4th of July

Celebrating summer with Willie Nelson, new book releases, aguas frescas & more

With lots of food and fireworks, Texans turn out to mark the Fourth of July – and we’re celebrating with a special program dedicated to summer in the Lone Star State:
Julia Green, the manager at Front Street Books in Alpine, shares her recommendations on new book releases to add to your summer reading list.
Top tips from the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly on how to smoke short ribs in your own backyard.
The backstory of Willie Nelson’s famous Fourth of July picnic.
Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, has some suggestions for beating the heat with aguas frescas.
Plus: top songs of the season with a Texas connection.

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.

How to keep yourself and your pets safe this Fourth of July

Texas prison heat is an issue we’ve highlighted on this program for years. Why it’s not being solved quickly.

Abortion access is one of the top political issues in Texas. So how did state lawmakers manage to quietly pass a bill clarifying exceptions to the ban?

On the eve of July Fourth, we’ll give you a checklist to run through to make sure people, pets and property are all well taken care of.

And how the Supreme Court’s latest ruling on affirmative action will impact the processes at some Texas colleges and universities.

KUT Morning Newscast for June 30, 2023

Central Texas top stories for June 30, 2023. Texas reactions to the Supreme Court striking down affirmative action in colleges. New development proposal plans for Austin. Firework laws and safety.

Texas Standard: July 3, 2020

After days of resisting calls from local leaders, governor Abbott imposes fines for those who refuse to use facial coverings in public, saying it’s a necessary step to avoid a return to another lockdown as virus cases set new records in Texas. We’ll have the latest. Also, a first person story of becoming a U.S. citizen in a period of pandemic. Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 4, 2018

Two years after Fisher vs. University of Texas, the Trump administration urges colleges to drop consideration of race in admissions, we’ll look at the implications. Also, how a debate over water flowing from Georgia to Florida is trickling into Texas. And 20 years ago this summer, a Texan trying to save his job not only struck paydirt, his little well would change the world, we’ll hear how and why. And a modern day dinosaur from Texas who took over TV screens around the world. Fire up the grill and grab a lawn chair, the Texas Standard is back on the air:

Texas Standard: June 29, 2017

As the president’s travel ban takes effect at airports today who’s in and who’s out, and who’s watching the gatekeepers. We’ll talk to one of em today. Also a dramatic helicopter attack on Venezuela’s supreme court, caught on video. The images so surrealistic some wonder: did this really happen? We’ll explore. And you thought space was the final frontier? Nasa relaunches a program that got stalled in the 60’s: an all american supersonic airplane. And the rockets red glare: the view from the other side of the roadside fireworks stand. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: