After an extraordinary embassy raid, Mexico breaks ties with Ecuador as the U.S. joins other nations in condemnation.
How Central Texas has become a big player in the push for U.S.-built semiconductors.
A Texas runner heads to Boston for what will be his last marathon after being diagnosed with ALS two years ago. We’ll hear from Austinite Bill Corrigan.
And a hurricane forecast said to be the most aggressive ever – what the data adds up to for the chance of another major storm hitting Texas in 2024.
Mexico
How Mexico supplanted China as the nation’s top trade partner
A shooting at one of the most famous megachurches in Texas, Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, leaves one dead and a child in critical condition. We’ll have the latest.
For most of the past few decades, the title of “top trading partner to the U.S.” has belonged to China – but the U.S. Census Bureau reports that last year, the United States’ biggest trading partner was Mexico.
Civil rights groups have filed a federal complaint against Bonham ISD alleging disciplinary discrimination against Black and disabled students.
The latest on a mysterious listeria outbreak.
And Russian propagandists twisting the narrative over border standoff between the Biden administration and Gov. Greg Abbott.
Why the U.S. Senate’s immigration bill may be ‘dead on arrival’
Supporters say it’s the most significant bill on immigration in a generation, while opponents call it dead on arrival. Liz Goodwin of the Washington Post breaks down the provisions of the Senate’s $118 billion immigration and foreign aid bill: what’s in it and why the prognosis for passage isn’t good.
New insight on how Texas Republicans are leaning and the effect of endorsements as Texans prepare to cast primary ballots.
Houston halts commercial and residential development in a part of the city designated as a cancer cluster.
Also, a new facet in the hunt for Texas blue topaz, and rockhounds aren’t happy.
State has seen rise in teen births since abortion ban was enacted
After Donald Trump’s win in the New Hampshire primary, what are the implications and ripple effects as Texas’ primary day approaches?
The Republican Party of Denton County has issued a resolution calling for Brent Hagenbuch to drop out of race for District 30 of the Texas Senate. At issue: allegations that Hagenbuch doesn’t live in the district.
A federal appeals court has given a second chance to Mexico’s $10 billion lawsuit against gun manufacturers, one of the biggest potential setbacks for gun manufacturers in recent memory.
A new study from the University of Houston finds a rise in teen birth rates a year after Texas’ six-week abortion ban went into effect.
And: Analysis of the Supreme Court’s ruling on razor wire at the border.
What’s ahead for space exploration in 2024
The federal government takes legal action to stop Texas from implementing a new state law aimed at arresting migrants who come into the state illegally. Julián Aguilar of The Texas Newsroom has more.
A new plan to use AI to help explore the effect of burn pits on veterans.
Why 2024 could be the launch pad for a new chapter in space exploration.
How the armadillo, a dormant dog-sized mammal considered a pest by many, won the affection of many a Texan.
Plus: The week in politics with The Texas Tribune.
Remembering political trailblazer Eddie Bernice Johnson
The death of a giant in Texas politics: reaction to the passing of longtime political trailblazer Eddie Bernice Johnson.
A new year brings a new mayor in Houston. What John Whitmire plans to do to address the most pressing issues facing the city.
What 2024 heralds for one of the busiest thruways in Texas: the north-south corridor of Interstate 35.
An economist with the Dallas Fed shares red flags for Texas employment.
The San Antonio-Havana connection: A new cross-cultural art exchange between the two cities.
Also: Longhorn Nation recovers from a semifinal loss to Washington in the College Football Playoff.
Examining Texas’ legacy of anti-LGBT laws
After seven months pushing a school voucher-like plan, Gov. Greg Abbott gets a firm pushback from fellow Republicans. Scott Braddock of the Quorum Report shares the latest.
Mexico plans to offer “know your rights” educational sessions in Texas as lawmakers send a wide-ranging border security bill to the governor.
Amid slowing sales of EV’s, one city in Texas seems to be leading the switch away from gas pumps to charging stations.
The past legislative session saw the filing of a historic number of bills impacting LGBT Texans – but that’s just the latest effort in what’s been a half-century of criminalizing these communities, according to a new investigation from KXAN TV.
Tracing the foodways of Black Seminoles
The Supreme Court finally has its own ethics code for justices following a series of scandals – including a Texas billionaire showering gifts on Justice Clarence Thomas. Will this new code of conduct make a difference?
Bison once ruled the Great Plains of North America before being hunted almost to extinction. We’ll hear about how Indigenous people in Texas are supporting their slow rebound.
For descendants of Black Seminoles – a group whose members included former slaves and the Seminole native people – finding foodways through Texas and Mexico takes care and intention.
And: Colleges can no longer use race as a determining factor in admissions, thanks to a Supreme Court decision earlier this year. What’s the upshot? It may surprise you.
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Celebrating a century of Texas state parks
Dozens of Texas school districts have sued to stop changes in the A-F grading system used to evaluate schools.
The manager of the state’s power grid is out with a new forecast for winter. How prepared is Texas for another statewide freeze like 2021?
Israel, Hamas and disinformation on social media: Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins us with more.
New numbers in the race for mayor of Texas’ biggest city.
And a new book written by longtime Texas conservationist George Bristol, “Texas State Parks: The First 100 Years,” tells the story of how the state’s parks began.
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).
Ken Paxton whistleblower says his fight is not over
He was one of the whistleblowers against Attorney General Ken Paxton, and he says his fight is not over.
What appears to be a 180° turn by the Biden Administration as it waves environmental laws and resumes construction work on a border wall in South Texas.
Hundreds of thousands of Texans dropped from Medicaid rolls post-‘peak COVID’ – some wrongly so, whistleblowers say – due to errors at the state health department.
What could be an epic football battle this weekend: the Red River Rivalry. Are the Longhorns back, for real?
Also, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.
‘Good Night, Irene’ follows a courageous woman’s story in the WWII Red Cross
It was the second hottest summer on record for Texas, but is it safe to ask if it’s over? What to expect as a cold front pushes into Texas. Matt Lanza of Space City Weather with a look at whether today marks a turning point.
Gun violence numbers are changing how many feel about safety in a North Texas suburb. KERA’s Caroline Love with more from Allen.
Google launches an effort to combat spam, but will it work? Tech expert Omar Gallaga with more.
A border bottleneck raises red flags as Texas ramps up truck inspections.
And a Texas Book Festival preview with the author of ‘Good Night, Irene’.
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.
State law banning public drag performances found unconstitutional
Texas foster kids are sleeping in motels and offices, and Child Protective Service workers are leaving their jobs in droves. Sneha Dey of the Texas Tribune joins us with more.
A ban on drag performances in the presence of minors has been ruled unconstitutional. We’ll hear why and what comes next.
Why Mexico has replaced China as the United States’ top trading partner.
And KUT’s Mose Buschele takes us into the Hill Country’s Bracken Cave Preserve alongside millions of bats.
Migrants’ arrival at Eagle Pass underscores Biden’s challenge on immigration
An emergency is declared in Eagle Pass as more than 6,000 migrants entered the small town in less than two days, and the Biden administration sends active duty troops to the southern border. Gaige Davila of Texas Public Radio with the latest.
With open acrimony between the Texas House and Senate, what’s likely to get done in the next special legislative session?
There’s less competition for homebuyers, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting easier to buy a home. We’ll hear the latest.
A new exhibit celebrates the “Big Bang of Texas music” 50 years after the seminal album “¡Viva Terlingua!”
Also: The week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
Unraveling the ‘Iron Pipeline’ of gun smuggling from Texas to Mexico
Following the state’s takeover of Houston schools, a plan to eliminate libraries and use the space for kids who misbehave in class.
Watch that water bill: Not only is use up, some municipalities are raising rates to try to drive down demand.
A three-part series explores how the Texas Attorney General’s Office became an incubator for conservative legal strategies that are reshaping Texas and the nation. Eleanor Klibanoff of the Texas Tribune joins with more.
A new focus on trying to cut down the flow of arms from Texas into Mexico.
And we’ll talk to Sethward, the Texan who’s become a viral sensation for losing on “America’s Got Talent.”
The Second Sacking of San Antonio
Most Texans believe that the Battle of San Jacinto settled everything. Once Mexican President Santa Anna was decisively defeated, he famously signed a treaty guaranteeing Texas independence and he would never again set foot on Texas soil…Right?
Well, commentator WF Strong reminds us that’s not what happened.
What’s next after Abbott vetoes more than 70 bills?
The power of the pen: Gov. Greg Abbott has used his veto more this summer than he ever has before. What’s at stake?
Advocates for people with disabilities demanded some changes at the state Capitol this legislative session. We’ll hear more about how the issues fared from the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin.
Systems are pretty much back up and running in Dallas after a ransomware attack. A look at why these keep happening and how to prevent them.
Fentanyl in Mexico and the newer risks tainted drugs pose to those who travel there.
And it’s Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day. We’ll visit a celebration in East Austin and talk to an author about enriching our understanding of the experiences of enslaved people.
Cloud seeding has never been proven, but drought-stricken Mexico is ready to try
At first, media coverage of the Cleveland, Texas, shooting focused on the manhunt for the gunman. But what about the victims lost?
As the clock ticks away for the 88th legislative session, there are some bills with bipartisan support that advocates say could have a positive effect on the state’s LGBTQ residents.
Housing affordability in Texas: is the state losing a certain edge? The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana explains.
The cost of living is hitting Texans hard – how a group in San Antonio is fighting back with coupons.
Mexico is trying its hand at a controversial technique – cloud seeding – to break its drought.
Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
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?