Central Texas top stories for September 9, 2024.The Austin City Council this week is considering a plan to phase out forever chemicals used in firefighting. A poll shows 78 percent of Texas public school teachers say they have seriously considered leaving their job in the last year. Testing data shows students in Texas are still struggling with math post-pandemic, a Central Texas district is trying to help. A UT poll shows an uptick of support for Democrats. The Longhorns are now #2 in the AP Top 25 College Football Poll.
Democrats
‘The Stadium’ reconsiders the role of our modern arenas
The Democratic National Convention kicked off with an emotional evening and Texans among the featured speakers.
A jury found that the parents of the accused gunman in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting were not responsible for his actions.
Highway lanes are shrinking in Austin. It’s part of national trend – but what does it mean for safety?
Why an effort to ban books in a Rio Grande Valley high school library failed.
Also: A new book from historian Frank Guridy delves into why sports stadiums are more than places to cheer on your favorite team.
What can Austin learn from Dallas about covering I-35 with a park?
Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has won the Democratic nomination to replace the late Sheila Jackson Lee on the November ballot for Texas’ 18th Congressional District.
More and more Texas jurisdictions are sending people awaiting trial to other states and counties. What effect is this having on criminal justice?
As Frito pie season returns, Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong dives into the rich history and lore of the iconic dish.
TxDOT is starting work this summer to expand and lower Interstate 35 through downtown Austin, and the city and University of Texas want to install large decks over the highway that could have parks on them. It’s a concept that already exists in Dallas, and KUT’s Nathan Bernier went to check it out.
How the Texas Lottery helped a big spending group become surefire winners
Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett on Tuesday became the first Democrat on Capitol Hill to call for President Biden to abandon his re-election bid.
In several high-profile cases, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed rulings from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where Texas cases go on appeal.
Ever try your luck at the lottery? We’ll hear about an out-of-state scheme to win big by buying up the odds.
And soda’s unintentional pop: KUT’s Mose Buchele takes the lid off the mystery of exploding cans in hot cars.
Meet Emma, the AI assistant answering the phones at Amarillo City Hall
Just in time for high summer, a surge in COVID cases? What officials are saying about a new subvariant.
It could be a very wet 72 hours of so for much of Southeast Texas and beyond as meteorologists focus on what could be the first big storm of hurricane season coming together in the Gulf of Mexico.
In Amarillo, phones at City Hall are answered by Emma – a first-of-its-kind virtual assistant powered by AI, built specifically for the city.
Why some analysts are pumping the brakes on predictions of a looming oil glut thanks to electric vehicles.
And: why some Texas Democrats say schools could be key to their success in November.
Hidalgo County election overturned after being decided by handful of votes
Some top politicos are sensing that, for the first time in decades, this could be the year Texas sends a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.
Texas lawmakers are lining up to clamp down on hemp-based products like Delta 8 and Delta 9 being sold statewide.
Last fall, Edinburg City Council Member David White won re-election by just 10 votes. His challenger contested the results – and this past week, White’s win was overturned when a judge ruled that several votes were placed illegally.
A new book explores some lesser-known stories of courage from the D-Day invasion of 80 years ago.
And: Vigilante groups are repelling migrants at the southern border. What does law enforcement think about that?
Simone Biles sets new records at Olympic qualifier
Mayors from South Texas are in DC today to join President Joe Biden as he announces a plan that would limit the number of people who could request asylum at the southern border. Is it more political, or practical?
It’s getting hot out there – and if you haven’t noticed, your pets certainly have. We’ll hear from an expert about how to keep them cool this summer.
And: Simone Biles’ sweep at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships brings her career U.S. medal count to 41, including 32 golds.
State stops effort to reclaim Fairfield Lake State Park
Expensive homes owned by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have not been disclosed to the state as required by law. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of the Texas Newsroom has more.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will no longer try to use eminent domain to reclaim Fairfield Lake State Park, ending a months-long struggle between the state and a Dallas developer.
The digital divide has for decades been a concern. Why many in Texas worry things are getting worse.
And: Remember expectations of a blue wave? How are Democrats’ chances for political success in Texas shaping up for 2024?
How to prepare and stay safe amid high wildfire danger
With low humidity and winds picking up across Texas, a growing wildfire threat has prompted officials to raise the state’s preparedness level. What should Texans be doing to prepare for the danger of wildfires?
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is facing not one but two Democrats with considerable name recognition as he prepares to try to retain his Senate seat.
A conversation with Ire’ne Lara Silva, Texas’ poet laureate.
And there are growing concerns about artificial intelligence in Zoom amid recent changes to the app’s terms of service.
Texas Standard: November 1, 2022
With accusations of war profiteering, President Biden threatens a windfall tax on oil companies, we’ll have details. Plus after Uvalde, how much is the issue of gun safety moving Texas voters as we approach election day? We’ll take a closer look. Also, local propositions that could have major ripple effects: a focus on efforts to spend more on housing for teachers. And from Corpus Christi, a civil rights lawsuit over plans for a desalination plant. Plus more on a traditional Mexican celebration that’s a big part of the fabric of life in Texas…marking Dia de los Muertos and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 25, 2022
An immigration decision from the supreme court with a big impact on Texas…though it might not be the last word on the matter. We’ll have more on the decision. Also, how extreme heat is affecting migrants trying to get around border checkpoints on foot and what’s being done for their safety. And why gas prices in Texas are going down. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 12, 2022
Public or private? Tho Texas lawmakers have rejected vouchers, Governor Abbott puts the school choice debate into play this election season. With complaints from conservatives over what’s being taught in Texas public school classrooms, Governor Abbott says he wants to give parents a choice for private school. We’ll take a closer look. Also, how ‘where you live’ may be hazardous to your health. And Ukraine’s military partnering with state national guard forces. Plus, why a rise in gun theft from autos. And Tech expert Omar Gallaga on what to do if you’re locked out of Google. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 5, 2022
Could what critics call Florida’s “don’t say gay” law be coming to Texas? The Texas Lt. Governor says it’s a top priority. Also, the end on an historic union lockout dubbed the “Battle of Beaumont”; what it says about organized labor in Texas. And, a collection of artifacts sheds new light on one of Texas’ most celebrated musicians. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: April 1, 2022
The release of oil from the nation’s strategic reserves; an effort to lower gas prices but also turn up the heat on Texas oil and gas producers? Also, what’s believed to be a first of its kind conference for Texas’ nine historically Black colleges and universities set for Austin. And, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune. All this and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 11, 2022
The Texas attorney general files a legal challenge against the Biden administration’s plans for a minimum wage hike. Also, why are witnesses being instructed not to talk about race as they come before a Dallas grand jury to testify about police actions in the George Floyd protests? Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 20, 2020
Is the presidential contest still a real contest? Texas’ senior senator says it’s still too close to call, we’ll have the latest. Also, he pledged to heal the soul of the nation, but when it comes to immigration, some wonder why that topic doesn’t make it too Joe Biden’s top 5 list of policy priorities. We’ll hear about the concerns of advocates of immigration reform. And airlines may be hard hit by the pandemic, but some Texas towns with ties to the skies are taking off. We’ll hear why. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
BONUS: The Big Flop
So Democrats in Texas didn’t get what they were hoping for in the 2020 election. Why not?
Texas Standard: November 4, 2020
A new political landscape in Texas? Not quite. On the day after the general election, what has changed, what hasn’t, any why? The dominant narrative in the run up to election day was how an historic turnout in a state seldom considered in play in recent years might change the political map of the Lone Star State. Notably: the power of younger voters, the Latino vote, and the fight for the suburbs. Donald Trumps six point margin of victory, and republican retention of control of the Texas house raise many questions about expectations and assumptions in the run up. We’ll explore that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Part 2: What’s Next For The ‘Texas Miracle’?
For years, Texas Republicans have run for office on the state’s business-friendly reputation. But that reputation may also be leading to the GOP’s weakening political power in the state.
Texas Standard: January 28, 2020
As the Trump administration begins to wrap up its defense, is the Bolton book looking like a tipping point in the impeachment saga? We’ll take a closer look. Also, a Texas A&M constitutional scholar weighs in on what happens next in the senate trial of Donald J Trump. And A plan to reboot space exploration gets kicked to the sidewalk. A step forward for Boeing, but some say a giant leap backward for U.S. space exploration. Plus the ongoing issue of migrant family separation few are talking about. All that and more today on the Texas Standard: