KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and over the last several years, data has emerged indicating an alarming increase in the suicide rates for Black youth. In the third episode of Mind of Texas, host Ike Evans navigates a hard conversation with Krystal Grimes, MS, LPC, Director of Inclusion & Resilience at Bastrop County Cares and “Rue Dashnaw”, a youth community leader to reveal how resilience has emerged within Bastrop’s bleak backdrop of self–harm and suicidal ideation.
Although Ken Paxton’s already impeached, Texas House investigators continue gathering evidence against the now-suspended attorney general. More scrutiny over the finances of Paxton and his wife, a Texas senator.
Temperatures are hitting triple digits across much of Texas. Can the power grid take the heat?
Tech expert Omar Gallaga on why the release of Diablo IV is more than a game for the video game industry.
And a new podcast, “Sugar Land” premieres this week, exploring a grim discovery that’s reshaping history in a city once called the sweetest place in Texas.
Funding for public education is set to take center stage at the Capitol. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom joins us with what to expect this week as the Senate finance committee takes up education funding.
Some Texas lawmakers say student mental health is a top priority this legislative session. We’ll take a closer look at what’s being proposed.
Nearly two years after a major winter storm that knocked out power statewide, the city of San Antonio is facing a federal lawsuit that says its emergency preparedness plan is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Plus: After a series of animal disappearances at the Dallas Zoo, how are zoos and aquariums rethinking security?
As the people of Uvalde continue to morn the loss of 19 school children and 2 teachers, new questions raised about the law enforcement response. There are new revelations about what happened during the school shooting in Uvalde indicate that 911 calls from kids inside were not relayed to the incident commander. This hour, we take a closer look at what happened, what didn’t and why. Also, how residents of Uvalde are talking about the mass shooting and about guns. Plus the census undercount in Texas, did it cost the Lone Star State a congressional seat? Also Medicaid and maternal health, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on The Standard:
If not this then what will it take? The president of the Texas State Teachers Association with a plea to Texas lawmakers. As Uvalde mourns the loss of 19 elementary school kids and 2 teachers, Ovidia Molina of the Texas State Teachers Association joins us to discuss concerns about school safety and what she sees as empty promises from state officials. And despite pledges for mental health resources, where has the money gone? We’ll take a closer look. Plus the proliferation of claims about the shooting online. Sorting the falsehoods from the facts. Also reckoning with the past at TCU, now acknowledging two forgotten founders. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Winter Storm Landon wreaking havoc across Texas. We’ll be checking in with Dallas, Lubbock, Midland, Austin and more as we track the effects of what has been described as the first big test of the state’s power grid since last year’s winter storm that left millions in the dark. Also Mose Buchele, who’s been tracking the power grid and changes to the power infrastructure since last years deadly storm, brings us the latest on where we stand with blackouts and electricity supply and demand. All that and much more today on the Texas Standard:
The number of foster kids sleeping in state offices reaches an all time high. A long running crisis in the foster care system, now worse than ever? We’ll explore. Other stories we’re following: a surprise move in south Texas by a democratic congressman, one some see foreshadowing a national fight for control of the U.S. House. Abby Livingston of the Texas Tribune with details. And a Covid variant found in a dog and a cat in Texas. Why this news has researchers watching closely. Plus addressing racial inequity in vaccine distribution. And what an author and scholar describes as a Sports Revolution: How Texas Changed the Culture of American Athletics. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:
The Speaker of the Texas House intends to fix everything that went wrong during last month’s winter storm. Dade Phelan has a list of priority bills and will tell us how the state could pay for these reforms. And in the aftermath of the storm, experts are carefully counting those who perished, it’s not as straight forward as it may seem. And we are keenly aware of the need to improve our mental health, we’ll tell you how some Texans are doing it. And one thing that will raise your spirits high is the sound of some Texas birds in song. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Residents of the northern part of the Texas gulf coast prepare for the worst as Hurricane Laura approaches, gathering speed. Overnight, hurricane Laura intensified 70 percent, approaching category 4 as it neared the coastal border of Louisiana and Texas. Many cities have been evacuated, we’ll be checking in with the mayor pro-tem of Galveston, who says residents there are bracing from a storm similar to Hurricane Ike. Also a major beef between Harvard and Texas A&M as the two institutions engage in a public food fight over the safety of eating meat. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Republicans versus Republican. Five conservative lawmakers are suing the Governor, over contracts for Coronavirus tracking. At issue: a nearly 300 million dollar deal for contact tracing that five state lawmakers say should have been vetted by the legislature, but wasn’t. Also, remember that border wall that dominated the last general election. Three miles of private wall built by Trump supporters is already coming down and mother nature’s playing a role. Plus the fight over facial recognition heats up. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
It’s a drone attack half a world away, and one that’s likely to be felt deep in the Heart of Texas. We’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re tracking on this Monday: a deadly attack on a Houston elementary school 60 years ago, there were no efforts to help kids overcome the trauma. Now a survivor, only seven years old at the time of the attack, pieces together the memories. Also, putting the brakes on draining the lakes? A court battle pits property values against concerns over aging floodgates. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
A presidential visit to El Paso and a rejoinder from a Texas representative: no thank you Mr. President, we don’t want to hear from you. We’ll have more on Mr. Trump’s visit to El Paso and our conversation with Texas state representative from El Paso, César Blanco. Also the latest from a city still in mourning over the loss of 22 people. And psychologists discuss the issues of mental health and guns. And changes to Texas’ laws on hemp and CBD oil creating confusion over pot arrests? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Defense Department Money reallocated to build a border wall gets the green light from the U.S. Supreme Court. What the decision means for Texas. Plus, one of the longest serving members of the Trump administration steps down, and a Texas congressman being talked about as his replacement as the new director of national intelligence, we’ll have details. And give me a home where the cattle won’t roam? The Texas attorney general gets tapped to weigh in on a fight over keeping cattle at home on the range:
More migrants sprayed with tear gas as money for a border wall remains at the center of the government shutdown. We’ll have the latest. Also, the measure to allow Texans to donate to address the huge backlog of untested rape kits passed with bipartisan support. But now it’s reached a real-world roadblock, we’ll tell you why. Many who live in the Big Bend area have spent their whole lives there, except for their last days. The challenge of access to hospice care. Plus debunking myths about mental health, the country band bringing two Texas towns together and what an onion says about this year’s forecast. All that and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Will this be the legislative session that fixes the way Texas funds public schools? We’ll explore new recommendations. And speaking of the legislative session, there are new bills filed. We ask lawmakers why certain bills are near and dear to their hearts. We also say goodbye to members of the Texas delegation in Washington. And ’tis the season to go shopping, and get a discount: we’ll tell you how. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Snow to the north, flooding to the south, storms close in on the Lone Star State, with dangerous implications. We’ll hear the latest on weather warnings statewide. Also a man in a jail cell in Odessa may be one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Why did it take so long for authorities to catch him? Plus, why Texas appears to have become ground zero for a cryptocurrency crackdown. And challenging assumptions: one of the most comprehensive profiles of Latinos: ever. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
The president didn’t like the optics, he said, so he signed an executive order. Smoke and mirrors? We’ll take a much closer look at the presidential directive to end family separations and explore what its does and likely does not do. Also the impact of family separation on kids, and how this major story in the U.S. is playing in papers south of the border. And Texas democrats gather for their convention, we’ll have a preview. Plus a look over our shoulder at what the Texas GOP just did. A major change of position on the question of marijuana. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
America’s farmers in the national spotlight today: we’ll hear what some in the Texas agriculture industry want to hear from President Trump. Also the Rio Grande is an important part of Texas identity, but the waters in it don’t just belong to Texas. A dispute between states in front of the nation’s highest court today. We’ll have the details. Plus: cold weather last week put natural gas in high demand. How freezing temperatures impacted the energy industry. And airlines including Southwest and American are accused of working with other carriers to limit seating choices and raise prices. How plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit allege they struck informal deals. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
As millions of Texans hit the highways for the start of holiday season, new signs that the bell may be tolling for toll roads. But with costs and complaints and traffic all up, are we nearing a tipping point when it comes to Texas’ free market philosophy for transportation? We’ll explore. And in a small Texas town turned upside down by a church shooting, Thanksgiving arrives early. Also, the homeless often get more attention this time of year, now the spotlight turns to what some say are laws that keep people homeless. And with miles of pipeline connecting oilfields to Corpus Christi, a plan to pipe something back west, and maybe around the world, too. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Salacious emails from a former Baylor University regent about victims of sexual assaults spark outrage. We’ll explore how they tie in. Also special courts for cops: a new law on the books creates diversion programs for first responders. Why counties are hesitant to set them up. Also the cochineal, a small Spanish insect and the source of the red dye in many foods we eat, the makeup we use and the focus of a new Texas art exhibit. And faced with a 19% unemployment rate, some Spaniards are looking for ways to boost their resume. Those stories and so much today on the Texas Standard: