Cola

UT Austin consolidates ethnic and gender studies departments

The University of Texas at Austin is restructuring departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The decision was announced today, but it’s a move that students and staff have been worried about for months. We’ll hear more about the departments affected.

Police in Austin are still using license plate reader data months after city council ended using the technology on grounds of privacy concerns. We’ll dig into how and when APD says they’re using the data and the tech’s future use here in Austin.

Today, we’re learning more about a life insurance salesman and former college football player who become a chronicler of Black Austin life.

Plus, over 30,000 people are gearing up for this weekend’s Austin Marathon. It will be an especially big deal for one man who was left paralyzed after a snowboarding accident. We’ll hear his story.

KUT Morning Newscast for October 31, 2025: AISD is expected to release updates on its school consolidation plan today

Central Texas top stories for October 31, 2025. Today is the last day of early voting. The Austin Independent School District is expected to release updates on its school consolidation plan later today. Some faculty and students at UT’s College of Liberal Arts are fearful about a possible restructuring of departments. Austin’s air traffic controllers are under extra strain during the federal government shutdown. Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act marketplace insurance plans begins tomorrow.

Cola: “Fulton Park”

Supergroups on any scale are just plain exciting. You get some residuals from the previous groups and they hardly ever underwhelm, especially when they first come out of the gate. Enter Cola, a new post-punk project that features Tim Darcy and Ben Stidworthy of Montreal art-punk quartet Ought alongside Toronto drummer Evan Cartwright of U.S. Girls fame. The trio got cracking on their first batch of songs in 2019 and formally announced the emergence of Cola late last year, the same day Ought called it quits.

This Friday Cola releases their debut full-length Deep In View, bubbling with a refined post-punk flavor that packs in spasmodic moments like a child dizzy on carbonated caffeine. And even though post-punk’s one of the more acquired tastes in music, Deep In View masterfully packages these ten tracks in a way that’s accessible to all listeners. In mid-June, Cola embarks on a month-long North American tour in support of Deep In View, including a stop in Austin on July 2nd at The Parish. So as you crest over hump day, ignore your dietary restrictions and treat yourself to Cola’s latest refreshment, the final lead single (and music video) off Deep In View, “Fulton Park“.