Standard’s Michael Marks has the story.
And: The Standard continues celebrating 10 years on the air with a look back at some memorable animal stories.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Educators face new risks under inappropriate material law
Three new measures are set to take effect aiming to “Make Texas Healthy Again.” Political sloganeering or genuine change? A closer look at the laws that prompted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to Texas.
As we approach Sept. 1, more than 800 new laws are set to take effect. We continue our close-up of some of those that’ll have a major impact, including some that haven’t received much attention. Our own Sarah Asch tells us about a new obscenity law and why one provision related to exposing minors to controversial material has teachers, librarians and even doctors concerned.
Tech producer and reporter Shelly Brisbin gets us up to speed on a sweeping new bill aimed at regulating artificial intelligence.
Plus, the week in politics and much more.