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January 22, 2025

Austin true crime historian’s latest book dissects the case that inspired the first-ever true crime book (and one of literature’s most famous characters)

By: Jennifer Stayton

Most students in the United States read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter sometime during school. It’s the fictional story of Hester Prynne, who has a child out of wedlock and suffers consequences for it. Hester Prynne is based on a real person. And that real case, and the non-fiction book it inspired at the time, are chronicled in the new non-fiction book All the Sinners Bow: Two Authors, One Murder, and the real Hester Prynne. Author Kate Winkler Dawson is a professor of practice in journalism and media at the University of Texas at Austin and a true crime historian and podcaster. She talked recently with KUT’s Jennifer Stayton about the controversial case of Sara Maria Cornell, who was found hanging from a haystack pole in New England in 1832.

You can hear more from Kate Winkler Dawson about All the Sinners Bow Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. at First Light Books on Speedway in Austin. You can also find out more about her latest book in a KUT post about January reading recommendations from some Austin-area librarians.


Episodes

February 12, 2025

KUT Morning Newscast for February 12, 2025: KUT’s third season of “The Disconnect” is now available.  

Central Texas top stories for February 12, 2025. SIMS foundation, an Austin nonprofit that provides low to no-cost mental health care to musicians, say they’re restarting services, but musicians still have questions. A lunar lander manufactured by Firefly in the Austin area is making its way to the moon, now the company is expanding operations in town. […]

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February 11, 2025

KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 11, 2025: A new policy from the NIH will significantly reduce research funding for UT Austin.

Central Texas top stories for February 11, 2025. The funding UT Austin receives for biomedical research is significantly reduced under a new policy from the National Institutes of Health. The City of Austin is looking at changing its parking rules for the first time in more than 15 years. Propositions to decriminalize marijuana possession in […]

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February 11, 2025

This Is My Thing: Community Singing!

During Covid lockdown, Sarah Bentley discovered the world of community singing. For the last few years, she’s found connection and a creative outlet through leading singing circles.

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February 11, 2025

UT Morning Newscast for February 11, 2025: Egg prices are impacting local businesses.

Central Texas top stories for February 11, 2025. Local businesses talk about how the rise in egg prices is affecting their bottom line. In some Texas cities, residents have voted to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession, but cities have kept enforcing the law despite those election results. Austin is now hiring for lifeguard positions. 

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February 10, 2025

KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 10, 2025: Austin is cracking down on unregistered short-term rental properties.

Central Texas top stories for February 10, 2025. The City of Austin is considering new rules for short term rentals. Lake Travis ISD will soon be getting an interim superintendent. A few Texas Longhorns of years past competed in last night’s Super Bowl. We’re getting a lot of changes in the weather this week.

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February 10, 2025

KUT Morning Newscast for February 10, 2025: New rules could be on the way for short term rentals in Austin.

Central Texas top stories for February 10, 2025. New rules could be on the way for short term rentals like Air-bnb in Austin. The City of Lockhart is caught between state and local demands around law enforcement and marijuana possession. Lake Travis ISD School Board accepted the immediate resignation of superintendent Paul Norton. UT women’s basketball […]

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February 7, 2025

KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 7, 2025: InfoWars will not be auctioned

Central Texas top stories for February 7, 2025. Austin-based conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was back in court this week. Texas lawmakers are looking at another increase in the homestead exemption. Some business owners on 6th street are welcoming recent changes that now allow vehicle traffic on the road. Texas State Technical College is expanding its […]

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February 7, 2025

Local Hispanic business owners are feeling the impacts of the recent immigration raids in Austin.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted “targeted enforcement actions” in the Austin area last month.

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