gun

Why Fort Worth ISD is canceling sex ed this year

Fallen trees and branches, downed power lines and more as Texas weathers the first statewide winter storm of 2023. The worst of the weather stretches along a line west of I-35, but most Texans are feeling the impact one way or another, with driving extremely hazardous and scattered outages leaving hundreds of thousands without power.

There’s been lots of talk about property taxes in this legislative session. How’d they get so high in the first place?

Fort Worth ISD scraps its plans for a sex education course after spending millions in the ramp-up. So why the reversal?

Also a PolitiFact check of gun violence claims.

In Texas, you can be forced to sell your condo

Eight months after the school shooting in Uvalde, Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez announces a package of gun safety reforms. Will Texas Republicans take it up?

A decades-old Texas is law forcing some condo owners to leave their homes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first lab-grown meat product for human consumption. But will consumers bite?

After conquering the hearts of many a Texan, Willie Nelson and Family take Sundance.

And a PolitiFact check of President Biden over whether wages are keeping up with inflation.

How a ban on TikTok at UT-Austin affects journalists and other students

The Texas House and Senate release their spending roadmaps for the session, leaving tens of billions on the table unspent. It may be an understatement to say the state is awash in cash. Both chambers are now proposing unprecedented outlays. Bob Garret of the Dallas Morning News joins us to help with the numbers. Also pressure on Texas lawmakers to take more action on gun safety in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde. Also what health experts are learning about Long Covid and chronic fatigue. And Omar Gallaga discovers a de facto treasure trove for PC gamers. And time runs out for TikTok on many Texas campuses. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Largest teacher prep program in Texas at risk of losing accreditation

A long awaited report on Maternal Mortality in Texas is now two months delayed and may not be available for the next legislative session. We’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re tracking: amid a statewide teacher shortage, the biggest teacher accreditation program in Texas now facing the possible loss of accreditation. We’ll hear more. And after several local ordinances to decriminalize marijuana pass on the November ballot, a pushback from many local officials. Also a singer from El Paso who’s new release, Frontera, is turning a spotlight on latino voices in country music. Our conversation with Valerie Ponzio, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Corpus Christi designated a World War II Heritage City

A date that will live in infamy, and a new designation for Corpus Christi as a World War II heritage city. We’ll have details. Other stories we’re covering: as the thoughts of many Texans turn to winter preparedness, concerns grow over the power grid and staffing problems for the agency that oversees it. Also a Politifact check of a claim about gun homicides. And remembering a Lubbock-born Texas iconoclast who transformed the creative landscape. Michael Hall of Texas Monthly looks back on the words and music of Jo Carol Pierce who passed away last week. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 16, 2022

With an expected split in power on Capitol Hill, what does that mean for Texans? Coming up, the Texas Tribune’s Matthew Choi on bills that could affect Texas in a big way, and the potential for gridlock In Congress. Also, after the winter power disaster of 2021, Texas officials rolling out a plan to help one of the most vulnerable groups of Texans: dialysis patients. And for the first time since the end of the Apollo program, NASA takes a giant leap to the moon. More on today’s launch of Artemis 1 and what’s ahead. And with interest rates rising and turbulence in the housing market, the Dallas fed raises red flags. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: October 12, 2022

After the shooting at Robb Elementary, Uvalde came together. Now, concerns that Uvalde’s becoming a town divided by tragedy. Coming up, our conversation with the mother of a 10 year old killed in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary and her concerns that as questions continue to swirl around accountability and gun violence, some in the community just want to move on. Also the biggest grant in the history of the university of North Texas leads to potentially groundbreaking research on Alzheimers. And a Politifact check of claims by a Texas congressman about immigrants from Venezuela. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 23, 2022

With record numbers of detentions at the border, where do we stand with immigration enforcement? We’ll have the head of Customs and Border protection today. Also with fewer than 50 days until statewide elections, today the second interview in our look at the Agriculture Commissioner’s race. Yesterday it was the democratic challenger. Today, our conversation with incumbent republican Sid Miller. Also details of a new survey of Texans on gun regulations and, in the wake of Uvalde, the psychological impact on parents, teachers and students. Plus concerns about a shortage of certified teachers in the classroom, the week that was in Texas politics and more today on the Texas Standard:

Uvalde: What’s Next? – A Texas Standard Special (Rebroadcast)

Texans are still reeling from the stories of Uvalde. But are schools any safer now? Today we’ll hear from Texans: students, educators, experts in crime and mental health. But also victims and survivors. We’ll sort through going back to class in the wake of the state’s deadliest school shooting. Uvalde: What’s Next? A special rebroadcast on today’s Texas Standard:

Uvalde: What’s Next? – A Texas Standard Special

Texans are still reeling from the stories from Uvalde. Are schools any safer now? We take a look today on a special edition of the Texas Standard. We will hear form Texans, students, educators, and experts in crime and mental health, but also victims and survivors. We’ll sort through going back to class in the wake of the states deadliest school shooting, today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 9, 2022

Immigration enforcement is a federal function, but Texas authorities have been transporting migrants for months. Now, the ACLU wants the federal government to look into it. We’ll have the latest. Also the city of Houston recently collected more than 800 firearms as part of a gun buyback program. But will that make the city any safer? And are we in a recession? That depends who you ask. We’ll get you up to speed on the state’s economic outlook. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 26, 2022

The House Committee Report on the school shooting in Uvalde and what may be conspicuous omissions. Jim Henson of the Texas Politics Projects says a closer inspection of the House report on Uvalde may be revealing about the intersection between the investigation and politics as usual. We’ll hear more. Also what’s behind a low-key review of votes from 2020 in Tarrant County? And the Feds open a civil rights investigation into Houston’s response to complaints about illegal dumping. Plus will abortion restrictions translate into more young Texans turning out at the polls this November? Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 19, 2022

Outrage and demands for action as Uvalde’s school board meets with members of the community to hear concerns about school safety. Camille Phillips of Texas Public radio was at last nights school board meeting in Uvalde, we’ll hear details. Also the Texas Newsrooms Sergio Martínez-Beltrán talks with former Texas supreme Court justice Eva Guzman, one of the co-chairs of the Texas House panel which on Sunday released its report on the shooting. Also an unexpected botanical discovery in Big Bend. And why car repossession’s are up… Way up and what that could portend. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 14, 2022

After confusing accounts over law enforcements response to the school shooting in Uvalde, the surveillance camera footage appears to offer clarity, but there’s been pushback over its publication.Tony Plohetski of the Austin American Statesman and KVUE joins us with more. And a new poll shows democratic challengers in the top 3 statewide races in Texas closing the gap on republican incumbents as election day approaches, just 5 points separating Governor Abbott and Beto O’Rourke. We’ll have the latest numbers plus much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 13, 2022

At the hearings on the January 6th insurrection, the spotlight turns to the some potentially key figures from Texas. We’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re tracking: an 85 billion dollar ten year transportation plan for Texas. What it includes and what it leaves out as the state tries to deal with a growing population. And with that growing population, a boom in new home construction. But why so many delays in finishing projects? Plus water levels low on many Texas rivers and questions about whether businesses catering to river recreation will sink or swim. And the Mexican activists fielding calls from Texans seeking abortions. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 1, 2022

What the Supreme Court ruling in an environmental case filed by West Virginia means for Texas and the world at large. Its a decision seen as severely hampering the Biden Administrations efforts to curb climate change. We’ll take a closer look. Also a pair of first amendment rulings on religious freedom and what they add up to for everyday life. And Texas police chiefs offer a list of recommendations to reduce the number school shootings including changes to gun laws. Plus more listener reaction to the demise of Roe v. wade, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 28, 2022

An horrific discovery outside of San Antonio where investigators describe one of the deadliest human smuggling incidents in years. The bodies of at least 50 people, all suspected migrants, found in and around an unair-conditioned abandoned tractor trailer truck. We’ll have the latest. Also the continued repercussions of the Dobbs decision. How the fall of Roe factors into Texas politics: specifically the race for governor. Plus post Roe privacy concerns and the intersection with technology, including the smartphone. And the push for truancy reforms after the shooting in Uvalde and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 23, 2022

The head of the Uvalde school police force put on administrative leave amid growing questions about law enforcement’s response. Investigative reporter Tony Plohetski with the latest on a back and forth over what actually happened in those long minutes before police stormed the school shooter in Uvalde. Also as Capitol Hill takes up a bipartisan gun safety bill, Texas Republicans lambasting the Republican Texas Senator at the center of talks. We’ll hear more. And what does it mean to be resilient? A Texas coach on why we get resilience wrong and what science suggests we should get better at. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 22, 2022

Did the on-scene Commander in Uvalde put the lives of police ahead of the lives of children? New pieces of the story emerge. On today’s show, State Senator Paul Bettencourt with reaction to yesterday’s Senate hearing on law enforcement’s response in Uvalde. Meanwhile a bipartisan group of 13 big city mayors in Texas calls on state leaders to hold a special session to prevent more mass shootings. We’ll talk with the mayor of Arlington. And you bought it, but can you fix it? Legally? Why a new law covering power wheelchairs in Colorado may have big ripple effects here in Texas. Also a Politifact check and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 17, 2022

Is there a big push for Governor Abbott at the Texas GOP Convention? Not exactly… Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom with the latest. Other stories we’re tracking, more warnings of record demand for electricity in coming days as Texas tries to beat the heat. While wind and solar getting credit for helping us avoid major blackouts, why these ongoing warnings? And is Texas moving quickly enough to meet constantly growing demand? Also, a new massive SpaceX rocket test cleared for liftoff in South Texas? The FAA imposes new restrictions. And reflections on Juneteenth: do Black Texans consider themselves really free? Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard: