Central Texas top stories for August 11, 2025. After weeks of debate, the City of Austin is set to adopt its next budget this week. Students at 76 schools across the Austin Independent School District will get free breakfast and lunch this school year, but federal funding cuts mean the program faces an uncertain future. Starting today, city crews will replace water-filled barricades on East Sixth Street with pre-cast concrete barriers.
federal cuts
KUT Morning Newscast for June 02, 2025: Power in Austin is fully restored after last week’s storms.
Central Texas top stories for June 2, 2025. Austin Energy says power has been restored to all customers after last week’s storm that left thousands without power. Local health care experts and nonprofits say a federal budget reconciliation bill would put more than 36,000 people in Austin at risk of losing Medicaid. Today the Texas legislature’s 2025 session is coming to a close. The legislature passed a bipartisan bill to let Texas state agencies determine remote-work policies, it heads to the governor’s desk. The season is over for the UT Baseball team. UT’s Softball team will play in the Women’s College World Series semifinals today.
Interview: What Trump’s executive order to end funding for NPR means for KUT and KUTX
Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would end the flow of federal money to PBS and NPR stations throughout the country.
KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked with KUT and KUTX General Manager Debbie Hiott about what this means for the public media stations in Austin.
Interview: PBS CEO says “this time is different” with threatened federal funding cuts.
President Donald Trump tried to fire three members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting even though it’s not a government entity. Now, they are suing him. KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked to PBS CEO Paula Kerger about how public television is funded and how federal funding might be in jeopardy. This is not the first time there has been talk of defunding public media, but Kerger says “this time is different.”
UT Austin professors fear Trump administration’s funding cuts will derail life-saving research
The Trump administration has been slashing funding for a federal agency that supports biomedical research across the U.S. KUT’s Olivia Aldridge and Becky Fogel talked to UT Austin professors who say funding from the National Institutes of Health is essential for running their labs.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 7, 2025: A second child in Texas died from measles.
Central Texas top stories for April 7, 2025. A bill that could shut down Austin’s Equity Office is one step closer to the Texas governor’s desk. The Trump administration’s cuts to funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture are affecting food banks across the country, including here in Austin. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. traveled to Texas Sunday after a second child there died from measles. Austin Public Health is holding multiple free screenings and events this week. The NCAA women’s basketball championship game was played yesterday afternoon, without the Texas Longhorns who fell to South Carolina Friday Night.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 4, 2025: Austin Public Health lost funding due to federal budget cuts.
Central Texas top stories for April 4, 2025. Austin Public Health leadership says the agency has lost funding due to recent budget cuts at federal health agencies. Construction of an extension of the 183A toll road in Leander is nearing completion. Drivers trying to get an emissions inspection right now may experience delays. Texas women’s basketball team will play in the Final Four tonight for the first time in 22 years.
KUT Morning Newscast for February 20, 2025: Federal cuts are affecting an Austin nonprofit that helps people find health coverage.
Central Texas top stories for February 20, 2025. The Austin area is under an Extreme Cold Warning until today at noon. The city will keep shelters open through Friday night – and maybe beyond. Federal budget cuts are affecting Foundation Communities, an Austin nonprofit that helps people find health coverage. An Amber Alert has been issued for a teenager missing from Temple.