Firefly

Food banks struggle to meet rising demand

What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details.

Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs.

Even without a pandemic, Texas food banks are facing shortages and surging need. The CEO of Feeding Texas joins us to talk about what’s driving the crisis.

Funds for adult education were first put on hold, then released – but there’s a big asterisk. The Standard’s Sarah Asch on a policy change that could affect adult ed.

Plus: Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn dishes on his latest list of the top BBQ 50 spots in the state.

KUT Morning Newscast for April 2, 2025: The City of Austin is working with a non-profit to help improve access to housing.

Central Texas top stories for April 2, 2025. A new nonprofit is using City of Austin money to help house people experiencing homelessness. The Texas Senate passed a bill that would require people to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote in state elections. The deadline to vote in May’s local elections is tomorrow. Researchers at NASA are working with an Austin-area company to better understand sever weather patterns on Earth.

Why Texas is so vulnerable to tariff impacts

Texas is in the crosshairs as tariffs against Mexico and Canada take hold. Why, what it means, and could short-term pain add up to long-term gain?

At the state capitol, a bill aimed at raising wages for workers who care for people with disabilities. Why some fear it won’t be enough to stem a critical shortage of such workers in Texas.

“Office Space” may have been a funny movie filmed in Texas, but there’s nothing funny about what a glut of unused office space is doing to the state’s metros. How one city’s trying to deal with the repercussions.

Speaking of movies, oh the horror! Why so few of the scary variety get critical acclaim, despite a growing public appetite.

Troops may return to Big Bend National Park

With a hot, dry summer looming, how some state lawmakers want to reduce the risk of wildfires.
It’s been decades since active-duty troops patrolled Big Bend. Now they may be headed back to the national park.
Nearly two years after one of the deadliest human smuggling incidents in Texas, a look at how victims’ families and survivors are coping.
And: We’ll check in with the Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey about the week ahead at the Legislature and what’s coming up for school funding.

KUT Morning Newscast for March 3, 2025: A spacecraft built just outside of Austin landed on the moon.

Central Texas top stories for March 3, 2025. Firefly Aerospace’s “Blue Ghost” lunar vehicle successfully landed on the moon early Sunday morning. Local officials are urging the community to start preparing for wildfire season now. NASCAR driver Christopher Bell came out on top in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Texas Women’s basketball team won the Southeastern Conference in their first year in the league.

KUT Morning Newscast for February 12, 2025: KUT’s third season of “The Disconnect” is now available.

Central Texas top stories for February 12, 2025. SIMS foundation, an Austin nonprofit that provides low to no-cost mental health care to musicians, say they’re restarting services, but musicians still have questions. A lunar lander manufactured by Firefly in the Austin area is making its way to the moon, now the company is expanding operations in town. Certain brands of cans of tuna have been recalled by Tri-Union Seafoods, in Texas that includes the H-E-B label and Genova.