More than 1 million Texans are still without power in the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s sweep across Southeast and East Texas. Brent Taylor of the Houston Office of Emergency Management joins with the latest on damage assessments, ongoing outages and the growing concerns about heat.
What do Texans need to keep in mind as they repair and rebuild? More on insurance considerations for those affected, plus guidance on caring for trees after a major storm.
Also: In recent years, Texas has lost more rural hospitals than any other state. Now mobile clinics are rolling out to provide vital medical services where they’re needed most.
Insurance
Introducing Rhizome, Laredo’s unique art project and community collaboration
The Texas Medical Board has offered a wide definition of emergency medical exemptions to the state’s strict ban on abortion.
Health care is also at the center of a massive cyberattack that’s been crippling insurance payments, but consumer information is very likely involved.
Police high-speed chases can be extremely dangerous for the general public, not just the vehicles involved. What we’ve learned in a deep dive into the data for North Texas chases.
The price at the pump has been going up again and global uncertainties could affect that further.
And we’ll take a trip to Laredo to explore Rhizome, a community art project, and hear from artist Crystal Wagner.
As arctic front looms, how is the electric grid looking?
As Texas braces for a true blast of wintry weather, how much should we be worried about the power grid holding up? Mose Buchele of KUT in Austin is monitoring the power grid and joins us with the latest.
Federal funding cuts for special education could hit Texas hard.
Many Texans who are eligible for Medicaid aren’t signed up. Will Bostwick shares more on his reporting for Texas Monthly.
And: Remembering a musical British invasion of Texas more than a decade after the Beatles.
KUT Morning Newscast for September 19, 2023
Central Texas top stories for September 19, 2023. Georgetown ISD votes to let Chaplains volunteer at schools. Austin wins a 4 million dollar grant for a reuse warehouse. Texas has the most uninsured people in the country.
How to prepare and stay safe amid high wildfire danger
With low humidity and winds picking up across Texas, a growing wildfire threat has prompted officials to raise the state’s preparedness level. What should Texans be doing to prepare for the danger of wildfires?
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is facing not one but two Democrats with considerable name recognition as he prepares to try to retain his Senate seat.
A conversation with Ire’ne Lara Silva, Texas’ poet laureate.
And there are growing concerns about artificial intelligence in Zoom amid recent changes to the app’s terms of service.
Teaching ancient Greek and Roman texts in the Jim Crow era
As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares a state of emergency due to the influx of migrants.
The week ahead at the Texas Legislature, and two bills affecting transgender youth in Texas; one relating to medical treatment, the other, sports competition.
An investigation of a chemical fire in Deer Park outside of Houston, and what it says about warning signs and preparation for potential disasters.
Researchers revisit an educational debate from the Jim Crow era, and the contributions of the Black Texans at the center of it.
What more electric vehicles mean for the Texas electric grid
Momentum is growing among Republicans to use the U.S. military to take on drug cartels in Mexico in the fight against fentanyl. How serious is such talk?
More ripple effects following a ruling by a federal judge in Amarillo that would effectively ban the abortion drug mifepristone.
The Dallas Federal Reserve finds young adults feel increasingly disconnected from work and school – but there may be more to the story.
And with more electric vehicles hitting the road in Texas, how will the need for pluggable power affect the state’s electric grid?
This Texas folk trio was lost to time – and that’s mostly OK with them
In an apparent first since the Dobbs decision, five women have filed suit against the State of Texas challenging the state’s abortion ban.
There’s frustration among immigration advocates amid reports that the Biden administration is considering reviving the practice of detaining migrant families who cross the border illegally, a policy initially shut down by the president shortly after taking office.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga on employer surveillance of workers and why it’s growing.
And the award-winning documentary “Nobody Famous” shines a light on the Pozo-Seco Singers, a Corpus Christi folk trio you’ve likely never heard of.
Answering your tree questions in the wake of the ice storm
Insurance claims are about to spike as Texans try to recover from storm damage – a Texas insurance specialist advises how best to move forward with claims: what to do, and what not to do. We’re also answering your questions about trees and ice damage.
We take a look at what winter storms have done to the state’s aviation industry.
The Standard’s own Sean Saldana shares new Texas job numbers and what they tell us about the state of the economy.
And the Texas Tribune’s James Barragán with the week that was in Texas politics.
KUT Morning Newscast for February 2, 2023
Central Texas top stories for February 2, 2023. Winter storm warning extended. Power restoration delays. Texas ranks low for power outages. CapMetro resuming limited service. Filing ice storm insurance claims.
Texas Standard: July 7, 2022
A new report finds police missed multiple opportunities to stop the Uvalde mass shooter before he entered the school building. The report from the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center, at Texas State University says at one point police had the gunman in their sights outside the school in Uvalde, but did not act. Investigative reporter Tony Plohetski with what we’re learning. Also, with new abortion restrictions, the Texas Standard’s own Shelly Brisbin with growing concerns about the use of period tracker apps and access to sensitive personal data. Plus an historic moment on the Texas Gulf coast for a critically endangered species. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 1, 2021
Big news today from the U.S. Supreme Court. The case is out of Arizona but it will have big implications for Texans, we’ll explore. Plus an enormously energy-hungry industry is hoping to move to Texas. But our grid, as we found out in February, is not stable! We’ll learn more about cryptocurrency mining. And it’s been years since hurricane Harvey all but devastated Houston and it will still take some more years before some residents can move back home. Plus in a world with expiring car warranties, credit card scams and other attacks, the number one consumer complaint in the U.S. is for robocalls! What to do about them and ways to protect yourself. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 19, 2021
Getting power back? Priceless. Losing power and heat and water and basic services? What price the winter storm of 2021? Coming up, the high price of being unprepared. Economist Ray Perryman on the difficulty calculating the impact of this week’s storm. Also, who should shoulder the costs of weatherizing power plants? According to the governor, it’s the taxpayer. We’ll hear more. And with power coming back and a lot of water damage its not too soon think about your own next steps: tips for talking to the insurance company, and a massive rescue of fellow Texas residents… But where do you shelter almost 5 thousand sea turtles? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 27, 2020
Hundreds of thousands of people in Texas and Louisiana without power as Hurricane Laura makes landfall overnight. Despite warnings of an unsurvivable storm surge and record setting sustained winds, many along the northern gulf coast of Texas breathing a sign of relief, despite power outages and reports of property damage. Our conversations with people managing emergency efforts in Orange and Jefferson counties. Also what’s next in the aftermath of the storm. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 25, 2020
Battening down the hatches in Beaumont and across large parts of coastal Texas as a hurricane named Laura intensifies in the gulf. Across the golden triangle evacuation orders take hold in advance of what meteorologists say could be a major hurricane threatening coastal Texas and Louisiana. We’ll check in with officials in Beaumont. Also, neither snow nor rain…but what about Congress? Texas lawmakers and the politics of the postal service in advance of election day. Plus the first and oldest hospital in the Americas. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 5, 2020
After first asking for an extension to complete the census count, a sudden u-turn. The impact on Texas could last for a decade or more, we’ll have details. Also, more women are unemployed now than at any time since the late 1940’s, and women of color are among the hardest hit. What some are calling America’s first female recession, and what’s behind it. And residents along the gulf coast finding more effective ways to deal with an active hurricane season amid a pandemic. Plus a claim that 1 in 3 texans can’t access health insurance. A Politifact check and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 20, 2020
In a state with one of the lowest health insurance rates in the nation, a dangerous dip in coverage for many more Texans, we’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re covering, the Texan in line to become the nation’s next top intelligence official. We’ll hear what’s at stake as the Senate takes up the nomination of Republican John Radcliffe of Heath to be the next director of national intelligence. Also, despite a ban on such events, a small group in Texas gets one of the nation’s first live in person graduations of 2020. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: March 11, 2020
How ready is Texas when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus? We’ll talk with the state representative leading a hearing on that question. Also, when it comes to Coronavirus preparedness, how much does the high number of uninsured Texans complicate matters? We’ll explore. And voting delays in Texas last week last week. Was Hillary Clinton right in laying the blame where she did? We’ll have a Politifact Check. Plus the school district shutdown that at the last moment, didn’t happen. We’ll hear why, what happens next plus a lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 10, 2019
Deadline for getting on the ballot in Texas comes and goes. We’ll take a look at what the list of candidates may or may not tell us about an evolution in Texas politics. Also, years ago alarm bells sounded over a high rate of maternal mortality in Texas. Then the data was found to be problematic. A new investigation suggests it was right to be concerned after all. And a booming business in craft distilling in Texas. But spirits are low over a coming change. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 30, 2019
It’s not pay for play, but college athletes won’t have to turn away endorsement dollars. A shakeup in the big buck business of college sports? We’ll have the story. Also a shortage of water at an ice detention center. What we know about conditions and what we don’t…and why. And the latest numbers on Texas kids and health insurance add up to a grim situation, we’ll take a look. And hell yes, or no? Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke says he’s not for weapons confiscation. We’ll have a Politifact check and more today on the Texas Standard: