Protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley called for the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father who were taken into ICE custody in Minnesota.Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a massive military buildup as President Trump warns Iran to abandon its nuclear program – or else. But this may be about more than just nukes.Also, what new census numbers tell us about the state of the Lone Star State.
bats
Why bats in Austin may be living rent-free in your apartment
Early voting for the upcoming primaries in Texas begins next month. Up in Williamson County, things are going to be a little different this election cycle. Voters there will no longer be able to vote at any polling site on Election Day. We’ll talk about why that is, and the impacts it could have.
Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have continued in the Austin area this week. Demonstrators gathered outside Austin City Hall on Tuesday. We’ll hear more from those who took part.
Plus, bats have long found a cozy home here in Austin, but they’re not just nestling up under the South Congress bridge.
And living, dying and grief is the subject of a short film premiering this weekend in Austin.
Our favorite stories from the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom
How will you remember 2025? This hour we’re listening back to some of our favorite stories of the year from reporters with the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom.
Remember the author of “Holes,” who made a sharp turn in 2025? Or when it was blazing hot outside and the swimming pool became too irresistible to say no to? What about the rise and rise of Labubus?
All this and more on a special holiday edition of the Texas Standard.
Austin City Council works to finalize budget after Prop Q failure
Austin City Council members are working to finalize a city budget – and they’ll have to find ways to trim after voters resoundingly rejected a proposed tax rate increase that would’ve generated more than $100 million.
The Austin Independent School District will vote this week on shuttering campuses and reassigning some students to different schools after releasing its final version of the plan last week. We have more about what’s changed and what’s the same.
What difference has a Michelin star made for Texas restaurants?
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Tylenol could trigger a wave of government-led litigation over claims about a highly questioned link to ADHD and autism.
A year after Michelin first arrived in Texas, the coveted dining guide has released its latest list of awardees. But what does the honor actually mean for local chefs and their businesses?
Bats are heroes for Texas farmers, eating insects that threaten crops like pecans. Michael Marks takes us to an orchard near Lockhart.
A new exhibit in Dallas, “Tell Her Story,” pairs breast cancer survivors of color with local artists to share their stories through portraits and creative works.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Marking Juneteenth where it began: Galveston celebrates freedom
President Trump considers a move that has brought together resistance from the left and the right. The stakes for U.S. involvement in a new Mideast war.
Juneteenth is a holiday marking freedom for people enslaved in Texas, a proclamation announced in Texas on this date 160 years ago, now celebrated across the U.S.. The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us to the city where that event took place.
A new audit reveals widespread failures in how complaints about local jails are overseen by the state agency in charge.
Plus: We’ll mark National Great Outdoors Month by revisiting some of our favorite stories about the outdoors, part of our 10th birthday celebration here at the Standard.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 16, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 16, 2024. Homes in Austin are selling for a bit more than they did last year. Uber says it will start using self-driving cars in Austin and Atlanta early next year. A nonprofit focused on supporting children and families has given tens of thousands of dollars to the AISD. This year has not been great for bat viewing in Austin, but that doesn’t mean it has been a bad year for the bats. The Texas Longhorns are now number one in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 27, 2023
Central Texas top stories for April 27, 2023. Stormy weather update. Williamson County supports violent crime victims. Sexual assault survivor support organization on SB8. Dell Children’s new hospital campus in North Austin. Bat season. Zilker bat found with rabies. School finance bill.
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.
KUT Morning Newscast for March 20, 2023
Central Texas top stories for March 20, 2023. SXSW Emergency Medical Service report. Williamson County burn box. Indigenous Cultures Center in San Marcos. Austin bats. Longhorns in Sweet 16. Austin FC.
Texas Standard: October 5, 2022
A Texas National Guard member becomes the tenth person connected with Governor Abbott’s border mission to die. We’ll have the latest details. Other stories we’re working on: with public safety one of the big issues in this election, a spotlight turns to bail reform and the rhetoric surrounding it. Also, the questions swirling around the incumbent Ag Commissioner as he runs for re-election. And new home construction in Texas, only the homes aren’t for sale. We’ll have a closer look at the build to rent phenomenon. Plus the effort to save bats from the worst of Texas winters, a Politifact check about the impact of fentanyl and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Jack White loves baseball so much, he stops to play east of Austin every time he comes through
What does one of the biggest rock stars in the world look forward to every tour? Playing baseball at this Eastern Travis County field with employees of his baseball bat company.
Who Cleans Up The Bat Guano Under The Congress Avenue Bridge?
Catherine Samuel was curious about where the guano goes and who cleans it up, so she asked about it for our ATXplained project.
Texas Standard: July 12, 2016
The nation mourns for Dallas. President Obama in North Texas today to remember 5 police officers. And bending the President’s ear. A US Representative from Dallas tells us what she has to say to the President… and what she wants her colleagues in Washington to know. And a convention in Cleveland. Events begin to ramp up for the Grand Old Party’s party… but not everyone is celebrating. Plus tens of thousands of precious Texas artifacts have been removed from the Alamo… where they’re going and why. And bats just might be useful allies in the fight against Zika… but don’t count on them to eradicate it. We’ll explain… Those stories and lots more today on the Texas Standard:
KUT Weekend – March 28, 2014
Saving Mexican free-tailed bats….how deep can taxes be cut in Texas…..why limes are becoming so expensive. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend! Subscribe at https://weekend.kut.org