austin

How much of the stuff we put in the blue bin in Austin actually gets recycled?

Plastic in the U.S. is largely going unrecycled, but the city says that’s not so for the plastic we put in the blue bins.

TxDOT wants to bury a highway. The Dallas City Council wants to get rid of it.

Tenure is on the agenda in the Texas Senate this week, as lawmakers weigh a bill that would end the practice for the new faculty at public colleges and universities.

The Texas Department of Transportation wants to bury Interstate 345, a 1.4-mile stretch of highway that connects Dallas to its Deep Ellum neighborhood. But the Dallas City Council wants to get rid of it.

A Hill Country destination looks beyond tourism: The city of Kerrville gets busy on a plan to attract industry.

Pro sports teams shunned gambling on games, but now, Texas’ 11 top franchises are teaming up to legalize sports betting in the Lone Star State.

More than a decade in, Austin is not meeting its ‘zero waste’ goals — and we’re not even close

The city of Austin had set goals for reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills. So far, we’re falling far short.

Why is the two-step danced differently in Austin than in other parts of Texas?

Two-stepping originated from foxtrot and has been danced to country music in dancehalls around Austin for ages. Influenced by other music genres played in the region, people here have put their own spin on it.

KUT listeners Allyson Lipkin and Cristopher Juarez wanted to know why people in Austin and San Antonio dance the two-step differently than folks in the rest of Texas and the U.S. So, they reached out to KUT’s ATXplained project.

Calvin J. Turner

Lisa and Rich speak with Army veteran and entrepreneur Capt. Calvin J. Turner.

Taylor Swift fans in Texas are ready for the Eras Tour

For the first time in three years, Medicaid recipients have had to re-apply for the benefit as a major safety net installed during the pandemic disappears – and millions of Texans may lose health coverage.

Taylor Swift is coming to town, and the excitement is off the charts for the superstar’s Texas swing, starting this weekend in Arlington.

Also take a deep dive into deep fakes.

What’s the story behind the abandoned house by Dell Medical School?

One of the oldest homes still standing in Austin was once known as The Chateau. Its residents hosted legendary parties that were often safe spaces for gay people in the 1960s and ‘70s. Today, the home is boarded up — but there’s a new effort brewing to ensure it’s preserved.

All About Our Listeners

This episode is all about our listeners. We asked what they thought we should do to support the Austin Music Scene, and they answered! Plus, you’ll learn about one listener who started a business to employ Austin musicians — the Handyband Collective.

What happened to Brian Vargo almost 50 years ago? His niece is still looking for answers.

Brian Vargo was 20 years old when he disappeared in 1976. The UT Austin student seems to have simply vanished.

Do plans for a Texas business court work?

This week at the Texas Legislature: Laws aimed at making it easier to have a baby in Texas.

Under the big dome in Austin, a hearing on a proposal to ban Chinese non-citizens from buying land in Texas.

The state Republican Party censures one of its own, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, after a vote supporting a new gun law.

Is a two-tier court system coming to Texas? We’ll have more on a push for businesses to have their own legal system.

And: A gift to a major Texas museum is aimed at diversity for public art and and greater visibility for Latino artists.

What Texans think lawmakers should prioritize this legislative session

Texans say the border should be the top priority for the state Legislature this session, according to a new poll. We’ll dig into the results.

Questions about how the Center for Law and Human Behavior at the University of Texas at El Paso selected two Border Patrol agents for fellowships.

Taco expert Mando Rayo talks about his favorite traditional mom-and-pop eateries across the Lone Star State.

Piano music fills the air as El Paso hosts the Borderland Chopin festival spotlighting the beloved composer.

Five prescriptions for fixing Texas’ affordability crisis

With Texans across the state struggling to find affordable housing, we’ll hear from a team of experts who have some solutions.

The Texas Council on Family Violence has a list of legislative priorities for protecting survivors.

Saving wild African penguins: How people in North Texas are helping with a survival guide.

The original Angry Birds – the one you could buy and download for a small, one-time fee – is history. Our tech expert explains.

Texas Republican says banning college polling places is about safety. Students don’t buy it.

The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in two challenges to student loan forgiveness. With Texas having the second highest number of student loans in the nation, a University of Houston legal scholar offers analysis and what comes next.

There’s a push in the Texas Legislature to ban polling places on college campuses – but some students see it as voter suppression.

Once upon a time in the not-so-distant past there was a planned mega-merger in the publishing biz. Today: the postscript.

Austin’s Youth Poet Laureate on making sense of feelings through poetry

KUT’s Jennifer Stayton speaks with Austin’s Youth Poet Laureate Zachary Suri about the power of poetry and giving a voice to young people.

Is Austin’s Paramount one of only a few century-old theaters still operating in the country?

The landmark theater in downtown Austin has been a source of movie entertainment for more than a century, while many of its contemporaries have closed for good.

How Ro-Tel became a staple of Texas cooking

Lawmakers at the Capitol are considering changes to how Texas handles bail. The push would give judges more leeway to deny bail for violent offenses – and Democrats may have a considerable say in what happens.

More fallout from this month’s ice storm: why the Texas capital city may be looking for a new city manager soon.

Amid concerns about rising prices, layoffs and more, the Dallas Fed weighs in with a forecast on the Texas economy.

And why a can of diced tomatoes – you know the one – has such a rabid Texas following.

Why do sidewalks in Austin suddenly end?

According to the Public Works Department, the city is missing about 1,600 miles of sidewalk — a length of concrete that could stretch from here to Winnipeg, Canada.

How Austin has changed

Last night’s State of the Union touched on immigration, inflation, gun violence and other issues. Richard Pineda of the University of Texas at El Paso joins us with analysis of the annual message by the president to Congress.

A legal challenge to an abortion drug and a possible decision from a federal judge in Amarillo that could come as early as this week, with potential implications nationwide.

Wage gains for migrants filling jobs in the U.S. and why a visa program for seasonal workers may not be working for U.S. employers.

And author Lawrence Wright on the astonishing transformation of the Texas capital city.

KUT Morning Newscast for January 31, 2023

Central Texas top stories for January 31, 2023. Winter storm warning extended. EMS overpass concerns. Pre-treating Austin’s roads trial run. Williamson County winter storm response. Taylor winter storm response. Saving energy. Blood donation requirements changing.