David Brown

How ‘The Iron Claw’ filmmakers achieved authenticity inside the ring

Amid a shortage of ADHD medication, concerns grow about adulterated formulations at pharmacies in Mexico.

As Houston is about to get a new mayor, a look back at the tenure of the term-limited incumbent, Sylvester Turner.

Making history at the Capitol: The Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán talks to the two women who are the first to hold the top law enforcement offices in the House of Representatives.

A new film about a wrestling dynasty built by a Texas family – and why “The Iron Claw” is winning over critics who couldn’t care less about wrestling.

Plus, the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

What has Van Horn residents so worried about a new pipeline

The Department of Justice has sued Colony Ridge, a Houston-area housing developer marketing primarily to undocumented migrants, over the company’s business practices.

Concerns are growing over a proposed pipeline in far West Texas, as nearby residents in Van Horn worry they simply don’t have the resources if there were an emergency.

Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why Apple’s taking many of its watches off store shelves, and why the president could get involved.

Also: Veteran public radio DJ Susan Castle of KUTX Austin serves up some holiday songs with a Texas twist.

New proposals would let ranchers kill two birds. But is one really a predator?

New laws on arresting migrants who cross the border into Texas illegally are just one of many changes related to border security from this year’s legislative sessions. Julián Aguilar of The Texas Newsroom takes a closer look at what passed, what didn’t, and what it means.

How do Texas voters think lawmakers did dealing with top-line issues in 2023? Jim Henson of the Texas Politics Project shares the findings of a new poll.

A Texas perspective of the struggle over campus free speech.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress are pitching a plan to stop hedge funds from buying rental homes.

And the Standard’s Michael Marks dives in on Texas ranchers’ ongoing fight against predatory birds.

Does drone medical help offer hope for rural Texans?

A court rules that Texas power generators do not have a responsibility to provide power in emergencies, like the winter storm of 2021. Mose Buchele of KUT Austin has more on what this means.

Understanding Pope Francis’ decision to permit Catholic church officials to bless same-sex marriages.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, more used to white-collar crime enforcement, wades into Texas cattle country to bust up what it calls a Ponzi scheme.

And: For West Texans far from medical facilities, some help zooms in by way of drones.

Thousands of vulnerable Texans stand to lose food and health benefits

A plan to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel is on the ropes due to disagreements over border security. What comes next? Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston has more.

Thousands of vulnerable Texans stand to lose food and health benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC.

An obscure element of the school financial system is leaving some districts with more money than they need.

And we’ll talk to Tyler Campbell, the son of NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, who’s sharing his story in a new book.

Exploring the difficulties of rural reproductive care in West Texas

Texas leads the nation in executions again, and Harris County sentences more people to die than any other county in the U.S. A new report examines dozens of death penalty cases there.

A new podcast from Marfa Public Radio looks at the challenge of accessing reproductive care in the Big Bend region.

The season started out with great expectations, but now the San Antonio Spurs have lost a record 18 games in a row. What’s gone wrong, and can it be fixed?

Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune’s Ayan Mittra.

Tired of the same Christmas carols? This Texas composer has some rearrangements

A Texas judge grants a Dallas-area woman her request for an abortion, despite the state’s strict ban. It is thought to be one of the first attempts to seek a court-approved abortion since the U.S Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe vs. Wade. Olivia Aldridge of KUT in Austin shares more.

Aid for Ukraine and Israel is blocked for now over border security concerns, and Texas’ two U.S. senators were very much a part of that process. A Texas Tech political science professor breaks it down.

As Texas cities try to rein in traffic, San Antonio revives a plan to be more bicycle-friendly.

And: North Texas-based music writer and conductor Taylor Davis is discovering something new in the Christmas carols we’ve heard for decades on end.

State stops effort to reclaim Fairfield Lake State Park

Expensive homes owned by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have not been disclosed to the state as required by law. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of the Texas Newsroom has more.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will no longer try to use eminent domain to reclaim Fairfield Lake State Park, ending a months-long struggle between the state and a Dallas developer.

The digital divide has for decades been a concern. Why many in Texas worry things are getting worse.

And: Remember expectations of a blue wave? How are Democrats’ chances for political success in Texas shaping up for 2024?

Exploring the Lone Star State with the evolving Texas Almanac

Charges have been dismissed against 17 Austin police officers accused of assault during racial justice protests of 2020. Andrew Weber of KUT has more.

A prison assault and what records suggest about a lack of transparency over security and safety in Texas lockups.

First published in 1857, the Texas Almanac has evolved and changed hands several times. We’ll hear about the 72nd edition of the journal from its managing editor, Rosie Hatch.

Worried about the power grid holding this winter? Why Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Tomlinson says, he, for one, isn’t.

And a tradition for football fans of the Cowboys, hundreds of miles from Big D.

Chronic wasting disease ravages Texas Parks and Wildlife facility

A federal judge is considering holding Texas in contempt of court over ongoing problems in the state’s foster care system. Bob Garrett of The Dallas Morning News joins us with the latest.

Chronic wasting disease, for which there is no known cure, has been detected in a Texas deer breeding facility. The Standard’s Michael Marks tells us more.

Amid concrete and skyscrapers, a community garden brings green space to North Austin. Texas Standard intern Breze Reyes reports.

And: What could the fish be telling us? Why a Texas researcher is capturing their sounds.

Will the show go on for UTEP’s dinner theater?

The sun sets on a fourth special session at the Capitol as Texas lawmakers steel themselves to go into legislative overtime yet again. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom has the latest on where we stand: what’s passed, what hasn’t, and what comes next.

The Biden administration takes the wrap off a new methane emissions rule – what it means for Texas oil and gas production and the pushback already picking up steam. Also, the latest controversy coming out of the climate summit in Dubai.

Plus: In El Paso, a dinner theater like no other is now facing the final curtain. The Texas Standard’s Alyson Rodriguez has the story.

Rare ‘Cattle Tyrant’ spotting dominates birders’ attention

Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for people under 45, and the odds of survival may depend on what part of the state you’re in. Lauren Caruba of the Dallas Morning News joins us to talk about a new investigation.

The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldaña has the latest on what some may see as contradictory signals in new employment numbers in Texas.
Are Texas roads considerably less congested? Why a new state-mandated report may raise some eyebrows.

And why the visit of a Cattle Tyrant to Corpus Christi drew excited fans from far and wide. The Standard’s Raul Alonzo explains.

What’s behind the massive oil spill in the Gulf?

An oil spill in the Gulf is considered to be among the worst in U.S. history. After two weeks, why is it getting so little attention?

We’ll hear about an unintended impediment to the growth of electric vehicle manufacturing in the U.S.

After a political fight over a school voucher-like program, salary bumps for Texas teachers are off the table. Why some teachers say they’re OK with that.

Also: What’s behind Mark Cuban’s sale of the Dallas Mavericks, and what could it mean?

The challenges facing Texas food banks as hunger rises

At least three members of Congress from North Texas have decided not to run for re-election. Is it a broader signal for Texas politics? Alexandra Samuels of Texas Monthly has more.

One man and thousands of open records requests: A push for government accountability? Or something else?

Texas veterinarians are keeping a close eye on the spread of a deadly respiratory illness affecting dogs. We’ll learn more about what to look for.

And Texas food pantries say they’re serving more families than ever.

Everything you need to know about cedar fever

Arguments are set for today in a challenge to Texas’ near-total abortion ban. Eleanor Klibanoff of the Texas Tribune with more about a major abortion case before the state Supreme Court.

A securities case before the U.S. Supreme Court could destroy the U.S. government, according to some critics. We’ll try to sort the hyperbole from the facts.

A Texas-based international relations expert weighs in with more on the extended ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

They call it cedar fever season – only there’s no fever, and for some, the suffering lasts more than a season. Top tips for dealing with a Texas scourge.

The Texas Standard team wants to know what you think about the Texas Standard podcast! Take the Texas Standard Podcast survey

Is Greg Abbott angling for a spot as Trump’s VP candidate?

Gov. Greg Abbott is issuing political endorsements, in what may be the first step in promised payback against some fellow Republicans. Also, a closer look at the governor’s own possible political ambitions.

Early voting gets underway in Houston’s mayoral runoff, and a new poll shows state Sen. John Whitmire with a seven-point lead over U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

Cow pies and black flies: the future of agricultural food? A Texas A&M professor explains.

Plus, just how nuts is it out there? We’ll hear what’s behind the large numbers of acorns all over the place.

Our favorite Texas books of the year, just in time for holiday shopping

For lots of folks in the Lone Star State, the holiday shopping season is underway. In recent years, the latest high-tech toy has become a red-hot commodity on the big shopping day after Thanksgiving. But this hour, we’ve got some alternatives for those willing to go a different direction.

Giving the gift of reading can be one of the best options out there; a great book can turn into a lifelong treasure. This hour, the Texas Standard team’s gathered up some of our favorite reads by Texas authors – and you may want to take notes.

60 years after JFK assassination, revisiting the stories of two witnesses in Dallas

It’s been a political season in Texas like few others in recent memory. After a legislative session and four special sessions, where do we stand?

November 22, 1963: It was on this date 60 years ago that a sunny Friday in Dallas turned into one of the darkest days in the history of the United States. We’ll hear firsthand accounts from two who were there in John F. Kennedy’s presidential motorcade when shots rang out in Dealey Plaza, and the world held its breath.

How this man survived in the West Texas desert for 27 hours

What does Congress’ budget deal to avert a partial government shutdown mean for food and the farmers and ranchers who produce it? We’ll hear more on the Farm Bill extension, and the implications for Texas.

The push for police accountability: An investigative report from the Austin American-Statesman reveals that police indictments rarely lead to convictions.

Last weekend’s destructive rocket launch was a big fail for SpaceX – or was it? What explains radically mixed reviews of the Starship test launch.

Plus the harrowing account of a Texas hiker, lost in Big Bend Ranch State Park in triple-digit heat, and his near-miraculous survival.

The Texas Standard team wants to know what you think about the Texas Standard podcast! Take the Texas Standard Podcast survey

Examining Texas’ legacy of anti-LGBT laws

After seven months pushing a school voucher-like plan, Gov. Greg Abbott gets a firm pushback from fellow Republicans. Scott Braddock of the Quorum Report shares the latest.

Mexico plans to offer “know your rights” educational sessions in Texas as lawmakers send a wide-ranging border security bill to the governor.

Amid slowing sales of EV’s, one city in Texas seems to be leading the switch away from gas pumps to charging stations.

The past legislative session saw the filing of a historic number of bills impacting LGBT Texans – but that’s just the latest effort in what’s been a half-century of criminalizing these communities, according to a new investigation from KXAN TV.