David Brown

State parks are expanding efforts to improve accessibility

As the school year winds down, Texas lawmakers cramming for their final days at their desks are focused on education – and what some had hoped would be an increase in state spending per student may be shifted to teacher pay raises.
Consumer Reports investigates a tip that sale prices at Kroger aren’t showing up at the checkout, with consumers taking the hit.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has rolled out motorized track wheelchairs to improve access at state parks.
Plus: A 15-minute film from Waco, “The Heart of Texas,” has already made a mark at festivals and is now headed to Cannes.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Central Texas art studio centers artists with disabilities

A bill would make it possible for criminal offenders as young as 15 to be sent to state prisons for adults.
Why hopes for a big increase in per-student funding for Texas public schools may have slipped away for this legislative session.
Also at the Capitol: The loud bang of a wooden mallet is supposed to keep lawmakers in check. But it’s a symbol of power, too. What’s the story behind the use of the gavel?
For decades, a quiet but growing movement has supported artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Standard’s Sean Saldana visits a progressive East Austin studio helping redefine what inclusion in the art world can look like.
Plus: Texas musician Carrie Rodriguez joins us to talk about her new collaboration with Calexico.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

An Austin book club has been reading the same novel for more than a decade

Texas gets a lot of flack for its culture wars – but some note a change at the Capitol this legislative session.
More than a year after the state took over Shelby Park in Eagle Pass during the peak of illegal border crossings, it has now reopened to the public – and residents have bittersweet feelings.
After a big push from the Trump administration, Mexico promises to make good on water treaty deliveries to Texas. But farmers fear it’ll only be a drop in the bucket.
And: “Finnegans Wake” by James Joyce is so dense and experimental, one reading group in Austin has been working on it for more than a decade – and they’re still not even close to done.

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.

Houston is the fastest-sinking city in the US, study finds

Abortion pills, denial of bail, and a ban on land purchases for some people: What’s happening in the final weeks of the Texas Legislature?
After jackpot controversies, multiple resignations and a ban on online lotto ticket sales, the state’s lottery system is now under investigation.
Cities on the rise across Texas are quite literally sinking, with Houston faring the worst out of any major U.S. metropolis.
The latest projections on a fast-approaching hurricane season.
And: Checking in with Catholics across the state on the first Sunday with a new pope.

Texas Renaissance Festival ordered to sell land, assets following lengthy legal battle

Texas Catholics, now almost a third of the state population, are celebrating the selection of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from America.
Gov. Gregg Abbott has just signed into law a school voucher plan, but some Texans are continuing to push back.
A judge orders the sale of the Texas Renaissance Festival, following a civil court trial over a purchase deal that fell through in 2023.
Fans can get an early look at this summer’s “King of the Hill” reboot at the ATX TV Festival.
And: the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

Ranchers plead for help to fight a devastating pest on its way back to Texas

Several current and former Frio County officials have been indicted for alleged vote harvesting, part of a years-long investigation led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. One critic calls it voter suppression 101. What’s behind the charges?
In the conversation over cash bail reform, what’s missing? An new investigation points to a lack of focus on the bail bond industry.
The new world screwworm, a livestock pest, may be making a comeback in the U.S., and experts say Mexico hasn’t been cooperating to stop it. The Standard’s Michael Marks dives into why it’s considered so dangerous to Texas.
And: It’s prom and quinceañera season – milestone celebrations that often come with big dresses, big parties and of course, big meals. Mando Rayo, host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, digs in.

Documentary tells story of landmark Texas archaeological site

As the clock ticks down on the legislative session, how close is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to completing his wish list?
Weekend balloting across Texas brings some big local changes. We’ll hear from reporters statewide.
Texans dominate at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney.
The documentary “The Stones Are Speaking” tells the story of Michael Collins, the man who helped open the Gault site to researchers.
And: Who’ll be the next mayor of San Antonio? Voters have narrowed a field of 27 candidates down to two.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Farmers in Texas face mounting losses as lawmakers propose relief

An $8 billion funding bill for public schools has passed the Texas House. But is it enough? Where lawmakers stand on education spending.
After a string of weather disasters, a bill could bring financial relief to impacted farmers.
A new book, “Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take,” examines a shift in trust over federal guidance. Author Dr. Jerry Avorn joins with more.
In the not-too-distant future, iPhones may not be made in China. Omar Gallaga has the latest on talk of a shift in production.
Also: Taco podcaster Mando Rayo shares cookbook picks that put an accent on Tex-Mex flavors.

100 Days, Two Americas: A Texas Standard / California Newsroom Special

We’ve been here before, but this time feels different. President Donald Trump has rounded out 100 days in office, but getting a grasp of this moment in our country’s history is a challenge. Whether what’s unfolding is good or bad depends on where you look, and who you ask. This hour, we’re getting a snapshot of Trump’s second term by exploring what it’s like in California and Texas. The country’s two largest states, in population and economies, but living different versions of the same America. This is a special collaboration between the Texas Standard and the California Newsroom, “100 Days, Two Americas.”

Questions remain after death of man in Dallas County jail

Though a voucher-like plan has passed in Texas, lawmakers are far from done with education-related changes. What’s still on the legislative docket? Just about a month left before scheduled sine die at the Texas capitol, Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media shares some of the less well-known school-related measures lawmakers are considering.
In other news, a death at a Dallas County jail raises questions about how such deaths are investigated and reported. Marina Trahan Martinez of KERA North Texas drills down on what happened and what’s at stake.
Also, after federal cutbacks, long lines at Social Security offices and why they may get longer.

After yearslong fight, school voucher bill clears Legislature

A measure long sought by Texas Republicans is now on its way to the governor’s desk: A voucher-like plan to use public dollars to pay for private education. We’ll get details from Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom.

A massive plan was once proposed to keep Texas from running out of water in the late 1960’s… Voters said no. How the debate has resurfaced decades later.

And a big win for opponents of local marijuana decriminalization moves in Texas.

How Texas schools fared in long-awaited TEA accountability grades

After lawsuits and a long delay, the Texas Education Agency releases rankings for schools in the Lone Star State. The school rankings are more than just an indicator of how well students are doing, they can have ripple effects on the schools themselves, as well as on housing prices and more. KERA’s Bill Zeeble joins us with what the report cards tell us.
After record levels of deaths connected to police car chases, what, if anything, do Texas lawmakers plan to do?
A historic theatre, once a hub for Mexican American entertainment, is coming back to life in San Antonio.
Plus, Texas breweries rebrand themselves as public spaces.

Harris County deputy suicides raise questions about mental health support

From Houston to Fort Worth, thousands of Texans joined people across the country over the weekend in a national day of protest against the Trump administration.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey gets us up to speed on what’s happening at the state Capitol with six weeks left in the legislative session.
Four Houston-area suicides among members of law enforcement are drawing more attention to an issue some peace officers are reluctant to talk about openly.
And: Many Texans are mourning Pope Francis, who has died at 88.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Bird flu is spreading across Texas wildlife

Bird flu is spreading fast among wildlife including foxes and raccoons in Panhandle counties.
Twenty-seven candidates are running to become the next mayor of San Antonio – the city’s biggest field in recent memory – as voters head to the polls next month.
Deployed Resources, a Texas company that grew into a contracting giant building tent shelters, is turning its focus to deportation.
Looking to buy a vehicle? What you should know about the car market amid tariff uncertainty.
And: The history of cascarones – colorful confetti eggs – a Texas Easter tradition.

Texas House gives initial approval to school voucher bill

For the first time ever, the Texas House votes to approve the use of taxpayer money for private school education. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom shares what comes next.
Many farmers in South Texas say a water treaty with Mexico is costing them dearly. Now the Trump administration appears ready to get involved.
Thousands of acres of Hill Country land have been set aside to create a new state natural area, and Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan got a preview.
And: Politics and water take center stage in the new documentary “Thirst for Power,” based on a book by Michael Webber. He joins the show with more.

Could SpaceX’s Starbase become an actual city?

Almost half of all Texas counties don’t have a hospital or birth center that provides obstetric care. A look at the challenges and what’s being done to support pregnant people across rural Texas.
How some Houston fourth graders are calling for changes at school by petitioning for reusable lunch trays and learning how to make their case to lawmakers.
More than just a launch site? The countdown is on for local residents to decide whether join a new town called Starbase.
Texans looked good at the Masters, but there was another narrative that had golf fans glued to their chairs. Golf journalist Kevin Robbins with the drama.

Valley bakery raid sparks immigration debate in region swept by Trump

The Texas House has approved its version of the state’s two-year budget. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on what Texas’ representatives want to spend taxpayer money for, and where they’ll have to work out the kinks with the Senate.
A test for President Trump in South Texas – and how a certain bakery there came to play an outsized part in the political drama.
They call it Y’all Street: What the emergence of Dallas as a financial center means for Texas and the big money business.
And: Five years after COVID, how have high school sports changed?

All eyes are on Texan Scottie Scheffler at the Masters

More than 500 student visas are revoked, many in Texas. What’s happened, why and what could come next.
With Texas lawmakers considering bills affecting public schools, how some students are deciding to get involved themselves.
Tech companies are teaming up with video game makers to develop new standards for accessibility.
A golden age of Texas golf is shining bright in Augusta. Kevin Robbins talks about No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the Texas showing at the Masters and his latest reporting for Texas Monthly.
Also: As we continue to celebrate the Texas Standard’s 10th birthday, we’re sharing our top 10 Typewriter Rodeo poems.

Baylor bets big on E-sports with first-ever program director and coach

A second child has died of measles in Texas as cases continue to rise. How this latest outbreak compares with that of the ’90s.
Baylor has just hired its first-ever E-sports director and coach: Adam Stanley of Brewton-Parker College, a small private college in Georgia and powerhouse in E-sports.
Hosting the Final Four of the college men’s basketball championship has been a big boon to San Antonio. We’ll hear more as the Houston Cougars get set for their championship game against Florida tonight at the Alamodome.
And: A homecoming for Texas actor and comedian Michael Yo as the Moontower Comedy Festival gets underway in Austin.

There’s no online registry for ranchers’ brands – but that could change

As China announces retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., the possible toll on Texas ranchers is generating lots of anxiety. A Texas A&M trade expert who’s worked on previous trade deals takes a closer look as the implications of extended trade wars loom large.
Fatalities related to child abuse in Texas fall dramatically – but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
And: There are thousands of unique livestock brands in Texas, but no centralized database to keep track of them all. State lawmakers could soon change that.