July 4 Flooding

After Prop Q fallout, Austin cuts $95 million from budget

The City of Austin cut $95 million from its budget, shrinking funding to parks, homelessness services and more after voters rejected Prop Q. We’ll get into how these cuts may impact you.

With recent rain and an overnight flood watch in Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, many residents are reminded of the July 4 floods and the ongoing efforts to rebuild.

Plus, art groups seeking affordable studio space find sanctuary in a downtown Austin church. We’ve got more on how they secured the space and what that means for the arts community.

Also, Jason Mellard shares a new story from the archive of Texas music history.

Where Texas birders can spot sandhill and whooping cranes this winter

After years of tightening restrictions on water use, a South Texas town issues an ominous declaration of emergency. Beeville, Texas, is fast running out of water and they’re asking for help from the state. We’ll talk to the interim city manager about what can be done.
It’s a new law requiring parental permission for public school students to get physical or mental health services at school. We’ll hear why school nurses are concerned about the side effects.
And they’re flocking back to Texas – what’s so special about the annual crane visitors to Texas? Where birders can spot sandhill and endangered whooping cranes.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Some Texas counties switch to paper ballots ahead of midterms

No more QR or barcodes: Why Collin, Williamson and Bastrop counties are changing the way voters will cast ballots.
Housing affordability is a big issue in Texas, and three new state laws aim to address it. Will they work?
Many are concerned new Texas congressional maps dilute the voting power of Texans of color. But others welcome the changes.
Inside an ICE job recruitment fair in Arlington.
And: the bigger meaning behind the season’s first high school football game in Kerrville.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

New state law will give farmers a heads-up on pests and diseases

The fight over redistricting has shifted from the Capitol to the courthouse, but plenty of serious work is still on the table when legislators return to their offices Tuesday. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins with a look at what’s left on the agenda.
A new law in effect today creates a statewide alert system for pests and diseases that affect plants and wildlife. The Standard’s Michael Marks has the story.
And: The Standard continues celebrating 10 years on the air with a look back at some memorable animal stories.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Tesla’s robotaxi plans shift into gear

Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom joins the show with a live update from the Capitol as the Legislature’s first special session ends amid a Democratic walkout.
After flooding and a historically wet July, new concerns about water levels dropping.
As students return to the classroom, more and more schools are being shuttered. The Standard’s Zachary Suri examines the long-term impact in Austin.
Tesla now has a permit to offer ride-hailing in Texas through next August. The company’s been testing robotaxis in Austin since June, and Elon Musk says “open access” is coming soon.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for August 12, 2025: Suspect in shooting at North Austin Target had extensive criminal history

Central Texas top stories for August 12, 2025. Suspected gunman at North Austin Target had a history of mental health issues and frequent run-ins with law enforcement since at least 2012. The Austin Independent School District has released a list of schools that will be used to decide which campuses should be merged, and how school boundaries should be redrawn. The deadline is quickly approaching for folks affected by the July flooding to apply for FEMA assistance. Central Health will lays out its proposed budget for Travis County commissioners.

This podcast is made at KUT and KUTX, which are public radio stations in Austin, Texas. You may have heard that Congress just took back the money it had allocated for public radio. Our organization stands to lose 1.2 million dollars. We’re asking our listeners now to help us make up this shortfall. If you want to help us out, you can make a donation at supportthispodcast.org.

Muleshoe Refuge expansion plan scrapped

Texas Democrats are facing legal threats and potential action from the FBI for fleeing the state during the special session.
Concerns about artificial intelligence are coming to a head with the most recent round of college graduates. How it’s disrupting the job market.
A proposed expansion for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle had been in the works for years, but now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is backing away.
The 1991 Yogurt Shop murders in Austin remain officially unsolved. Our conversation with Margaret Brown, the director of a new HBO docuseries revisiting the tragedy.
Plus: It’s been a month now since deadly flooding ravaged the Texas Hill Country. We’ll check in on the recovery.
You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

The rise of Maren Morris

As lawmakers return to Austin for a special session, who got the most accomplished in the regular? Why the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
With state legislators set to take up flood relief and related matters, we’ll hear how the region’s fairing two weeks after those deadly flash floods, and we’ll hear about efforts concentrated on the Spanish-speaking community in one of the hardest-hit counties.
A longstanding effort to provide healthcare services at the border, shut down over cutbacks.
Plus, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Maren Morris is bucking industry expectations with a new album.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

Conspiracy theorists said ‘cloud seeding’ caused the Texas floods. It did not.

Online rumors are blaming cloud seeding for the deadly Texas floods, even though the science doesn’t support it.
Along with flood recovery and THC regulation, Texas lawmakers are tasked with redrawing congressional districts in their special session. The connection to racial gerrymandering.
Volunteers and rescue workers have descended on the Hill Country to help with flood recovery – and unfortunately, so have scammers. What experts say everyone needs to know.
The impact of recent budget cuts on mental health programs in schools.
And: Robert Earl Keen is going to headline a concert to benefit flood recovery. Our conversation with him on the star-studded lineup and why he says he was compelled to act so quickly.