Jennifer Stayton

When was the last time you curled up with a good book? (Yes, that includes listening to an audio book!) On November 8th and 9th, the area in and around the Texas Capitol in downtown Austin will be transformed into a celebration of the joys of books and reading for the 30th annual Texas Book Festival with authors and panel discussions. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked recently with the festival’s Literary Director Hannah Gabel and Chief Operations Officer Dalia Azim; but before they looked ahead to the festival weekend and talked about the “culture of reading,” Azim looked back to the festival’s origins:

Carrie Rodriguez is an Austin-based singer, composer, and violinist. She started the “Laboratorio” variety series back in 2017 as a way to reconnect with the Austin music community after years touring on the road and to explore what “Latin music” means. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked with Rodriguez recently about the latest “Laboratorio” show and the inspiration for the project.

Carrie Rodriguez’s Laboratorio Old Time Radio Hour Edition is happening November 2 at 7:00 p.m. in the McCullough Theater. There’s more information at texasperformingarts.org.

Central Texas top stories for October 23, 2025: UT-Austin’s president promises a new core curriculum across all university majors. Williamson County voters will see a number of proposed tax increases in cities and school districts on their ballots this fall along with some city council races. And the Austin area could get some substantial and much-needed rain this weekend.

Some people who have trouble finding a therapist who takes their insurance, or who may feel intimated or judged in a therapeutic relationship, might sometimes turn to artificial intelligence for mental health assistance. These AI chatbots are referred to by some as “mental health companions.” And there is some debate about their role in the mental health care landscape. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked about this recently over Zoom with Central Texas neuropsychotherapist Bella J. Rockman MA, LPC, LCDC-i. You might think a real-life, human therapist would oppose AI alternatives. She does not, but she does caution people to use that modality with eyes wide open.

A note to listeners – this discussion does briefly mention suicide.

Central Texas top stories for October 13, 2025: The City of Austin says it has made some changes to that grant program after record demand in recent years. The Austin City Limits Music Festival is done for this year but don’t expect lighter traffic at Austin Bergstrom International Airport just yet. And the Texas Longhorns are back in the Associated Press top 25 college football poll after upsetting Oklahoma in this year’s Red River Rivalry game.

Central Texas top stories for September 23, 2025: Austin Resource Recovery’s new service center in Northeast Austin will help better serve the city’s north side. Governor Greg Abbott has signed Texas’ so-called “bathroom bill” into law. And it’s “HAAM Day” – the 20th annual city-wide music festival benefitting the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.

Central Texas top stories for September 22, 2025: The Austin Firefighters Association says the city of Austin has lowballed them on a wage increase compared to what it paid EMS and police during their negotiations. Like many other school districts in Central Texas, Leander ISD is looking to save money amid a looming budget deficit and that could mean closing and consolidating some campuses as soon as next school year. Texas football gets a break after a big win Saturday night.

That law passed the Texas state legislature this year with bipartisan support. Also, it has felt cooler than usual this summer in the Austin area. But has it really been cooler than normal? And, Texas Longhorn football fans are still feeling the sting after Saturday’s loss to Ohio State.

The AISD Board of Trustees will see a draft list in October and take a vote in November. Watch for some upcoming traffic headaches; the north side of the Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard Bridge over I-35 in Austin will be torn down this weekend.

After deadly flash flooding in the Hill Country and Austin area over the July 4, 2025, holiday weekend, people were warned to stay off the Highland Lakes, and the Lower Colorado River Authority had to open some floodgates.  This is often what happens in the aftermath of intense rains and flooding. But what is actually going on when that happens? What are the Highland Lakes, and how do these dams work? KUT’s Jennifer Stayton turned to KUT’s Energy and Environment reporter Mose Buchele for this dam explainer.

New research from the United Nations finds women all over the world are having fewer children than ever before. But haven’t we been hearing for decades that the world’s population is getting too big for the planet to support and a smaller population would be better? Two University of Texas at Austin Associate Economics professors have a new book out challenging some assumptions about population size and the health of the planet. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked recently with Dean Spears and Mike Geruso about their book After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People. Spears speaks first about where things stand with the world’s population.

State lawmakers meet in Austin starting July 21. The Round Mountain Baptist Church in Leander is serving as a hub and shelter for people hit hard by recent floods and will continue for as long as needed. And the recent floods have sparked conversations about outdoor warning systems; hear how sirens in San Marcos help keep residents informed.

Travis County officials are still searching for several people missing after catastrophic flooding tore through the northwestern part of the county over the weekend. Texas Governor Greg Abbott plans to put disaster response on the agenda for the upcoming legislative special session. And after years of turmoil, the Austin Police Department says its staff of 911 operators is nearly full.

At least eleven people were killed in flooding in Burnet, Travis and Williamson counties with others still missing. Mourners in West Austin gathered Sunday night to remember the flood victims – including a neighborhood elementary school student. And the rain is not over yet; a flood watch is in effect until 7:00 p.m. Monday.

The city’s ethics review commission dismissed the claim after a hearing, saying they did not have enough information to proceed with a final hearing. The Austin Independent School District is preparing to roll out a new cellphone policy to comply with a law the Texas Legislature passed this year.

Are you holding your smartphone right now, or is it at least nearby? We all know it can be extremely difficult to let go of those devices and all the access they provide, even for just a bit.

But during this summer vacation season, what about taking a vacation from your smartphone? Adrian Ward is an Associate Professor of Marketing at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business. He and some researchers wanted to follow up on their hunch that a smartphone vacation could bring some lasting benefits, but they knew it could be tricky to investigate. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked with him about what they found.

Graduation season in the Austin area has ended. Graduation time naturally means a focus on achievements, maybe grades, and what students will do next. That tendency to focus on what people “do” can sometimes come at the expense of noticing the humanity of “who” people are. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked recently over Zoom with Central Texas neuropsychotherapist Bella J. Rockman MA, LPC, LCDC-i  who hopes we don’t lose that “who” when elevating the “do.”