Texas came up more than once during President Trump’s State of the Union speech. We’ll have an analysis of what he mentioned and what he left out.
Camp Mystic is facing troubles in court after the way it handled deadly flooding in July. But a comment from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick could spell even further challenges.
After the deaths of two men in detention at a tent facility in Fort Bliss, we’re learning more about the kinds of medical emergencies happening at the camp in El Paso.
Evidence one Texas police department is doing more to crack down on dangerous driving.
And a resurgence of protest music amid immigration crackdowns — we’ll hear from Texas musicians.
Border
Talarico interview on Colbert controversy shakes up race
James Talarico’s campaign raises millions after an interview with Stephen Colbert is pulled. But was it really a backfire against President Trump? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with the lowdown.
A look at a hugely important hearing today for four men accused of the notorious 1991 yogurt shop murders in Austin.
Also, why are so many barbecue joints closing?
School voucher applications open across Texas
The application window opens for Texas education savings accounts, often called school vouchers. But demand may outstrip available funds. We’ll talk with two reporters for the Houston Chronicle closely following the application process, hear about the application experience of one Texas mom, and learn more about what’s included, what isn’t, and what happens if there’s not enough taxpayer money to go around.
SpaceX and xAI could be poised for the largest IPO in history. We’ll dig into what this merger means for Texas, and perhaps the future of space exploration.
And Mando Rayo, host of Tacos of Texas, on a new trend: less is more?
Gun rights debate resurfaces after Minneapolis shooting
Pressure builds inside the Texas detention center in Dilley housing parents and children. What’s behind a protest that erupted there over the weekend?
Second Amendment advocates speak out after licensed gun owner Alex Pretti is killed by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota.
A look at how weight loss drugs are transforming obesity and diabetes care in San Antonio.
Introducing the upstart jazz orchestra at Huston-Tillotson University that’s among the top in the country.
And a North Texas estate sale filled with cat-themed décor and housewares.
‘Witness’ blends music and photography to beckon reflection
A year ago, President Trump began his second term in office with a promise to carry out mass deportations. We’ll have a view from the border on today’s Texas Standard.
Is the state funding private schools that discriminate?
An update on a lawsuit challenging the heartbeat abortion law in Texas.
Plus, award-winning photojournalist and musician Tamir Kalifa combines his talents to document the Uvalde school shooting and other events in a new project titled “Witness.”
ICE detainee deaths draw scrutiny at El Paso facility
From one end of Texas to the other: Parades, celebrations and service events in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Veteran host of “In Black America,” John L. Hanson Jr., pays tribute to the civil rights leader.
We’ll also hear from the host of a new PBS documentary on the evolving legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
We’ll delve into the death of an ICE detainee at the nation’s largest detention facility in El Paso – a death that may soon be ruled a homicide.
And a projected shift in Texas weather.
Texas schools turn to AI to flag banned books
A federal court orders the Trump administration to prevent the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) from lapsing. What happens now?
A trial is set to begin this month against defendants for their alleged roles in the July 4 shooting at an ICE detention center in Alvarado. Why this may be a playbook for prosecutions now that Antifa has been designated a terrorist organization.
Public school districts trying to comply with new laws against DEI and sexual content in books are turning to AI with some surprising results.
Also, this week in Texas music history we remember the time post-punk legends Gang of Four made their way to the Lone Star State.
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
Uneven ICE notifications raise concerns
Some local law enforcement offices in Texas get a heads-up when ICE is coming to town, but others don’t. We’ll dig into why.
There’s new evidence that, no surprise, the online world isn’t always so great for today’s teens. Advice from tech expert Omar Gallaga on making it safer.
Gov. Greg Abbott has a new challenger for the 2026 election. What we expect out of a campaign from Austin Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Taco journalist Mando Rayo shares what he’s learned from a few women in the culinary world.
A conversation with author Bryan Washington about his new novel, “Palaver,” about a man living in Tokyo, estranged from his family in Houston.
Legal battle brews as Texas National Guard is sent beyond state lines
The Texas National Guard is being sent beyond state lines. We’ll unpack what’s driving the deployment and the legal battle brewing around it.
The ICEBlock app, designed to alert users about ICE agents nearby, has been pulled from app stores. Critics are calling it a violation of free speech.
Years after the pandemic lockdowns, what do we know now about domestic violence rates in Texas? A new report sheds light on what’s changed and what hasn’t.
And in today’s Hispanic Heritage Moment: the King of the Accordion, Flaco Jiménez, and how the six-time Grammy winner kept a Texas tradition alive.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Court weighs Texas redistricting fight
A court battle is set to begin over the newly drawn congressional maps. At stake is whether they go into effect for the 2026 midterm elections.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us to talk about the recent rise in political violence.
Have you heard of 7-OH? It’s the latest drug cropping up at convenience stores. Now there’s a fight to stop the sale of what’s known as “gas station heroin.”
A new book by former CDC Director Tom Frieden offers a formula for better health – potentially saving millions of lives.
And today’s Hispanic heritage moment spotlights the trio of brothers known as Los Lonely Boys.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Rodney Crowell talks new album, career
A deadly shooting this morning at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas. We’ll share the latest details.
Workplaces across the state trying to calculate the implications of a new $100,000 fee for H-1B applications. We’ll hear more on the questions raised by the new policy and the possible fallout.
How college football in Texas and beyond is being reshaped by new NIL rules allowing for direct athlete pay by advertisers and sponsors.
And the return of Rodney Crowell: Music and conversation with a Texas songwriting legend.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Operation Lone Star moves beyond the border
From the border to the rest of the state, Gov. Greg Abbott’s crackdown on immigration enters a new phase.
The Trump administration’s creation of long, thin military installations along the border is affecting not just migrants but locals as well.
Texas has settled another opioid lawsuit. So where’s that money going?
After more than 20 years in Washington, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul says he will not seek reelection. What’s next for the Central Texas congressman and his seat.
If the idea of being too close to a stranger turns you off from a massage, a new AI-powered robotic massager is offering a different path to relaxation.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Some Texas counties switch to paper ballots ahead of midterms
No more QR or barcodes: Why Collin, Williamson and Bastrop counties are changing the way voters will cast ballots.
Housing affordability is a big issue in Texas, and three new state laws aim to address it. Will they work?
Many are concerned new Texas congressional maps dilute the voting power of Texans of color. But others welcome the changes.
Inside an ICE job recruitment fair in Arlington.
And: the bigger meaning behind the season’s first high school football game in Kerrville.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Houston archaeologists uncover tomb of ancient Maya ruler
The Trump administration releases billions of dollars in education grants it previously withheld. What it means as students head back to school.
How the U.S. military is responding to a new kind of warfare that uses small, inexpensive drones.
The story of a Cuban man who raised a family in Texas and spent years working for a school district near Abilene – and now is locked up in an ICE detention center.
A high school student’s plan to help schools coping with a shortage of mental health counselors.
And: A Houston husband-and-wife team of archaeologists have discovered the tomb of the ruler of the ancient Mayan city of Caracol, now in present-day Belize.
The rise of Maren Morris
As lawmakers return to Austin for a special session, who got the most accomplished in the regular? Why the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
With state legislators set to take up flood relief and related matters, we’ll hear how the region’s fairing two weeks after those deadly flash floods, and we’ll hear about efforts concentrated on the Spanish-speaking community in one of the hardest-hit counties.
A longstanding effort to provide healthcare services at the border, shut down over cutbacks.
Plus, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Maren Morris is bucking industry expectations with a new album.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Climatologist explains what ‘1,000-year flood’ actually means
With the Hill Country devastated by deadly floods, many are asking: What’s a 100-year or 1,000-year flood, and are these terms outdated?
A closer look at how first responders from Mexico are helping in Kerr County.
A new report from the University of Texas at El Paso warns of growing job losses in Juárez’s maquiladora industry.
The health of America’s youth has “significantly worsened,” according to a new study. What’s driving the decline?
And: Fire up the grill – Valley pitmaster and YouTube star ArnieTex shares his new cookbook.
Trucking industry faces new border bottleneck
More rain pummels the waterlogged Hill Country, putting a pause on search efforts and bringing a new wave of weather warnings to the region. We’ll talk with James Hartley of KERA, who’s been in Kerrville this weekend.
Stuffed animals are strewn across flood-ravaged Texas. People are trying to get them to their owners.
The Trump administration is enforcing an English-language requirement for commercial drivers, and some Mexican truckers are losing their licenses.
Plus: Why is it so tough to get disaster alerts right? Wall Street Journal reporter Drew FitzGerald has been digging into the systemic failures.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Immigration crackdown hits touring regional Mexican artists
Why a stretch of border just over the West Texas state line has become the deadliest place for migrants.
How cuts included in the president’s “big, beautiful bill” could affect Texans who depend on Medicaid and Obamacare.
Why Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law the largest state-funded psychedelic research initiative in history.
Solar panel scams targeting Texans – especially elderly, disabled and low-income homeowners.
And regional Mexican music fans: some of your favorite bands won’t be visiting the U.S. because their visas were revoked.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Fear at immigration court as ICE arrests migrants there for a hearing
The race to be San Antonio’s next mayor was narrowed from a field of 27 to two. What to know before the runoff election on Saturday.
Arrests outside of immigration court have happened in El Paso, Dallas and San Antonio. Why activists say this tactic encourages migrants to break the law.
Texas is set to become the next in a handful of states to ban lab-grown meat for human consumption.
It’s Texas vs. Texas Tech in the Women’s College World Series championship, with Game 1 tonight.
And: We’ll explore Lucas Schaefer’s “The Slip,” a new novel set in late ’90s Austin and propelled by a mysterious disappearance.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org