One year later, how are people in the Panhandle managing recovery after the biggest wildfire in Texas history?
The impact of DOGE cuts hits national parks in Texas, including a historical park in San Antonio. Jack Morgan of Texas Public Radio has more.
Capital Metro, Austin’s transit agency, saw its payment system collapse for about a month in 2024. We’ll hear what went wrong, and what’s happening now.
And: With egg prices going up, have you considered raising your own chickens? Lots of Texans have – but you might want to think twice.
What potential mass layoffs at the IRS could mean for your tax filing
Amid reports of mass layoffs at the IRS, what does the math look like for tax season?
More than a million Texas kids have been kicked off Medicaid rolls since 2023. What’s happening? We’ll talk with a reporter at Public Health Watch.
Texas school districts are racing to meet a deadline to move students getting special instruction for dyslexia onto full special education plans, a move many parents say is long overdue.
And: Is Houston in East Texas or Southeast Texas? Texas Monthly publishes its ultimate map of Texas’ regions. We’ll talk with the Texanist, David Courtney.
Major airlines target rule setting standard for disability accommodations
What would be the implications for a Texas constitutional amendment “protecting the right of parents to raise their children”? Blaise Gainey of The Texas newsroom tells us who’s pushing it and the questions surrounding it.
Texas-based Southwest and American Airlines are joining with Delta, JetBlue and United to ask a court to overturn a rule requiring them to meet higher standards for accommodating passengers with disabilities.
The measles outbreak spreads beyond West Texas, with possible exposures at the San Antonio Riverwalk and at San Marcos’ Texas State University.
Plus: The Texas Ballet Theater will soon debut new commissions from women choreographers for the first time in about 20 years.
What’s in the forecast for Texas’ real estate market?
We’re taking a closer look at what’s been happening at this Texas Legislature on school choice, aka school vouchers – and why there could be an early battle between the House and Senate.
Plus, the first in a series of profiles of the people behind the politics at the Legislature, starting with Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez.
What’s happening with Texas real estate right now? A forecast for 2025.
Concerns in North Texas about a virus far more common in South Texas: flea-borne typhus.
And: the week in Texas politics with The Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
Lawsuit challenges federal wildlife trapping in Texas
A nearly $5 billion bill filed in the Legislature seeks to provide across-the-board raises for teachers and put more money toward bonuses.
Lithium-ion batteries are a major fire threat. Learn why and what consumers can do.
Texans love sharing their favorite under-the-radar barbecue spots, but how often do they actually live up to the hype? Texas Monthly BBQ editor Daniel Vaughn recently discovered a standout.
And: The Center for Biological Diversity is suing the USDA to stop its wildlife trapping and killing program in Texas, arguing that the program should be re-evaluated based on updated science, particularly concerning mountain lions and black bears.
Why Texas’ paid parental leave plan isn’t working
It took a while, but the Texas House now ready to take action on some closely watched legislation. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on the week ahead under the pink dome.
A new study assesses the severity of water access problems in colonias, unincorporated communities with long-standing infrastructure issues.
What happens after an ICE raid? Cactus, Texas, still feels the impact.
In 2023, Texas lawmakers touted a business-friendly paid parental leave insurance program – but two years later, few businesses are offering it, and most new parents still can’t afford to take time off.
And: Lights, camera, Texas? How some big stars are teaming up to bring in more movie production.
What a stock exchange boom means for Dallas
After a long wait, the House speaker makes his committee assignments, and some Texas Republicans are none too pleased. We’ll hear the backstory and how it could affect the legislative session going forward.
With the New York Stock Exchange moving part of its operations to Dallas and a separate Texas Stock Exchange in the works, North Texas could soon be home to two major trading hubs. What does this mean for the region’s financial future?
A newly analyzed fossil could help answer a key question about the evolution of modern birds. We’ll hear from one of the researchers.
Plus: An Austin runner is trying to set his second world record this weekend – for fastest marathon while dribbling a basketball.
Cracking the mystery of sea turtles’ ‘lost years’
A new survey gives some strong indications what Texans make of the 47th president and what that portends for Texas Sen. John Cornyn’s re-election prospects.
Apple and Microsoft have followed Google in renaming the Gulf of Mexico on their maps after a Trump executive order. Tech journalist Omar Gallaga explains what’s behind the change, and whether it fits into a broader shift in Silicon Valley.
For decades, scientists have struggled to track young sea turtles between hatching and adulthood. Now, researchers may have some answers.
And: Elon Musk is making headlines in D.C. – but back in Texas, he’s been quietly growing his business empire outside of Austin.
A year after the Smokehouse Creek Fire, recovery is still underway
Concerns are growing about a measles outbreak in West Texas as some legislators push to rollback vaccination requirements.
It appears the threat of cutbacks from the federal government may already be having an effect on health services for veterans.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted targeted enforcement actions in Austin last month, and Hispanic business owners say the impact has been immediate.
And: Nearly one year ago, downed power lines sparked wildfires that ultimately burned more than 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle. The recovery effort is ongoing today.
Former leader of USAID speaks out against agency cuts
Reports of massive staffing cuts at USAID are rattling the federal bureaucracy and supporters of foreign aid. Andrew Natsios, a Texas A&M professor and a Republican who once served as a USAID administrator, joins the show with his take on the claims of waste and inefficiency at his former agency.
A new historical marker stands outside Rockport building that was once the art studio of Simon Michael – a painter who founded the Fulton School of Painting and played a pivotal role in shaping the region’s artistic community.
Plus: The Standard celebrates our 10th year on the air with a look back at our top 10 film & TV interviews.
Texas Senate passes bill creating school voucher-like program
A bill to let families use taxpayer dollars to cover private school tuition was approved by the Texas Senate, but the debate over the bill’s not done. Next stop: the Texas House.
El Paso has still not recovered from government vacancies dating back to the height of COVID, with growing concerns about how that’s affecting basic services in one of Texas’ biggest cities.
The WNBA season may be months away, but teams are making big moves – signing free agents, making trades and shaking up coaching staffs ahead of 2025.
Spring gardening season is around the corner, but experts say now is not the time to trim your oak trees. February marks the start of oak wilt season, a deadly disease that can devastate trees across Texas.
Why did the Mavericks trade Luka Doncic?
With a de facto North American trade war set to begin tomorrow, Presidents Donald Trump and Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico announce a one-month delay on tariffs in exchange for added troops at the border.
What we learned in Gov. Greg Abbott’s State of the State address, where he announced some unexpected priorities.
And: A surprise deal by the Dallas Mavericks to trade away star Luka Doncic is sending waves of disbelief among Dallas fans and pro basketball nationwide.
Texas secures land for a new state park
A bird flu outbreak noted early in Texas is now a national issue, and concerns are rising about what the federal government plans to do.
From property taxes to THC and more, Lt Gov. Dan Patrick outlines the first batch of 40 legislative priorities for the current Texas legislative session.
Why a fight over mass transit it Dallas could wind up a matter for state lawmakers to untangle.
And: The state has finalized the purchase of a 2,000-acre tract along the Colorado River in Burnet County, next to Colorado Bend State Park.
Reflections from three Holocaust survivors in Texas
President Trump’s long-promised deportation raids get underway in Texas and in other parts of the country. Today, what we know about the weekend operations and what we’re learning.
On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch brings us the voices and memories of survivors living in Texas.
And: The Texas Senate has unveiled a bill to create a school voucher plan. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey gets us caught up on the plan ahead of a public hearing on Tuesday.
Will Corpus Christi’s water restrictions be enough to stem emergency?
A dramatic move at the Texas Capitol upends a decades-long tradition of power sharing as conservative Republicans succeed in banning Democrats from chairing legislative committees.
The end of the CBP One program for asylum-seekers following President Donald Trump’s inauguration has left many with questions about their future.
And: Growing demand and industrial expansion have left Corpus Christi facing a water emergency.
US military sending troops to southern border
The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do?
Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project is a data center in Abilene.
And: Sherman, Texas, is experiencing a silicon rush, with two massive microchip factories under construction – one by Texas Instruments and another by Global Wafers.
Health and Human Services Commission employees accused in data breach
Parts of Texas that seldom see snow may well see frozen precipitation blanketing beaches tomorrow. We’re keeping watch.
Seven employees of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission have been fired for improperly accessing, and in some cases, stealing, from the accounts of thousands of Texans receiving public assistance.
And: TikTok went dark for U.S. users on Saturday night, hours before a ban on the service was due to take effect. But on Sunday, the service returned, with a message crediting President-elect Trump, who said he would delay the ban. We’ll have the latest.
State targets Allstate data collection practices
We’ll have the latest on a dramatic drop in thermometers statewide and what that could mean for large parts of Texas next week. Also: How some are hoping to protect people experiencing homelessness from the worst of the big freeze.
The incoming Trump administration has vowed to make immigration enforcement a top priority, possibly including mass workplace raids. What this could mean for Texas workers and businesses.
And: After suing General Motors in August over alleged illegal driver data sales, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has now filed a similar lawsuit against Allstate, accusing the insurer of tracking drivers without their knowledge.
Dustin Burrows wins race for Texas House speaker
In a session-opening battle for speaker of the House – one of the most powerful positions in state government – Rep. Dustin Burrows won the role in a blow to a rising faction in the Texas GOP, and a victory for what many call establishment Republicans.
Elon Musk, Texas’ richest resident, is turning his eyes to a vastly different venture: education. Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom has the story, plus a look at her plans to dig into how Musk’s massive wealth and business ambitions are affecting his new home.
And: As the Standard celebrates our 10th birthday in 2025, we’re kicking off a year of Top 10 lists with a beloved story from commentator W.F. Strong.
What’s a wolf moon?
It’s go-time at the Texas Capitol as the 89th legislative session opens tomorrow, running through June 2. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has a preview of what to expect.
War on drugs? Or drug users? How a mass overdose event underscores what critics say is wrong with Texas’ anti-drug strategy.
You’ve heard of a super moon, blood moon, harvest moon. But what exactly is a wolf moon?
Also: an artistic linkup between San Antonio and Havana, Cuba.