Can Mike Miles, the man appointed to lead Houston ISD and help that struggling district, provide a roadmap for others in the state? We’ll have the details.
Also, a look at the federal government’s plan to stop the New World screwworm from spreading as more cases appear in South Texas.
Plus, fire safety concerns about the batteries powering e-bikes.
And Texas is likely to become the world’s largest hub for data centers — that’s led to growing concerns across the state, including in suburban areas.
Plus, Go Spurs go! The team recovered from two losses to claim victory over the Knicks in New York in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Houston
Dallasite David Lowery talks new film ‘Mother Mary’
Civil rights groups say the Houston City Council has caved to threats from Gov. Greg Abbott. We’ll hear more on the city’s decision to amend an ordinance limiting local law enforcement cooperation with ICE agents.
The latest frontier in the politics of energy: Andy Uhler on rising electricity demand statewide and the challenge convincing some rural Texans to get on board.
Austin archery students take aim at a national competition. We’ll hear about the real target of this undertaking.
“Mother Mary” director David Lowery filmed his new movie starring Anne Hathaway in Germany, but the Dallasite says he carries traces of Texas with him in all his work.
And will the owner of a huge statue in downtown Galveston please step forward?
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Camp Mystic ruling could shape flood accountability case
The biggest city in Texas faces intense pressure from Gov. Greg Abbott over cooperation with immigration enforcement. David Goodman of the New York Times joins us with more on a threat to cut funding for Houston police unless it changes a new policy on collaboration with ICE agents.
What happens next to Camp Mystic? A hearing over what to do with damaged structures as questions remain over last July’s deadly floods.
What’s the price for memory? More than you might imagine, especially if you haven’t bought any recently. Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why and what it means.
And whither Artemis? What’s next for the moon.
‘They Called Us Outlaws’ revisits rise of outlaw country music
The threat of hail, possible tornadoes and flooding conditions spells what could be a severe start to a stormy weather season in Texas. Meteorologist Eric Berger joins us with what to expect and how it fits into the bigger weather picture.
How are you weathering rising gasoline prices? We’ll hear how some Houstonians are coping.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s election-year forecast: Not a rosy one for the Texas GOP. We’ll talk about that with Jasper Scherer of the Texas Tribune.
We’ll reveal our winner in our contest for the best Texas film of all time, as well as talk with the filmmaker behind “They Called Us Outlaws,” all about the rise of outlaw country music.
Meteor over Texas leaves debris, questions
A secretive project to build a long water barrier in the Rio Grande is revealed as letters go out to landowners to build a Big Bend border wall. We’ll hear what locals are thinking.
Look up to the sky: It’s a boom, it’s a flash… and a crash through a roof north of Houston. A UT geosciences professor helps us understand the meteor fragment impact that occurred this past weekend.
We’ll also dig into the somewhat surprising findings of a new report from the Brookings Institution on the costs of higher education.
And with March Madness in the air, the Sweet 16’s set in another bracket competition — the best Texas movie.
‘Riverbend’ returns to audiences after decades of obscurity
After winning a spot in a runoff, Congressman Tony Gonzales drops his bid for reelection amid growing pressure over an affair scandal. We’ll dig into the latest today.
Also, confusion at some polling places on primary day: What really happened and what’s the fallout?
And a film of Black resistance shot in Texas — but largely lost to history — has now been resurrected. We’ll share more about the rediscovery of “Riverbend.”
Plus, three big takeaways from a busy week in Texas politics.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Exploring Texas’ deepest underwater cave system
Wildfire risk is so high in the Texas Panhandle that an energy company preemptively cut off power to avoid lines blowing down and starting to spark. We’ll take a closer look at the situation.
Early voting is underway across Texas. We sent reporters to polls across the state to hear from voters who made it out on the first day.
We’ll profile the candidates in a hotly-contested race near Houston where the GOP is hoping to gain a seat.
Beef prices are contributing to shock over grocery store bills, but ranchers are upset about one way President Trump is trying to bring the price of ground beef down.
And we’ll explore the deepest underwater cave in North America.
The Texans in the Epstein files
Can Sylvia Garcia, Houston’s only Latina U.S. representative, hang on to her seat? We may know sooner than some realize.
If you were waiting for this fall for the start of election season, wait no more. Early voting in the state’s primaries is set to begin tomorrow. A closer look at a race with huge implications for Texas – and beyond.
Amid concerning reports from the immigration detention center at Dilley, what are conditions really like inside? Ask the children being held there. We’ll talk with a ProPublica reporter who did just that.
Also, the Texans found in the Epstein files.
Democrat makes surprise win in solid-red Texas district
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.
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.