Central Texas top stories for July 2, 2025. Advocacy groups say efforts to support migrant children and students learning English could be in peril because of delay in federal funding. The Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center in Austin could be relocating soon. Austin didn’t see any 100-degree days during June; it’s the first time since 2019. A watercraft ban is in effect on Lake Austin starting tomorrow afternoon.
homelessness
KUT Morning Newscast for June 16, 2025: Thousands join ‘No Kings’ protest in Austin. An arrest was made after a threat against Texas lawmakers.
Central Texas top stories for June 16, 2025. The “No Kings” protest in Austin on Saturday remained peaceful. The Texas Department of Public Safety made one arrest earlier in the day related to threats against state lawmakers who were expected to speak. AISD will receive millions of dollars in new funding as a result of state legislation passed this year, but officials worry it might not be enough. Starting today Austinites might see Cap Metro’s new Transit Police officers at stations and on board of transit services. Georgetown is considering changes to its rules on where people can sit and lie down in public.
KUT Morning Newscast for May 28, 2025: A bill targeting cities over their homelessness policies failed this week in the Texas House.
Central Texas top stories for May 28, 2025. We had a rainy morning, and severe storms are also a possibility for the Austin area this afternoon. A bill targeting cities over their homelessness policies failed this week in the Texas House. The Austin Independent School District plans to create a school mental health center at Martin Middle School.
KUT Morning Newscast for May 2, 2025: Roughly 3,200 people experience homelessness in Austin on any given night.
Central Texas top stories for May 2, 2025. A tornado touched down in Burnet County yesterday, a house and a building were destroyed. Protesters marched down Congress Avenue in Austin yesterday to speak out against the Trump administration. The number of people experiencing homelessness in Austin and the surrounding counties has increased by about 36 percent, according to the latest point-in-time count. Voters will be going to the poles this weekend for the May 3 elections. The Austin Independent School District is working on plans to turn around three campuses that have received several failing grades in a row from the state.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 29, 2025: Today is the last day of in-person Early Voting in the May 3 election.
Central Texas top stories for April 29, 2025. Today is the last day of in-person Early Voting in the May 3 local election. City leaders say funding is needed to address Austin’s homelessness. Parking rates are going up at ABIA’s Red and Blue parking garages. Georgetown’s animal shelter hopes merging with another shelter will help address overcrowding issues.
WNBA draft sends top pick Paige Bueckers to Texas
An area known as the Roosevelt Reservation is getting renewed attention thanks to an executive order allowing for military control. What it could mean for border communities.
Texas disability organizations are closely watching a legal fight involving the Social Security Administration.
SpaceX is becoming the go-to provider for military launches. How the Texas-based company secured contracts that used to go elsewhere.
The Dallas Wings landed star University of Connecticut point guard Paige Bueckers with their No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft.
Why an Austin drag queen is giving weekly lectures on state politics.
And: We celebrate the birthday of Tejano superstar Selena with a visit to her hometown museum.
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.
KUT Morning Newscast for December 2, 2024
Central Texas top stories for December 2, 2024. Early voting for runoff elections in Travis County starts today. President-elect Donald Trump’s plans on how to address homelessness might affect Austin’s long-term plans to get people to housing. The only clinic in Texas that exclusively serves uninsured children needs to find a new place. Here’s how to watch out for seasonal scams. The Longhorns will play to win the SEC championship. UT- Austin will host first and second rounds of the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Championship.
KUT Morning Newscast for November 21, 2024
Central Texas top stories for November 21, 2024. Travis County leaders are set to vote today on expanding programs for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Plans to build two tolled lanes in each direction on MoPac in South Austin are accelerating. A state lawmaker is hoping to kickstart a high-speed rail line North Texas to Austin and San Antonio. Austin Community College plans to start offering its advanced manufacturing classes nationwide.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 17, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 17, 2024. The deadline to vote by mail for this fall’s election is approaching. The number of young people experiencing homelessness in the Austin area has more than tripled since 2020. Texas lawmakers are working on legislation that may restrict whether people can wear masks or other face coverings during protests. Join us for a night dip at Barton Springs during tonight’s supermoon!
KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 16, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 16, 2024. State lawmakers hope to tackle the issue of homelessness in Texas. Williamson County’s “I voted” sticker was designed by a local middle school student. The San Marcos City Council has voted unanimously to pass a plan for the city’s future development. The next in a series of supermoons hits its peak tomorrow evening.
PBS special explores untold Latino history
With immigration a major issue in presidential politics, the Fifth Circuit takes up Texas’ challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
North Texas car dealerships accused of racially discriminatory practices are now suing the Federal Trade Commission, saying their interference is unconstitutional.
A new study finds Black and Latino consumers are twice as likely to be prone to digital scams or cyber attacks.
And: The PBS special “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos” sheds light on the evolving story of Latinos in media, academia and beyond.
Officials renew push for Texas-Mexico rail project
What to do with the waste generated by nuclear power plants? The Supreme Court will review a plan to store it in West Texas.
The latest financial reports are in for campaign fundraising throughout the state, and Republicans are focusing heavily on South Texas.
Meta is doubling down on efforts to appeal to Gen-Z and recently reached out to young influencers at an event in Austin called “Facebook IRL.”
The late Texas singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith is the subject of a new book. We’ll talk with author Brian T. Atkinson about her legacy and what he learned about her while writing.
And: Politicians on both sides of the border are advocating for a train connecting Austin with Monterrey, Mexico. What needs to happen for the plan to move forward.
Supreme Court kicks off new term with high-profile cases
A new term begins for the U.S. Supreme Court, with growing political pressure on the court. We’ll have a preview of what’s ahead and what it could mean for Texans.
As the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the U.S. State Department is urging American citizens in Lebanon to stay informed about available assistance.
The one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel falls between two of Judaism’s holiest days. As fighting intensifies between Israelis, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran with growing numbers of civilians killed, a rabbi in Austin is trying to manage concerns and divides he’s encountered.
Presidio County seeks ownership of international bridge
A massive dockworkers strike has ended – but the settlement reached is only a tentative deal, and it leaves one of the most contentious issues still unsettled.
Presidio County wants to gain control of an international crossing that’s currently in the hands of the state. But the process might be more complex than it seems.
A new documentary, “We’re Here,” examines the aftermath of the Smokehouse Creek Fire that scorched millions of acres in the Panhandle earlier this year.
And: Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is coming alive with its annual Fortlandia exhibit. The Standard’s Patrick M. Davis and takes us behind the scenes.
Hidalgo County election overturned after being decided by handful of votes
Some top politicos are sensing that, for the first time in decades, this could be the year Texas sends a Democrat to the U.S. Senate.
Texas lawmakers are lining up to clamp down on hemp-based products like Delta 8 and Delta 9 being sold statewide.
Last fall, Edinburg City Council Member David White won re-election by just 10 votes. His challenger contested the results – and this past week, White’s win was overturned when a judge ruled that several votes were placed illegally.
A new book explores some lesser-known stories of courage from the D-Day invasion of 80 years ago.
And: Vigilante groups are repelling migrants at the southern border. What does law enforcement think about that?
KUT Afternoon Newscast for April 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for April 22, 2024. Early voting began today. The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today on a case that could change policies banning behavior related to homelessness in Austin. Construction is kicking off inside Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as part of a quarter-billion-dollar expansion of the Barbara Jordan Terminal. The City of Austin wants to raise awareness about the threat of drink spiking. Gas prices level off. Austin FC won in Houston on Saturday.
KUT Morning Newscast for April 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for April 22, 2024. A Travis County resident is attempting to remove District Attorney José Garza from office. Early voting starts today in the May fourth local elections. Elgin ISD’s $375 million bond package. The US Supreme Court will hear arguments this week on a case that could change policies banning behavior related to homelessness in Austin. A lawsuit alleges Travis County’s taxing hospital district Central Health has improperly provided money to Dell Medical School since 2014. The City of Austin is looking into how to close the $3.8 million gap in their budget.
Which Texas cities take the lead in ending homelessness?
The U.S. Senate has passed a major aid bill for Ukraine and Israel – but its fate in the House is uncertain.
Despite its dominance in politics statewide, the Republican Party in Texas ain’t what it used to be. What’s changed, why, and what it means for the future.
As the numbers of people experiencing homelessness rise nationwide, some cities are making progress. A new report examines what’s working and what lessons can be learned.
In Texas oil country, two longtime rivals are expected to merge this year in a $26 billion deal. What it adds up to.
Plus, a conversation with celebrated author and poet Sandra Cisneros.
What you need to know about viewing the upcoming solar eclipses from Texas
Though Attorney General Ken Paxton has been acquitted on all impeachment charges, whistleblowers say they’re not giving up. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom shares more.
It’s rare for an eclipse to be visible at the same location within several years, much less a few months – but the skies over a portion of Texas will be ground zero for observing both an annular and a total solar eclipse.
At the Rescue Mission of El Paso, plenty of food is coming in – but it’s not to feed people experiencing homelessness. Instead, those people are feeding others. Texas monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn shares the mission of Hallelujah! BBQ.