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.
energy
Revisiting the exploits of a notorious Texas jewel thief
As Texas eclipse watchers bask in the afterglow, we’re checking in on one event that was forced to end festivities early due to inclement weather.
A quarterly report offers a look at the health of Texas’ oil and gas industry. Energy analyst Matt Smith breaks it down.
The new book “The King of Diamonds” by Rena Pederson follows the trail of an elusive jewel thief who made off with millions by slipping into the homes of Dallas’ wealthiest residents.
Sea turtle nesting season is underway on South Padre Island. How many hatchlings are expected this year?
Plus: We’ll delve into the benefits of couples sleeping separately.
From small startups to fossil fuel giants, Texans are rethinking the future of energy
What’s the connection between credit card fees and Texas? It’s a question at the heart of a case that could affect consumers nationwide.
In Texas’ energy mix, gas and oil are giving way to more and more alternate sources: think wind, solar and small-scale nuclear – and many of the projects are run by veterans of the fossil fuel industry.
Corpus Christi is making plans to deal with a lack of drinking water, but some locals are pushing back against one potential solution.
Also: North Texas is making plans to host World Cup games, but they’re racing against the clock.
Introducing Rhizome, Laredo’s unique art project and community collaboration
The Texas Medical Board has offered a wide definition of emergency medical exemptions to the state’s strict ban on abortion.
Health care is also at the center of a massive cyberattack that’s been crippling insurance payments, but consumer information is very likely involved.
Police high-speed chases can be extremely dangerous for the general public, not just the vehicles involved. What we’ve learned in a deep dive into the data for North Texas chases.
The price at the pump has been going up again and global uncertainties could affect that further.
And we’ll take a trip to Laredo to explore Rhizome, a community art project, and hear from artist Crystal Wagner.
The Rio Grande is getting saltier. What’s that mean for agriculture?
The U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on SB4, the controversial Texas law that allows state and local police to arrest and prosecute migrants who enter the state, after delaying implementation of the law last week.
A lack of medical insurance and access to treatment is making life in rural Texas tougher than many might imagine.
Energy insider Matt Smith has the latest on rising gas prices as many Texans hit the road for Spring Break.
The Rio Grande, the body of water that outlines the border between Texas and Mexico, is becoming saltier – affecting people, farmland and livestock on both sides of the border.
And: Amid a statewide teacher shortage, one Central Texas school district is trying to turn things around by creating its own pipeline of new recruits.
A younger generation is taking over the Texas oil fields
For the first time in centuries, an American-built – and more specifically, Texas-built – spacecraft has touched down on the moon.
Multiple law enforcement officers who responded to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting have been ordered to appear before a grand jury investigating the failed police response.
The folks calling the shots in the Texas oil industry seem to be getting younger. What does this change mean for the industry?
A giant among advocates for people with disabilities in Texas steps down after a quarter century. We’ll talk with Dennis Borel of the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities about the challenges ahead.
Plus, the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.
What new data says about the future of Texas agriculture
It’s the first day of early voting in the Texas primary. What you need to know before casting a ballot and why turning out matters.
What exactly does “residency” mean when running for office? The answer might surprise you.
Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts a census – tallying things like livestock, tractors, combines and crops – for a dense report packed with clues on where American farming is heading.
And: Remembering Sandy Wood, who helped stargazers navigate the universe for nearly 24 years as the voice of the radio program Stardate.
Is high school football on the decline in Texas?
A conversation with state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a self-described progressive Democrat who’s running to challenge Ted Cruz for his U.S. Senate seat.
Three years after the big freeze that plunged most of Texas into darkness, a new bill aims to connect the state to neighboring electric grids. Mose Buchele of KUT in Austin has more.
A big change for the Texas STAAR tests: student essays graded by computer. How does that work, and how fair is it?
And: Is football still king in Texas? A Washington Post analysis looks at the sport’s rise and fall across the country.
Is the industry ready for Beyoncé’s country music album?
As Texans prepare to cast their first ballots in 2024, a conversation with Colin Allred, one of the top Democratic challengers for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Ted Cruz.
Lubbock throws the switch to join Texas’ open electricity marketplace – for better, and some fear, for worse.
A new ‘queen’ of country music? Houston-born Beyoncé generates buzz with a stylistic shift.
Also: Commentator WF Strong on a notorious Texas partnership in crime, and a love story at the heart of it.
Which Texas cities take the lead in ending homelessness?
The U.S. Senate has passed a major aid bill for Ukraine and Israel – but its fate in the House is uncertain.
Despite its dominance in politics statewide, the Republican Party in Texas ain’t what it used to be. What’s changed, why, and what it means for the future.
As the numbers of people experiencing homelessness rise nationwide, some cities are making progress. A new report examines what’s working and what lessons can be learned.
In Texas oil country, two longtime rivals are expected to merge this year in a $26 billion deal. What it adds up to.
Plus, a conversation with celebrated author and poet Sandra Cisneros.
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.
Texas frackers are going electric – but can the grid handle it?
With a push from Texas Republicans, the U.S. House moves a step closer toward a vote to impeach the head of Homeland Security.
Amid a shortage of teachers statewide, a move in Dallas to get more men of color in the classroom.
In the Texas oilfields, how a push for greener drilling has some worried about the effects on the power grid.
A browser update for the ages? Why new features in Google Chrome have one tech writer warning of the end of the human internet.
And Temu takeover? Why U.S. giants like Amazon and Walmart are rethinking their strategies as a China-based retailer turns up the heat.
Exploring SpaceX’s potential land swap with Texas
The Texas Supreme Court hears arguments in a case challenging a law banning puberty blockers and hormone therapy for trans minors.
John Whitmire, Houston’s new mayor, campaigned to be “tough-but-smart on crime.” Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider takes a look at some of Whitmire’s plans for law enforcement.
SpaceX wants to give the state 477 acres of land near a national wildlife refuge in exchange for 43 acres from Boca Chica State Park, near its launch site – but the plan is drawing local pushback.
And: West Texas A&M University plans a new institute to advocate what the school’s president calls “Panhandle values.” Critics fear it’s a push to spread conservative values across the university.
A national lab didn’t detect disease in Texas deer, but the state had already euthanized them
Missing mail and massive delays in postal delivery in the Houston area are sparking action from U.S. Rep. Al Green. We’ll hear what he plans to do about it.
A controversial law allowing Texas police to arrest people suspected of crossing the border illegally takes effect soon – but some rural sheriffs in the Big Bend region say they’re not eager to enforce it.
And: An entire herd of white-tailed deer at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area was euthanized amid concerns about the spread of a contagious disease. But the affected deer may not have had the disease after all, according to new test results.
Could Texas’ electric grid finally connect to other states?
A grand jury in Uvalde will consider possible charges over law enforcement’s failed response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary.
An Air Force general who was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph faces a court-martial over charges of sexually assaulting a subordinate.
The Texas power grid is famously separate from the rest of the country – but a plan has been quietly moving forward to connect it to a grid operating in the southeastern U.S.
And: Shipping lanes are shifting routes amid attacks in the Red Sea. What are the ripple effects in Texas?
Justice Department report on Uvalde shooting finds ‘critical failures’ in police response
After a review of thousands of videos and other evidence, the Justice Department has released its report on the Uvalde school shooting, finding “critical failures” by law enforcement before, during and after the attack.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals strikes down much of a new Texas law that sought to restrict which books are available in school libraries.
Texas may soon be a hub for hydrogen fueling. The Standard’s Shelly Brisbin has more.
CinéWilde, which bills itself as the state’s only monthly LGBTQ film series, turns 10.
And: Remembering award-winning science fiction author Howard Waldrop.
Celebrated African American art and history exhibit arrives in Texas
With winter storm warnings out across the Lone State State, emergency management officials are warning Texans to stay inside if at all possible, avoid travel, and monitor calls for energy conservation. We’ll get a status update from Matt Lanza of Space City Weather, plus a look at what’s ahead this week.
With COVID-era protections like eviction moratoriums gone, Texans are feeling the effects.
And on this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’ll hear about an award-winning collection of artifacts now on display in Houston documenting the African American experience: Our conversation with collectors Bernard and Shirley Kinsey about a project more than 50 years in the making.
Food safety & tree protection tips as Texas awaits an arctic blast
Most parts of Texas are preparing for a big freeze as an arctic front moves in. We’ll have the latest on what to expect, plus how to prepare your trees to survive a Texas winter and tips on food and food safety in case the power goes out.
The U.S., U.K. and other allies have launched retaliatory airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen; some fear it could expand global tensions and widen the conflict ongoing in Gaza. A UT expert on global studies weighs in.
Plus: The week in politics with The Texas Tribune.
Inside Harris County’s guaranteed income experiment
Heavy rain, high winds and snow, elevated fire danger and more prompt the governor to raise the emergency preparedness level in Texas. We’ll have the latest overview of weather concerns.
A new report reveals high levels of toxic benzene exposure in a Houston suburb.
A plan to test a guaranteed basic income gets underway today in Harris County.
We’ll hear who’s eligible and where the money’s coming from.
The town of Diboll is seeking to be officially designated the “Quinceañera Capital of Texas.”
And: Remember cutting the cord for cable TV? Why many households are cutting the streamers, too.
Exploring the Lone Star State with the evolving Texas Almanac
Charges have been dismissed against 17 Austin police officers accused of assault during racial justice protests of 2020. Andrew Weber of KUT has more.
A prison assault and what records suggest about a lack of transparency over security and safety in Texas lockups.
First published in 1857, the Texas Almanac has evolved and changed hands several times. We’ll hear about the 72nd edition of the journal from its managing editor, Rosie Hatch.
Worried about the power grid holding this winter? Why Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Tomlinson says, he, for one, isn’t.
And a tradition for football fans of the Cowboys, hundreds of miles from Big D.