KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

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Man shot by ICE has surgery, DA Garza singled out at House hearing, Abortion rights in emergencies

Wilber Garces Perez, the man shot by an ICE agent in North Austin who spent more than 10 days with a bullet lodged in his body, has now undergone surgery.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza was at the center of a Texas House committee hearing where lawmakers targeted so-called rogue prosecutors for not trying or investigating cases — but he did not attend.

We’ll hear from some Texas doctors who want to make sure people know their abortion rights during a medical emergency.

A new film focuses on the transformation of a public college in Florida, but the issues facing it aren’t limited to that one institution. We’ll chat with a producer of “First They Came For My College” ahead of some local screenings and discussions.

Arrest in Capitol attack plot, Man shot by ICE stays in custody, Lammes Candies is back

A man has been arrested after the Texas Department of Public Safety found a “credible” threat to attack the state Capitolthis week.

The man shot by an ICE agent in Austin last month will remain in custody, but not return to a detention center, after appearing in federal court this week. The latest updates and what comes next.

Monday is the deadline to get registered to vote in the midterm elections. Texas is working to address a backlog of registration applications. More from one reporter who was affected.

KUT News is a launching a new initiative focused on aging in Austin. Jennifer Stayton stops by to talk about the Long View project.

And some sweet news: Lammes Candies is back — with new ownership out of Fort Worth.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Proper Football

Austin FC II head coach Jason Shackell joins Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia for the pod. The former center back spent 17 years in the EFL Chanpionship and Premier League. After retirement, he decided to call Austin home and began coaching in the Austin FC academy. After being promoted to head coach of FC 2 this year, he’s guided that squad to the top spot in Group A of MLS Next Pro. The team only lost three times in 28 matches this season. Shackell talks about the second team’s playoff push, his playing career, his coaching influences, and why the move to Texas.

¡Vamos Verde! is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating here.

Garces Perez charged, Travis County’s $2B budget, police testing AI tools

The man who was shot by an ICE agent this month in North Austin has been charged with assaulting, resisting, interfering and impeding law enforcement. Wilber Garces Perez is set to appear in an Austin court today.
Travis County Commissioners approved a more than $2 billion budget for the next fiscal year — directing more money toward affordable housing, mental healthcare and disaster preparedness.
It may feel like artificial intelligence is popping up everywhere. Now, police departments are testing AI tools that can turn body camera footage into police reports in minutes.
Speaking of AI, we’ll hear from some local teenagers about the way the technology and data centers are impacting their communities.

Flood watch for Austin area, Smart glasses for blind users, Best wings in Austin

A flood watch has been issued for the Austin area for Wednesday night to Friday night, overlapping with the first day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

A drop in Austin ISD’s enrollment could soon be impacting its budget. The district also planned to save money by cutting down on bus routes, but that may be undercut by the rising cost of diesel.

Smart glasses are one of the most visible pieces of hardware incorporating artificial intelligence — but like most things related to AI, their use remains polarizing. We’ll hear from some blind users.

And: We’re gonna talk about the best wings in the city with American-Statesman restaurant critic Matthew Odam.

Misael Ramos arrest, COTALAND opens, voter registration delays

There’s one week left to get registered in time to vote in the midterm elections. The deadline is approaching as county election staff across the Austin area work to process thousands of applications that Texas DPS failed to send.
One week after an ICE agent shot Wilber Garces Perez, demonstrators returned to the scene to continue protesting. Misael Ramos, a candidate for Austin City Council District 1, was arrested this weekend and charged with participating in a riot that immediately followed the shooting.
We’ll chat with the director of a film chronicling how Austin restaurants struggled and adapted through the pandemic.
Austin has a new theme park and KUT got a special sneak preview before they officially opened up. We’ll take you out to COTALAND.

Woodgrain Collection Vol. 2 w/ Bavu Blakes

On this episode we interview Austin rap legend, actual educator/teacher, Bavu Blakes about his upbringing from Garland to Austin, his early rap career (with a shout out to John E. Dee!) and his path to education. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about James Blake, En Vogue, Lil Wayne and more.

Webb parents discuss school’s future, Medical care for detainees, Insanity plea in 2023 shooting spree

Parents from Webb Middle School, one of the failing schools putting the Austin district at risk of a takeover, met with the superintendent to discuss their future. But many questions remain surrounding an option to petition for closure of the school to avoid state intervention.

Wilber Garces Perez was quickly discharged from an Austin hospital after he was shot by an ICE agent. It’s raised questions about medical standards for detainees.

Shane James, accused of killing six people in 2023 in a shooting spree that started in San Antonio and ended in Austin,intends to file an insanity plea, according to court filings.

A federal judge has ruled in UT Austin’s favor in a court case that arose from the university’s handling of pro-Palestinian protests in 2024.

Texas voter registration backlog leaves thousands of applications unprocessed

Tens of thousands of unprocessed voter registrations were never forwarded to county officials for processing, leading to chaos and questions.
If you registered to vote through the DPS, such as when you were updating your driver’s license, you may want to check with county officials who are now working through a backlog of forms they should have received long ago. We’ll talk to the reporter who broke this huge story on the eve of midterms.
A veteran lawmaker long called a fixture of Houston’s Third Ward has passed away. We’ll have a closer look at the impact of Garnet Coleman.
Plus, the push to remove Flock cameras in a major Texas city.

Wilber Garces Perez’s life in Austin, Light-rail agency scraps office plan

Friends and family of Wilber Garces Perez, the man shot by an ICE officer in Austin, say he’s spent his time focused on family, work and soccer since coming to the United States from Venezuela in 2024. We’ve got more from the people who know him best.

The agency building Austin’s light-rail system is scrapping a controversial plan to relocate to a high-rise overlooking Lady Bird Lake. How taxpayer dollars are being spent as efforts to build a 10-mile light-rail system ramp up.

An owlet that was saved from an abandoned nest at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has been released back to the wild. How the owl beat the odds.

Paprika was the only Austin restaurant featured on a prestigious list of the best eats in the country. We’ll chat with the owner and chef leading the outfit.

Why Texas became a magnet for massive data centers

Last year’s tragedy at Camp Mystic moves into the realm of criminal investigation, with search warrant requests by the Texas Rangers.
As many Texas communities try to push back on more data centers, they often find local officials can’t do much. How did Texas find itself in this position?
What new studies are revealing about the connection between AI and what robots will do, even against instructions. Our go-to tech expert Omar Gallaga joins us with the rather unsettling low-down.
Promises, promises: In Texas’ closely-watched U.S. Senate race, both Democrat James Talarico and Republican Ken Paxton are making pledges to help ease the burden on Texan’s pocketbooks. But what can a senator really do? We’ll have a reality check.

Latest on ICE shooting, Camp Mystic investigation, AC in state prisons

A judge has set a hearing for the end of this month in the case of Wilber Garces Perez, the man who was shot by an ICE officer in Austin on Sunday. Austin police have released a pair of videos showing a before-and-after perspective of the incident.

Camp Mystic is under investigation by the Texas Rangers, who may be pursuing criminal charges against the camp after 28 people died during flooding last summer.

Texas must install air conditioning at all of its state prisons by the end of 2029. The ruling from a federal judge caps a yearslong lawsuit over dangerous heat in the state’s prisons.

And: In case you didn’t get enough music after HAAM Day, we’ve got the songs from September that you need to know.

The latest on the ICE shooting in Austin

A shooting involving immigration enforcement is under investigation in Austin — and it’s sparked protests.
Also, a federal judge has ordered Texas to air condition every state prison by the end of 2029. We’ll look at the years-long fight over extreme heat behind bars.
Houston’s new homeless services center in East Downtown has been open for about three and a half months. We’ll hear how the facility is helping people move from the streets into housing.
And Jonathan Van Ness is bringing his “Hot & Healed” comedy tour to Texas. He joins us to talk about queer joy, comedy, and how living in Austin has shaped his work.

Austin ICE shooting updates, Hispanic community reacts, Dog’s Head lawsuit

We’re learning more about Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, who was shot by an ICE officer on Sunday in North Austin. The 28-year-old from Venezuela is in custody at an ICE processing center in South Texas. His lawyer says a federal judge has granted an emergency order to stop his deportation.

Plus: reaction from Austin’s Hispanic community in response to the shooting.

A new lawsuit seeks to void the development and financing agreements for a 2,600-acre development known as Dog’s Head. What neighbors and environmental groups are asking for.

It’s HAAM Day in Austin, with live music happening all over the city all day long. Why they do for Austin’s musicians.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Texas prison program trains incarcerated women to transcribe braille

Do data centers help local economies? The largest one is under construction in West Texas and could provide some answers.
Also, we’ll get an update on the ICE shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin and take a look at the use of deadly force by ICE on city streets across the country.
Plus, the struggle to pay for childcare in Texas.
Texas Standard reporter Sarah Asch takes us to a Texas prison helping women learn a specialized job skill.
Plus, our Hispanic Heritage Moment spotlights a Latina astronaut who blazed a trail space.

Latest on Austin ICE shooting, AISD appeals failing ratings, HAAM Day Music Festival

A man was shot and injured on Sunday by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in North Austin, leading to protests through the evening. The 28-year-old is now being held in a ICE processing center. We spoke with some of the folks who were near the scene of the shooting.

The Austin Independent School District has appealed the two failing school scores that are threatening a state takeover of the entire district. It’s the latest move attempting to keep control of the district and its schools.

The Live Music Capital of the World will be jam-packed with live performances from dusk to dawn tomorrow in celebration of HAAM Day. Where to hear the music and what goes into planning a whole day of shows across the city.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

‘Deep in the Heart 2’ explores the rivers and aquifers that sustain Texas

Another ICE shooting in Texas, this time in the Texas capital city on Sunday.
Also, what could be an important week of speeches and negotiations in New York. UT’s Michael Mosser joins the Standard with more on what to look for, and what’s at stake at the UN general assembly gathering.
With much of the UN focused on current conflicts, we’ll hear how an expansion of the war between the U.S. and Iran is having ripple effects for Texas.
A lake in Abilene becomes the latest to get the state’s most severe rating for the infestation of invasive zebra mussels.
And Ethan Hawke narrates the new documentary “Deep in the Heart 2: Texas Rivers” about the waterways and aquifers of the Lone Star State. We’ll talk with director Ben Masters.

Raps of Resistance w/ Earl Hopkins & Dr. Jeremy McCool

On this episode we interview authors Earl Hopkins and Dr. Jeremy McCool about their new book “Raps of Resistance: How Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole Reignited a Hip-Hop Tradition”. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Mac Miller, Prince, Kendrick Lamar and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion is Austin doesn’t have a definitive culture.

Stocks Over Bonds: Why Inflation Changes Everything

Carl Stuart takes caller and text questions on how persistent inflation fundamentally changes investment strategy, practical guidance on consolidating retirement accounts with fee-only advisors, understanding tax advantages of holding appreciated assets until death, and emphasizes that investors can’t time markets, so success depends on proper asset allocation, broad diversification, and long-term commitment rather than fear-based reactions.

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