Housing prices in Austin have exploded in the past decade, leading to a city that’s not just unaffordable, but also highly segregated. It’s the result of decades of decisions about what — if anything — gets built in Austin and where. Hosted by Audrey McGlinchy.
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What we know about the mass shooting at an Allen outlet mall
Another Texas community is reeling after a mass shooting that killed eight people, this time at an outlet mall in Allen, outside of Dallas.
Following local elections across the state, we’ll have reports on some closely watched propositions in San Antonio, El Paso and Austin.
Fort Hood in Central Texas is formally set to be renamed Fort Cavazos for the nation’s first Hispanic four-star general. Hispanic and Latino civil rights groups are applauding the move but looking for more substantive change.
And the the University of Texas at Austin is getting a new school of civic leadership – but some questions are being raised by some students and faculty.
For mouth painter Jared Dunten, the trick is to just keep going
The process can leave him feeling “beat up,” but he still gets the thrill he felt when he painted for the first time after an accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.
Patricia Bedford
In a conversation with Patricia Bedford, a native of Austin, she shares her amazing journey from being an engineer to becoming a successful business owner and master baker. She also talks about how she keeps her grandmothers’ legacy alive through her work and passion.
Teaching ancient Greek and Roman texts in the Jim Crow era
As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares a state of emergency due to the influx of migrants.
The week ahead at the Texas Legislature, and two bills affecting transgender youth in Texas; one relating to medical treatment, the other, sports competition.
An investigation of a chemical fire in Deer Park outside of Houston, and what it says about warning signs and preparation for potential disasters.
Researchers revisit an educational debate from the Jim Crow era, and the contributions of the Black Texans at the center of it.
Evidence suggests Texas Rangers may have created mass gravesite
Is a plan to advance credit for early parole to prisoners with good conduct records or educational advancements a good idea for Texas?
A deadly shooting in West Texas. The victims: migrants. The suspects: brothers in law enforcement. Seven months later, questions mounting about what’s happened to the investigation. Angela Kocherga of KTEP El Paso with more.
The FAA is grounding SpaceX in the aftermath of a historic and messy launch in South Texas.
Also the story behind a Texas furniture store owner, known as much for his TV commercials as for his big league sports wagers.
The questions on local ballots across Texas this May election
Early voting is underway statewide for the May 6 elections. What’s at stake? A roundtable of reporters survey the landscape.
New emissions rules from the EPA could mean some big changes coming to Texas coal plants.
Changes to a bill restricting purchases of property by citizens of China, North Korea, Russia and Iran aren’t good enough, says Texas State Rep. Gene Wu. He says it’s discrimination.
And an axe murder in a North Texas suburb in the 1980s is now the focus of a new HBO Max series. We’ll talk to the director of “Love & Death”.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 24, 2023
Central Texas top stories for April 24, 2023. Early voting in Central Texas. Police oversight. Williamson County school bond propositions. Severe weather. Austin home prices dropping. HB900.
Astronaut Christina Koch on NASA’s upcoming Artemis 2 mission
Tensions are growing in Austin over the use of DPS officers to augment local police.
Facing resistance to a plan similar to school vouchers, an alteration getting attention at the state Capitol is focused on students with disabilities. Talia Richman of the Dallas Morning News Education Lab has more.
NASA’s plans to return to the moon: We’ll talk with Christina Koch, one of the astronauts assigned to the upcoming Artemis 2 mission.
And on this 4/20, a closer look at the complicated relationship between country music and Willie Nelson’s favorite way to kick back.
How two Uvalde survivors are rebuilding their lives
Almost a year after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, two injured fourth graders are still trying to recover. Edgar Sandoval of the New York Times talks with us about his profile of two children injured in the shooting – and the months since.
Yesterday’s half-hour grounding of Southwest Airlines departures was blamed on technical issues. Why the FAA and other investigators want a closer look.
Why some lawmakers are pushing to keep Texas crypto miners from cashing in on a tool to help the power grid survive during times of peak demand.
What happens to all that stuff you throw in compost bins in Austin?
Every week banana peels, coffee grounds, moldy strawberries and pizza boxes are placed in green bins and rolled out to the street as part of the city’s residential composting program.
Expanded telehealth is coming to an end
A Texas couple chose midwife care over a hospital, and now their baby is in foster care. Why this story is sounding alarm bells for many across the state.
Changes are coming to telehealth with the end of a federal pandemic order – and some patients will have to return to in-person medical care.
A bill in the Texas Legislature could lead to fines for some Texans who report pollution concerns.
Texas is home to millions of bats. But according to a new report out this week, more than half of North America’s bats are in peril if action isn’t taken to protect them.
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.