Jennifer Stayton

KUT Morning Newscast for September 7, 2023

Central Texas top stories for September 7, 2023. The Texas power grid Wednesday night flirted with possible rolling blackouts. Another scorching hot day in store for Central Texas.  City of Austin staff recommend elected officials allow higher heights near single-family homes.

KUT Morning Newscast for September 5, 2023

Central Texas top stories for Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton begins. Critical fire weather conditions (again). And a looming child care crisis in Texas.

KUT Morning Newscast for September 4, 2023

Central Texas top stories for Labor Day Monday, September 4, 2023. What’s closed (and what’s not) on this Labor Day. A new deal for the City of Austin and Austin Pets Alive! for the Town Lake Animal Center. Texas Senate impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton starts tomorrow. The state has outlawed motorcycle “lane splitting.” And a reminder about the resources available from 2-1-1.

Researchers have warned burning fossil fuels can lead to climate change. But we’ve kept burning them. Why humans sometimes wait until a “pain point” to act.

Research has shown for awhile now that burning fossil fuels can contribute to climate change. But, we kept – and keep – burning fossil fuels.

So why do humans – not all, but many – engage in behavior that goes against our well-being – sometimes in the face of repeated warnings to do otherwise?

KUT checked in over Zoom with Central Texas neuropsychotherapist Bella J. Rockman LPC, MA during this extremely hot summer to get her take on this disconnect.

“We’re in a pickle.” Huston-Tillotson University in Austin still short on campus housing.

Classes are underway for the 2023 fall semester at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, Texas.  But with the new school year comes an old problem – a shortage of on-campus housing. KUT talked with Huston-Tillotson University President Melva K. Wallace about a creative solution to the shortage for this year – and about longer-term plans for encouraging H-T graduates to stay in Austin.

KUT Morning Newscast for August 15, 2023

Central Texas top stories for August 15, 2023: Traffic in Austin restaurants is down this summer. COVID-19 cases are back up. The City of Austin tightens up water restrictions. And Hays CISD reminds returning students about fentanyl dangers.

KUT Morning Newscast for August 3, 2023

Central Texas top stories for August 3, 2023: Hot and dry conditions persist in Central Texas. Wildfires burning in Bastrop and Burnet counties. COVID-19 cases tick up in Austin. Suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in court today on securities fraud charges.

KUT Morning Newscast for July 4, 2023

Happy July 4th! There’s a lot happening in the Austin area to celebrate the holiday. Also, hear about how to keep pets calm during noisy fireworks. And, one Texas city has new guidelines for special events – after an L-G-B-T-Q plus group was denied entry into a parade last year.

Are “thank you” notes still a thing? What has happened to etiquette these days – and why it even matters.

Summer is a busy time for weddings, especially in June. And especially in the Austin, Texas area – even in this heat!
Weddings have lots of customs and behavioral expectations attached to them – etiquette, if you will. And that got Central Texas neuropsychotherapist Bella J. Rockman thinking about good manners and behavior – in a time when that can seem in short supply. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton chatted with her recently over Zoom about what etiquette even means these days.

Recent shooting at a church-based school prompts concerns over safety and security in faith and worship spaces

The deadly shooting at the private elementary school at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Nashville has devastated the school and church community and brought the issue of safety in public spaces front and center again. Jeanie Garrett used to work in communications at St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin. Its location, a block off of Sixth Street and across from a federal building, got her thinking about safety and security in faith and worship spaces, specifically. She’s now a church safety and security consultant.

When it comes to ‘ghosting’, it’s complicated

Have you ever gone on a date, thought it went well and then just… never heard from the other person again? KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Bella J. Rockman about how “ghosting” has spread to all sorts of relationships.