The Barbie film was one of the summer’s runaway hits. Some may be still feeling ripple effects from it. That inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
film
Dungeons & Dragons becomes lifeline for some Texas death row prisoners
When it comes the electric grid, every megawatt counts during peak demand. Industrial batteries have long been seen as a potential game-changer for energy storage. We’ll have details about how they’re coming online in the Lone Star State.
A new vaccine for COVID-19 will be in pharmacies soon. An epidemiologist lays out what you and your family needs to know.
Plus, Dungeons & Dragons on death row, the latest headlines, and a school finance revolt in North Texas.
Why the film and TV strikes are at an awful time for Texas
A change in leadership in the embattled Texas foster care system is bringing with it some optimism.
Texas doesn’t have enough space in psychiatric hospitals, so some people are staying in jails instead. We’ll explore their legal limbo.
A new investigation from the Dallas Morning News explores the history and impact of excessive use of police force in Dallas.
The film strikes in Hollywood are having more than just ripple effects here in Texas – why the timing was especially bad for the state.
And it’s Friday, so that means the Typewriter Rodeo and a wrap of the week in Texas politics.
KUT Morning Newscast for August 16, 2023
Central Texas top stories for August 16, 2023. Budget process begins for Austin. Amaze wildfire spreads near Smithville. New film studio to open in San Marcos
How to catch a wave in Waco
The president of Texas A&M has resigned amid turmoil over the botched hiring of a journalism professor. We’ll have the latest.
Amid record heat, Texas prisoners struggle to cool down in facilities that lack air conditioning.
Harris County has sued the state over a new law that will eliminate its elections department – and, officials say, cause problems for voters.
Texas-raised filmmaker Taylor Sheridan is getting kudos for boosting the number of Native Americans on screen.
The Austin Outlaws, a women’s tackle football team, celebrate a historic season.
Some of the state’s best-known towns for surfing include Galveston, Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, South Padre Island and … Waco. Yes, Waco.
And taco expert Mando Rayo with top summer sipping tips.
What’s the future of air conditioning in Texas?
You’ve heard of abandoned, so-called orphan oil wells? Now there’s a growing concern about zombie wells.
After the pandemic, Texas Medicaid rolls are shrinking – but many are losing coverage for procedural reasons, and they may not even realize it.
A new state law means that next year, construction workers in some Texas cities may not have the protections they do now requiring water breaks
With climate change, can demand for A/C keep up? We talk to an author who says it might be making things worse.
And at TV stations large and small, something strange: the case of the disappearing meteorologists.
Texas Extra: More from a Texas intersex advocate about what we all need to know about bodies
We’re experimenting with bonus episodes here at the Standard. This one is another extended interview.
This conversation with political consultant and intersex activist Alicia Roth Weigel first aired Thursday. We had so much to talk about when it came to her experiences in life and with her new movie — “Every Body” — and we wanted to bring you more.
As always, we’re interested in what you think of our bonus content. You can let us know on social media or on the contact us page at Texas Standard dot org. Thanks — and happy extended listening!
How the Farm Bill is about a lot more than farming
Another election day looming, another deadline to register to vote. We’ll look at what Texans need to know.
A court decision that could change rules involving gun laws and domestic violence.
They call it a farm bill, but it affects issues ranging from SNAP benefits to environmental regulations. A closer look at one of the most consequential items on Congress’ agenda.
That little blue badge on Twitter: what does it mean nowadays? Omar Gallaga with a reality check.
And as Texas lawmakers move to help with water issues for colonias, communities struggle with other mounting issues.
What’s next as pandemic-era housing assistance winds down
Several bills are aimed at building more homes, but what about Texas renters, many reeling from the end of assistance programs? State lawmakers are being urged to take action on housing affordability, or more precisely, the lack thereof.
What’s an education savings program? Critics say it’s just another spin on school vouchers. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom previews Senate committee hearings on the measure.
Is there really such a thing as “too low” when it comes to unemployment rates? The Standard’s Sean Saldana explains.
And remembering El Rey de la Cumbia, Fito Olivares.
Ideas for combatting the trucking shortage
Five men are handed over in Mexico along with a letter purportedly from the Gulf Cartel apologizing for the “senseless crime” of violently kidnapping four Americans, leaving two of them and one Mexican dead. U.S. officials say the apology seems authentic, though perhaps not sincere.
What’s being done to combat the nation’s shortage of truck drivers.
A sneak peek at the start of SXSW Film as the festival kicks off in Austin.
And the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
What we watched in 2022
In 2022, Texas played more than just bit parts on screens big and small. We look back at the year that was for Texas on film and TV. We’ll have our conversation with one of the most celebrated directors of the Lone Star State, Richard Linklater, on his movie about growing up in Texas at a time when the US was aiming for the moon. Also an actor and comedian from Houston by way of Kuwait, Mo Amer, on his hit Netflix series and what his title character tells us about the Texas of today. And South Texas born comedian, actor and author, Cristela Alonzo on her streaming success, and gettin middle classy. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 11, 2022
Governor Abbot’s orders to investigate parents proving gender affirming care for transgender kids. We’ll have more on the legal fight. Plus the fight to win popular support: a University of Texas propaganda researcher war being fought over Ukraine, and how to tell fact from fiction. Also, how the conflict is putting pressure on a prestigious Texas based music competition. And Texas is a leader in renewable energy. The problem? How to store it. San Antonio buys in to a novel solution that borrows from lessons learned in fracking. And the passing of Willie Nelson’s longest running music partner, his sister Bobbie. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 10, 2022
A murder in Lubbock turns a spotlight on violence faced by Trans Texans. We’ll have the latest. Also, a Trump administration directive ordering rapid deportations, still imposed by the Biden Administration. But court orders are chipping away at it. How much longer will Title 42 be sustained? Possible changes coming to border enforcement. And progressives in Texas making serious headway? A deeper dig into details from the recent Texas primaries. Also the push to open up Texas to online gambling, and the pushback from some in health care. And the in-person return of one of Texas biggest international events. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 18, 2022
Nineteen indictments of Austin police officers in what appears to be one of the biggest indictments of a single police department in connection with the racial justice demonstrations of 2020. Also, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 9, 2022
As more teachers quit, those who remain are taking on more students and more responsibilities; a survey suggests a new Texas public school crisis in the making. Also, efforts to ban certain books from school libraries and how what’s been happening in Hood County may be a harbinger of what’s ahead. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 23, 2021
After 30 years in Congress, a top Texas Democrat decides not to run for another term. Our conversation with Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson. Also, small town Texas was once a haven for those fleeing rising home prices in Texas’ cities. Not so much anymore. The Texas Standards Jill Ament on housing affordability in small town Texas. And a house divided: a split at a Fort Worth church leaves congregants picking sides and picking up the pieces. And what’s been described as a victory for the Land Back movement as ancestral burial grounds in Presidio are returned to the Lipan Apache. Those stories and much more on todays Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 29, 2021
Almost all of Texas is red on a CDC map tracking high COVID-19 transmission rates. One of the state’s top infectious disease expert breaks down mask guidance and what we should be considering as kids prepare to go back to school. The potential spread of the virus is also behind the governor’s new executive order. It’s aimed at migrants but it’s broad in scope and is raising some serious concerns. Plus one of the biggest companies in the gaming industry is getting called out by its own employees for its destructive workplace culture. And a pair of remembrances today – a musician with a beard that you probably know and an activist who shunned the limelight that you ought to know. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: June 30, 2021
To declare a disaster or to not declare a disaster? That is the question before counties along the border. The disaster declarations are part of a bigger plan from Governor Abbott that includes his wall. We’ll talk about that in light of his visit to the border with former president Trump. We’ll also look at how Abbott ending federal unemployment benefits also ends state benefits for some Texans. And Bastrop is growing. We’ll look at the plans for a new state of the art film studio. And speaking of growth, Lubbock has a plan for its growth over the next 20 years. Will communities often forgotten be included this time? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 16, 2021
As federal officials warn of plans to use a Dallas convention center as an immigration holding facility, concerns grow at the border. Republicans are using the rising numbers of border apprehensions to point to a crisis there, meanwhile the Biden administration having difficulty finding shelter for thousands of young migrants in the U.S. without legal status. We’ll have the latest. Also a rift at the top of Texas politics? Plus Changes to voting laws in the crosshairs at the capitol? And an idea comes of age: home power storage for such as crisis as a winter storm. All those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 3, 2021
New executive orders on asylum seekers and family separation policies at the border get a lukewarm reception from advocates for change. President Biden orders an official review of the remain in Mexico policies. Some are asking why not just change the policy? Also COVID-19 and the double squeeze on nonprofits. More demand for their services, but less money to provide those services… We’ll explore. And the governor’s call for legislation to further restrict abortion access in Texas. Are republican lawmakers hoping for a fight in the high court? Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: