Governor Greg Abbott

KUT Afternoon Newscast for September 17, 2025: Student no longer enrolled at Texas State University after imitating death of Charlie Kirk

Central Texas top stories for September 17, 2025. A Texas State University student is no longer enrolled at the university after a video of him mocking the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk circulated online. Austin police say there’s now a murder charge against the man accused of shooting a woman last week before shooting a police officer. A heavily-used bridge over I-35 will be closed all day tomorrow for emergency repairs. Texas Volleyball is back at Gregory Gym tonight looking to stay unbeaten.

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The Texas ties to an infamous Atari flop

Gov. Greg Abbott seems to be taking THC regulation into his own hands. What we know about what he wants to change.
About 20% of Medicaid recipients lose access during the yearly renewal process because of all the red tape. How Texas researchers are trying to fix that.
Texas is home to more than 100 Hispanic-Serving Institutions, but new federal cuts could eliminate funding that supports these colleges and universities.
What to know about Texas House Rep. James Talarico, the newcomer shaking up the race for U.S. Senate.
Solving the Atari game mystery that’s been lingering for decades – and its connections to El Paso.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Tesla’s robotaxi plans shift into gear

Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom joins the show with a live update from the Capitol as the Legislature’s first special session ends amid a Democratic walkout.
After flooding and a historically wet July, new concerns about water levels dropping.
As students return to the classroom, more and more schools are being shuttered. The Standard’s Zachary Suri examines the long-term impact in Austin.
Tesla now has a permit to offer ride-hailing in Texas through next August. The company’s been testing robotaxis in Austin since June, and Elon Musk says “open access” is coming soon.

Virtual public school enrollment surges

Gov. Greg Abbott threatens a concurrent second special session with a Democratic walkout still underway. Is there any end in sight?
Details from a new release of materials withheld by Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district in the wake of the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting.
What’s behind a massive growth in virtual schooling in Texas?
W.F. Strong meditates on what welcomes Texans back home after a long time away.
And: The scene at Voz de la Paloma, a women’s mariachi competition in honor of a San Antonio ranchera icon.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Processing the range of emotions surrounding Hill Country flood tragedy

The Texas Newsroom finds that responders to the Hill Country floods called for a public alert early Friday, a warning some say came hours too late.
The upcoming special session of the Legislature, which originally looked like it would focus on regulating THC, now includes several emergency preparedness topics.
And: Gillian Rodriguez with the Texas Counseling Association in the Hill Country has been pulling together resources to help fellow Texans process the range of emotions surrounding the devastating flooding.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Protests erupt over immigration raids as Abbott calls in National Guard

Gov. Greg Abbott is calling National Guard troops into Texas to respond to immigration raid protests in the state.
Texas had a new speaker of the House this legislative session. So how did Rep. Dustin Burrows handle the job?
Flights out of the busy, and getting busier, Austin airport have been increasingly delayed because of staffing shortages. How it’s affecting passengers.
President Trump reportedly wants Texas to re-draw district lines to favor Republicans – but some in his party aren’t so sure that’s a good idea.
And: We’ll introduce you to Los Pink Cheese Green Goes, a three-piece band making its unique mark on the Spanish-language pop scene.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 4, 2025: Austin is revamping its Live Music Fund.

Central Texas top stories for February 4, 2025. Austin may be making some changes to its Live Music Fund. Texas Governor Greg Abbott wants the state legislature to secure the future of the Texas water supply. Rent prices in the Austin area fell again last month. Austin Community College will begin offering classes in Lockhart this month. There’s been a sudden jump in gasoline prices in the Austin area.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 14, 2024

Central Texas top stories for November 14, 2024. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is telling public colleges and universities not to increase tuition for another two school years. The race for Austin Mayor is coming down to a small number of uncounted votes in Williamson County. The Onion buys Infowars. Wynn Roser is Texas’ new commissioner of higher education.

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.

Is Greg Abbott angling for a spot as Trump’s VP candidate?

Gov. Greg Abbott is issuing political endorsements, in what may be the first step in promised payback against some fellow Republicans. Also, a closer look at the governor’s own possible political ambitions.

Early voting gets underway in Houston’s mayoral runoff, and a new poll shows state Sen. John Whitmire with a seven-point lead over U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.

Cow pies and black flies: the future of agricultural food? A Texas A&M professor explains.

Plus, just how nuts is it out there? We’ll hear what’s behind the large numbers of acorns all over the place.

60 years after JFK assassination, revisiting the stories of two witnesses in Dallas

It’s been a political season in Texas like few others in recent memory. After a legislative session and four special sessions, where do we stand?

November 22, 1963: It was on this date 60 years ago that a sunny Friday in Dallas turned into one of the darkest days in the history of the United States. We’ll hear firsthand accounts from two who were there in John F. Kennedy’s presidential motorcade when shots rang out in Dealey Plaza, and the world held its breath.

Everything you always wanted to know about the Texas energy grid

Texas senators met yesterday to talk about two divisive issues: property taxes and the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton. So where do things stand?

Can Texas’ power grid withstand the heat? We’ll get detailed on supply and demand.

A new book from journalist Dan Solomon, ‘The Fight for Midnight,’ reimagines Wendy Davis’ 2013 abortion filibuster as YA fiction.

And a new law protecting trap-neuter-release programs for cats will soon go into effect – but some say there’s a problem no one considered.

Uvalde mariachi team’s win was a bright spot in a year of darkness

Why couldn’t Republicans who control the Legislature see eye to eye?

There’s a cost to Texas taxpayers that comes with the Legislature going into overtime. Professor Mark Jones of Rice University helps us crunch the numbers.

The Texas Education Agency is expected to take over the Houston Independent School District on Thursday. We’ll take a look at what state-appointed managers face once they start getting settled in.

How did a fight over state incentives to attract business in Texas turn out – and did business boosters get what they wanted?

Plus, the young mariachi band that gave Uvalde something to cheer for.

What’s in store for lawmakers’ first special session?

The gavels have fallen on the 88th legislative session, yet lawmakers are still in action, as the governor called the first of what are expected to be multiple special sessions. We’ll look at the unfinished business on the agenda, and a special focus on where we stand with several bills related to public education.

The nonprofit organization Refugee Services of Texas – the largest resettlement agency in the state – is shutting down after four decades, citing mounting financial pressures.

Also, journalist Maria Hinojosa with more on a new special on Uvalde set to debut on PBS tonight.

Is prosecuting librarians the next front in Texas’ book wars?

You’ve heard about library book bans in Texas, but behind the scenes there is a campaign underway to prosecute librarians for putting certain books on the shelves of school and public libraries.

After four decades, Texas politician Ben Barnes comes clean about his role, and that of former Texas Gov. John Connally, to delay the release of 52 American hostages held in Iran in order to ensure the election of Ronald Regan. Peter Baker of the New York Times joins us.

Also Texas gets a new professional sports franchise – not football or basketball, but Major League Cricket.

Soy de Tejas art exhibit highlights Latino artists in the Lone Star State

Black lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are pushing colleagues for changes to key Texas laws. Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds, chair of the Black Caucus, joins us to discuss top priorities in the 88th session on issues ranging from criminal justice reform and environmental justice to voting rights.

The Standard’s Kristen Cabrera on an effort in San Antonio to bridge the gap between public art exhibitions and marginalized communities.

And no Texas teams in the Super Bowl, but there are some big reasons for Texas football fans to get excited for Sunday’s big game.

What Texas House committee assignments say about this session

Two prominent names in Texas politics get key assignments on Capitol Hill in a pushback against GOP investigations.

Democrats lose top slots on influential Texas House committees. What could that mean for some hot-button issues before the Texas legislature?

A directive from the governor’s office to state colleges and universities to consider employment on merit alone, calling diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives a rebranded form of employment discrimination.

And DQ’s are a Texas thing, right? We’ll get the full scoop.

How are Texas ranchers dealing with a hay shortage?

Two prominent scholars weigh in on what Texans should be listening for in tonight’s State of the Union address.

School vouchers or something quite similar promise to play a big role in the Texas legislative session now underway.

After a drought and ice storms, many Texas ranchers are facing a hay shortage and are fighting rising prices and scrambling for alternatives.

And a case from Texas 20 years ago that had ripple effects nationwide: our conversation with Wesley Phelps, the author of “Before Lawrence v. Texas: The Making of a Queer Social Movement.”

The odds on a Greg Abbott presidential bid

During his run for reelection as Texas Governor, many speculated Greg Abbott had his sights on a presidential run. So why the silence? We’ll explore. Other stories we’re tracking: the return of the Orion Capsule and the end of the Artemis I mission: where are we now? Plus the impact for Texas as plans get rolling to serve as a World Cup 2026 host site. And holiday TV movies: a part of the season for many Texas families. We’ll talk to a fan of these films who found herself on the other side of the camera. All those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

TCU makes history with College Football Playoff selection

After a little more than a year in office, the Texas Secretary of State is stepping down. We’ll look at why, and what it means for Texas. Other stories we’re tracking: how a Texan who may be mulling a presidential run in 2024 could, win or lose, shake up politics in Texas in a big way and why. Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News explains. Also the murder trial of a former Fort Worth police officer gets underway after lengthy delays. We’ll hear more. And the rise and fall of crypto and its impact on the Texas power grid. Plus, TCU: Cinderella no more as the Horned Frogs land in the college football playoffs. All that and then some today on the Texas Standard: