Michael Marks

Remembering Melinda Wickman Swearingen, ‘the Annie Leibovitz of outlaw country’

It’s Republicans vs. Republicans to decide the speaker’s race in the Texas House of Representatives.

Photographer Melinda Wickman Swearingen, who died earlier this year, captured evocative images of outlaw country musicians. Her work will soon be on display at the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University.

And: What’s the deal with these mysterious drones? Should we be worried? Omar Gallaga has answers.

A&M’s next giant leap is the Texas Space Institute

It’s still election season in the Texas Legislature, where there’s a race for speaker of the House of Representatives. We’re taking a close look at the top two contenders this week, starting today with Rep. Dustin Burrows.


Billy Bob Thornton, who’s long been an honorary Texan, has earned his eighth Golden Globe nomination for his role as Tommy Norris in Taylor Sheridan’s new series, “Landman.” He joins the show today.


Plus: Last month, the Texas A&M Space Institute broke ground near NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Director Nancy Currie-Gregg shares the details.

Texas voting restrictions challenged in court

The trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton continues, but not for long. We’ll have details on the latest testimony from the Senate floor.

State senators could start deliberations in Paxton’s impeachment trial as soon as Thursday.

Texas voting laws go on trial in San Antonio. We’ll have details about a case challenging state bans on 24-hour polls and drive-thru voting.

All that, and how to keep your trees fungus-free, the best bean and cheese taco in Texas, and the latest headlines from across the state. It’s coming up today on the Texas Standard.

There’s a growing push to recycle fracking wastewater in Texas

As temperatures fall, a humanitarian crisis in El Paso deepens as there is a scramble to find shelter for thousands of migrants. Now Texas National Guard troops have been called in to maintain order at the scene. We’ll have the latest on a tenuous situation along the border. Plus, what to do with all the water used in fracking. Recycle it, maybe? We’ll hear why the idea is catching on now. And we’ve got one-on-one interview with a broadway star who’s got south Texas roots. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: September 20, 2019

At least two dead, nearly 4 feet of rain and some parts of southeast Texas calling it worse than Hurricane Harvey. Our own Michael Marks joins us with the latest on tropical storm Imelda’s toll in Texas. Also, you’ve heard the phrase ‘it takes a village’, but to go to Mars? Why SpaceX is offering to buy an entire south Texas community. And Houston says Howdy Modi as the Indian Prime Minister makes Texas a centerpiece of his U.S. visit. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard: