KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

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

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Confession Response #5

We asked and y’all delivered! We got 56 responses to the Confession Call!

It wasn’t easy to choose just one winner…so we chose two! “Good Advice” by Other Vessels and “Otherside” by Her Mana. Later this month the winners will come into Studio 1A to record their songs. After that, both will be featured as KUTX’s Song of the Day.

You can hear these songs in the latest episode, along with some of our other faves. You also listen to these over on SoundCloud playlist.

Check it out here: https://soundcloud.com/user-391695375/sets/confession-call-5-finalists.

Thanks so much to everyone who submitted a song.! We’re going to do another Confession Call again in the summer, and then again in the fall and winter. We love this experiment in community and creativity and we can’t wait to hear what you write next!

Song Confessional is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org

UT Austin announces $750 million gift for new Dell Medical Center

It’s been almost two months since a deadly shooting on West Sixth Street left three people dead, including one UT Austin student. Now a new scholarship to help underprivileged students advance their education has been created in honor of Savitha Shanmugasundaram’s life.

UT Austin has announced a new Dell Medical Center and research campus following a $750 million gift from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation — one that makes the Dells UT’s first-ever billion-dollar donors.

And, the satirical media outlet The Onion says they’ve acquired Infowars, the Austin-based source for decades of conspiracy theories.

Plus: The Indie Meme Film Festival is back for its 11th year. We’ll hear more about what’s coming to town.

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

Texas to launch its own clinical trials of psychedelic drug

The state of Texas is poised to spend millions on psychedelic drug research. We’ll have the details about the clinical trials set for ibogaine.
Profits for Texas restaurants are plummeting as ICE conducts more immigration raids. We’ll hear what restaurant owners want the Trump administration to do.
A deadline to ensure digital materials are accessible for people with disabilities has been extended. We’ll have a look at why and what the delay means.
A new cancer center for patients who need care opens in rural Texas.
And Austin’s ‘Into Light’ portrait exhibit puts a face on the opioid crisis.

Belongings lost in homeless camp sweeps, despite city resolution

Austin’s unhoused folks say they lose everything when the city sweeps though their camps, despite a City Council resolution aiming to improve the sweeps and provide more notice ahead of time.

The City of Austin overpaid hundreds of employees to the tune of more than $1 million. Most employees expected having to pay the money back —but didn’t expect to face potential legal action for the city’s error. Andrea Ball of Austin Current joins us now to talk about this.

Gran Moreno, the KUTX Artist of the Month, has only one rule: There are no rules.

Plus: The latest on Athena, the resident owl at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and her 2026 owlets.

War with Iran hits Texas energy from two directions

The war in Iran and the big energy bottleneck presents implications for the Lone Star State. As we parse out the latest, we’ll have a closer look at the impact on oil and why one top analyst says despite record oil exports from Texas, we’re still not out of the woods.
There has been a lot of talk about cheap drones that are giving an edge to adversaries on the battlefield. Why is the U.S. lagging on using them?
A new study examines an educational experiment in Dallas, rewarding teachers for student performance. How effective is that approach, and should it be replicated statewide?
We’ll hear the results and the takeaway, plus the week in Texas music and much more.

Play The Record w/ Bak

On this episode we sit down with Record Play organizer and stand up comedian, Bak, as he talks about what’s next for him. We also discuss hip-hop’s relationship to the fun leaf over the decades in celebration of 4/20. Hip-Hop facts are mostly 4/20 related and there are a few surprises as well. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week causes a great back and forth with Confucius.

Gov. Abbott threatens Austin funding over ICE policy

Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to cut off more than $2 million in state grants for the City of Austin because of police policies on cooperating with federal immigration authorities. This follows Attorney General Ken Paxton launching an investigation into the same policies.

City of Austin leaders got their first peek at the budget forecast for the next fiscal year. Now, city leaders must decide which programs could lose their funding as the city attempts to make up a deficit of millions.

Austinites have plenty of entertainment to choose from this weekend with the Fusebox Festival and Austin Reggae Fest. We’ll tell you about the performances you don’t want to miss.

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

Going Pro

After years of raising its profile, Austin Rise is taking steps to become a professional women’s soccer team by next spring. As their current 2026 season kicks off, Jimmy Maas and Juan Garcia talk with team co-founder Bethany Cyrtmus-Davaul, head coach Mykell Bates, and ex-Texas and McCallum High School player Katie Gernsbacher about taking the next step in the evolution of women’s soccer in Austin.

¡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.

Parents of missing Camp Mystic girl push to prevent camp’s reopening

The parents of a girl still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ camp where 27 people died during last summer’s deadly floods in the Texas Hill Country, are asking a judge to prevent the camp from reopening this summer. We’ll have the latest from the Travis County court room.


A private disagreement between local officials broke out into the open this week when Austin Mayor Kirk Watson let it be known he opposes a decision by the agency building the city’s light-rail system.

And, a documentary explores the ‘83 Texas Baseball championship team.


Plus, an Austin exhibit is bringing stories of local overdose victims into the light with pencil-drawn portraits.

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

Why the Spurs owe San Antonio millions after failed MLS bid

Texas Republican Tony Gonzales has begun the process of resigning amid accusations tied to sexual misconduct. What’s next for Texas’ 23rd congressional district?
There’s an annual ritual going on right now on parts of the Texas Gulf Coast. Why conservationists are celebrating the unusual display of the Attwater’s prairie-chicken.
The San Antonio Spurs are headed into the NBA playoffs, but its parent company is facing a challenge. Why Bexar County says it’s owed millions.
The Trump administration had a plan to help farmers hire foreign workers, but many say the idea to lower wages under the visa program is not the way.
Plus, we’ll introduce you to new novelist Rebecca Bendheim, and we’ll explore a bit of lesser-known Texas history.

How is Texas preparing for more data centers?

Though construction of data centers in Texas has garnered plenty of opposition from residents, plans are still moving forward to bring more of these facilities to Central Texas. But just how many? And how soon? Those questions and more were part of a recent hearing held by state leaders.

Austin’s parks are a favorite amenity of many an Austinite — and the city has hundreds more acres of parkland currently unused. The costs of developing a neighborhood park. Andrea Ball, growth and development reporter for Austin Current joins us to talk about this.

Plus: Fusebox Festival returns to Austin this week in many spaces around town that aren’t normally venues for arts performances. What to keep your eyes and ears open for this week.

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

Tracking state takeovers of Texas schools

The state is taking control of more struggling school districts, but how effective are the takeovers? We’ll discuss with two Houston Chronicle reporters tracking takeovers in Texas.
Should the state attorney general make national politics one of his primary duties as outgoing AG Ken Paxton has done? It’s become an issue as voters elect the state’s new top legal representative.
Texans can no longer use SNAP benefits to buy candy or sugary drinks, but what qualifies at the checkout counter?
We’ll delve more into the fallout over President Trump’s war of words with Pope Leo.
And a new gym in Waco is redefining what fitness can look like for people with disabilities.

Smokable hemp products legal again in Texas — for now

It’s legal again for Texas businesses to sell smokable forms of hemp. New state rules that went into effect in March had effectively outlawed these sales, while raising fees on the businesses who carry them. We’ll delve into the state of the Texas hemp market.

The state board of education gave preliminary approval to a mandatory list of books that all Texas public schools will teach starting in 2030. Critics of the list say it lacks diversity and emphasizes Christianity.

Plus, what’s the story behind the freaky sculpture hanging in the Barton Creek Greenbelt? That’s the exact question someone asked us for our ATXplained project.

Discovery in Central Texas cave reshapes understanding of Ice Age wildlife

After talks with Iran fall apart, energy prices are back on the rise — as are military tensions. UT global affairs expert Jeremi Suri on what happened in talks and what it means for the foreseeable future.
The end of the Artemis II mission, the start of a new chapter in space exploration. We’ll have more on that front, as well as the discovery of the remains of what looks like an armadillo the size of a lion. What a Central Texas cave is telling us about what Texas really looked like in the Ice Age — upending some long-held assumptions.

November Scorpio w/ Tiana Major9

On this episode we interview R&B artist (from the UK) Tiana Major9 about her newest album “November Scorpio” and working with Babyface. We also discuss the news about rappers Gucci Mane and Pooh Shiesty in regards to them having a showdown in the recording studio. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Michael B. Jordan, LL Cool J, Babyface and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week causes a slight disagreement with Confucius so tune in to check it out!

Realistic Retirement Planning: Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities

Carl Stuart discusses the importance of realistic expectations, proper asset allocation, and managing debt when it comes to retirement planning. He also covers government retirement programs like Social Security and defined benefit plans, and strategies for supplementing those with personal savings and investments.

Federal court weighs decision over air conditioning in Texas prisons

Ahead of the coming summer heat, a federal court is considering whether air conditioning should be provided in all Texas prisons. We’ve been following the case that’s been happening in Austin over the past couple of weeks.

There are new changes to SNAP, the benefits that help low-income Texans purchase food. That assistance can’t be used for candy or most sweetened drinks. We’ll take a look at what impact this is having.

The San Marcos Studio Tour continues this weekend. We’ll hear about one artist who is showcasing work.

And a bit of good news to start the weekend: Austin’s favorite owl is giving us a couple of reasons to celebrate.

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

‘They Called Us Outlaws’ revisits rise of outlaw country music

The threat of hail, possible tornadoes and flooding conditions spells what could be a severe start to a stormy weather season in Texas. Meteorologist Eric Berger joins us with what to expect and how it fits into the bigger weather picture.
How are you weathering rising gasoline prices? We’ll hear how some Houstonians are coping.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s election-year forecast: Not a rosy one for the Texas GOP. We’ll talk about that with Jasper Scherer of the Texas Tribune.
We’ll reveal our winner in our contest for the best Texas film of all time, as well as talk with the filmmaker behind “They Called Us Outlaws,” all about the rise of outlaw country music.

SAFE Alliance cuts could shutter shelter, programs for abuse victims

The SAFE Alliance is preparing to make millions of dollars in cuts starting this summer. This could include closing a downtown shelter and the end of services that provide additional housing assistance for people leaving abusive situations.

After public outcry over the unexpected demolition of former East Austin cafe, Cenote, the developer of the property has committed to maintaining what’s left of the historic building it originally promised to preserve. The problem?There’s just one wall left standing. Austin Current’s Sam Stark stops by to talk about it.

Model Railroading has been a popular hobby pretty much as long as trains have been around. Steven Jacobs has been a fan for about half a century. He spoke with Mike Lee about it for the This is My Thing Podcast.

Plus, what is the best Texas rap anthem? We’ve got plenty of tracks to choose from across the state, and the fellas over at The Breaks are searching for a winner. We’ll talk about the choices.

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

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