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

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Casa Zardes

Former Austin F.C. and U.S. Men’s National Team member Gyasi Zardes talks with hosts Jimmy Maas and Juan Diego Garcia about Team USA’s World Cup chances after the second round of the group stage win. Zardes, the most capped men’s team player in Austin, joined Juan and Jimmy at Casa Verde, Austin FC’s pop-up World Cup watch party at Inn Cahoots in East Austin. They also chat about the USMNT coaches he’s played under, Bruce Arena and Gregg Berhalter, and the calculus of how national teams are put together.

¡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 Central Texas city eyes desalination to help with water woes

Water is never far from the top of concerns for Central Texans and folks across the state. Down in Corpus Christi, plans for a desalination plant are underway, and one Austin-area city is set to spend half a million dollars for a spot in line to get some of that water.

City of Austin leaders are divided on a bond election to improve local roads and parks. The election this November would come just one year after voters soundly rejected a property tax rate increase known as Proposition Q.

Plus, Austin’s food scene is chock full of fine dining experiences, but has that erased the presence of a bonafide Texas staple? Our ATXplained project chewed the question over.

Plus a Few Headlines mentions in the show today:

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

New podcast explores aftermath of deadly 2025 flooding

The city of Austin is being sued by a group of Travis County property owners after reversing course on an agreement that would have released nearly 170 properties from the city’s jurisdiction. Sean Hemmersmeier from the Austin Business Journal tells us more.

We’re approaching one year since the devastating Fourth of July floods that claimed the lives of more than 100 Central Texans. A new podcast, “After the Flood,” takes a deeper look at the disaster’s lasting impact.

Looking for your next great read? The Field Guide to Austin Summer Reading Bingo Challenge is happening now, and we’ve got a couple of book recommendations to help fill your card.

Plus: Tattoo shops across Austin are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their doors open.

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

Water samples from Austin’s Colony exceed limits for heavy metals

A new study from UT Austin found several water samples collected from the Austin’s Colony neighborhood in far East Austin exceeded regulatory guidelines for lead and other heavy metals. For decades, residents in the area have been at odds with its water provider, a for-profit company.

The Austin Independent School District board voted in favor of more than $200 million in cuts to next year’s school budget — but, in a last-minute change, all campuses will keep a full-time librarian.

The Austin Asian American Film Festival is gearing up for its 18th iteration. What they’ve learned and how they’re honoring the work that’s been done before them.

Plus: An Austin nonprofit celebrates community and connection through stories about pizza.

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

Orange & Blue Skies

On this episode we discuss the New York Knicks winning their first NBA championship in 53 years. We also discuss our favorite New York rap anthems to help Knicks celebrate. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Backstreet Boys, Ludacris, Earth Wind & Fire and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion is that Jay-Z teaming up with Target isn’t that big of a deal.

Juneteenth in Austin: Black History Bike Ride Documentary, Book Festival Preview and Reflections on Freedom

It’s Juneteenth, and it’s time for another trek through town for the Black History Bike Ride. The organization has been hosting the event for a few years now and a new documentary has been made highlighting the mental and physical journey of the ride. We’ll sit down to chat with the filmmaker about the project.

The Austin African American book festival is fast approaching. We’ll hear some book recommendations from the leader of the fest.

Plus; KUT’s Miles Bloxson speaks to Black Austinites about the history of Juneteenth, how they celebrate the holiday and explores the question, “Are We Really Free?”

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

Capital Factory founder Joshua Baer dies in plane crash

Joshua Baer — founder of the tech investment company Capital Factory and described as the “godfather” of the Austin startup scene — died in a plane crash this week on his way back to Austin. We’re learning more about the crash, the investigation and about Baer’s larger impacts here.

Summer break is well underway for the Austin school district, but teachers and staff from 10 closing schools are thinking about life at a different campus next school year. How one math teacher made the decision to retire.

Plus: A preview of the Black Auteur Film Festival that’s happening this Saturday.

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

Austin ISD improves STAAR scores as Spanish speakers fall behind

Students in the Austin school district outperformed state averages in most courses during the recent round of STAAR testing, with some scores surpassing pre-pandemic levels — but there are still groups of students falling behind the state standard. How the district is planning to address that.

It’s been a rough few years for the craft brewing industry in Austin and across the state. After a spat of brewery closures, businesses are looking for new ways to get folks to frequent their neighborhood pub.

Juneteenth is Friday, and the Black History Bike Ride is gearing up for another trek through Austin. More on their story and the film documenting their work that’s premiering tonight.

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

What next after UT Austin fires KUT head Debbie Hiott

KUT Public Media General Manager Debbie Hiott was fired Monday by leadership at UT Austin. The dismissal followed a dispute ahead of KUT’s inaugural festival in May and comes at a time when public radio stations across the country are dealing with mounting financial and political pressures.

Today, the university named an interim general manager to lead the station going forward. We’ll tell you what we know about the firing and the new leader on today’s show.

The firing has raised questions from listeners and readers about how KUT and the university are connected — as well as how monetary donations to KUT/X impact UT Austin. We’ll share answers to those questions.

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

Floodgates opened amid heavy rain in Austin area

Flooding this morning in the Austin area caused road closures and a water rescue and even necessitated the lifting of floodgates on the Colorado River.

As the city of Austin tightens the strings on its upcoming budget, nonprofits are bracing for even more cuts. Austin Current’s Sam Stark chats with us more about the groups that could be impacted and how organizations are preparing.

It’s last call at the Paramount Theatre as the doors shut temporarily for an all-out renovation — but they’re still bringing plenty of entertainment to town.

Summer reading has started. Join KUT for our bingo challenge!

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

State regulators weigh new uses for fracking wastewater

Texas regulators are moving closer to allowing treated wastewater from oil and gas drilling operations to be reused on farmland and other sites outside the energy industry. Some fear the proposal is getting ahead of the science.

Texas Republicans signaled their priorities at their convention in Houston, with Gov. Greg Abbott outlining his vision for another term.

The Spurs’ hopes for a championship came to an end with a Game 5 loss to the New York Knicks — but it’s still a big win for San Antonio.

One Texas school district near is eliminating librarian positions and replacing them with hourly paraprofessional staff as part of a cost-saving effort.

Is Female Rap In Trouble?

On this episode we touch on a subject, we have discussed before with male rappers, but this time we talk about, the seemingly decline in popularity of female rappers. We also discuss if having a great discography is more important than having monster singles. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Earth Wind and Fire, Lil Wayne, Eminem and more. Unpopular Opinion with Fresh this week is about Los Angeles being the most important city in hip-hop history.

Round Rock girls flag football team plays for state title

Plans to put a border wall in the Big Bend region have been taking shape, and a co-founder of the outdoor brand YETI is connected with a ranch involved in those plans.

Some Taylor residents are proposing an ordinance aimed at creating stricter regulations for data centers in the city. What they’re asking for.

The Austin airport is adding summer flights as expansion work continues.

The first-ever girls flag football state championship is happening this weekend, and the Round Rock High School team is preparing to compete.

Plus: The KUTX staff shares their favorite songs of 2026 so far, from Austin and beyond.

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

A Texas Tech gambling case could test NCAA rules

They say it’s only a game, but Texas sports fans know better. This time, however, some see an existential threat to college sports.


A scandal involving Texas Tech football quarterback Brendan Sorsby is now in the national spotlight. We’ll hear why and what’s at stake.

Meanwhile in Houston, evidence that there’s nothing like a challenging race to focus political will. After years of infighting, Texas Republicans putting up a united front at their party convention.


In El Paso, an effort to open up frontiers to an underrepresented community of filmmakers, marking a major milestone. We’ll have more on the Femme Frontera Film Festival.

How to protect your pets from New World screwworm

With confirmation of cases of the New World screwworm in Texas, plenty of focus is on the potential impact on the state’s cattle industry. But they’re not the only animals vulnerable to the parasite. We’ll have some prevention tips.

Texas Republicans dominated the primaries by going all-in on the MAGA movement. Now they have to sell that plan to Texans come November

A comedy game show at Austin’s Fallout Theater has segments that consistently go sideways, and that’s just how they want it.

And another excerpt from the Accent Unmuted storytelling series, elevating the voices of immigrants.

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

The World Cup

The FIFA World Cup kicks off today, hosted by three countries for the first time in the tournament’s history. The biggest world cup yet, the tournament expanded from 32 to 48 teams for this year’s edition. 

Hosts Juan Diego Garcia and Jimmy Maas share their predictions for how the biggest World Cup yet will play out, and they enlist the help of commentator and soccer sage Adrian Healey to separate the contenders from the also-rans.

¡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.

Local food influencer gives peek at new docuseries ‘David Eats Everywhere’

More than 60,000 Austinites work in the city’s food industry. A local nonprofit wants to help these food workers get health insurance. We’ll tell you about their work.

Peaches from Fredericksburg may be harder to find because of yet another warm winter. We’ll have more from the Texas Hill Country.

An Austin food influencer is moving from the small screen to the bigger screen with his new show, highlighting immigrant-owned eateries across town. We’ll hear about what he’s learned by going inside the kitchen.

And FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off tomorrow. Our soccer/fútbol expert will have some teams to watch and a local connection on the Canadian national team.

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

A shunned GOP candidate could regulate Texas oil and gas

Texas Republican leaders previously shunned Bo French for his racist social media posts. Now they want him to regulate the state’s oil and gas industries.

The Austin City Council voted in May to annex a 2,600-acre site in the eastern part of the city. City leaders had planned the Dog’s Head development for months, but neighbors nearby only had a few days to make their voices heard about those plans.

What happens to the dead animals the city picks up on the roads here in Austin? In the latest from our ATXplained project, we meet some of the people handling that service with care.

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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