Public schools across Texas are being put to the test. From Fort Worth to Grapevine, Austin to San Antonio, we’ll look at how communities are reacting – and in some cases, pushing back – on plans to shutter schools and shuffle the map for many students.
Also, a big fight over redistricting with huge consequences – no longer on the political stage, but instead, a rather small federal courtroom. We’ll hear from Nacar Devine, an El Pasoan keeping tabs on what’s going on amid the hearing over Texas’ new congressional map.
Those stories, the latest on H-1B visas, and so much more.
El Paso
Amarillo startup wants AI to go nuclear
A Texas congressional redistricting fight enters the courtroom, with both sides taking different positions from those taken earlier. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of what’s expected to be a nine-day federal hearing over new congressional maps.
The most polluted air in Texas? We’ll hear why a Houston community may have a tough time getting companies to take speedy action to clear the air.
Also, would you vote for an increase in property taxes if it meant helping people who are homeless find a place to live? A test of that idea on the ballot in Austin.
Plus, the Amarillo startup wanting AI to go nuclear, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune, and much more.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 1, 2025: A coalition of organizations is voicing support for a proposed property tax increase in Austin
Central Texas top stories for October 1, 2025. A coalition of Austin unions and groups is voicing its support for a proposed property tax increase. AISD is set to share the first draft of its school consolidation plans this Friday at 5:30 p.m. Anyone in Texas who sells items on eBay, Etsy, Poshmark or similar online marketplaces will now have to pay sales tax on the fees charged by those platforms. It’s expected to be a busy couple of weeks at Austin Bergstrom International Airport. The State Highway 29 bridge over I-35 in Georgetown will be closed starting tonight at nine until Friday morning at five.
Court weighs Texas redistricting fight
A court battle is set to begin over the newly drawn congressional maps. At stake is whether they go into effect for the 2026 midterm elections.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us to talk about the recent rise in political violence.
Have you heard of 7-OH? It’s the latest drug cropping up at convenience stores. Now there’s a fight to stop the sale of what’s known as “gas station heroin.”
A new book by former CDC Director Tom Frieden offers a formula for better health – potentially saving millions of lives.
And today’s Hispanic heritage moment spotlights the trio of brothers known as Los Lonely Boys.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Texas A&M president resigns amid viral video controversy
Texas A&M President Mark Welsh is resigning after a week of turmoil over a viral video and a clash over gender identity content in the classroom.
What’s behind Texas’ redistricting push? KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on a political strategy started decades ago.
The flesh-eating new world screwworm, a parasite once eradicated from Texas, has been detected within striking distance of the border. What species may be most vulnerable.
The new documentary “When We Were Live” reflects on public access TV in Austin through rare archival footage and interviews with local producers.
No phones, devices in classrooms as Texas students return to school
Undocumented college students in Texas are no longer eligible for in-state tuition. As the new semester starts, many are in limbo.
As we keep an eye on the special session where Texas Democrats broke quorum, a look at another state – Oregon – where Republican lawmakers staged a walkout.
A new state law that bans cell phones, wearables and other electronic devices in Texas classrooms is raising questions from educators, parents and students about its implementation and impact.
The University of Texas at Austin has set up guidelines for using AI responsibly to promote learning.
And: El Paso pecan farmers innovate to cope with persistent drought.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
A special broadcast from El Paso
Today we’re broadcasting live from El Paso for a special edition of the Texas Standard.
We hear from some prominent El Pasoans – former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo – on the city’s dynamic politics.
El Paso has become a leader in innovative water management. How the city is securing its future in the desert.
KTEP’s Aaron Montes visits a local academy training the future stars of lucha libre.
And: How bighorn sheep have returned to El Paso’s mountains after a century away.
10 years later, still no convictions in Twin Peaks biker shootout
A bipartisan bill on abortion has passed the Texas Senate and is making its way through the House. Why lawmakers agree it’s necessary.
It’s been a decade now since a deadly shootout involving rival biker gangs at a Twin Peaks in Waco. What an investigation reveals about how the case was handled.
Thousands of Brazilians live in Central Texas. How they’re feeling about those from their country being targeted for deportation.
Plus: We’ll take you to the Kentucky Club in Juárez, a beloved border bar and one of the last of its kind.
Remembering the ‘People’s Pope’
The Supreme Court halts deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. We’ll have the latest on the case involving migrants held in Texas.
He was called a “monster” by one of the survivors of the El Paso Walmart mass shooting. We hear from victims and relatives of those killed as the gunman is sentenced.
Pope Francis once made a high-profile visit to the Texas-Mexico border where he celebrated Mass on the banks of the Rio Grande. Residents on both sides of the river remember the People’s Pope.
How the tariff war with China could affect Texas.
And we talk to the South Texas author of the new novel “Futbolista”
A forgotten history of DeWitt County comes back to life
The man who’s admitted killing 23 in a racist mass shooting in El Paso in 2019 will be given a plea deal that does not include the death penalty. What’s behind that decision.
A federal judge temporarily prevents Texas A&M from enforcing a ban on campus drag performances, setting the stage for this week’s Draggieland.
A long-lost book detailing DeWitt County’s history before 1900 has resurfaced, more than a century after it was written in German.
And: A potentially deadly bird flu spotted early in Texas jumps species in the UK, prompting a warning from health officials.
What’s affecting El Paso’s air quality?
One person has now died in the Texas measles outbreak that’s up to more than 120 official cases.
Hit the road in many parts of Texas these days and you’re likely to see some Teslas. So how are those drivers feeling about the very public and controversial latest moves by CEO Elon Musk?
Teacher pay increases may come this Texas legislative session. But what form they might take is unclear.
The U.S. military isn’t completely avoiding the same cuts ripping through other parts of government right now.
Plus: There’s something in the air in El Paso – and it isn’t pleasant. A look at a change in air quality and when its expected to lift.
Why El Paso Mexican food hits different
In this bonus episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast, Mando Rayo, taco journalist joins the Texas Standard, to talk about El Paso’s unique flavors.
The programming featured in this bonus episode was originally aired on the Texas Standard in February, 2024.
As we gear up for the next season of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you! Visit kut.org/tacosurvey to send us your thoughts about what you’d like to hear on the next season of the show. And stay tuned for Season CINCO of Tacos of Texas.
¡Vamos!
Texas Senate passes bill creating school voucher-like program
A bill to let families use taxpayer dollars to cover private school tuition was approved by the Texas Senate, but the debate over the bill’s not done. Next stop: the Texas House.
El Paso has still not recovered from government vacancies dating back to the height of COVID, with growing concerns about how that’s affecting basic services in one of Texas’ biggest cities.
The WNBA season may be months away, but teams are making big moves – signing free agents, making trades and shaking up coaching staffs ahead of 2025.
Spring gardening season is around the corner, but experts say now is not the time to trim your oak trees. February marks the start of oak wilt season, a deadly disease that can devastate trees across Texas.
Trump’s first executive orders focus on immigration
Much of Texas is dealing with dangerously cold temperatures and conditions that make travel hazardous. How the state is coping – plus a look at the power grid.
President Trump declared an emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border and issued several executive orders on immigration. We’ll delve into the details.
A look at the life and legacy of Cecile Richards: The former president of Planned Parenthood, and a major force in Texas and national politics, has died of brain cancer at 67.
Plus: Texas Standard intern Yoali Rodríguez reports on the designers working to make El Paso a new fashion hub.
Cold snap grips West Texas and the borderlands
What possible cuts to Medicaid under the new Trump administration could mean in Texas, which already limits coverage.
A cold front is blowing through El Paso, bringing high winds and freezing temperatures.
Princeton’s growing pains have led to tension in its mayoral runoff election.
Most of those involved in high-speed chases by state troopers going after suspected smugglers are teens and young drivers. An interview with one of those behind the wheel.
And: We’ll take a look at the two Texas teams that made it into the college playoffs, the Texas Longhorns and the SMU Mustangs.
House Speaker Dade Phelan bows out of leadership reelection bid
Facing a challenge from fellow Republicans, Dade Phelan says he’s dropping his bid for re-election as Texas House speaker.
Texas has some of the most expensive insurance in the nation, forcing homeowners to pay more for less coverage.
Desert bighorn sheep return to the Franklin Mountains of El Paso, a major milestone in restoring the species.
While the area around the UT Austin Tower buzzes with activity, a quieter sanctuary to the north – the Turtle Pond – offers a break from the hustle. The Texas Standard’s Laura Rice takes us to this peaceful pocket and explores how it’s evolving amid campus changes.
Marijuana is on the ballot in two more Texas cities
Areas around Austin, San Antonio and North Texas set records for the first day of early voting this week. But the story was different in El Paso.
A Democrat won a state House seat in Collin County last election cycle – but Republicans think they can flip it back.
What it means that decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana possession is on the ballot in more Texas cities.
A look at the impact of the ongoing IV fluid shortage on Texas hospitals.
And: We’ll ask whether it matters than an elected official in Harris County hasn’t clocked into work in about four years.
Are Chico’s Tacos actually tacos?
This might be controversial but those drowned tacos are actually flautas or are they? We’ll dig into this highly debated issue in Chucotown. Guest is Ivan Enriquez, owner of El Perrito Austin.
Texas Extra: Remembering DJ Steve Crosno
The El Paso radio and TV disc jockey made a lasting impact on the city’s music scene and contributed to the mixing of cultures that still makes far west Texas so special. This is an extended interview about an effort to document Crosno’s impact before his death in 2006.
Palestine fights Union Pacific’s move to leave town despite 1872 contract
Defense attorneys for the Walmart mass shooter, who’s already sentenced to life in prison, are asking for the court to take the death penalty off the table or drop the charges altogether due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
As we move closer to Election Day, The Texas Newsroom is exploring the role of religion in politics.
And: The city of Palestine, once a booming railroad town, is in a legal battle with Union Pacific to enforce an 1872 contract that promised the railroad company would stay “forever.”