KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
Austin nonprofit LifeWorks has helped nearly three dozen young Austinites stay housed through a cash-assistance pilot program. We hear the story of one person who said the money helped her at a critical time.
Plus: A look into holiday tunes and unwrapping our favorite present: tamales. Chef Rick Martinez brings us to the table at a holiday tamalada.
If you host or or plan to attend a tamalada – let us know! Email austinsignal@kut.org.
A college student flying to Austin was detained and deported by immigration authorities. She was trying to surprise her family for the Thanksgiving holiday. Now she’s having to finish her semester of college in a different country. Her lawyer says her deportation went against a federal court order. We’ll have more about the reason for her deportation and what the next steps in her story are.
What do you imagine when you hear “dragon boat racing”? Fire spewing out across Lady Bird Lake? Boats speeding fast across and over the water? We’ll have a look at what it’s all about.
Plus, it’s that time of season for caroling and lighting up the big ol’ tree. Find out what’s happening this weekend in Downtown Austin.
Austin voters overwhelmingly rejected Prop Q, a proposed property tax rate increase. KUT’s Andrew Weber breaks down what happened – and where city officials will look next for reductions in spending.
In other election news, Texans approved 17 amendments to the state constitution, touching on taxes, education, infrastructure and more.
And: The sale of Cheer Up Charlies to a Florida investment firm has been called off, the latest twist in what’s been a chaotic year for the popular queer bar.
Prop Q has brought out early voters in numbers that are higher than usual for an off-year election. The proposed tax rate increase, Austin officials say, would raise money to improve local parks, safety and homelessness. How much would that cost that homeowners? KUT government accountability reporter Andrew Weber breaks it down ahead of Election Day.
Meanwhile, the city is facing a deadline to remove painted crosswalks and street murals or risk losing state and federal money for future transportation projects. KUT’s Nathan Bernier has an update on which artwork could be affected.
Plus, ATXplained Live is tomorrow! Get into the spirit with a story about the man who used to recite poetry before Austin concerts.
With early voting underway, Austin’s Prop Q is front and center for many folks – and was the subject of an ethics complaint against a resident who created a website aiming to take down the ballot item. KUT’s Andrew Weber breaks it down.
What Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest announcement of Austin cleanup efforts means for the city.
Plus: Barbara Morgan, executive director of the Austin Film Festival, previews what to expect from this year’s fest.
The city of Austin is facing a deadline to remove roadway art, like the rainbow crosswalk at Fourth and Colorado streets or the words “Black Artists Matter” painted atop 11th Street. Gov. Greg Abbott says failure to do so would cause the city to risk losing state and federal dollars for future road projects.
We’ll hear from KUT government accountability reporter Andrew Weber, who is following the story.
Ever wondered who makes the giant fake sandwiches that you see around town at Thundercloud Subs? ATXplained brings you the answer.
Contract negotiations between the city of Austin and its fire department are fast approaching the deadline for a new deal, with negotiations at a standstill. The firefighters union called the city’s offer insulting; the city says it’s willing to negotiate. KUT government accountability reporter Andrew Weber joins the show with more.
We’ll hear about the journey and future plans of 20-year-old professional soccer player Owen Wolff, who has been part of Austin FC since its inaugural season in 2021 and is a big part of the current run of success his side is experiencing.
Plus from our sister station KUTX, a bit Mama Duke the Austin musician who will be featured on the America’s Got Talent finale tonight.
Central Texas top stories for August 29, 2024. City leaders are set to decide today whether to pay two Austinites who were injured by police during protests in 2020. Texas Gas Service is proposing a rate hike for residential customers. Texas State University officials say they’re on track to see a record number of freshman enrolled this school year.
Austin Pets Alive is expanding its efforts to move animals from under-resourced shelters in Texas to out-of-state foster and adoptive homes. Manor ISD’s school board decided this week to ask voters to approve a new tax rate in November. An Austin ISD trustee who represents voters across the entire district, Noelita Lugo, is not running for reelection in November. The City of Austin has put out a help-wanted sign for artists.
Central Texas top stories for August 16, 2024. Violent crime in Austin is down compared to last year. A new rule lowering the amount of land required to build a home in Austin goes into effect today. Travis County Constables want to hire more deputies to patrol what they call traffic “hot spots,” but the budget is tight. AISD says its chief financial officer, Ed Ramos, was reinstated Thursday. Travis County has seen a steady rise in new HIV diagnoses since 2020, they are launching a campaign to end the epidemic. There’s a new cooling center in Austin, it’s located in the Trinity Center on East 7th street.
After the storm and deadly rolling blackouts – a major question remains: why was Texas’ power grid so vulnerable? In February, a winter storm brought the energy capital of the world to its knees, leading to millions of Texans without power, a death toll well into the triple digits – and many questions such as how the power grid could have succumbed so suddenly, without apparent warning. There’s a history that’s unique to Texas’ power grid – one that involves football, subterfuge, and a whole lot of lobbyists. From the podcast The Disconnect, the story of the Texas power grid – on a special edition of the Texas Standard: