David Brown

UTEP scientists spot bird not seen in decades

A unanimous decision from the U.S. Supreme Court reverses a challenge to Donald Trump’s eligibility to remain on primary ballots, just ahead of Super Tuesday.

The Texas Newsroom’s Rachel Osier Lindley shares an update on wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, where the biggest blaze in state history is only 15% contained.

We’ll have more on some key races to watch, from Abilene to Dallas County, as Texans prepare to go to the polls tomorrow.

And: The yellow-crested helmetshrike, a bird long feared extinct, was discovered by a team of scientists from the University of Texas at El Paso on an expedition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Coral samples in Galveston could be key to keeping the species alive

On the eve of early voting, Alexandra Samuels of Texas Monthly and Mark Jones of the Baker Institute at Rice University share a closer look at some of the big contests Texas voters will see on their primary ballots.

We’ll hear about what happened when reporters for the Houston Chronicle began mapping where tickets are being issued to people experiencing homelessness there.

Amid mounting threats from climate change, scientists at Moody Gardens in Galveston are caring for 150 coral fragments from five species to keep them alive.

Anyone up for barbecue – for breakfast? BBQ journalist Daniel Vaughn has some prime tips.

New music exhibit features iconic items owned by Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift and more

A new law making it a state crime for migrants to enter Texas without authorization faces a major test in a federal courtroom. We’ll hear the latest.

In Houston ISD, the biggest school district in the state, officials appointed by the state are getting pushback over plans to expand school reforms.

A Texas presidential museum turns a spotlight on Taylor Swift’s guitar, Willie Nelson’s boots and hundreds of other artifacts to help tell the story of American music.

Plus: The week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

A look ahead to the new year in Texas, from politics to entertainment

Two experts weigh in on the Texas political landscape and the stakes as we head into a major general election year amid growing rifts among Texas Republicans. Could the new year mark a tipping point for Texas Democrats?

Tech expert Omar Gallaga and the Standard’s own Shelly Brisbin look at what’s buzzing on the technology front.

Plus: coming attractions at the theater and some of the most anticipated book releases of 2024.

A look back at the year in review

It was a year like few others in modern memory at the Texas Capitol, with four special sessions on top of a regular session, a historic impeachment trial of the state attorney general and more.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most seminal Texas music moments ever committed to vinyl: Viva Terlingua!

The best of the year in science & nature

Science and nature are in the spotlight today.

While the worst of COVID-19 appears to be history, scientists and researchers continue to draw lessons about what happened and how well-prepared we might be for the next pandemic.

How a Texan is trying to help answer questions about science in a new podcast aimed at non-scientists curious about the world around us.

Girl Scouts take a deep dive on science – quite literally – with the help of scuba gear.

And our conversation with an astronaut picked for our next return to the moon.

All about Texas cryptids

Most Texans have heard their names, and quite a few grew up hearing their stories: Bigfoot, jackalope, goatman, La Lechuza, chupacabra, just for starters. Scientists question whether they’re real, but the space they occupy in Texas folklore is very real indeed.

Today we’re sharing the results of a month-long effort to track down the origin stories of Texas cryptids – and discover why they have such a hold on Texas mythology and imagination.

The best of the year in arts & culture

Today we’re turning our attention to the world of arts and culture, from a riveting film featuring the audio diaries of Lady Bird Johnson, to the startling impact of a singer named Taylor Swift.

What if it is your first rodeo? We’ve got you covered there with what to do – and what not to.

And Austin-born actor Gabriel Luna talks about his role in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us.”

Our staff favorites of the year

Texas Standard producers have made their lists and checked ‘em twice – or more – selecting some of our most memorable conversations with fascinating Texans over the past 12 months.

This hour, we invite you to sit back and enjoy our staff favorites from the past year, including honky tonk heroines, birders in cemeteries, bears making a comeback and a whole lot more.

New proposals would let ranchers kill two birds. But is one really a predator?

New laws on arresting migrants who cross the border into Texas illegally are just one of many changes related to border security from this year’s legislative sessions. Julián Aguilar of The Texas Newsroom takes a closer look at what passed, what didn’t, and what it means.

How do Texas voters think lawmakers did dealing with top-line issues in 2023? Jim Henson of the Texas Politics Project shares the findings of a new poll.

A Texas perspective of the struggle over campus free speech.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress are pitching a plan to stop hedge funds from buying rental homes.

And the Standard’s Michael Marks dives in on Texas ranchers’ ongoing fight against predatory birds.

Does drone medical help offer hope for rural Texans?

A court rules that Texas power generators do not have a responsibility to provide power in emergencies, like the winter storm of 2021. Mose Buchele of KUT Austin has more on what this means.

Understanding Pope Francis’ decision to permit Catholic church officials to bless same-sex marriages.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, more used to white-collar crime enforcement, wades into Texas cattle country to bust up what it calls a Ponzi scheme.

And: For West Texans far from medical facilities, some help zooms in by way of drones.

Thousands of vulnerable Texans stand to lose food and health benefits

A plan to provide aid to Ukraine and Israel is on the ropes due to disagreements over border security. What comes next? Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston has more.

Thousands of vulnerable Texans stand to lose food and health benefits from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC.

An obscure element of the school financial system is leaving some districts with more money than they need.

And we’ll talk to Tyler Campbell, the son of NFL Hall of Famer and Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell, who’s sharing his story in a new book.

The real history behind Goatman’s Bridge is scarier than any ghost story

After almost seven weeks, striking autoworkers reach deals with the Big 3 automakers. Why Texas played a critical role.

Scientists recently got to see a collision of two stars in space – and its aftermath.

The president has released an executive order on artificial intelligence. How far does it go, and will it go far enough?

The tale of Goatman’s Bridge has a history that haunts Texas to its core. The Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us to Denton for the story.

And: What would Texas cryptids look like in real life? We visited an elementary school art class to get some ideas.

SpaceX satellite debris could fall from the sky and kill people, FAA report says

Where do we stand with education in the special legislative session? With Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas House at a deadlock over school vouchers.

The Federal Aviation Administration estimates that by 2035, one person could be injured or killed by falling SpaceX Starlink debris every two years.

As the World Series gets underway tonight in Arlington; North Texans share what their hometown Texas Rangers mean to them — and why they’ve never lost faith.

Also: the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

What new polling says about Texans’ presidential preferences

With the Texas House and Senate in special session, border security is taking center stage – including one measure that sparked a verbal brawl in the state Capitol on Wednesday night.

Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why social media companies are de-emphasizing news, and what that means.

Also, a new poll from the Texas Public Policy Project shares clues on where Texans stand on the eve of the 2024 election cycle.

A&M researchers are working to bring ocelots back

After a swift and historic vote in the U.S. House of Representatives to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, we’ll hear more about the role of the Texas delegation and what comes next on Capitol Hill.

Will climate change alter Texas’ coastal community landscape? It already appears to be doing just that, says Erin Douglas of the Texas Tribune.

Texan Simone Biles has pulled off a gymnastics move so remarkable that it now carries her name.

After overhunting and creeping development, the number of breeding ocelots in the wild has tumbled to under 100 – with very few in South Texas, where they used to be plentiful. Now, researchers are working on a plan to bring the cats back.

Plus, a conversation with James C. Watkins, the 3D state artist of the year.

Fall is finally here. What does that mean for Texas’ drought?

Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan has faced increasing pressure to resign since Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial – and a special session of the Legislature starts next week.

El Paso, a city with a reputation as welcoming to migrants, is now at a breaking point, according to its mayor. Angela Kocherga of KTEP El Paso has details.

About 24 million Texans are living through some level of drought right now, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor. What’s on the horizon as fall weather moves in?

The former Texas Memorial Museum on UT Austin’s campus, shuttered in March due to COVID and cutbacks, returns in grand style with a new name and focus.

Historic heat makes Texas’ ailing water infrastructure even harder to fix

A plan for state officials to take over special education in the Austin Independent School District is being reconsidered. Becky Fogel of KUT in Austin shares more.

Record heat this summer statewide has led to widespread water leaks amid an already pressing need for repairs – but will a fund earmarked for fixes be enough?

With five deaths from fentanyl on average in Texas each day, a growing number of those deaths is among young people. The Dallas Morning news turns a monthlong spotlight on a growing crisis.

In attempts to ban library books, Texas leads the nation

Texas prisons are under a statewide lockdown as officials search for contraband to stem a rise in prison homicides.

More than 700 new state laws took effect in Texas on Sept. 1 out of the almost 3,000 that were filed – meaning the vast majority didn’t become law. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies tells us more.

Texas had the most book challenges of any state last year, according to the American Library Association.

Outlaw country, born in the 1970s, has long been dominated by men. But female artists have been making noteworthy contributions, especially recently.

Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

Del Rio’s William Beckmann fuses youthful energy and timeless soul in country music

A body was found in a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, prompting harsh criticism of Texas’ border strategy.

Four years after the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, people at the scene that day who are eligible for immigrant visas are still waiting.

The end of the pandemic emergency – and the end of pandemic relief funds – could mean a cut in childcare options in Texas. We’ll hear why.

A women’s soccer champion-turned Texas collegiate soccer coach weighs in on the U.S.’ prospects as the World Cup moves into the knockout rounds.

Plus the rise of songwriter William Beckmann, a Del Rio native.