Laura Rice

Recycling rare earth elements could power the future

Severe storms brought flash floods, hail and widespread power outages to Central Texas, killing one and hospitalizing two. More than 10,000 are still without power.

Rare earth minerals are being wasted when you toss out an old phone or TV. Research in Texas could change the disposal process.

Texas Tech just won its first-ever game in the Women’s College World Series. We’ll introduce you to star pitcher NiJaree Canady, the first softball player making $1 million a season in NIL deals.

Plus: How about a little music? We’ll start with the Huston-Tillotson Jazz Orchestra, a relatively new group with big plans. And a lot of Americans used to have a piano in their homes – how and why that’s changed.

Corpus Christi’s water future looks uncertain as Tesla builds nearby refinery

The House has passed a bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. If the Senate signs off, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make it law.

A 2023 law expanded polling place requirements – but many small counties couldn’t keep up. Now a new bill that rolls back those mandates is headed to the governor.

Water insecurity is a problem around Corpus Christi – and that’s before a new Tesla plant coming in that will require more of it. What you need to know.

Plus: The eyes of the world are on Fort Worth for its annual Van Cliburn Piano Competition.

How one West Texas town built its own broadband lifeline

Texas lawmakers are considering a plan that could help prevent fentanyl overdoses in the state. Why it may not become law.

A decade after the deadly biker shootout in Waco that led to nine deaths and more than 100 arrests, some civil cases against the city are still moving forward.

Some Texas law enforcement agencies are getting rid of a gun they consider too risky for their officers – by selling them to civilians.

State and federal money has been set aside to connect rural Texans to the Internet. When the remote West Texas town of Monahans couldn’t get that help, they did it themselves.

And: Texas cities once again top a list of the fastest-growing in the U.S., led by Princeton, a suburb east of Frisco.

10 years later, still no convictions in Twin Peaks biker shootout

A bipartisan bill on abortion has passed the Texas Senate and is making its way through the House. Why lawmakers agree it’s necessary.

It’s been a decade now since a deadly shootout involving rival biker gangs at a Twin Peaks in Waco. What an investigation reveals about how the case was handled.

Thousands of Brazilians live in Central Texas. How they’re feeling about those from their country being targeted for deportation.

Plus: We’ll take you to the Kentucky Club in Juárez, a beloved border bar and one of the last of its kind.

How shrimp fraud is affecting coastal fishers

According to a new poll, Texans have predictable opinions along party lines about Donald Trump’s immigration policies – but it’s more complicated on the economy.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against Austin ISD, accusing it of teaching critical race theory. It’s not the first time a Texas district has faced such charges.
Shrimp fraud is driving that sector of Gulf Coast agriculture to the brink. What you need to know about it.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has released its annual list of the 11 most endangered historic places, including the San Juan Hotel in the Rio Grande Valley.
And: A land acquisition in the Big Bend preserves access to river recreation.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Texas Extra: Amy Lee Nelson on her new film, Texas music, and her dad

This week, Willie Nelson celebrated his 92^nd birthday. Last weekend, the latest film he served as executive producer on had its debut. It screened at the Dallas International Film Festival and it was co-directed by his daughter, Amy.

This is an extended interview with her about the film, “King of the Roadies.” It’s about the world’s first roadie, Ben Dorcy III, who long worked with Willie Nelson and other well-known musicians.

Judge rules Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act was unlawful

A South Texas ruling prevents the deportation of some detainees. What it means for the Trump administration’s strategy.
Houston’s large Afghan population is closely watching efforts to unwind programs providing them legal status in the U.S. Why many say they can’t return to their home country.
Some Texans will be headed to the polls tomorrow for local elections. A preview of some of the biggest races and initiatives, including one that would create a new company town.
Efforts to change what people can buy with food stamps, or SNAP assistance, are underway on a couple of levels.
A remembrance as this week marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon.
And: A new way to enjoy Texas Monthly – with a new series on PBS.

UT System bans drag shows, but students push back

Texans weigh in on everything from artificial intelligence to the economic outlook. What a new poll tells us about the state of the state.
We’ll also dig into consumer spending, and what the latest information from credit card companies does and doesn’t tell us about consumer confidence.
Creeks and watering holes are a beloved aspect of Central Texas, but there’s a challenge in keeping them clean as the population booms.
A new book explores the dark undercurrent of early 1970s Houston. We interview the investigative journalist behind the publication.
Plus, the final week of classes looked a little different at UT on Monday. The message students wanted to send with their “Day of Drag.”

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

Houston ISD has half the nurses it did last year

Healthcare providers and people on both sides of Texas’ abortion ban are working together – kind of – on an effort to clarify the law.
The VA is trying to trim its budget without affecting patients. A closer look at the plans and their potential holes.
The number of nurses in Houston public schools has dropped by 50% in the past year. Now there’s an effort at the Texas Capitol to set requirements for having nurses on campuses.
What you need to know as the federal government restarts collections on federal student loan borrowers in default.
And: We’ll introduce you to Porfirio Salinas, the Texas painter who captured the Hill Country in a way that inspired Lady Bird Johnson.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Texas Extra: Our favorite Typewriter Rodeo poems

Texas Extras are special and extended content put together just for our podcast listeners!

Texas Standard recently revealed our Top 10 list from April: the Top 10 Typewriter Rodeo poems from the past decade. Each poem is pretty short, usually just about a minute long, but we still didn’t have time to play them in their entirety in our on-air Top 10 – which just felt like a shame. We remedy that for you here, enjoy!

WNBA draft sends top pick Paige Bueckers to Texas

An area known as the Roosevelt Reservation is getting renewed attention thanks to an executive order allowing for military control. What it could mean for border communities.
Texas disability organizations are closely watching a legal fight involving the Social Security Administration.
SpaceX is becoming the go-to provider for military launches. How the Texas-based company secured contracts that used to go elsewhere.
The Dallas Wings landed star University of Connecticut point guard Paige Bueckers with their No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft.
Why an Austin drag queen is giving weekly lectures on state politics.
And: We celebrate the birthday of Tejano superstar Selena with a visit to her hometown museum.

Living near oil and gas wells linked to childhood leukemia

Cases continue to rise in Texas’ ongoing measles outbreak. Experts say they know how to stop the spread. What’s preventing that?
One priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this legislative session is clawing back the state’s legalization of hemp-based products. Where that effort stands.
You’ll need a REAL ID to travel by air starting May 7. How to make sure you do.
New research out of Colorado finds that kids who live near oil and gas drilling sites face a higher risk of leukemia.
New to streaming: “Time Passages,” a personal documentary about memory and loss that manages to also be hopeful.
And: Texas euphemisms from commentator W.F. Strong.

Texas Extra: My KUTX

March was all about music for Texas Standard. We debuted our latest Texas Standard special – “Rap to the Ranch: The Ballad of Mason ‘Bric’ LaDue.” And we celebrated ten years of the show with a top 10 list of our favorite music interviews and stories from the past decade.

The first weekend in March, the music partner of our home station KUT actually let the Texas Standard team take a turn as guest DJs! Our playlist is very different from our top 10 list because these are *personal favorites in one way or another.

Please note, for podcast purposes, we couldn’t play the whole song – so you’ll just hear little teases. Here’s the playlist:

1. Asleep At The Wheel – “Bob Wills Is Still The King” (feat. Clint Black) [David Brown]

2. The Black Angels – “You On The Run” [Alexandra Hart]

3. Selena – “Tus Desprecios” [Raul Alonzo]

4. Freddy Fender – “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” [Kristen Cabrera]

5. Jess Williamson – “Chasing Spirits” [Leah Scarpelli]

6. David Halley – “Loose Diamond” [Shelly Brisbin]

7. Khruangbin – “The Infamous Bill” [Casey Cheek]

8. Scarface – “Good Girl Gone Bad” [Wells Dunbar]

9. Amanda Shires – “Mineral Wells” [Gabrielle Muñoz]

10. Margo Price – “Hands of Time” [Rhonda Fanning]

11. Black Pumas – “Colors” [Laura Rice]

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

‘Mistaco’ teaches kids how tacos can make everything better

Houston’s affordable housing project has winners and losers – and the winners are not the renters. Digging into a new investigation from the Houston Chronicle.
Changes in funding for refugee resettlement programs have nonprofits scrambling to figure out how to continue to help.
Matthew McConaughey and industry reps push for Texas lawmakers to beef up the state’s film incentive fund.
Texas topped TCU in the women’s NCAA tournament to reach the Final Four. What to expect from the Longhorns.
Plus: A new children’s book by Texan Eliza Kinkz explores how tacos can make everything better.

Galveston becomes a major hub for the luxury cruise industry

The fight against the measles outbreak in West Texas is being hampered in part by poor infrastructure.
Two days before a death row inmate was set for execution, it’s been delayed for the second time. The back-and-forth over evidence – and how victims families are feeling.
Another day of high wildfire danger across Texas. How one county is looking to help some people who may struggle to better prepare.
Going a cruise? Many Texans don’t have to leave the state to start that journey. How Galveston has become a key player in the industry.

Fire danger and the weather ahead

Wildfires are burning in different parts of the state. The latest on containment efforts and on the continued risk.
President Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress received an intensely divided reception. What he said that could impact Texas.
In our ongoing exploration of how Texas came to get the energy system it has today, we go back into history and the 1970s energy crisis.
We could be nearing the end of an era: that of the paperback book. Why some publishers are shying away from paperback releases.
And: It’s nearly time for one of Texas’ biggest festivals. We’ll take a look at a little of what’s to come at this year’s South by Southwest.

What’s affecting El Paso’s air quality?

One person has now died in the Texas measles outbreak that’s up to more than 120 official cases.
Hit the road in many parts of Texas these days and you’re likely to see some Teslas. So how are those drivers feeling about the very public and controversial latest moves by CEO Elon Musk?
Teacher pay increases may come this Texas legislative session. But what form they might take is unclear.
The U.S. military isn’t completely avoiding the same cuts ripping through other parts of government right now.
Plus: There’s something in the air in El Paso – and it isn’t pleasant. A look at a change in air quality and when its expected to lift.

Behind Southwest Airlines’ big job cuts

15% of Southwest Airlines’ corporate workforce is out of a job in the Dallas-based company’s first-ever major layoffs.
Frigid temperatures across the state and all eyes are on the Texas grid’s ability to handle it. How the grid became what it is today.
President Trump has dismantled a couple of boards you’ve probably never heard about. Why some are concerned about the repercussions.
The UT women’s basketball team is ranked No. 2 in the latest AP poll, but has a case for the No. 1 spot. A look at their path towards the NCAA tournament.
Plus, remembering Mexican singer and songwriter Paquita la del Barrio.

A sisterhood of nuns is quietly emerging on Texas death row

It’s been four years since the deadly days-long blackout in Texas – and “The Disconnect” podcast is back for a third season, exploring what’s changed and what hasn’t.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been told by the new Trump administration to stop work. How a long-term closure might affect you.
An investigation into the death of a foster care child has led to the closure of one facility and some bigger questions.
And: The women on Texas death row have a special relationship with a group of nuns. The details might surprise you.

ICYMI: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s 2025 State of the State Address

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott spoke in front of a crowd of lawmakers and supporters to deliver his State of the State Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 from Arnold Oil’s corporate headquarters in East Austin. He named his list of emergency items, which are the only issues lawmakers can pass bills on in the first 60 days of the session. This is a recording of a live presentation of the address from the Texas Standard and The Texas Newsroom.