In a little-watched race, Taylor Rehmet’s surprise win for Democrats in Texas may be a potential warning shot for Republicans in a midterm election year. Is this a one-off, or is the GOP in trouble in the Lone Star State?
Also, Texas environmental regulators greenlight what looks like the largest fossil-fueled power plant project in the country. We’ll dig into what it might tell us about energy and the environment in Texas going forward.
Houston
Uvalde school shooting trial is underway
Over three years later, the first criminal trial over the police response to the Uvalde school shooting is underway. We’ll have a live report with the latest in the trial of one of the first police officers to arrive at the scene of the deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary.
With a big meeting set at the White House on Friday, we’ll review the stakes for Texas’ oil industry after the capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
We’ll hear why a Texas teachers union is suing the Texas Education Agency over social media posts related to the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Plus, social media’s struggles to keep a lid on AI deepfakes.
Protecting monarch butterflies on Texas highways
He’s been an elected Democrat for over 50 years, but now local party officials in Houston are refusing to endorse Mayor John Whitmire. Unwinding the political drama, today on the Texas Standard.
Texas’ new bathroom law effects schools and government-owned buildings, but one reporter found enforcement depends on exactly where you go.
Texans Michael and Susan Dell are giving away billions to American kids. Who’s eligible and how the donation will work alongside so-called Trump Accounts.
Texas drivers know monarch butterflies all too often end up on our windshields or car grills. Efforts are underway to protect their road crossings.
Plus, some environmental concerns for the popular Dinosaur Valley State Park.
Encore presentation: Houston’s rise to become a global city
We’re bringing you a special rebroadcast from the studios of our partners at Houston Public Media, the November destination in our yearlong waltz across Texas marking 10 years on the air.
Today, we’ll explore Houston’s rise to become the nation’s newest global city.
Also, a mission to tell the true story of the first female astronauts, the Houston Chronicle with a new list of the top Houston restaurants, a take on Texas zydeco, and a whole lot more.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
George Foreman’s resilience: A two-time rags-to-riches story
Boxer, preacher, and grill super salesman George Foreman died in his longtime hometown of Houston in March.
Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong has been thinking about Foreman’s life and how he literally fought his way from rags to riches more than once.
A special broadcast from Houston
No matter where you are, you’re in for a treat as we broadcast from the biggest city in the Lone Star State.
We’re coming to you from the studios of our partners at Houston Public Media, the latest destination in our yearlong waltz across Texas marking 10 years on the air.
Today, we’ll explore Houston’s rise to become the nation’s newest global city.
Also, a mission to tell the true story of the first female astronauts, the Houston Chronicle with a new list of the top Houston restaurants, a take on Texas zydeco, and a whole lot more.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Deal to end shutdown could impose THC ban
The deal to reopen the federal government included a ban on intoxicating hemp – potentially undoing measures taken by the Texas Legislature last session.
Houston’s 9th congressional district is among those most affected by redrawn political maps. We’ll take a trip there to explore the impact.
Corpus Christi is trying to shore up water supplies. What city leaders are considering.
Apple wants to keep you connected, even on a hike in a remote place. How they might accomplish that.
Plus, both Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott made their campaign bids official this week.
Texas, western states brace for uranium boom
Signs of a possible temporary end to the federal shutdown, but closer to home concerns are growing that Texas is running out of water.
The Texas Tribune employed artificial intelligence to answer some Texans’ water concerns, but there are limits. We’ll hear from two Tribune reporters who are trying to fill in the gaps.
The U.S. race for uranium: Why Texas is finding itself at the center of it.
We’ll also talk with a member of SNL’s Five-Timer’s Club now on tour across Texas: Comedian John Mulaney.
What Texas voters should know before Election Day
With 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot next week, state officials are reminding Texans what to expect at the polls. We’ll talk with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office about dos and don’ts while voting.
Both Austin and Houston are facing financial strain, but their solutions couldn’t be more different: One wants to raise taxes, while the other wants to hold the line.
Austin DJ Laurie Gallardo, host of the podcast “SPF 1000: Vampire Sunscreen,” discusses Latinx goth culture, its roots in border life and the darker side of music and identity.
Tim Duncan’s story comes home to Texas screens
As the federal government shutdown drags on, the impact grows worse. From food benefits to trade, what it means for the Lone Star State.
Texas does not have regulations for police pursuits, and some end in deadly crashes. What can we learn from Minnesota, where accountability rules offer a potential model for reform.
Immigrants with college degrees often still struggle to find work that matches their training, but adult education programs across Texas are helping these professionals reconnect with their fields. The Standard’s Sarah Asch reports.
A new documentary premiering at the Austin Film Festival spotlights the life of Spurs great Tim Duncan.
Uncertain Times: Dreamers, MAGA Latinos & Taco Politics
Let’s get a pulse of the community and how tacos play a role in identity and politics in 2025; how taquerías are being impacted by ICE raids and explore how some Latinos or people of Mexican heritage can feel deeply connected to their culture – through food, traditions, or family – while also supporting political views that might seem at odds with their identity; and ultimately ask a Maga Latino, how he feels about undocumented immigrants picking and making his food. Guests include Chef Victoria Elizondo, DACA recipient and owner of Cochinita & Co. in Houston and Daniel Estrada, a self-described MAGA Latino and Trump supporter.
If you’d like to support the Tacos of Texas podcast and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!
New exhibit captures the meaning of ‘The Selena Effect’
A new report from the Wall Street Journal raises questions about how a prominent Texas Republican got rich as a politician. The report puts the personal finances of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the spotlight, though his supporters are calling it a hit piece. We’ll talk with one of the reporters behind the story.
A football rivalry like few others, only this year the stakes seem especially high for the Texas Longhorns as they take on Oklahoma.
What is the “Selena Effect”? A new exhibit at Texas State’s Wittliff Collections explores what is behind the enduring impact of a Tejano superstar.
Also, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
Houston megachurch faces legal revolt
A University of Texas professor says Congress has gotten so good at frequent government shutdowns, finding the political will to get back on track could be an obstacle in itself. We’ll take a closer look.
Nearly two weeks after the deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE facility, investigators say the motive may be more about notoriety than ideology.
Second Baptist Church in Houston is locked in a legal battle with its own members over leadership and finances, and the dispute is being heard in the city’s new business court.
Texas leads the nation in energy consumption, driven by population growth and the rise of AI data centers. What does it bode for the state’s grid and energy mix?
Amarillo startup wants AI to go nuclear
A Texas congressional redistricting fight enters the courtroom, with both sides taking different positions from those taken earlier. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of what’s expected to be a nine-day federal hearing over new congressional maps.
The most polluted air in Texas? We’ll hear why a Houston community may have a tough time getting companies to take speedy action to clear the air.
Also, would you vote for an increase in property taxes if it meant helping people who are homeless find a place to live? A test of that idea on the ballot in Austin.
Plus, the Amarillo startup wanting AI to go nuclear, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune, and much more.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.
Breaking down new guidances over COVID boosters
After years of failed attempts, a so-called “bathroom bill” becomes law in Texas. We’ll cover what the rules say and how they’ll be enforced.
Thinking of getting a COVID booster and have questions? We have answers.
Why the National Weather Service offices in Austin and San Antonio are not fully staffed, even after historic flooding this summer.
A conversation with Christian Davenport, author of the new book, “Rocket Dreams,” all about the billionaires engaged in a new space race.
And today’s Hispanic heritage moment honors four-time Grammy winner Vikki Carr.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Remembering Robert Redford’s Texas ties
Programs aimed at helping millions of low-income students earn college degrees is potentially on the chopping block. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Silas Allen joins us with a look.
A series of bills aimed at preventing a repeat of the July 4th flooding tragedy in Texas’ Hill Country has passed, but some are asking if they go far enough. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has been looking into that question.
He was known as the Sundance Kid and an icon of cinema. We’ll hear more about the late Robert Redford and his Texas connections.
And a UT researcher tells us about a new discovery involving black holes – and how it could help settle questions about the structure of the universe.
Operation Lone Star moves beyond the border
From the border to the rest of the state, Gov. Greg Abbott’s crackdown on immigration enters a new phase.
The Trump administration’s creation of long, thin military installations along the border is affecting not just migrants but locals as well.
Texas has settled another opioid lawsuit. So where’s that money going?
After more than 20 years in Washington, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul says he will not seek reelection. What’s next for the Central Texas congressman and his seat.
If the idea of being too close to a stranger turns you off from a massage, a new AI-powered robotic massager is offering a different path to relaxation.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Elon Musk looks to build tunnels under Houston
Texas’ newly drawn congressional maps are aimed at helping Republicans in 2026, but they’re shaking up the political landscape already. We’ll hear just how today on the Texas Standard.
Rice University’s Mark Jones on the musical chairs among Texas’ congressional Democrats, and whether these maps are likely to survive scrutiny as legal challenges proliferate.
Over 800 new laws are set to take effect in just a couple of days. One of them is aimed at helping first responders deal with the trauma of being on the front lines of so much tragedy.
And a plan to channel water away when the next Hurricane Harvey hits. How Elon Musk is angling to be a part of that massive project.
Families are cutting back on food and medicine to pay the power bill
The Epstein controversy has federal lawmakers taking an early recess, putting off important business.
Summer heat means some Texans have to choose between paying for air conditioning or basic necessities.
Is a violent protest at an ICE facility in North Texas the new normal as the country copes with a rise in extremism?
What’s happening in Harris County jails, where a dozen people have died so far this year.
And: A preview of Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game, happening tonight in Austin.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Sugar Land acquires historic district tied to city’s roots in the sugar industry
A new Texas law requires posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. We’ll look at the looming legal battle.
Where do Texans stand on how well state legislators are doing their jobs? What about how well the president is doing his job? A new poll by the Texas Politics Project offers a look.
The Mexican flag, long flown at restaurants and at cultural events, is more recently making a prominent appearance in protests. We’ll talk about perspectives on symbolism and cultural expression.
And: Once a company town built around sugar production, Sugar Land is now seeking to preserve its complex history with the city’s acquisition of the Imperial Historic District.