Mexican

The Legend of La Llorona

All through October, the Texas Standard team is tracking Texas cryptids. As we’ve dug into some of these legends, we’ve noticed a few patterns. First of all, many of the cryptids associated with Texas have roots in Mexico.

And there are also some similarities in the back stories of these creatures or characters. Ayden Castellanos has noticed this especially in the legends involving female haunters. He hosts the “Susto” podcast about latin and hispanic folklore.

“I like to call them ‘the cryptid femmes’ because there are so many entities or creatures or spirits who are women or femmes and I think it’s an interesting trope, I’ll say, because, a lot of them, the commonality is that they are going after cheating men, drunkards, abusive men,” Castellanos said.

The story of La Llorona falls into this category.

(This story first aired in 2018).

We’re tracking Texas cryptids all October

From guns to religion, free speech and more, a very loaded docket awaits the Supreme Court as it begins a new term.

Why a race for Houston’s top financial officer is getting so much attention.

A plan to consolidate schools in San Antonio could leave behind almost 20 empty buildings – and the district needs to figure out what to do with them.

As the dollar strengthens, other currencies weaken. But there’s a notable outlier: We’ll look at why the Mexican peso seems to be doing so well.

Also, as the spookiest month of the year gets started, a look at why Texas is so full of mysterious creatures unconfirmed by science.

Railroad Commission approves South Texas coal mine expansion

In the first Republican debate of the new presidential election season, an issue top of mind for Texans – border policy – takes center stage.

The Texas Department of Transportation is giving a final green light to a highway expansion in downtown Austin that would add at least four lanes and get rid of the road’s existing upper decks.

There’s pushback on solar development in rural northeast Texas.

Energy regulators greenlit a 12,000-acre expansion of a South Texas coal mine on Tuesday, despite locals’ environmental concerns.

And with strays being turned away by many animal shelters, a first-time cat owner – the Standard’s Sean Saldaña – reflects on his first month with his new pet.

What’s the story behind the colorful Maria de la Luz Cemetery in South Austin?

We question a question about the history of this Mexican-American cemetery — one that stands in contrast to many of the more staid cemeteries around Austin.

Has Texas cracked down on protest after 2020’s racial justice demonstrations?

Do Texans support raising the minimum age to purchase firearms? We’ll hear the results of a new study by the Texas Politics Project.

The struggle to find staffing for the state’s psychiatric hospital system as needs for mental health support post pandemic have grown.

In response to the murder of George Floyd and police brutality broadly, people across Texas headed out to protest. A few years after those demonstrations, there’s been a backlash, writes the Houston Chronicle’s Jeremy Wallace.

Fusion … or something more? Taco journalist Mando Rayo on the similarities between food from Mexico and the Philippines.

And the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin on what may be emerging as the front-runner to replace Twitter.

Taco Gentrification

In Austin, East of IH-35 is considered the great divide, from the wealthy and the poor, the whites and Black and Latino communities. With Austin’s growth and gentrification comes even more displacement. You can literally experience it through the city’s tacos, where you can buy tacos for $2.00 at one location and $9.00 at another, all within 5 blocks of each other! In this episode, we’ll explore Taco Gentrification and how it impacts taqueros and the communities we live in. We will take a taco tour of the east Cesar Chavez and 7th Street and also hop over to East Riverside, a place of dos mundos where one side of the street is home to immigrants and families while the other side is inhabited by millenials and new condo dwellers. Guests include Regina Estrada from Joe’s Bakery & Mexican Restaurant, Mincho Jacob from BASTA Austin and Samuel Franco, East Riverside resident and advocate.

Texas Standard: September 29, 2022

The push among some republicans for Greg Abbott to declare an invasion at the southern border with Mexico. We’ll have the latest. Also, Texas #1 again: this time for toxic waste in water. Details of a new environmental report. Plus long COVID-19 has made so many Texans so sick, they can’t return to work. We take a closer look at the impact. And staying private online and why the usual changes to your settings may not be enough. Also one of the new stars of the Netflix series ‘Fate: The Winx Saga’ is a Texan in a role demanded by fans. We’ll talk with actor Paulina Chavez. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

The Filipino Guey

They say that Filipinos are the Mexicans of Asia. From the adobo and the chicharrones, to cultural traditions, we share an overlap in our identities. In this episode, we bond with our Filipino primos Isabel Protomartir (host of Identity Productions show Até) and Ralph Xavier Degala (Master Chef Season 9). We discuss how Filipino culture is thriving in Texas and the tasty tacos that come with it.

Texas Standard: April 25, 2022

Border bottlenecks brought on by ramped up Texas inspections cost business billions. But a surprising potential longer-term effect, too. A new relationship between Texas and 4 border states in Mexico? Angela Kocherga has that story. Plus a new report reveals San Antonio’s south side, one of the nation’s hardest hit by the pandemic. Also an update on COVID-19 and kids in Texas. And what our neighbors to the east may be able to teach Texas as plans for a coastal Ike Dike get the green light. Also ChicanX utopias. What pop culture tells us about the politics of the possible. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 13, 2022

We’re still a ways off from November but already issues cropping up including a shortage of workers at the polls for a special election, we’ll have details. Other stories we’re tracking: governor Abbott’s new inspection protocols for commercial trucks at the border drawing accusations of political theatre from the left and the right. This as democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke lobs a broadside at president Biden over his plans to change policies at the border. We’ll hear all about it. Also the story of a Texas librarian fired after taking a stand on library censorship. And concerns among farmers in the panhandle that the drought could leave them high and dry. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 11, 2022

A woman charged with murder in Texas after an alleged self induced abortion has been released, but that’s far from the end of the story. Many fear the arrest and murder charge in Starr County could be a harbinger of what’s to come amid a rise in abortion restrictions and an expected ruling from the United States Supreme Court. We’ll hear more. Also the hype over hemp: what new data says about the legalization of the hemp industry in Texas and whether it has turned out to be as big an economic boon as advocates had hoped. And the race to save the stories behind a musical movement: reclaiming and preserving San Antonio’s Westside sound. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 25, 2021

Amid an ongoing pandemic, partisan divides and more, what’s there to be thankful for? Quite a lot actually. In the run up to this national holiday we asked our producers to reflect on some of the stories we’ve shared with you that they’re thankful for. From a telehealth program tackling opioid addiction to wildlife along the coastal plains, a Texas musical treasure, and life after prison and the redemptive power of family love. There’s much to be thankful for this year, and we’re grateful you can join us for this special edition of the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 9, 2021

For some communities in Texas when it rains, it pours. We’ll speak with the mayor of Rockport about the ongoing storms. Plus, a look at how vulnerable Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton may be on his next bid for office. And how proving that major transportation projects do not discriminate against riders can unleash massive amounts of money from the federal government. And how the punishment for a men’s soccer team is affecting a women’s soccer team, today on the Texas Standard:

Trailer: Tacos of Texas

Have you ever wondered why Birria tacos are so popular? Or how tacos are saving Texas, even during the pandemic? Or which Texas city has the tastiest tacos? If you find yourself dreaming of tacos, this is the podcast for you.

Texas Standard: August 28, 2020

On the day after Hurricane Laura’s assault on the northern gulf cost of Texas, what’s the view from local hospitals already dealing with a pandemic? We’ll have more on the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Also, it’s a wrap for the Republicans as they close their 4 day convention. We’ll explore whether the message moved the needle in what many consider to be a more politically competitive Texas. And concerns about a looming eviction crisis, we’ll have details. Also border smuggling and the demand for bologna, the week that was in Texas politics and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 11, 2019

What could be one of the most consequential Supreme Court cases this term, affecting tens of thousands of people in Texas. The nation’s highest court set to hear arguments over DACA, the program that protects some 700 thousand people from deportation. President trump’s tried to unravel it. We’ll look more closely at what’s at stake. Also, is Mexico taking a page from president Trump’s policy toward migrant families? Separation south of the border. And what does it mean to get good at responding to mass shootings? All of those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 25, 2019

Impeachment and the Tex factor: how might the politics of the Lone Star State play into a renewed push for charges against the president? It is analogous to the bringing of an indict by a grand jury. And now, the U.S. House speaker has given the green light to pursue impeachment. What is Texas’ role in all this? We’ll take a closer look. Also, a new plan to get food to rural kids during those summer months they’re out of school. Plus, a Politifact check of a claim regarding Beto O’Rourke’s promise to take away AR-15s. All that and then some today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: February 26, 2019

A Texas led rebuke for President Trump? Congressman Joaquin Castro tells us how he’s pushing back against the border emergency declaration. Also, military defectors in Venezuela raise the stakes for strongman Nicolas Maduro after days of violence over aid supplies, we’ll have the latest. And Texas Governor Greg Abbott raising millions and millions of dollars, for what exactly? We’ll take a look. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 27 2018

Hundreds of asylum seekers released in El Paso with little warning, straining resources and highlighting big issues at the border. We’ll talk with Bob Moore in El Paso about the latest. Also, race and criminal justice: we’ll take look at just how different America’s prison population is from the population at large and why. Plus a Texas lawmaker tells us why he’s fighting for the expansion of medical marijuana. And did you unwrap a new gadget for Christmas or Hanukkah? Our tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us what to do with the old one. Also, the calls for civility in politics and online have come from every corner. But some say it’s not enough. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: August 30, 2018

The state department denying US passports to American citizens born near the border. The accusation: fraudulent birth certificates. We’ll talk to the Washington post reporter who found that the citizenship of hundreds, possibly thousands of hispanics with American birth certificates are being stripped of their passports, and their legal status in the US thrown into question. We’ll hear the how and why. Also, Harvey trapped hundreds of thousands of Texans when major freeways flooded across Houston. Now the effort to fix what’s causing clogged arteries during storms. And smart enough to set up a smart home? A new industry emerges to help. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard: