Tens of thousands of Texans statewide participate in “No Kings” protests against the Trump administration as Texas Republicans try to coalesce for the midterms.
Conservatives gathered at CPAC in Grapevine this past weekend, hoping to fend off what may be the most serious Democratic challenge to the Republican monopoly on statewide offices in decades.
A conversation with a top oil analyst who warns many Texans don’t realize just how bad a fuel shortage could become if the Iran war continues.
Plus, the Elite Eight in our March Movie Madness bracket: What’s the best Texas film?
Donald Trump
Trump invokes Texas in State of the Union speech
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.
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?
Exploring Texas’ deepest underwater cave system
Wildfire risk is so high in the Texas Panhandle that an energy company preemptively cut off power to avoid lines blowing down and starting to spark. We’ll take a closer look at the situation.
Early voting is underway across Texas. We sent reporters to polls across the state to hear from voters who made it out on the first day.
We’ll profile the candidates in a hotly-contested race near Houston where the GOP is hoping to gain a seat.
Beef prices are contributing to shock over grocery store bills, but ranchers are upset about one way President Trump is trying to bring the price of ground beef down.
And we’ll explore the deepest underwater cave in North America.
Protesters, DPS troopers clash outside Dilley ICE detention facility
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.
Texas readies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Dueling ballot challenges in Tarrant County: Why longtime Texas politics-watchers say they’ve never seen anything like it.
A look at a teacher’s alleged sexual misconduct and a new state law that could wind up costing a local school district millions. We’ll dive into whether other school districts could be on the hook as more victims seek accountability.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga explains a controversy over explicit images generated by X’s AI tool, Grok.
And a check-in on where Texas is at amid preparations for the FIFA World Cup.
Venezuela’s future and what it means for Texas oil
A historic U.S. military operation has extracted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from the country. What are the implications, both for Texas and the U.S.? University of Texas global affairs expert Jeremi Suri weighs in on this weekend’s events, including the legality of the Venezuela operation and whether it was about narcoterrorism, oil, or something more.
Speaking of oil, we’ll look at the implications for Texas as a global hub of the petroleum industry.
Plus, the future of oil and gas in the Rio Grande Valley, the rediscovery of a key piece of the state’s colonial history, and a Texas DJ who left a mark on American blues.
Is Texas being used as an oil waste dumping ground?
Questions about the Trump administration’s military operations in the Caribbean against Venezuela are growing. We’ll delve into the details.
We’re also following the special election in Houston’s 18th Congressional District amid uncertainty over which congressional map Texas will use.
Fort Worth and Tarrant County cut back on some public meetings, leading to an outcry.
Is Texas becoming a dumping ground for oil waste from another state?
And we get a tour of San Antonio’s new Museo del Westside.
Texas director Richard Linklater talks latest film ‘Nouvelle Vague’
At stake? Prices for consumers, billions in business activity, and the scope of presidential power. A Texas perspective as the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the case against President Trump’s tariffs.
The Wall Street Journal says “Amazonification” has come for Texas-based Whole Foods. A look at what that means.
Look! Up in the sky! Is that thing still legal? Texas drone pilots are closely watching talk of new restrictions. Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us what’s up.
And Texas director Richard Linklater’s new film “Nouvelle Vague” is a loving ode to French New Wave cinema.
‘No Kings’ rally draws 20,000 protesters in Austin
A Travis County judge has signed off on a local disaster declaration to give the county access to resources and respond quickly to wildfires when and if they pop up this season. KUT’s Luz Moreno-Lozano joins us to talk preparedness.
An estimated 20,000 people attended Austin’s ‘No Kings’ rally on Saturday as part of planned demonstrations against the Trump administration nationwide. We’ll hear from a few who attended.
Plus: A wrapup of Formula 1 in Austin and looking ahead to Austin FC in the MLS playoffs.
Uncertain Times: Dreamers, MAGA Latinos & Taco Politics
Let’s get a pulse of the community and how tacos play a role in identity and politics in 2025; how taquerías are being impacted by ICE raids and explore how some Latinos or people of Mexican heritage can feel deeply connected to their culture – through food, traditions, or family – while also supporting political views that might seem at odds with their identity; and ultimately ask a Maga Latino, how he feels about undocumented immigrants picking and making his food. Guests include Chef Victoria Elizondo, DACA recipient and owner of Cochinita & Co. in Houston and Daniel Estrada, a self-described MAGA Latino and Trump supporter.
If you’d like to support the Tacos of Texas podcast and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!
Austin Butler, Darren Aronofsky talk Texas, filmmaking & ‘Caught Stealing’
President Trump is using the threat of legal action to push his policies forward in Texas and beyond.
We continue our series about new state laws taking effect with a look at one that prevents people from certain countries from buying land in Texas.
20 years after Hurricane Katrina, how the New Orleans residents who found a home in Houston reshaped the cultural landscape.
Actor Austin Butler and filmmaker Darren Aronofsky on their new film, “Caught Stealing.”
And the Standard’s Kristen Cabrera with part two of her report on the Rio Grande Valley’s brand new college football team, the UTRGV Vaqueros.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Black farmers in East Texas feel the sting of DEI cuts
A peek into the week ahead for the Texas Legislature’s special session: We’ll hear the latest on a much-talked-about possible walkout by Democrats.
A plan to relieve congestion in Austin was approved by voters years ago – but so far, there’s not much to show for it. Is Project Connect off the rails?
The rollback of USDA diversity programs is impacting East Texas, which is home to more Black farmers than anywhere else in the U.S.
Plus: A big deadline for tariffs with Mexico on the table. If a deal can’t be reached by Aug. 1, what could that mean for Texas?
KUT Morning Newscast for July 11, 2025: Cedar Park residents hold a vigil for the flood victims from the Austin area
Central Texas top stories for July 11, 2025. Texas House and Senate established flood and disaster committees ahead of the special session. Cedar Park residents held a vigil to honor the lives lost in the Austin area floods last week. The Central Texas Food Bank opened satellite sites to help those affected by flooding. Education advocates are relieved several changes to a federal student aid program did not make it in the final version President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”
Processing the range of emotions surrounding Hill Country flood tragedy
The Texas Newsroom finds that responders to the Hill Country floods called for a public alert early Friday, a warning some say came hours too late.
The upcoming special session of the Legislature, which originally looked like it would focus on regulating THC, now includes several emergency preparedness topics.
And: Gillian Rodriguez with the Texas Counseling Association in the Hill Country has been pulling together resources to help fellow Texans process the range of emotions surrounding the devastating flooding.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Adult education programs feel the squeeze as federal funds remain on hold
Federal education funding is put on hold, leaving administrators scrambling to evaluate what programs may be affected and what comes next – not just for young students, but Texans in adult education programs as well.
What could rural schools teach the rest of us about how to better get along? New research by the George W. Bush Institute offers insights.
And just in time for July 4th: the Brazilian BBQ smoker many Texas pitmasters are calling the bomb.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Texas Lottery scandal deepens as ex-director disappears
The Texas Lottery Commission faces a reckoning after a string of scandals. We look at what’s next for one of the largest lotteries in the country.
The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for a controversial private facility in Andrews, Texas, to temporarily store high-level nuclear waste.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to open a facility in South Texas to help defend against the new world screwworm, a destructive pest that is working its way north through Mexico toward the southern border.
And: Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian is challenging policing stereotypes – not just in uniform, but now as the author of a children’s book about public service.
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.
Protests erupt over immigration raids as Abbott calls in National Guard
Gov. Greg Abbott is calling National Guard troops into Texas to respond to immigration raid protests in the state.
Texas had a new speaker of the House this legislative session. So how did Rep. Dustin Burrows handle the job?
Flights out of the busy, and getting busier, Austin airport have been increasingly delayed because of staffing shortages. How it’s affecting passengers.
President Trump reportedly wants Texas to re-draw district lines to favor Republicans – but some in his party aren’t so sure that’s a good idea.
And: We’ll introduce you to Los Pink Cheese Green Goes, a three-piece band making its unique mark on the Spanish-language pop scene.
KUT Morning Newscast for May 2, 2025: Roughly 3,200 people experience homelessness in Austin on any given night.
Central Texas top stories for May 2, 2025. A tornado touched down in Burnet County yesterday, a house and a building were destroyed. Protesters marched down Congress Avenue in Austin yesterday to speak out against the Trump administration. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Austin and the surrounding counties has increased by about 36 percent, according to the latest point-in-time count. Voters will be going to the poles this weekend for the May 3 elections. The Austin Independent School District is working on plans to turn around three campuses that have received several failing grades in a row from the state.