David Brown

San Antonio ISD could close as many as 17 schools

San Antonio ISD could close nearly one-fifth of its schools as it deals with aging buildings and falling enrollment. But it’s not just San Antonio – this reflects a larger challenge facing many school districts across Texas.

A mystery at the Tarrant County Appraisal District has led to an office shake-up that may leave some taxpayers holding the bag.

What’s happening to the Texas economy? The Standard’s Sean Saldana’s been getting some clues from the Dallas Fed’s new Beige Book entry.

And: What’s to become of Benito, a giraffe in a Juárez park at the center of a controversy?

Which major city in Texas has the worst weather?

Ken Paxton’s impeachment and Senate trial was the biggest political story in Texas in decades. History will no doubt recall what transpired over the previous two weeks at the Capitol, but how much do most Texans know that anything happened at all?

A state-imposed superintendent for Houston schools rolls out what he calls the New Education System – and it’s getting a lot of pushback.

Remembering Latina scientist Elma Gonzalez.

And with frequent hurricanes in Southeast Texas, and twisters up north … which big city has the worst weather in Texas, and why?

Ken Paxton survived his impeachment trial. What’s next?

Ken Paxton has been acquitted on all impeachment charges by a jury of the Texas Senate. Supporters of the newly-reinstalled attorney general say it’s a victory for the rule of law and the constitution. Opponents called it a sham. It underscores a huge rift in the Republican Party of Texas almost certain to have echoes in the 2024 presidential race. We’ll have analysis of the historic trial and the Saturday vote.

More on the huge UAW labor action, and how Texas could be directly affected.

And we’ll go into the ring with the director of the new film “Cassandro.”

What happened in the dramatic Day 7 of Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial?

House prosecutors rested their case in the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton, but that appears to have been a mistake. A surprising twist at the Paxton impeachment trial, one that could have brought proceedings to an early conclusion. We’ll hear what happened and what it means for the trial going forward.

An investigation by Houston Public Media finds bus shelters in the city, built to protect riders from the elements, offer inconsistent protection from the searing Texas heat – and in some cases, make things worse.

And Texas leads the nation in AMBER Alerts, but how well do they work?

Historic heat makes Texas’ ailing water infrastructure even harder to fix

A plan for state officials to take over special education in the Austin Independent School District is being reconsidered. Becky Fogel of KUT in Austin shares more.

Record heat this summer statewide has led to widespread water leaks amid an already pressing need for repairs – but will a fund earmarked for fixes be enough?

With five deaths from fentanyl on average in Texas each day, a growing number of those deaths is among young people. The Dallas Morning news turns a monthlong spotlight on a growing crisis.

In attempts to ban library books, Texas leads the nation

Texas prisons are under a statewide lockdown as officials search for contraband to stem a rise in prison homicides.

More than 700 new state laws took effect in Texas on Sept. 1 out of the almost 3,000 that were filed – meaning the vast majority didn’t become law. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies tells us more.

Texas had the most book challenges of any state last year, according to the American Library Association.

Outlaw country, born in the 1970s, has long been dominated by men. But female artists have been making noteworthy contributions, especially recently.

Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

Challenged on the right, progressive Corpus Christi DA seeks higher office

Gov. Greg Abbott has been ordered to remove a controversial buoy barrier from the middle of the Rio Grande.

Among the new laws now taking effect in Texas are new penalties aimed at cracking down on illegal voting. But just how much of a departure from the past is it? The Standard’s Sean Saldana has more.

Facing a trial to force his removal, Mark Gonzalez, a progressive DA in Nueces County, has resigned and announced a challenge to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.

And we’ll hear from Pedro Martín, the author and illustrator of “Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir,” a graphic novel about a road trip to Mexico already being called an instant classic.

A budding pipeline fight highlights activists’ changing tactics

What does the first day of Attorney General Ken Paxton’s historic impeachment trial tell us about what remains ahead? The Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán joins us from the Capitol with a recap.

We’ll hear the latest on a new fight over a natural gas pipeline in West Texas – and how new strategies by opponents of such development are getting traction.

Among the new laws now in effect in Texas is a requirement for those who want to run for county sheriff.

The sister of Botham Jean, who was killed in Dallas five years ago, has written a new memoir, “After Botham: Healing from my Brother’s Murder by a Police Officer.”

Plus an update on wildfire dangers statewide.

Adoptees fight to gain access to their original birth certificates in Texas

The impeachment trial of Texas’ attorney general is set to begin on the floor of the Senate tomorrow, but supporters in Ken Paxton’s home county, Collin, are standing firmly behind him.

Meanwhile, almost half of Texans think Paxton should be removed from office, according to a new poll from the Texas Policy Project.

Lots of folks from other states are moving to Texas – but numbers suggest Texans are, by and large, staying put.

And there’s a push to change Texas law so that adoptees can access their original birth certificates.

Bears are returning to Texas, whether we’re ready or not

A state law, dubbed the “Death Star bill” and designed to preempt a large number of local ordinances, has been ruled unconstitutional by a Texas judge. But the battle’s far from over.

A new state budget takes effect Friday, with a large portion earmarked for border security.

Decades ago, black bears were all but driven from the state by overhunting and population growth. The bears are back – will Texans co-exist with them any better this time around? The Standard’s Michael Marks reports.

State National Guard used WhatsApp to spy at the border

An investigation of Operation Lone Star finds a prohibited intelligence unit using WhatsApp to spy on migrants and smugglers. Davis Winkie of the Military Times shares more.

A new Texas law, the Crown Act, takes effect this week, banning discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyles associated with race.

Close your eyes and think of Texas. What comes to mind for most Americans? Commentator W.F. Strong on how Hollywood has shaped Texas in the popular imagination.

Plus, the record-breaking return of Simone Biles.

‘Death Star bill’ could destroy local protections for renters

As police departments across the nation back off dangerous high-speed car chases, the trend in Houston is running the opposite direction.

Texas is about to pull out of a multi-state partnership designed to curb voter fraud. Why, and who’s behind the shift?

There’s a hearing tomorrow in a challenge brought by several cities to a new Texas law barring local governments from passing ordinances on labor, agriculture, finance – and even the rights of renters.

Also, Texas author LaToya Watkins on her new book, “Holler, Child,” cited by many critics as one of the most highly anticipated of 2023.

After environmentally destructive launch, will regulators let SpaceX blast off again?

A new law barring transition care for transgender youth has been temporarily blocked by a Texas judge, but it may take effect anyway Sept. 1. We’ll have the latest – plus how doctors are trying to prepare.

Officials were left in disbelief over the scale and scope of environmental damage after the failed test of a SpaceX starship in South Texas earlier this year, according to a new report.

A new book sheds light on the seldom-told tale of conscientious objectors who nonetheless went to the front lines in Vietnam.

An old shipwreck was found in coastal East Texas. What’s in it?

The Pentagon says it is likely that the head of a failed coup in Russia was killed, though questions swirl around the incident.

The digital divide in Texas was brought into sharp relief during the height of COVID. Now lawmakers are trying to bridge the gap between those with broadband and those without.

As the water line recedes along the Neches, a shipwreck emerges outside of Beaumont.

With the return of Friday night lights across the Lone Star State, there’s a new effort to protect referees from overly aggressive fans.

Railroad Commission approves South Texas coal mine expansion

In the first Republican debate of the new presidential election season, an issue top of mind for Texans – border policy – takes center stage.

The Texas Department of Transportation is giving a final green light to a highway expansion in downtown Austin that would add at least four lanes and get rid of the road’s existing upper decks.

There’s pushback on solar development in rural northeast Texas.

Energy regulators greenlit a 12,000-acre expansion of a South Texas coal mine on Tuesday, despite locals’ environmental concerns.

And with strays being turned away by many animal shelters, a first-time cat owner – the Standard’s Sean Saldaña – reflects on his first month with his new pet.

Why Will Hurd didn’t make the cut for the first Republican presidential debate

The Feds push back in court over Gov. Greg Abbott’s deployment of buoys in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass.

The City of Dallas has received $1.5 million in federal dollars for a major cleanup of contaminated sites. But will it be enough?

Researchers in El Paso are trying to tap another source of potential alternate energy, inspired by the prickly pear cactus.

There are growing concerns about challenges faced by deaf kids in the Texas foster care system.

Plus, San Antonio native Karen Tumulty of the Washington Post shares the latest on tonight’s GOP primary debate – and why former U.S. Rep. Will Hurd of Texas won’t be there.

Diaspora Network’s worship service represents nationwide shift in church demographics

We’re tracking Tropical Storm Harold, which is set to bring considerable rain and wind to large parts of South Texas. Meteorologist Matt Lanza of Space City Weather join us with the latest.

House managers preparing for the impeachment trial of Ken Paxton have published nearly 4,000 pages of documents as the Senate gets set to decide the fate of the currently suspended attorney general.

And though polls show more people turning away from organized religion, many migrants in Texas are forming communities around churches.

After a pandemic boost, what’s the next chapter for independent booksellers?

Fort Worth ISD temporarily closed its school libraries as the district worked to comply with a new state law over adult content.

Texas is one of only 10 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid. Why?

The pandemic boost for books, and its aftermath: the Standard’s Sean Saldaña on the next chapter for independent booksellers.

The most dangerous jails in Texas may not be the lockups that get the most attention. Eric Dexheimer of the Houston Chronicle shares more.

And the Texan trying to redefine travel TV, and what travel looks like in the real world, too.

Tours from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are big for local economies

COVID cases in Texas rise by almost 25% in a week as concerns mount over a new variant. Although the vast majority of Texans have given up masks and social distancing, health officials say they’re still important tools as cases pick up and students return to the classroom. Dr. Catherine Troisi of UTHealth Houston joins us with an update.

Young plaintiffs in Montana score a high-profile victory in a fight to force their home state to take climate change more seriously. Could a similar approach work in Texas?

And: Tours from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are generating huge spending on everything from concert tickets and merch to spillover effects on travel, clothing and more.

What’s changed for migrants on the border after Title 42’s end?

Students get grades, but so do Texas schools – and with a change in evaluations, administrators are concerned.

Critics say a state lawsuit against Planned Parenthood is an attempt to completely wipe out what was once a prime provider of abortion services in Texas.

How people experiencing homelessness are trying to cope with life-threatening temperatures.

The end of pandemic restrictions against migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. prompted a lot of speculation about how the situation at border would be affected. We’ll take a look at what’s actually changed on the ground.

Also, what put a once-sleepy town in the shadow of Dallas on the fast track to becoming one of Texas’ biggest cities.