Central Texas top stories for November 20, 2024. The City of Austin has to rethink the project to build caps on I-35. A conflict between two local health organizations came to a head yesterday when Central Health’s CEO fired the CEO of CommUnityCare. The State of Texas is offering land for Donald Trump’s upcoming administration to build its first mass deportation camp. The San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District is considering switching to a four-day school week. The National Weather Service says high – almost critical– fire weather conditions are expected today in most of Central Texas.
Donald Trump
After nearly 50 years, food critic Pat Sharpe asks for the check
Texas leaders are among President-elect Trump’s biggest supporters. Are they being left off the list of Cabinet picks?
She’s traveled and tasted dishes from across the Lone Star State: After 50 years, Texas Monthly food critic Pat Sharpe is retiring and sharing what she’s learned on the job.
The details of a plan to turn an old golf course into a world-class arboretum in San Antonio.
And: An update on the results of a rural summit bringing residents, local officials and state lawmakers together.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 13, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 13, 2024. The family of Raj Moonsinghe filed a lawsuit against the City of Austin and APD. A wastewater system serving a number of area cities will soon undergo rehabilitation and an expansion. Immigrant rights groups are planning to fight back against President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed mass deportation. Cities along the I-35 corridor are experiencing rapid growth. Alex Jones’ Infowars property was auctioned off today. Gas prices are on a downward trend. No end in sight to drought conditions in Central Texas.
15 Texas restaurants have received a coveted Michelin star rating
The Texas Supreme Court remains firmly in Republican hands after the election. What that means for cases the court will decide.
For the first time, Michelin has awarded its coveted stars – along with other designations – to restaurants in the Lone Star State.
Texas is in the wake of a solar panel boom. But not everyone who’s had them installed on their roof is happy about the decision.
Amid soaring childcare costs, voters approved a tax rate increase to help pay for it in Central Texas.
And: A new research project at the International Space Station examines the impact of microgravity on human heart tissue.
Will Elon Musk have a role to play in the Trump administration?
With the presidency and a majority now in the U.S. Senate, Republicans are eyeing a trifecta of power by capturing the seats needed for a slim majority in the House. But several races still need to be called. What’s taking so long?
Elon Musk spent a great deal of his time and money helping Donald Trump win another term this fall. Will Texas’ wealthiest man have a role to play in the Trump administration?
And: More than half a million undocumented immigrants protected from deportation under the DACA program are now worried what the future holds come January. Stella Chávez of The Texas Newsroom has the story.
KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 8, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 8, 2024. A criminal justice nonprofit is dropping its challenge to Austin’s new labor contract with APD. Travis County voter turnout this year was down compared to 2020. Central Health broke ground today on the renovation of the old Sears building at the Hancock center. Austin ISD is celebrating the beginning of construction on the largest project funded by the 2022 school bond. Closures on Monday for Veterans Day.
How Republicans broke a losing streak in South Texas
The words “historic election” have been far overused, but they’re worth considering when examining results out of Starr County. A look at a political shift in South Texas.
Texas’ oil and gas regulators requested an emergency influx of $100 million dollars in state money to address oil well blowouts and contamination. What’s happening in the oilfield?
Even during election time, you probably don’t give a lot of thought to the office of the Justice of the Peace. Why it matters – especially right now in Harris County.
Microsoft Windows users could soon face some consequences if they haven’t updated their software in a while. Our tech expert has tips on what steps to take now.
Plus, there was a plan to bring an exiled Napoleon to Texas. And no, it didn’t happen. Our W.F. Strong has been looking into this strange bit of history.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 7, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 7, 2024. It might take a few more days to know if Austin Mayor Kirk watson will head to a runoff in his bid for reelection. Austin City Council District 6 member-elect Krista Laine says she’s not surprised by her win over MacKenzie Kelly. The re-election of former President Donald Trump could have major repercussions for the U.S. energy industry. Rent prices in the Austin area continue to fall.
Unpacking the results of the 2024 election
A historic election cycle ends with significant gains for the GOP statewide. What do the results add up to for the future of Texas?
A closer look at the U.S. Senate race in Texas and a wider re-election victory for incumbent Ted Cruz, compared with 2018.
The largest school bond proposal in Texas history was rejected in Houston, seen by many as a referendum on the state’s takeover of Houston ISD over the past year.
Plus: We’ll hear about results in some key local races from our reporting partners statewide and how the results could affect the upcoming legislative session.
Presidential campaigns make high-profile stops in Texas
With less than two weeks until Election Day, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both making high-profile stops in Texas today.
A nonprofit is helping Black farmers in Texas build a home-grown community.
Filmmakers share the story behind “Subtopia,” a new Texas-based mockumentary about HOA drama.
And: Remembering Sister Angela Murdaugh, a Franciscan Sister of Mary and certified nurse midwife who was named to the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame.
School vouchers, proposed in Texas, are mostly used by the wealthy in Arizona
As early voting gets underway in Texas, here’s what you need to know as you prepare to cast your ballot.
The biggest contest on the ballot, after the presidency, is the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred. We’ll be profiling them both on the Standard, starting today with Cruz.
A major shift in energy use in China could have major ripple effects for Texas.
Supporters of school vouchers in Texas believe they give parents and students more academic choices and opportunities, while detractors say they will take money from public education and essentially subsidize private schools. We’re taking a look at an Arizona program that entitles each student to around $8,000 each school year.
Texas Extra: It’s Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in ‘America First’
UT-Austin historian H.W. Brands is known for taking a very personal approach to history. This is an extended interview about his latest book, America First: Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War.
Plastic piles up as advanced recycling program in Houston struggles to get off the ground
Jefferson County, Texas, may not feel the brunt of Hurricane Francine but has prepared for any possible changes in the storm’s path.
Will last night’s presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump move the needle at all?
Campus libraries across Cy-Fair ISD are open only part of the time this year after trustees cut librarian positions in half.
An investigation into so-called “advanced recycling” in Houston reveals that hundreds of thousands of pounds of plastic waste have been piling up since 2022.
And: Elvis Presley wasn’t a Texan – but he owed the state a lot.
Clinic teams up with barbershops to boost health care access for Black men
As Tropical Storm Francine forms, we’re keeping an eye on nasty weather in the Gulf and will have the latest on the impact to Texas energy as peak hurricane season arrives.
On the political front, cross-party endorsements are raising eyebrows. Political expert Daron Shaw of the University of Texas at Austin weighs in on the significance.
With higher rates of diabetes and heart disease among Black men, there’s an effort in Austin to get them connected with health care, by way of the barbershop.
Also: Grammy winner and Texas raconteur Ray Benson joins us ahead of headlining a new event series at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio.
What VP Kamala Harris said at her Houston stop
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee comes to Houston talking teachers, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media was at Kamala Harris’s speech to the American Federation of Teachers. We’ll hear what she had to say in her sprint toward the convention and Election Day.
How El Paso could teach the rest of Texas a thing or two about the future of managing water.
In the Panhandle, a federal plan to expand a wildlife refuge tenfold. Not everyone’s happy about it, either.
Corn or flour? Taco journalist Mando Rayo on some choices we Texans must face.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from Typewriter Rodeo.
After attempted Trump assassination, a look at politically motivated violence in the US
We’re taking a closer look at the implications of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, and a Texas perspective on the future of politics and democracy:
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was in the crowd at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday and shares a firsthand account.
The assassination attempt comes during one of the most politically volatile moments in our American history, but this is far from the first time political violence has threatened democracy. Presidential historian and professor Jeffrey Engel of Southern Methodist University on whether this may further galvanize divisions or lead to a shift in political rhetoric and rancor.
Also: State lawmakers are calling for an investigation into the slow power restoration process in the Houston region, where 264,000 remain without electricity a week after Hurricane Beryl hit.
A small Texas town is holding a big Leap Year celebration
One person has died in the Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Panhandle, which is now the largest wildfire in state history at an estimated 1,075,000 acres. We’ll get the latest update on the blaze.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are making simultaneous trips to the Texas-Mexico border today, a few days before Super Tuesday.
There are traditions associated with Leap Day in different cultures – and as it turns out, Texas has some of its own. The Standard’s Sarah Asch dives in.
And: There is a high-stakes global hunt for new places to mine lithium, and some investors have tabbed East Texas as one of the element’s potential hot spots.
Ballet folklórico competition comes to North Texas
Former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump wades into Texas politics with downballot endorsements.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton takes aim at a faith-based group in El Paso providing services for migrants.
In Texas farm country, concerns grow over a lack of water.
In the congressional district that includes 800 miles of the state’s border with Mexico, four republicans are challenging the GOP incumbent as polls show high voter interest in border security.
Plus: High schools push for competitive ballet folklórico.
A report from Eagle Pass after a weekend of immigration protest
A bipartisan bill to address border security: one that mandates that President Biden shut down the border. David Martin Davies with more on the Senate bill on immigration and border security and an update on border protests over the weekend.
What appears to be the first human brain chip implant by Elon Musk’s Neuralink is raising concerns about safety, consent, and transparency. We’ll hear from a medical ethicist who’s been studying the implications.
In El Paso, a new exhibit that highlights a surprising relationship between humans and ducks.
And the thousandth PolitiFact check of Donald Trump – what the numbers say.
State has seen rise in teen births since abortion ban was enacted
After Donald Trump’s win in the New Hampshire primary, what are the implications and ripple effects as Texas’ primary day approaches?
The Republican Party of Denton County has issued a resolution calling for Brent Hagenbuch to drop out of race for District 30 of the Texas Senate. At issue: allegations that Hagenbuch doesn’t live in the district.
A federal appeals court has given a second chance to Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against gun manufacturers, one of the biggest potential setbacks for gun manufacturers in recent memory.
A new study from the University of Houston finds a rise in teen birth rates a year after Texas’ six-week abortion ban went into effect.
And: Analysis of the Supreme Court’s ruling on razor wire at the border.