KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
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.
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
Four men accused in one of Austin’s most infamous murders have been declared officially innocent; two of them were convicted, one was sentenced to death. 34 years later, their records have been cleared. We’ll have more from Thursday’s exoneration hearing.
An Austin-area congressional seat is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a decade. We’re going to hear from voters in the 21st congressional district about what they want and don’t want from their next representative.
Plus, Austin FC kicks off their new season Saturday night at Q2 Stadium. We’ll go over the things to look out for on the pitch and what you can expect this season from the team and our podcast Vamos Verde.
And a rare corpse flower blooms at a carnivorous plant shop here in Austin.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Songwriter Lindsey Mackin, frontwoman of Austin band Annabelle Chairlegs talks with Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia about the group’s new album, her roots in “Soccer Town USA” (Kearny, NJ), and the power of the cowbell. Also, we talk what’s new for Austin FC with team president Andy Loughnane. The kickoff episode of the 2026 season for Austin FC and ¡Vamos Verde!
¡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.
Season three of ¡Vamos Verde! premieres February 19. Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia (or whatever his last name is) will get to know some new faces on and off the pitch as Austin FC looks to build on a year that featured a return to the MLS Cup Playoffs and an appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Find it wherever you get your podcasts!
If you’d like to support ¡Vamos Verde! and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations have been happening in Austin and Central Texas in recent week. During the past weekend’s weather event, local officials had to dispel rumors fueled by the operation. The lack of information and communication around these operations is causing panic and anxiety that can boil beyond social media.
Gov. Greg Abbott is freezing new H-1B visa applications until 2027, with some exceptions. The move is the latest in the administration’s scrutiny of foreign workers employed at taxpayer-funded institutions.
We’re less than a month away from the start of the new Austin FC season. We’ll take a look at some of the team’s offseason moves.
Major League Soccer announced a big change this week. The league is shifting its calendar to align with the top leagues in the sport. Instead of playing matches from January to November, the 2027-28 season will begin in late July with a champion crowned in May. What does that mean for Austin FC? What about the first half of 2027? Will Jimmy ever get his snow game in a driving Vancouver blizzard?
¡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.
Organizations are working to bridge the digital divide in Texas and across the country, but that work has been made more difficult since the Trump administration withheld funds to assist programs aimed at getting underserved people online. Texas Standard’s Shelly Brisbin has more on how these groups and local governments are planning for a future without the financial aid.
Austin FC is partnering with We Are Blood for a community blood drive this week. Learn how you can participate.
And: Antone’s lands a deal to stay in their current digs for the next five decades.
Austin FC will get a new away shirt next season, set to replace the “Amadillo” shirt introduced ahead of the 2024 season. The shirt paid homage to the legendary Armadillo World Headquarters, the Austin music venue at the epicenter of the cosmic cowboy music wave. The shirt also gave Austin FC a mascot: an armadillo named Speed Bump. ‘Dillo handler Swift Sparks tells us all about Speed Bump’s celebrity, what it takes to care for him, and what the future holds for their partnership with Austin FC.
¡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.
Voters tomorrow will have one last chance to make their voice heard this election. One state constitutional amendment on the ballot – Prop 14 – would commit $3 billion to fund the new Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. We’ll get the details from KUT’s Olivia Aldridge.
Check out KUT’s Voter guides for Travis County, Williamson County and the proposed constitutional amendments. Plus what you need to know for election day.
Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch explores adult education programs across Texas that are working to help immigrants find jobs relevant to their professional experience from before they came to the U.S.
Plus: Austin FC is out of the playoffs after a weekend loss to LAFC.
Central Texas top stories for November 3, 2025. More than 117,000 people in Travis County cast a ballot during Early Voting this year. Prop 16 clarifies that a person must be a U.S. citizen to vote in Texas. City of Austin officials say the pause in SNAP funding impacts almost 45,000 Travis County households, over 87,000 people. Open enrollment is underway for insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Texans are seeing higher prices. Texas is now number 13 in AP Top 25 College Football Poll. Austin FC’s 2025 season is over.
Central Texas top stories for October 30, 2025. The City of Austin says it’s connecting those living outside with housing and medical services. Neighbors of Sandy Creek say they are still in need of volunteers after the July floods. Prop 12 would amend the Texas constitution to grant the governor significant new powers when it comes to disciplining or dismissing elected judges. Make sure the tire pressure on your car is right during this cold front. Austin FC fell to LAFC last night.
There’s lots to consider on your ballot, from state constitutional amendments to tax rate increases for cities and school districts. Travis County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado shares some dos and don’ts for heading to the polls.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is removing people from Austin jails more frequently as the Trump administration ramps up enforcement across the country. The Texas Newsroom’s Mose Buchele joins us with more.
Austin FC enters the playoffs today at LAFC. We’ll have more on what to watch out for with KUT’s Jimmy Maas.
A Travis County judge has signed off on a local disaster declaration to give the county access to resources and respond quickly to wildfires when and if they pop up this season. KUT’s Luz Moreno-Lozano joins us to talk preparedness.
An estimated 20,000 people attended Austin’s ‘No Kings’ rally on Saturday as part of planned demonstrations against the Trump administration nationwide. We’ll hear from a few who attended.
Plus: A wrapup of Formula 1 in Austin and looking ahead to Austin FC in the MLS playoffs.
Austin FC is headed to the 2025 MLS playoffs. A key reason for that is Diego Rubio. The veteran stepped into a bigger-than-anticipated role after Brandon Vázquez’s season-ending injury. Rubio turned pro at age 17 in his native Chile. His passion to compete and penchant for scoring goals got the attention of the Chilean National Team. He played for clubs in Portugal, Spain, Kansas City, and Denver before joining Austin FC last year. Rubio joins hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia to talk about his maturation as a player, the importance of family, and building a legacy.
¡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.
Central Texas top stories for October 2, 2025. UT Austin is one of nine universities the Trump administration is asking to sign a ten-point contract in exchange of giving the schools priority in accessing federal funds. Travis County and local public health provider Central Health have announced a new program to offer virtual medical care to Travis County jail inmates. If you’re traveling this month, know that ABIA is expected to be very busy. Austin FC lost their chance to win their first major trophy.
Central Texas top stories for October 1, 2025. Israeli forces have detained an Austin activist who’s part of an international protest to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid. It’s a busy time at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Texas Volleyball is on the road tonight against the Georgia Bulldogs. Austin FC hosts Nashville SC tonight in the final of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
This podcast is made at KUT Public Media Studios. You may have heard that Congress just took back the money it had allocated for public radio. Our organization stands to lose 1.2 million dollars. We’re asking our listeners now to help us make up this shortfall. If you want to help us out, you can make a donation at supportthispodcast.org.
Election season is upon us once again. It’s not midterm time and we don’t have a president to pick, but voters in Central Texas will have a reason to cast their ballots. Here in Austin, folks will be deciding whether to approve a tax-rate hike above the normal threshold allowed by the state.
Why is the city asking for so much? And how are folks feeling a week out from early voting? KUT’s City Hall reporter Luz Moreno-Lozano joins the show to answer those questions.
And a new bird just dropped! Texas Standard’s Raul Alonzo talks Austin birding and the new “Grue Jay.” Plus catching us up on Austin FC’s run for the U.S. Open Cup championship with the co-host of the Vamos Verde podcast, Juan Diego Garcia.
Central Texas top stories for September 25, 2025. The Texas Attorney General’s office has responded to a lawsuit brought by UT students. The City of Austin is now holding off on the idea of installing cameras that use artificial intelligence around parks and other green spaces. The U.S. Department of Education’s decision not to distribute already-appropriated funds to Hispanic-Serving Institutions is costing Texas colleges and universities nearly 60 million dollars. Austin FC goalkeeper Brad Stuver signs a contract extension. Drought is spreading in the Austin area. Fantastic Fest is celebrating its twentieth anniversary this week.
This podcast is made at KUT Public Media Studios. You may have heard that Congress just took back the money it had allocated for public radio. Our organization stands to lose 1.2 million dollars. We’re asking our listeners now to help us make up this shortfall. If you want to help us out, you can make a donation at supportthispodcast.org.
Up in Williamson County, a proposed data center is set to break ground in the city of Taylor. These kinds of centers have drawn all kinds of feedback for the resources and electricity demand required to power them. But the progress of this latest data center could be stopped in its tracks. Williamson County Reporter for KUT News Kailey Hunt joins Austin Signal for more on this. Plus, there’s a lot of news and emotions to take in daily as a human being. So, we make the time to take a moment for ourselves with the help of Marnie Castor. Learn a little and relax a little here on Austin Signal from KUT News.