It’s a state power struggle with life-and-death consequences: The latest on the Robert Roberson death penalty case.
The biggest statewide race on the ballot is the U.S. Senate race between Ted Cruz and Colin Allred. Today: A profile of Allred, a Democrat who has mounted a massive effort to unseat the incumbent Republican senator.
How the school voucher issue could decide some races in Texas.
The science and art of predicting elections and how the practice has evolved.
And: We’ll hear from voters across the state about why they turned out on the first day of early voting.
education
New exhibit showcases never-before-seen Freddy Fender artifacts
Schools and public libraries are often the focus of book bans. But what can we learn from a list of books prohibited in state prisons?
We’re celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Texans, including one who credits a librarian for helping him rise to became a leader in academia.
The infamous nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island could come back online to support a big tech company’s artificial intelligence operations.
And: The hometown of Freddy Fender will soon honor the trailblazing Tejano musician in a first-of-its-kind exhibit at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum.
A North Texas city has paused all new development
Princeton, a Dallas suburb, has quadrupled in population since 2010. Recently, city leaders paused all new residential development to let infrastructure catch up.
The latest in our series on the intersection of religion and politics: students from two schools in Abilene with a diversity of perspectives and a strong desire to bridge the political divide.
A standoff is brewing between Southwest Airlines and the San Antonio International Airport over terminal expansion plans.
Also: exploring Houston’s role in the renewable energy transition – the focus of a new podcast premiering today.
Can you trust polls saying Texas could turn blue?
As immigration returns to center stage in American politics, a curious reversal in messaging in one of the state’s most closely watched races.
It’s happened before: polls show a statewide race tightening up, hopes rising among Texas Democrats, only to be dashed on Election Day. Do you trust polls that suggest Texas turning blue? A guide for optimists and pessimists.
The latest on a lawsuit brought by inmates and their supporters over intense heat in Texas prisons.
And the dedication of a new national historic site to help explain an era when Texas created separate schools for Hispanic children.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 11, 2024
Central Texas top stories for September 11, 2024. State officials are considering whether to approve a new reading curriculum for elementary school students that includes Bible stories. Rent prices in Austin have continued to fall, even as rents in other large cities are going up. A mosquito infected with West Nile Virus was found in San Marcos last week, the mosquito season continues. Officials are honoring firefighters who were part of 9/11 rescue teams.
Ken Paxton sues Bexar County over plan to mail out registration forms to unregistered voters
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Bexar County over a plan to reach out to unregistered voters with applications.
After two years of missing its recruitment goals, a new Army college partnership is helping recruits in San Antonio get their GEDs.
Amazon is trying to save its Echo program with a major artificial intelligence upgrade for Alexa. Tech expert Omar Gallaga with the how and what’s at stake.
And: A conversation with author Alejandro Puyana, a Venezuela native now living in Austin, on his debut novel “Freedom is a Feast.”
How to prepare for the fall/winter gardening season in Texas
What effect is Texas’ booming population having on how the state’s moving politically? Some signs as we approach November.
A Texas company faces federal allegations of a price-fixing conspiracy pushing up rents across the U.S.
Want to grow a veggie garden this fall? An expert shares tips for choosing plants, protecting from freezes & more.
Two astronauts are stranded in space until next year, way beyond initial plans for their mission. A former astronaut weighs in on what’s happened and what comes next.
And: Remembering groundbreaking DJ Steve Crosno, who helped make El Paso’s music culture the rich scene it is today.
KUT Morning Newscast for August 20, 2024
Here are the top stories from the KUT Newsroom for the morning of August 20th. The Austin ISD school board will ask voters to approve new funding for the district. Austinites waste lots of food, and yet, we also have too many people who are food insecure. The Taylor ISD needs to build more schools or it will run out of room for students as the area continues its explosive growth. And it’s the first day of school in Austin! Please watch out while driving to and from work today.
What Texas Democrats can look forward to as the DNC kicks off
Texas has the third-largest delegation at the Democratic National Convention. We’ll hear more about the four-day political spectacle getting underway in Chicago and what it could mean for the Lone Star State and the presidential race.
Conservative activists, led by the Houston-based group True the Vote, are submitting lists of names to county election officials all over Texas, claiming the listed people are illegally registered to vote.
More and more school districts in Texas taking cellphone bans seriously as students return to class.
Also: Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a special type of self-watering soil that can actually pull water from the air and slowly release nutrients to plants.
How Texas is likely undercounting heat-related deaths
Just how dangerous is triple-digit heat in Texas? They say the numbers don’t lie. Last year was the deadliest on record in Texas, but there’s reason to think we don’t know just how bad it really was – or is.
As schools begin welcoming students back to class, data shows nearly 1 in 5 will be chronically absent.
Are you a mosquito magnet, or does it just seem that way? What the science says, and what you can do about it.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
KUT Morning Newscast for August 12, 2024
Central Texas top stories for August 12, 2024. Another hot week ahead for Austin and Central Texas. Austin Community College receives $7.5 million grant to expand and develop new training programs for semiconductor manufacturing. Texas lawmakers kick off two days of hearings on educational issues. The city of Austin is looking to include $50 million in next budget to increase parkland in the city. Texas Longhorn athletes earn 16 medals at Paris Olympic games, including 6 gold.
Amazon expands Prime shipping to rural areas, challenging USPS
More than 400 people ended up in emergency rooms with carbon monoxide poisoning after Hurricane Beryl, many from generators.
Five years later, victims of a mass shooting in El Paso wait for the state to prosecute the gunman.
Why Texas ranks last when it comes to healthcare access and affordability, especially for women.
Is there a link between the rising number of teachers without certification in the state and declines in student achievement? New research seeks to answer that question.
And: Amazon Prime’s two-day shipping is moving into rural areas to boost sales – a direct challenge to the U.S. Postal Service.
Investigation finds worker deaths from trench collapses were often preventable
President Biden is in Austin to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act – and is expected to deliver a speech that could have big implications for the future of the U.S. Supreme Court.
The surprise arrests in Texas of two leaders of the notorious Sinaloa drug cartel were a major victory for the feds, but now there are hints that the backstory involves a double cross. One of the state’s top experts on Mexico’s drug cartels explains.
A new survey finds that two-thirds of Texans support Gov. Greg Abbott’s school voucher plan.
And: A new investigation from NPR, Texas Public Radio and public radio program 1A finds more than 250 preventable deaths in trench accidents.
KUT Morning Newscast for July 19, 2024
Central Texas top stories for July 19, 2024. A global technology outage impacting Microsoft 365 apps and services is hitting locally: travelers are waiting for their flights at the ABIA. Some residents are expressing concerns about Williamson County’s plans to build a new, paved trail that would connect Leander and Round Rock. A nonprofit is helping high school students in the Austin area navigate the new process for FAFSA.
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.
Students could soon be taught Bible stories in public schools
You check in with your ID, find an empty booth and cast your ballot in secret. But have Texas voter transparency laws challenged that privacy?
Depending on where you live in Texas you might pay taxes to a local hospital system. Understanding how that works.
Storm chasers have enormous followings on social media, many copycats and, increasingly, even people riding along. It’s a growing industry of sorts, but is it a good idea?
A new docuseries coming to HBO, “Ren Faire,” follows what happens when the man who has presided over the Texas Renaissance Festival for 50 years retires.
And: A push for classical studies in Texas classrooms could also include more conversations about the Bible.
Voters in Texas have elected their first slate of property appraisal board members
A former Texas oil exec is being punished for allegedly raising the price of oil. Is it the tip of the iceberg or water under the bridge?
In spring elections across larger Texas counties, voters got a more direct say in who runs the obscure agencies that oversee the property appraisal process – agencies that determine how much you pay in property taxes.
The promise of solar panels seems bright, but some companies are getting some heat for misrepresentation. What you need to know.
New Mexico has a booming recreational marijuana industry thanks in part to some Texans making the trip. Will laws change on this side of the border?
Plus the most beautiful spot in Texas? Some point to a place out west that’s a bit off the beaten path.
The growing union drive in tech
Extreme weather brings flooding and evacuations to an area near the Trinity River. We’ll find out how folks are coping with all that water.
Police remove protestors trying to set up camp on the UT Austin campus.
A new book takes a look at the Republic of Texas – an armed secession movement in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. It happened nearly 30 years ago. Could we see it again?
Also, as union membership grows across the Lone Star State, what does that mean for tech workers and why they face challenges unionizing?
Celebrating Willie Nelson’s birthday and his concert tradition
Some of Texas’ biggest counties say their lockups are getting more overcrowded and many sheriffs say the state is to blame.
Destructive weather across the Midwest over much of the weekend turned to Texas late Sunday.
A school district that’s increasingly been in the spotlight over culture war issues heads toward what could be a turning point with local elections.
Payday loans? Yes, there’s an app for that, and experts are concerned.
Plus, on the birthday of a certain Red Headed Stranger, a look at how his picnic became an iconic event for many Texans.
The Future of Work in Texas – A Texas Standard special
Texas is changing, and so is the world. If we squint to try to look at the future job landscape, what do we see? There are more than 15 million working Texans right now, but while the state boasts steady growth and “record high levels” for jobs and the labor force, there are always unknowns on the horizon.
Among them: tech advancements and the impacts of climate change. So how will the jobs of tomorrow look different? We’re exploring all that and more today in The Future of Work in Texas.