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KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
It was a year like few others in modern memory at the Texas Capitol, with four special sessions on top of a regular session, a historic impeachment trial of the state attorney general and more.
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most seminal Texas music moments ever committed to vinyl: Viva Terlingua!
Science and nature are in the spotlight today.
While the worst of COVID-19 appears to be history, scientists and researchers continue to draw lessons about what happened and how well-prepared we might be for the next pandemic.
How a Texan is trying to help answer questions about science in a new podcast aimed at non-scientists curious about the world around us.
Girl Scouts take a deep dive on science – quite literally – with the help of scuba gear.
And our conversation with an astronaut picked for our next return to the moon.
Most Texans have heard their names, and quite a few grew up hearing their stories: Bigfoot, jackalope, goatman, La Lechuza, chupacabra, just for starters. Scientists question whether they’re real, but the space they occupy in Texas folklore is very real indeed.
Today we’re sharing the results of a month-long effort to track down the origin stories of Texas cryptids – and discover why they have such a hold on Texas mythology and imagination.
Today we’re turning our attention to the world of arts and culture, from a riveting film featuring the audio diaries of Lady Bird Johnson, to the startling impact of a singer named Taylor Swift.
What if it is your first rodeo? We’ve got you covered there with what to do – and what not to.
And Austin-born actor Gabriel Luna talks about his role in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us.”
Texas Standard producers have made their lists and checked ‘em twice – or more – selecting some of our most memorable conversations with fascinating Texans over the past 12 months.
This hour, we invite you to sit back and enjoy our staff favorites from the past year, including honky tonk heroines, birders in cemeteries, bears making a comeback and a whole lot more.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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