Laura Rice

Federal court blocks redrawn Texas congressional map

A ruling out of West Texas has upended Republican redistricting efforts to get more seats in Congress. Where things stand now that a federal judge in El Paso has struck down Texas’ new congressional map.
We’ve reported before on how Texas school district leadership seems to have become increasingly partisan. We’ll take a closer look at the fallout in one part of the state.
El Paso’s highway system has a history and impact everyday commuters might not know. Miguel Juarez, author of “Frontera Freeways: Highway Building and Displacement in El Paso, Texas,” hopes we all can learn.
W.F. Strong shares a look back on the life of the late George Foreman and how he fought his way to the top.
And a new documentary from producer Jordan Peele hopes to bring more attention to the Black cowboy. “High Horse” director Jason Perez joins us ahead of the three-part series’ debut on Peacock.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Deal to end shutdown could impose THC ban

The deal to reopen the federal government included a ban on intoxicating hemp – potentially undoing measures taken by the Texas Legislature last session.
Houston’s 9th congressional district is among those most affected by redrawn political maps. We’ll take a trip there to explore the impact.
Corpus Christi is trying to shore up water supplies. What city leaders are considering.
Apple wants to keep you connected, even on a hike in a remote place. How they might accomplish that.
Plus, both Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott made their campaign bids official this week.

Fort Worth megachurch draws attention for political push

Healthcare subsidies were a central issue that led to the federal government shutdown. Now that a deal is in the works, what happens to them?
We’re still waiting to hear from courts on whether new Texas district lines will be in place for the 2026 election. We’ll dig into the potential impacts in Houston.
In Austin, voters turned down a property tax increase. What does that mean now for the city’s budget?
Plus, the challenge of envisioning a truly bikeable Dallas.
Those stories, a political push from a Fort Worth megachurch, and a sports break looking at how women’s basketball is heating up with UT, Baylor and TCU in the mix.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org.

Texas voters approve all 17 proposed constitutional amendments

Texans said yes to all 17 proposed state constitutional amendments. What’s that mean now?
We’ll also dig into some select local results from across the state, including an update in the race to fill the U.S. House seat of the late Sylvester Turner.
The Trump administration recently announced a new cap on the number of refugees that the U.S. will accept in the upcoming year. What’s that mean for the big picture?
Plus, an El Paso woman concerned about her neighbors who rely on government food assistance starts a program she hopes others will replicate.

Legal fight over access to East Texas waterway continues

Texas has flagged thousands of registered voters who officials say could be noncitizens. What we know about that claim right now.
For years, Texas Standard has been following the legal battle over a beloved waterway in East Texas. Now, some powerful figures are getting involved in the fight over the Cutoff.
Some leadership changes at UT Austin raise questions about what it means for someone to be removed based on “ideological differences.”
A new book chronicles the history of local police violence during the civil rights struggle in American cities, including Houston. Our conversation with “Police Against the Movement” author Joshua Davis.
Plus, W.F. Strong cracks open the history of Shiner beer.

Uneven ICE notifications raise concerns

Some local law enforcement offices in Texas get a heads-up when ICE is coming to town, but others don’t. We’ll dig into why.
There’s new evidence that, no surprise, the online world isn’t always so great for today’s teens. Advice from tech expert Omar Gallaga on making it safer.
Gov. Greg Abbott has a new challenger for the 2026 election. What we expect out of a campaign from Austin Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Taco journalist Mando Rayo shares what he’s learned from a few women in the culinary world.
A conversation with author Bryan Washington about his new novel, “Palaver,” about a man living in Tokyo, estranged from his family in Houston.

What layoffs at special education office could mean for Texas schools

The Trump administration has reportedly slashed jobs at a federal office responsible for overseeing special education. What might that mean here in Texas?
A new school in Uvalde offers a place for learning apart from the building desecrated by a mass shooting – but remembrance is built into the design.
The craft brewing bubble has burst. A look at the continued challenges facing those still open.
There’s a rare jellyfish being spotted in the Texas Gulf. What you need to know about the pink meanie.
Plus, a collection of essays from Stephen Harrigan. Our conversation with the author on his new book, “An Anchor in the Sea of Time.”

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Why a Texas appeals court halted Robert Roberson’s execution

The leading Democratic candidate for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat isn’t even in the race yet – and it might not be who you think. Plus, where things stand on the Republican side as U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt joins the field against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Another delay in the Robert Roberson case. We’ll dig into the court’s ruling and what comes next.
There’s a new movement in Texas barbecue that has its roots in the Middle East and Africa. We’ll give you a taste of the rise in halal barbecue.
Austin City Limites, one the state’s biggest music festivals, aims to become more eco-friendly.
And what we can learn from one of the capital city’s most recognizable installments of commercial art.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Operation Lone Star moves beyond the border

From the border to the rest of the state, Gov. Greg Abbott’s crackdown on immigration enters a new phase.
The Trump administration’s creation of long, thin military installations along the border is affecting not just migrants but locals as well.
Texas has settled another opioid lawsuit. So where’s that money going?
After more than 20 years in Washington, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul says he will not seek reelection. What’s next for the Central Texas congressman and his seat.
If the idea of being too close to a stranger turns you off from a massage, a new AI-powered robotic massager is offering a different path to relaxation.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

The Texas ties to an infamous Atari flop

Gov. Greg Abbott seems to be taking THC regulation into his own hands. What we know about what he wants to change.
About 20% of Medicaid recipients lose access during the yearly renewal process because of all the red tape. How Texas researchers are trying to fix that.
Texas is home to more than 100 Hispanic-Serving Institutions, but new federal cuts could eliminate funding that supports these colleges and universities.
What to know about Texas House Rep. James Talarico, the newcomer shaking up the race for U.S. Senate.
Solving the Atari game mystery that’s been lingering for decades – and its connections to El Paso.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Some Texas counties switch to paper ballots ahead of midterms

No more QR or barcodes: Why Collin, Williamson and Bastrop counties are changing the way voters will cast ballots.
Housing affordability is a big issue in Texas, and three new state laws aim to address it. Will they work?
Many are concerned new Texas congressional maps dilute the voting power of Texans of color. But others welcome the changes.
Inside an ICE job recruitment fair in Arlington.
And: the bigger meaning behind the season’s first high school football game in Kerrville.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

11 Texas school districts temporarily blocked from displaying Ten Commandments

A poll on Texas’ 2026 Senate race finds a tightening GOP battle between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, and a Democratic preference for Beto O’Rourke – who isn’t yet in the race.
This morning, a federal judge temporarily blocked 11 Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. We’ll bring you the latest.
Texans are bracing for changes to SNAP requirements and cuts in funding to the program that were signed into law by President Trump last month.
And: Some Black men say they’re especially impacted by new facial hair requirements going into effect for military members.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Muleshoe Refuge expansion plan scrapped

Texas Democrats are facing legal threats and potential action from the FBI for fleeing the state during the special session.
Concerns about artificial intelligence are coming to a head with the most recent round of college graduates. How it’s disrupting the job market.
A proposed expansion for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle had been in the works for years, but now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is backing away.
The 1991 Yogurt Shop murders in Austin remain officially unsolved. Our conversation with Margaret Brown, the director of a new HBO docuseries revisiting the tragedy.
Plus: It’s been a month now since deadly flooding ravaged the Texas Hill Country. We’ll check in on the recovery.
You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Conspiracy theorists said ‘cloud seeding’ caused the Texas floods. It did not.

Online rumors are blaming cloud seeding for the deadly Texas floods, even though the science doesn’t support it.
Along with flood recovery and THC regulation, Texas lawmakers are tasked with redrawing congressional districts in their special session. The connection to racial gerrymandering.
Volunteers and rescue workers have descended on the Hill Country to help with flood recovery – and unfortunately, so have scammers. What experts say everyone needs to know.
The impact of recent budget cuts on mental health programs in schools.
And: Robert Earl Keen is going to headline a concert to benefit flood recovery. Our conversation with him on the star-studded lineup and why he says he was compelled to act so quickly.

A Guadalupe River regular shares her family’s survival story

A bill in the Texas Legislature this past session would have created a grant program for emergency communication. It didn’t pass.

In the days since the deadly flooding, engineers have already modeled what happened on the Guadalupe River. What they say about how we should rebuild.

A harrowing story of survival: Our conversation with a woman at the center of the devastation and the person she says saved her family.

Hope House, a home for the profoundly disabled, was damaged by the storm in Liberty Hill. The loss they’ve suffered and the hope they hang onto.

And: Remembering a similar disaster on the Guadalupe back in 1987. We’ll talk with a local leader who helped in those rescue efforts.

You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Senate GOP primary brawl could open a door for Democrats

Gov. Greg Abbott’s last-minute veto of a proposed ban on THC-derived products has opened a rift with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful leader of the Texas Senate who championed the ban.
More autonomous vehicles are now on Austin streets – and these Tesla robotaxis are a little harder to spot than their Waymo counterparts.
Some Texans are finding relief from high grocery prices on the other side of the border.
License plate readers have become popular with police departments around the state, but many folks have concerns about privacy. What we learned from a Houston investigation.
And: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2026 – and the bruising primary may offer Democrats a rare shot at flipping a Texas Senate seat.

Houston Housing Authority caught citing fake legal quotes

Gov. Greg Abbott touted plans to have Texas build a border wall, even soliciting donations from the public. Why the project’s now being scrapped.
The U.S. Supreme Court is issuing decisions today, including one affecting gender-affirming care for transgender minors.
Lawyers use previous cases to argue in court – but the Houston Housing Authority is caught citing dozens of case quotes that don’t exist.
Journalist Liz Bruenig is exploring her opinions on the death penalty – her own family still healing from a horrific crime.
And: A group of Afghan refugees making their home in San Antonio are gaining attention for their athletic prowess.
You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

A special Texas Standard for kids, live from Abilene

Texans under the age of 18 make up almost a quarter of the state’s population, so we’ve put together a show with them in mind. We’re joining you today from Abilene and the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival.
We begin with a conversation about politics: We’ll hear from some Texas teens who make their voices heard, even though they can’t yet vote.
Checking in with our go-to tech expert about kids and technology – some tips for engaging them while avoiding some of the pitfalls.
Other familiar voices on the show will be insect expert Wizzie Brown, who is answering kids’ questions about bugs, and commentator W.F. Strong, who shares a conversation about growing up in Texas with his 10-year-old daughter.

Protests erupt over immigration raids as Abbott calls in National Guard

Gov. Greg Abbott is calling National Guard troops into Texas to respond to immigration raid protests in the state.
Texas had a new speaker of the House this legislative session. So how did Rep. Dustin Burrows handle the job?
Flights out of the busy, and getting busier, Austin airport have been increasingly delayed because of staffing shortages. How it’s affecting passengers.
President Trump reportedly wants Texas to re-draw district lines to favor Republicans – but some in his party aren’t so sure that’s a good idea.
And: We’ll introduce you to Los Pink Cheese Green Goes, a three-piece band making its unique mark on the Spanish-language pop scene.

Fear at immigration court as ICE arrests migrants there for a hearing

The race to be San Antonio’s next mayor was narrowed from a field of 27 to two. What to know before the runoff election on Saturday.
Arrests outside of immigration court have happened in El Paso, Dallas and San Antonio. Why activists say this tactic encourages migrants to break the law.
Texas is set to become the next in a handful of states to ban lab-grown meat for human consumption.
It’s Texas vs. Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series championship, with Game 1 tonight.
And: We’ll explore Lucas Schaefer’s “The Slip,” a new novel set in late ’90s Austin and propelled by a mysterious disappearance.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org