Laura Rice

A Radio Dream

The intimacy of the medium of radio was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

The Weather In Texas In The Fall

The sweater you wore to work has you sweating by the end of the day. Next morning, you’re looking for a winter coat behind the tank tops in your closet. Yep, it’s November in the Lone Star State.

Getting Out

The Texas Standard asks listeners for poetry requests. This one is for Jess.

The Leaf Blowers

Some trees in Texas never really lose their leaves — but others are shedding dramatically right now. The inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem came from what some neighbors may do with those leaves.

No Mask? … No Mask!

Don your face paint, costumes and masks for Halloween, but don’t forget that it’s not always movie monsters or villains that are the scariest ghouls to haunt our waking days. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Running

The Typewriter Rodeo takes requests — and this one came from a Texas Standard listener training for a marathon.

I’m An Autumn

In some places, fall means colorful leaves, warm jackets or even a coat of frost on pumpkins in the patch. In Texas, it means we get to turn of the air conditioning?

Addiction Recovery

This Typewriter Rodeo poem came about as a request by Texas Standard listener Vicki.

Texas Standard: October 3, 2018

Before an important NATO meeting, the Texan representing the U.S. fires off a startling threat to take out Russian missiles. And GOP leaders vow a vote on Kavanaugh by the week’s end, but where do senators stand right now? Also, Politifact does a double take on a claim in the U.S. senate race concerning police force and what’s called a modern day Jim Crow. Plus, the slaughter of pelicans along a stretch of South Texas highway: state officials have a theory on what’s causing the massive bird kill, but will the fix fly? Those stories and more on today’s Texas Standard:

Midterms

As newscasters and other political junkies are fond of pointing out, only a few weeks remain until November’s midterm elections. And fewer reamin until the deadline to register to vote. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: September 26, 2018

The Texas Attorney General is now getting involved in a court fight over whether Texas school children should be required to say the pledge of allegiance, we’ll explore the implications. Also, should toothless inmates in Texas be provided dentures? Right now, many are not. We’ll take a look at the policy some say needs to change. And something that may be in your garage or shed right now could be contributing to the decline in the bee population. We’ll take a look. Plus, speaking of bees, we’ll get the goods on honey. What is it exactly? We’ll hear from our insect expert. Plus, tracking especially high rates of asthma in Dallas. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 25, 2018

Proposed changes to legal immigration here in the U.S. that would especially affect the poor. We’ll take a look at the possible impacts. Plus, President Trump has signed the largest VA budget ever. What the money is going towards and where it’s coming from. And we’ll head to Sonora, Texas where unprecedented flooding has damaged hundreds of homes. Also we’ll hear how Texas waterways when not causing the damage like in that city, can provide access to parts of the state that are otherwise off-limits. Plus why Mexico’s new president-elect could change the messaging on birth control, and why Laredo city officials have found themselves in a tough position when it comes to next steps for a border wall. All those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

How None Of Us Read The Privacy Notifications

You know the feeling, you need to use an app or a piece of software and, suddenly, you encounter a big, legal document asking for your consent. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

What To Do On A Rainy Day

Texas has had a rare streak of rainy days lately. So what to do when it’s wet outside? That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

A Poem Of Hope For A Sad Kid

Sometimes, a kid needs permission to feel sad for awhile. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: September 7, 2018

The Trump Administration wants changes to a long-held agreement affecting young immigrants held in detention. We’ll take a look at what that would mean here in Texas. Also, it’s been quite a week in Brazil. An attack on a political candidate, a major fire, and now it’s Independence Day. We’ll talk to a Brazilian with a Texas perspective. And do you know what a gun is? It’s actually a lot more complicated than you might think. Why the question may be more important than the debate over 3D printing weapons. Plus we’ll question some of the common narratives about Texas history. And we’ll take a little escape to the movies. All that, politics, the Typewriter Rodeo and so much more on today’s Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 6, 2018

A federal judge struck down another Texas abortion law. We’ll take a look at what this ruling means and what’s next for the ongoing fight. Also- have you been paying attention at all to what’s happening in Venezuela? It’s bad. But what should the U.S. do about it? We’ll get one perspective. Plus Texas is trying address the impacts of denying hundreds of thousands of students special education. Unraveling the challenge. And the next time you go to a live concert your experience could be enhanced by some new technology. We’ll explore. Plus… why you may want to take a trip to Mount Vernon, Texas and what you’re really smelling when you think you smell rain. All that and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 5, 2018

A Texas federal courtroom is once again the stage for a legal challenge that could have enormous, nationwide impact. We’ll explain. Also this week marks a full year since Amazon started the search for a second headquarters. Dallas and Austin are on the shortlist, but what’s next? We’ll check in. And a woman held in slavery makes a new life for herself by posing as a man and signing up to be a soldier. The true story behind a new novel. Plus it’s campaign season and politicians are making claims about their opponents. We’ll fact-check one about holding town hall meetings. And Texans have long been taught to remember the Alamo, but what do we know about the defenders in that battle? We’ll dig in to some demographics. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 24, 2018

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announces millions in grants to address school safety concerns after a recent shooting, but what about mental health? We’ll take a look at the details. Also, Texas headlines have been dominated by the upcoming one-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey. But Harris County voters seem unmotivated to make a trip to the polls to vote on future flood prevention plans. We’ll look at why. And the smallest shrimpers on the Texas Gulf coast may have taken the biggest hit from Harvey. We’ll hear their stories. Also, what was your most uncertain moment during the storm? That’s the question we asked Texans. Plus a top tier college football coach briefly sidelined. What it says about the state of sports leadership. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: