David Brown

Texas Standard: February 4, 2019

A delayed State of the Union finally happens tomorrow, but what of the State of the State? We’ll take a look at what rumblings in the legislature may tell us. Also, no money from Congress for the wall? No problem, say 350 thousand online donors who’ve raised 20 million dollars for private construction. And they’ve been scoping out south Texas for their privately funded wall as well. And naturalized citizens sue over the Texas voter citizenship review. Also, the undocumented? They’re not always who you think they are. Some were born in the U.S.A. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: February 1, 2019

The harmonic convergence at the State Capitol: Texas’ top three power brokers get on the same page over property taxes. But something’s missing.
Coming up: Ross Ramsey of the Texas Tribune on the missing link between efforts to limit property taxes while promising to boost education. Which is largely paid for by…property taxes.
Also, a look at the week that was in politics and a cautionary tale for those demanding more made in America goods: the case of the Texas-made-Mac- that didn’t take off. All those stories plus a whole lot more.

Texas Standard: January 31, 2019

First the ranches, then the big cities. Come 2020, is the next great political battleground in the Lone Star State the suburbs? We’ll take a closer look. Also, senator John Cornyn now warning fellow Republicans that President Trump could lose Texas in 2020. Is the Lone Star State no longer reliably red? The answer might be found in the suburbs. And although the Permian basin’s booming, we might be on the road to a new foreign energy dependence, we’ll hear why. All that and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 30, 2019

People have been flocking to the Lone Star State for its economy, but is a good job the key to the good life in Texas? We’ll take a look at the unreported face of household hardship. One problem with the poverty line: what it fails to factor in. A new report shows more working Texans struggling with economic hardship than you might think. Also, a politifact check on the cost of illegal immigration. And it’s not just what you say but how you say it: an expert linguist decodes the Governor’s Texas twang. All that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 29, 2019

The Texas voter fraud claim: 95 thousand registered voters may be non-citizens. But does the citizenship check violate federal law? We’ll take a look. Also, in Texas few things are more sacred than property rights, until they’re pitted against oil and gas interests. How a planned pipeline through the hill country could prove a test of Texas values. And more venture capital money flowing into the Lone Star State, reaching levels not seen since the dot com heyday. Happy days are here again? Why you might want to hold off on the party hats. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 28, 2019

Another Presidential Tweetstorm, this time with a Texas twist: one suggesting widespread voter fraud. We’ll take a closer look at the claim and the source. Also, a Texas city won national attention for becoming the first to go with 100% renewable electricity. Now some are asking did the city pay too high a price? We’ll take a look. And chaos in Venezuela leading to uncertainty in Texas: we’ll hear why. Also, the Corpus Christi caller times warns: what you don’t know about a particular routine government procedure can hurt you. The paper’s opinion editor explains plus a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 25, 2019

Slate magazine claims the supreme court is preparing to make every states gun laws look like Texas, but is that claim on target? We’ll take a closer look. Also, when was the last time a nuclear arms treaty was making headlines? Why some are warning of a renewed arms race with Russia. And we’ll take a look at the week that was in Texas politics, plus an original Cosmic Cowboy comes home again: singer songwriter Michael Martin Murphy teams up with who’s who of Texas talent in search of old Austin. All those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 24, 2019

After school shootings nationwide, a Texas county recruits its very youngest students in an effort to be prepared for the worst. We’ll have the latest. Also, a crisis beyond our borders that could become a crisis on our border in rapid order. Political turmoil in Venezuela reaches a boiling point. We’ll explore. And Texas lawmakers keep promising to focus on education; code for a renewed push for vouchers charter schools and other alternatives? We’ll take a closer look. Plus 19 places to visit in 2019: five of em are in Texas. You may want to take notes. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 23, 2019

The Supreme Court appears to take DACA off the table in shutdown negotiations, but where does that leave thousands of DACA recipients in Texas? We’ll explore. Also in the Texas Standard newsroom, another Supreme Court order we’re assessing: the impact of the reinstatement of the Trump administration’s so-called transgender military ban. We’ll take a look at the impact of those seeking to serve. And police, veterans, cancer research, political action committees have formed around lots of worthy causes. But where’s the money going? A look at so called scam pacs and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 22, 2019

When a suspect dies in police custody in Texas, what’s the public’s right to get answers? Critics call it the dead suspect loophole. We’ll take a closer look. Also coming up this hour, a military uprising in Venezuela. Four officials are kidnapped before troops loyal to the president put it down. A coup in the works? What might it mean for the region, and for Texas? And as some kids from Marfa get their school projects ready for a literal launchpad, a Texas researcher takes a lead position in crafting a roadmap for the next decade of space research. We’ll meet him and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 21, 2019

Tomorrow marks one month of the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history. We’ll talk with correspondents statewide to gauge the impact on Texas. Also a new space race heating up, score one for the home team. Plus one of the deadliest tree diseases in the U.S. reaches epidemic proportions in the Lone Star State. An expert tells us what to do and what not to if we hope to save our oaks. All that and a whole lot more, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 18, 2019

A federal appeals court hands the state of Texas a major victory in its fight to defund planned parenthood, we’ll have details. Also, after spending millions fighting civil rights lawsuits over cash bail, Harris county does a dramatic about face, pledging to end a system critics say discriminates against the poor. And what’s in the water beneath our feet? If you live near a coal power plant in Texas, quite possibly very scary stuff. We’ll hear about hidden dangers in the h2o. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 17, 2019

A proposal to put off the state of the union: a break with tradition, or perhaps a return to one? We’ll take a look at the history with historian Jeremi Suri. Also, what’s being done to keep guns out of the hands of those convicted of domestic violence? We’ll take a look. And the green new deal: some see it as radical, why the Houston Chronicle claims it’s a natural for Texas. Plus, how much do you like eggs? If you’re Instagram, more than 40 million times, at last count. What a viral sensation tells us about the state of social media. All of that and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 16, 2019

Dallas and Houston both reporting slowdowns at airports as unpaid TSA workers call in sick. Now a call for airport screeners to go on strike. We’ll explore. Also, what’s worse than a partial government shutdown? Ask someone living in the UK right now. Why an impasse over Brexit could leave a mark here in Texas and what happens next. Also the discovery of three new species of salamanders in Texas, what it means for Texans of the human variety. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 15, 2019

The nation’s first execution of 2019 is set for today. But it won’t happen. The Texas court of criminal appeals orders a second look at bite mark evidence used in a murder trial, we’ll have more. Also, the political committee behind the upset victory of democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a new objective: to topple a veteran congressman from Texas who’s a fellow democrat. We’ll hear why. Plus, is the shutdown saving the government money? An expert does the math and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 14, 2019

Leaders of both the Texas senate and the house promising to hike teacher salaries so more will stay in the classroom. But how much money is enough? Also, to weather the government shutdown, the state steps in to help people who rely on what used to be known as food stamps. But experts warn of a hidden hit for grocers. We’ll hear about it. Plus a prominent Texas politician pitches his hat into the 2020 presidential race. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 11, 2019

Day 21 of a government shutdown. The end in sight? Short answer, no. But a freshman congressman from Texas remains optimistic. We’ll hear why. Also, you wanna build that wall Mr.Trump? Texas will get ‘er done. That appeared to be the message from Lt. Gov Dan Patrick when the president visited south Texas yesterday. Was that a serious suggestion? If so who pays for that and with what exactly? We’ll take a closer look. And a new space race of sorts: now its quantum computing. Plus the week in Texas politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 10, 2019

Here’s the good news Texas: an 8% bigger budget. But the state’s top money cruncher has a warning. Even as economic growth means more money for Texas coffers, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s raising a yellow flag for state lawmakers, we’ll hear why. Also, President Trump Takes his border wall fight to south Texas today, but will it make a difference? We’ll take a look. And on a lighter note: Done with your resolutions for 2019? Clay Smith and the team at Kirkus reviews weigh in on some trends at the bookstore they’d like to see disappear in the New Year. All that and then some today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 9, 2019

No emergency declaration yet. After the president makes an oval office pitch for his border wall, what if anything has changed? We’ll take a closer look. Also, on the morning after the presidential address on the border wall, the states’ top three officials try to send a message to Texans: they’re a united front when it comes to education. We’ll have a live report. Meanwhile the government shutdown continues into day 19. We’ll look at how it’s hitting home for Texans already hit by Hurricane Harvey. And the search for life as we don’t know it: two Texas researchers helping NASA rethink some cosmic questions. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 8, 2019

It’ll be 140 days unless things get crazy and the Texas lege goes into overtime. In recent years, hot button issues have made for rather explosive headlines coming from the Texas capitol, but the 86th session that starts today could be different. 3 veterans of the Capitol Press Corps tell us what to expect. Also, it’s been called the best Texas history museum most Texans have never heard of, and now it’s in trouble. We’ll hear why. Plus a macro problem for Texas micro brews? We’ll explore that and so much more today on the Texas Standard: