Tens of thousands of Texans statewide participate in “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration as Texas Republicans try to coalesce for the midterms.
Conservatives gathered at CPAC in Grapevine this past weekend, hoping to fend off what may be the most serious Democratic challenge to the Republican monopoly on statewide offices in decades.
A conversation with a top oil analyst who warns many Texans don’t realize just how bad a fuel shortage could become if the Iran war continues.
Plus, the Elite Eight in our March Movie Madness bracket: What’s the best Texas film?
Abilene
How an AI data center is driving a housing crisis in Abilene
What really happened that led to a sudden and largely unprecedented shutdown of the airspace and the airport in El Paso? We’ll dive in on today’s Texas Standard.
With just days to go before early voting begins in the Texas primaries, Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on the Democratic race between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, as well as a GOP showdown featuring Sen. John Cornyn, AG Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Also, Discord tells users it will begin age verification. Pushback and confusion ensue. Our go-to tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why.
Plus, a new real estate trend in Houston that hearkens back to college dorm days: The rise of co-living deals.
Also, how a data center is driving housing affordability challenges in Abilene.
Those stories and much more today.
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.
Austin police cooperation with ICE faces renewed scrutiny
An update on this weekend’s winter storm – the lingering aftereffects, and when to expect things to get back to “normal.”Though the worst may be over, many extreme cold advisories have been issued statewide today, and frozen precipitation is making many secondary roads treacherous. We’ll have an update, plus a look at the storm’s impact on the power grid.Despite hazardous driving conditions, an important political debate went on as scheduled Saturday: A showdown between the top two Democrats running for a U.S. senate seat from Texas. We’ll have a recap of the Georgetown debate between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico. Also, questions about local law enforcement cooperation with ICE in Austin.
Texans brace for winter weather on land – and in the sea
Texans statewide are preparing for the biggest winter storm we’ve seen in years. We’ll have the latest on a weekend of snow, ice and freezing rain that’s en route to Texas.
At the moment, officials say the power grid is looking good, though localized outages are likely due to falling limbs and ice on power lines.
For now, though, the first debate between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico for the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat is still a go. We’ll have the latest on that.
Plus, preparations to protect coastal wildlife from the cold, Trump administration EPA rollbacks, and more.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Encore presentation: A special Texas Standard for kids, from Abilene
Texans under the age of 18 make up almost a quarter of the state’s population, so we put together a show with them in mind, from Abilene and the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival In June.
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.
What Texas voters should know before Election Day
With 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot next week, state officials are reminding Texans what to expect at the polls. We’ll talk with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office about dos and don’ts while voting.
Both Austin and Houston are facing financial strain, but their solutions couldn’t be more different: One wants to raise taxes, while the other wants to hold the line.
Austin DJ Laurie Gallardo, host of the podcast “SPF 1000: Vampire Sunscreen,” discusses Latinx goth culture, its roots in border life and the darker side of music and identity.
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.
US military sending troops to southern border
The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do?
Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project is a data center in Abilene.
And: Sherman, Texas, is experiencing a silicon rush, with two massive microchip factories under construction – one by Texas Instruments and another by Global Wafers.
A special broadcast from Abilene
Today we come to you from one of Texas’ once great railroad towns – and though the trains aren’t so much a central part of life here anymore, something else has happened that’s been bringing people, prosperity and a sense of renewal back to Abilene.
An AI-focused facility could transform the Big Country region.
Ahead of the 2025, legislative session, Stamford Mayor James Decker shares insights on what’s needed for small-town Texas.
And: Wylie ISD is enacting a strict no-phone policy to reduce distractions.
Record number of employees leave Houston ISD after state takeover
New ratings suggest big improvements for Houston schools, but not everyone is excited about the changes: In the wake of the state’s takeover, a huge number of teachers and staffers have been leaving.
An Abilene family’s experience with a fentanyl overdose has sparked a citywide call to action. KACU’s Alexis Jones reports.
As rent falls in some places, many people are finding an ever greater portion of their paychecks going to cover housing.
Amid concerns about shark attacks this summer, a new report shows a rapidly growing population of baby bull sharks along the Texas Gulf coast.
What does Nate Paul’s arrest mean for Ken Paxton?
Impeached attorney general Ken Paxton won’t face trial in the Senate until late summer, but the indictment of prominent donor Nate Paul may have big implications for Paxton’s fate nonetheless.
Hurricane season is upon us, and the energy industry is making preparations for potential storms.
A colonia in El Paso is pulling water out of thin air using solar distillation.
A new podcast, “Under Cover of Knight, ” examines a death in small-town Texas – and why the CIA and local law enforcement wanted folks to stop asking questions.
And a longtime Texas radio journalist remembers NPR’s Wade Goodwyn.
Fans turn out in Frisco as U.S. wins SheBelieves Cup
On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war with Ukraine, Valerie Hudson, international affairs expert at Texas A&M, shares a Texas perspective on where the conflict stands today.
Author and commentator David Frum on concerns about moves being made by Mexico’s president that could turn back the clock on democratic change there – and the implications for Texas and beyond.
The Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch reports from the SheBelieves Cup soccer tournament in Frisco, where the U.S. Women’s National Team
took home the title.
Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
Texas Standard: November 21, 2022
‘Tis the season for bill filing; a quick look at what filing season in the Texas legislature tells us about lawmaker priorities for the coming session. Other stories we’re watching: an earthquake recorded in west Texas last week, the third biggest ever recorded in the state, what it could mean for the oil and gas industry. And a nuclear reactor taking shape on the campus of Abilene Christian University, we’ll hear why. Also how military families are trying to deal with the search for suitable housing. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: September 26, 2022
Abortion, gun laws and much more. What might be on the agenda as Texas lawmakers prepare to reconvene? Some of the political patterns emerging for Texas in the aftermath of the Texas Tribune festival. Political writer Patrick Svitek ties some of the strands together. Also eyes on the skies, as Hurricane Ian enters the gulf what it could mean for the energy cap of the world. You know the one. And speaking of energy, guess which state has the most blackouts? We’ll shed some light on that. Also not for the down and out, we’ll meet the man who literally wrote the book on the Texas dive bar. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 5, 2022
Monkeypox declared a public health emergency nationwide. We’ll talk with the state epidemiologist about what Texans need to know. Other stories we’re covering: after the Dobbs decision, more than 100 military installations in states where abortion is now banned. What this means for service members seeking abortion care. And as temps hover in the triple digits across much of Texas, the new season of a podcast examines whether the power grid can stand the strain. Mose Buchele, host of the disconnect, joins us. And a Texas based band garnering international attention for its Texas-themed tales of a “Bummer Year”. A conversation with the frontman of the band Good Looks and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 19, 2022
20 miles southwest of Abilene evacuation orders are issued as a dangerous heat fire consumes homes, we’ll have the latest. Also, migrants fill shelters in Ciudad Juarez waiting for a major change in U.S. immigration enforcement that could come as soon as Monday. And waves for wheat farmers: how a topsy turvy global market is hitting Texas’ breadbasket. Also tech companies in Texas and beyond, how they’re dealing with the great resignation. And the newly created U.S. Space Force reaches critical velocity…but to do what exactly? Those stories and more when today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 21, 2022
Historic confirmation hearings begin for the first Black woman nominated to sit on the highest court in the nation. What to expect in the confirmation hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson. A Houston-based legal scholar weighs in. Also, the U.S. repose to the invasion of Ukraine. With President Biden set to go to Europe this week, Texas democratic congressman Mark Veasey of Fort Worth joins us to talk about what comes next. And a Johnson Space Center Historian on Making Space for Women in the story of NASA. And big trouble for small airports across the Lone Star State. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
How The Railroad Help Built Texas
Early Texas towns took hold alongside protected bays – think Galveston and Corpus Christi. Others developed along the banks of fine rivers, such as San Antonio, Goliad and El Paso. But later it was the steel tributaries called railroads that were planting the seeds that raised towns alongside them. Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong says railroads, more than any other technology, ushered Texas into the industrial age and commercial wealth.
Texas Standard: July 23, 2021
After the winter outages, Texans have been demanding a rethink of the Texas electricity market. Is it finally coming? Weathering criticism for its handling of winter outages, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, announces a redesign of the electricity market. We’ll explore the planned changes and what they add up to. Also, is Mexico breaking the free trade agreement with its Mexico-first oil policy? A bipartisan group of Texans asks President Biden to intervene. And endangered sea turtles on the Texas coast, now facing a new threat. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 8, 2021
We’ve gathered up reporters from around the state and have their expertise on how a special legislative session works and what can be accomplished. Also, what is Critical Race Theory and who is teaching it in Texas? And how the city of Abilene hopes to never lose access to water again. Plus a theater play called “Family Dollar”, how a community’s true stories of gentrification gave birth to this play. And the philosophy and goals of QAnon in Texas’ politics, from local to state-wide. Also, to unwind and relax – how about an outdoor movie and you be the host? Everything you need to know to put together your home-made theater is next. That and more today on the Texas Standard: