austin

Paxton targets Austin ISD over alleged ‘bathroom bill’ violation

Board members for the Austin Independent School District are considering an outside nonprofit to handle three of its middle schools with chronic failing grades. Another failing grade for these campuses would give the Texas Education Agency the authority to take over the district as a whole. We’ll have more about community meetings happening this week. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has notified AISD of a complaint alleging the district violated the state’s bathroom bill. We’ll dig into the story.

Since the start of the second trump administration. Immigration crack downs have been in the news and affecting communities and families across the nation, as well as here in Texas. Austin-based documentarian Louise Van Assche has taken a closer look at this by talking with the folks being directly affected.

South by Southwest officially kicks off tomorrow, but the unofficial showcases and house shows have plenty to offer up as well. We’ll share details about one benefitting a women’s correctional facility here in the Austin area.

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

New changes to smokeable hemp rules could be coming

George Davis Jr. is one of the victims who had to be hospitalized after the deadly shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. He reached out to 911 for assistance, but had to turn to help of strangers to get him to the hospital. Davis is recovering now and trying to find the people who he says helped save his life. We’ll hear more about his experience that early morning and his recovery journey since.

Possible changes for smokable hemp in Texas could be happening sooner rather than later. We’ll go over what could be changing and the reaction from those in the industry.

And the City of Austin is looking for ways to save every nickel and dime after cuts to the budget. We’ll go over the latest way they’ve saved some money.

Buford’s reopens a week after deadly shooting

Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was open for business over the weekend, just days after a shooting left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. Some Austin residents felt the opening was rushed after such a tragedy. We’ll hear from others who felt showing up was the right thing to do.

The Austin Police Department has new rules for how its officers contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll hear more about the change.

After the suspected shooter in the attack was identified, a woman from Buda is alleging she was assaulted by the suspect in a separate incident last year at the Tesla Gigafactory. We’ll dig into what we know about the incident and lawsuit.

Plus, South By Southwest starts its takeover of Austin this Thursday. Our sister station KUTX is gearing up to bring you plenty of live music — from right here in Austin and from around the world.

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

This Or That?

On this episode we discuss who had the bigger impact on hip-hop, James Brown or Michael Jackson. We also talk about the difference, musically, in both Dallas and Houston and the emerging artists from both cities. Hip-Hop facts this week are about Bubba Sparxxx, Zach Brauf, Nelly and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that media will eventually give hip-hop a seat at the table.

Rebalancing a Retirement Portfolio for Longevity and Legacy

Carl Stuart takes caller and text questions, recommendations on how one can rebalance their portfolio, including investing in a balanced mix of equities and bonds, as well as advice on researching international funds and defined outcome ETFs.

More background on Buford’s shooting suspect released

We’re learning more about the alleged shooter in Sunday morning’s deadly incident at a West Sixth Street bar. The suspect had no prior interactions with police in Austin, but that wasn’t true for other agencies in Texas. We’ll share more about that history, and why it wasn’t enough to keep him from legally acquiring firearms.

The Texas Department of Transportation has not started construction on a new boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake. TxDOT pledged $25 million for the project as part of the expansion of I-35. Now it’s warning the City of Austin to accept its terms or lose the project altogether. We’ll have more from a KUT News investigation.

We’ve got a little Austin music history for your day.

And this group of women in Austin have a shared interest in skateboarding. We’ll hear more about their story.

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

UT students hold vigil for victims of Buford’s shooting

We are continuing to follow developments after Sunday’s shooting at Buford’s that killed three people.

We’ll hear the latest update from the Austin Police Department that just wrapped up in the last hour…we have an update on the number of people shot and victims still in hospital, and there was a vigil last night on the University of Texas campus to honor the victims at least two are confirmed UT students.

And later imagine your local box store parking lot as it’s own thriving ecosystem,and now think about how that might be conveyed as an art installation in cardboard.

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

Facu

Facundo Torres achieved more in the first year of his career than many professional soccer players achieve across their whole career. Austin FC’s new designated player tells us about his early success in Uruguay, making the hard choice to move to MLS (twice), and how becoming a girldad has changed his life.

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

How the primaries played out amid Williamson County confusion

Election Night is over in Texas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what happened yesterday in Williamson County. Some voters waited in line for hours, only to be told they’d have to go to an entirely different polling site to vote. Others made an after-hours trip to cast a ballot, only to find out their vote may not be counted.

Our team of county reporters was covering the most important races in Central Texas. They join us in the studio with their latest reporting.

And the City of Austin is ending a rental assistance program; it’s a byproduct of a trimmed budget. We’ll have more about the help that’s going out for the last time and the future of other assistance programs.

The people of Austin have voted Soundfounder on KUTX Radio Show of the Year! The host of the show, Andrew Brown, is with us today on Austin Signal

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

Central Texas voters head to the polls on primary Election Day

We’re getting more information about the three victims from Sunday morning’s shooting at Buford’s. We’ll have the latest from the KUT newsroom.

It’s primary Election Day here in Texas. Four Austin-area Texas legislators are vying for the Democratic nomination of various positions. In addition to the statewide offices, there’s lots going on in the Central Texas area. KUT’s county reporters for Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are out in the field talking to voters. We’ll hear about the reasons they’re coming out to cast a ballot this Election Day.

Plus, Austin wouldn’t be Austin without its wacky cast of characters. Who’s the guy who used to write and read poems before concerts across town? We’ll have the answer from our ATXplained project.

More details emerge following West Sixth Street shooting

Three people are dead and many more are hospitalized following a deadly shooting over the weekend at a popular West Sixth Street bar.

The incident is being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism, but authorities say it’s still too early to determine a motive.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and other local officials held a press conference sharing more information on the victims of the shootings.

We’ll also delve into what’s known regarding the 53-year-old alleged gunman.

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

Iran strikes stoke fears of wider war, impact on energy prices

Fighting widens as U.S. and Israeli warplanes pound Iran. Iran and its proxies hit back, leading to a spiraling expansion. We’re following a rapidly expanding Middle East conflict with a close eye on the implications for Texas. UT international affairs expert Jeremi Suri answers some of the critical questions right now.
Also, we’ll have a warning about energy prices Texans may be facing with the conflict underway as well as reactions from people in Texas with ties to Iran.
Plus, a deadly shooting at a bar in Austin this weekend is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.

The Breaks LIVE!

On this episode we are LIVE at Central Machine Works with a special episode featuring fellow KUT/KUTX personalities. Our first two segments we have Miles Bloxson (KUT) and Ryan Wen (KUTX) to discuss topics about the culture of hip-hop. For Hip-Hop Facts and Unpopular Opinion we have on Soundfounder (KUTX) and DJ Shani (KUTX) of The Groove Temple.

A Central Texas voters’ guide as primary Election Day nears

There are still a few hours left to vote early ahead of Tuesday’s Texas party primaries. We’ll tell you what you need to know before heading to the polls to vote today or Election Day on Tuesday.

We’ll also have closer look at races for two Travis County Commissioner seats and go over what exactly commissioners do.

Also, the federal government is now challenging a court order to repatriate college student Any López Belloza, who was deported after trying to fly to Austin last year.

Huston-Tillotson’s group of jazz musicians with fresh roots on the east side of Austin have already gained national recognition.

And it’s going to get loud at Circuit of the Americas this weekend: NASCAR is in town.

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

Austin Police may be handing out more speeding tickets

We’ve all seen it: People speeding down Mopac or neighborhood streets in Austin. Maybe you’ve thought, “shouldn’t they be getting a speeding ticket?” Well, new data shows Austin Police may be handing out more of those.

Austin’s Live Music Fund is about to grant another round of funding after two years of controversy and complaints over the how those funding decisions are made.

Speaking of music, you can’t pin down local band The Animeros to just one genre. They span beyond bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia, and their music will get you out on the dance floor. We’ll talk with a couple of band members from our sister station KUTX’s Artist of the Month.

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

What’s driving Central Texas early voters to the polls

Early voting in the March 3 primary wraps up Friday. Turnout is trending upward across Central Texas, with more voters casting ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties compared to previous primaries. We’ll taking a closer look at who’s showing up and what patterns are beginning to emerge at polling locations locally and across the state.

Questions about how ballots should be counted continue to spark debate. We’ll tell you about Republicans in one Texas county who are planning to hand count election day ballots.

We’ll also hear the story of the Texas musician known as the “Jimi Hendrix of the accordion.”

Plus, KUTX’s Ryan Wen stops by with the Austin music you need to know about.

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

New Daniel Johnston exhibit celebrates Austin artist’s enduring impact

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live in rural areas, where there are often fewer licensed therapists and longer travel distances to mental health care. But hotlines like 988 give people access to the help they need. Today, we’ll find out why the support for that lifeline is stronger in some states than others.

Daniel Johnston was known for his art and music. When he died in 2019, he left behind a trove of his work. But where can you check it out? Well, some of that work is on public display for the first time as part of a new exhibit at Texas State University.

This month marks 100 years of celebrating Black History Month and one local organization is creating space to celebrate Black Austinites. Find out what they have planned this weekend.

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

Doula services growing, becoming accessible in Austin area

A growing body of evidence shows that doulas can improve health outcomes; especially for Black women, who have a maternal mortality rate 2.5 times higher than white women in Texas. Birth workers want their services to be accessible and understood by more folks. We’ll delve more into the practice.

And the Texas DREAM Act gave undocumented Texans the chance to attend college at the cost of in-state tuition. Now, Texas public universities are progressing through the first full academic semester under new tuition rules. We’ll hear from one UT Austin student about the adjustment and the future.

Plus, another Black History Month music profile.

Finally, we’ll round up a busy weekend of sports news across the Austin area.

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

Rockin’ With TheBrosFresh!

On this episode we sit down with Louisiana artists TheBrosFresh and talk about their upcoming music and how is Austin treating them. We also discuss VladTV making tweets about Jay-Z to garner attention from the worse parts of the internet. Hip-Hop facts include facts about I Love Lucy, Drake, Master P and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that 90s/2000s themed parties are overrated.

Talarico interview on Colbert controversy shakes up race

James Talarico’s campaign raises millions after an interview with Stephen Colbert is pulled. But was it really a backfire against President Trump? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with the lowdown.
A look at a hugely important hearing today for four men accused of the notorious 1991 yogurt shop murders in Austin.
Also, why are so many barbecue joints closing?