David Brown

The latest on the bird flu outbreak among dairy cows

Storms continue to wreak havoc with flooding in some places north of Houston, the worst they’ve seen since Hurricane Harvey.

A preview of a big election tomorrow to fill a seat that hasn’t been vacant since the early 80’s.

Efforts to curb property taxes. How well’s that actually going?

The United Methodist Church does a 180 on LGBTQ clergy. We’ll talk with the Bishop of the Rio Texas Conference.

A big night for Dallas sports fans on more than one front. We’ll hear why and what’s at stake.

Do’s and don’ts for Cinco de Mayo.

Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

Is Tesla running out of power?

Twisters up north, flooding to the east, wildfire dangers out in the far west and a forecast that won’t let up… yet. Boat rescues reported in central east Texas and many road closures as riverbanks swell from the rain. Meteorologist Eric Berger with the latest and what to expect.
On the heels of layoffs in April, the state’s wealthiest resident moves to make deeper cuts at the nation’s top EV maker. A tipping point for Tesla?
An update on what Travis County officials describe as the worst outbreak of opioid overdoses in years.
Plus, a preview of a new podcast exploring the state’s takeover of the Texas’ biggest school district.

What a cannabis reclassification would mean for the U.S and Texas

Flooding in East Texas with evacuations in some parts and warnings in others as the weather picture worsens.
What new polling numbers from the Texas Politics Project mean for the state’s political forecast as we move closer to the general election.
Many eyes on the Fed today with a decision on interest rates that could affect many Texans. A lot of folks concerned about a so-called “soft landing” for the economy. Is it possible we’re already there?
Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton push back against new rules for Title IX.
And the DEA moves to reclassify marijuana. Why and what it means as a practical matter.

Celebrating Willie Nelson’s birthday and his concert tradition

Some of Texas’ biggest counties say their lockups are getting more overcrowded and many sheriffs say the state is to blame.
Destructive weather across the Midwest over much of the weekend turned to Texas late Sunday.
A school district that’s increasingly been in the spotlight over culture war issues heads toward what could be a turning point with local elections.
Payday loans? Yes, there’s an app for that, and experts are concerned.
Plus, on the birthday of a certain Red Headed Stranger, a look at how his picnic became an iconic event for many Texans.

What’s next for pro-Palestine campus protests in Texas?

An even larger antiwar protest at the University of Texas at Austin takes place Thursday, now the official response to protesters taking center stage. Is a major constitutional battle looming over UT’s response to Wednesday’s campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war?
Why tiny rural Texas towns may be in the crosshairs for a new kind of cyberwar between the U.S. and its adversaries.
Historic Texas barbecue joints, fading into history? Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn with details.
Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more.

What’s next after state troopers arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters at UT-Austin

After protests over the Israel-Hamas war at Columbia, NYU and elsewhere, students at the University of Texas follow suit and were met by police in riot gear who arrested dozens. UT history and politics professor Jeremi Suri talks about what happened on campus yesterday and the lessons from an earlier wave of student protests nationwide.
A new report from state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon shows we’re looking at hotter temperatures, more extreme droughts and growing wildfire dangers.
And: A closer look at what comes next for TikTok after President Joe Biden signed a foreign aid package that includes a measure to ban the app if China-based parent company ByteDance fails to divest from it within a year.

Xcel Energy target of multiple lawsuits after Smokehouse Creek Fire

A pilot program for guaranteed income in Harris County is put on hold by the Texas Supreme Court.
Could residents of Corpus Christi become the first in the state to drink treated seawater from the tap? Some say a desalination plan’s needed to meet growing water demand, but many locals say the downsides are too serious to swallow.
The northern Panhandle is recovering from the devastation brought by the Smokehouse Creek Fire, caused by a downed electric pole belonging to Xcel Energy. Now, Xcel is the target of multiple lawsuits from people who lost assets during the blaze.
Also, efforts to get people living in flood zones out of harm’s way – could Harris County’s approach teach the federal government a thing or two?

What you need to know about upcoming spring elections

Get ready to cast your ballots. Local elections are scheduled in Texas for May 4, with early voting beginning on Monday. Katya Ehresman, voting rights coordinator at Common Cause Texas, gives us the lowdown.
What a trial run of a four-day workweek in the UK tells us about how well such a shift might work.
Don Louis, a Texan who once hoped to score big in the NFL, has moved the goalposts – now aiming for the country music charts.
Plus: The week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

The move away from fossil fuels may exacerbate water scarcity in South Texas

Corpus Christi at the intersection of a clash between dueling demands – one for water, another for energy alternatives.
Dallas City Council votes to expand historical preservation efforts, with a specific outreach to communities of color.
If you’re looking for an apartment in Texas, do you know what you’ll really be paying each month? A warning to renters about the rise of so-called junk fees.
A Houston print shop, long popular with musicians, now the center of a labor dispute. Raul Alonzo with that, plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more.

Hurricane season forecast to be ‘most aggressive’ ever

After an extraordinary embassy raid, Mexico breaks ties with Ecuador as the U.S. joins other nations in condemnation.
How Central Texas has become a big player in the push for U.S.-built semiconductors.
A Texas runner heads to Boston for what will be his last marathon after being diagnosed with ALS two years ago. We’ll hear from Austinite Bill Corrigan.
And a hurricane forecast said to be the most aggressive ever – what the data adds up to for the chance of another major storm hitting Texas in 2024.

‘Texas, Being’ poetry collection takes reader on a Texas tour

Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued to block a guaranteed income program in Harris County, calling it “plainly unconstitutional.”
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz insists his podcast is a volunteer gig and not about the money. But a new complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission says the arrangement violates campaign finance laws.
Houston’s mayor claims the city is broke. What’s the backstory, and just how bad is it?
A new book of poetry called “Texas, Being: A State of Poems” doesn’t attempt to sum up all things Texan, but it does take the reader on a journey. We’ll hear from Jenny Browne, who put the collection together.

Revisiting the exploits of a notorious Texas jewel thief

As Texas eclipse watchers bask in the afterglow, we’re checking in on one event that was forced to end festivities early due to inclement weather.
A quarterly report offers a look at the health of Texas’ oil and gas industry. Energy analyst Matt Smith breaks it down.
The new book “The King of Diamonds” by Rena Pederson follows the trail of an elusive jewel thief who made off with millions by slipping into the homes of Dallas’ wealthiest residents.
Sea turtle nesting season is underway on South Padre Island. How many hatchlings are expected this year?
Plus: We’ll delve into the benefits of couples sleeping separately.

Total eclipse 2024: A special broadcast from the Kerrclipse Festival

Eclipse day has finally arrived, and Texas Standard has a special broadcast from the path of totality.

We’re live at the Kerrclipse Festival, on the grounds of the famous Kerrville Folk Festival, to talk forecast, what NASA and other researchers hope to learn today, the eclipse “observer effect” and much more.

What ‘Cowboy Carter’ says about Blackness, Beyoncé and country music

Questions are still swirling around the deal cut with Attorney General Ken Paxton over securities fraud charges, with prosecutors pointing fingers – at each other. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom has the latest.
As Texans prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime moment, why some say viewing Monday’s total eclipse could make you a better person.
Beyoncé’s exploration of country music in “Cowboy Carter” has sparked conversations about genre stereotypes and cultural boundaries.
Plus: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

With the eclipse days away, this small city is more prepared than most

A plan will cap co-pays for state subsidized child care – how much of a difference will it make in stemming a childcare crisis?
On Wednesday, a federal appeals court heard the latest arguments over SB 4, Texas’ controversial new immigration enforcement law. In the meantime, where does the legal back-and-forth leave migrants?
Ennis, a North Texas town that attracts 100,000 visitors each April to see its bluebonnets, has an extra draw for tourists this year: It’s in the eclipse’s path of totality.
And: Why the Judd Foundation, named for Marfa’s most famous modern artist, is taking on Kim Kardashian in court.

Bill Nye the Science Guy is coming to Texas for the eclipse

Dade Phelan’s fight to hang on to his Beaumont-based seat is seen as a proxy war for fights over the future direction of Texas Republicans. We’ll hear about how his fellow GOP opponents are seizing on an issue they think can topple the current House speaker.
The issue that is rapidly turning bipartisan: Both Republicans and Democrats are calling for solutions to a housing crisis in Texas.
Bill Nye the Science Guy is coming to Texas for the total eclipse and shares his top tips for experiencing the event.

From small startups to fossil fuel giants, Texans are rethinking the future of energy

What’s the connection between credit card fees and Texas? It’s a question at the heart of a case that could affect consumers nationwide.
In Texas’ energy mix, gas and oil are giving way to more and more alternate sources: think wind, solar and small-scale nuclear – and many of the projects are run by veterans of the fossil fuel industry.
Corpus Christi is making plans to deal with a lack of drinking water, but some locals are pushing back against one potential solution.
Also: North Texas is making plans to host World Cup games, but they’re racing against the clock.

Inside the international friendly match between El Paso Locomotive FC and Juárez FC

Looking back at the week in politics with The Texas Tribune, from Gov. Greg Abbott calling for college students to be disciplined over anti-Semitic speech to a Texas congressman under investigation by the House ethics committee.
Red flags have been raised over group homes for Texans with intellectual disabilities.
For the first time last week, El Paso Locomotive FC and Juárez FC faced off in front of a sold-out crowd. Texas Standard intern Alan Tiscareno shares more from the international friendly match.
And: Texas music legend Alejandro Escovedo ties together a lifetime of songs in his new album.

They’re worked like dogs – but for these canines, farm rustling is the life

The Department of Education launched a renewed version of the FAFSA financial aid form at the end of last year, and the late rollout has caused major issues for applicants and colleges.
Cattle in the Panhandle got sick last week, their milk suddenly turning thick and discolored, after coming down with avian flu.
Many Texans hold jobs in the agricultural sector. But there’s one job on a few cattle farms –and whole lot of sheep farms – that’s literally gone to the dogs. The Standard’s Sarah Asch has the story.
As Bitcoin mining operations grow in Texas, a new wave of attention aimed at crypto turns a spotlight on Austin’s so-called “bitcoin underground.”

What’s next for Ken Paxton?

After reaching a deal to dismiss securities fraud charges, Ken Paxton’s political fortunes appear on the rise. What’s next for the attorney general?
One day after a US abstention in a UN Gaza cease-fire vote, how some Arab Americans in North Texas are planning to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
The San Antonio Police Department is getting pushback over the its participation in an international competition alongside police forces the U.S. State Department says have violated human and civil rights.
And with a once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipse on the horizon, a UTSA astronomy professor talks us through what to watch for in the hours and minutes before and after the main event.