news

What to watch on Election Day 2024

lection Day 2024 has arrived, and we’re checking in with reporters across the state as Texans cast their ballots. Plus, what to keep a close eye on tonight after the polls close.

A new survey predicts Dallas-Fort Worth is poised to become the hottest real estate market in the country in 2025. What it means for the people living there.

A new book, “A Natural History of Empty Lots” explores forgotten spaces. Author Christopher Brown discusses what he’s learned.

And: An update on plans for a new Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth.

Fact-checking Texas voter roll claims

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, sparred in their only debate last night. We’re taking a look at some of the highlights and takeaways.
Our exploration of the intersection of religion and politics in Texas takes us to a Black church outside Sulphur Springs.
Why part of the story in the fight for Texas farmworkers and Latino civil rights is left out of the schoolbooks and what it could mean to change that.
And: Gov. Greg Abbott has touted that Texas removed over 1 million ineligible voters this election cycle, including more than 6,500 noncitizens – but an investigation found these numbers were overstated.

Proposed school curriculum with Bible stories nears vote

A possible government shutdown looming with an Oct. 1 deadline. With the backdrop of elections, how might this story unfold? UT-Austin political science professor Sean Theriault talks about a perennial issue of government funding and where its headed.

Bible stories in the classroom? The Texas Education Agency is getting a lot of feedback and blowback over a new curriculum.

Mando Rayo of the Tacos of Texas podcast introduces us to a James Beard award winner in the Rio Grande Valley named the best chef in Texas.

This Hispanic Heritage Month, a look at some of the artists shaping the sounds of Texas.

Also, the week in politics, Typewriter Rodeo and more.

Ultramarathoner prepares for run across Texas

Americans are pretty evenly divided on the issue of gun rights versus regulated ownership. How might it show up at the polls?

The number of migrants trying to cross the border with Mexico into the U.S. is down quite a bit. A look at why.

We’ll also introduce you to an endurance runner preparing to make his way from El Paso to Galveston. His goal is to draw attention to a cause.

The first spacewalk involving private citizens instead of astronauts is in the books. How we got here and what’s ahead.

Plus, recalling the journey to erect the Tejano Monument at the state capitol.
And why Texas lawmakers are working across the aisle to reverse a death penalty case.

East Texas has a long history of labor disputes you may not know about

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suspended his bid for the White House and appeared with former President Donald Trump to offer his endorsement. What does it mean for the race moving forward?

Where does the economy really stand, and what do the presidential candidates’ promises add up to in substance? A top Texas economist does the math.

The University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio are set to merge by 2025, with the potential to become a national and international powerhouse.

And: An East Texas reporter has spent the weeks leading up to Labor Day looking back at the biggest historical labor disputes in the region. Michael Garcia of KETK in Tyler shares what he’s learned.

Southlake teen Sam Watson sets speed climbing records ahead of Paris Olympics

Kamala Harris consolidates Democratic support, shattering fundraising records. How does this change things for Texas Republicans?

After the death of veteran Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who takes her place for the remainder of her term and on the ballot for her open seat?

Sam Watson, an 18-year-old from Southlake, holds the three fastest times ever in speed climbing and will be competing at the Paris Olympics.

The Rio Grande Valley faces an unprecedented water crisis as drought intensifies.

And: a new push to change how Texas imposes the death penalty.

Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett pledges full support for VP Harris

U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas has thoughts for fellow Democrats who haven’t been quick to support Vice President Kamala Harris.

Prison farm labor isn’t just part of Texas history; it’s a reality today. An investigation into the practices and what we don’t know about what goes on in the fields.

A mammoth find for Texas researchers – literally. What a team from Baylor plans to do with the discovery of some ancient DNA.

We’ll take you inside some San Antonio record stores where the love for vinyl keeps going around.

And: The emerging path forward for psychedelics when it comes to treating PTSD.

What’s next after Biden exits presidential race?

President Biden’s decision yesterday to drop his campaign for re-election and to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee follows weeks of mounting pressure from members of his own party. But it was a Texan who was the first Democrat on Capitol Hill to call for Biden to step aside. We’ll talk with U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett.

What can we expect between now and Election Day? A UT Austin professor takes a look at the logistics of Biden stepping down and what it means for next month’s Democratic National Convention.

Some historical perspective: The last time an incumbent president announced he wouldn’t run for reelection was Texas’ Lyndon Baines Johnson in 1968.

Plus: Remembering the legacy of longtime Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who has died at 74.

The Texas State Aquarium balances marine conservation and hurricane challenges

The Texas State Aquarium has a spot right on the edge of the Corpus Christi Bay – and storms in recent years have provided lessons that staff put in place for Hurricane Beryl.

There’s tons of evidence that most extreme weather hits communities of color the hardest. As Texas recovers from Beryl, what’s being done to address that?

A new court system in Texas designed just for business matters opens in September with judges appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.

And: Cameras in your earbuds and health data tracked in a ring? We’ll check in on the latest in wearable technology.

Texas dance company brings a love story home to Shankleville

On the final day of its term, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the legal challenge to a Texas social media law back to a lower court and said Donald Trump has absolute immunity for official acts only. We’ll have the latest.

It may be up to Texas lawmakers to further clarify state rules around in vitro fertilization.

The latest on potential disruptions for energy and travel as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in the Caribbean.

Marijuana is not legal for recreational use in Texas – but tests show the products sold at smoke shops and gas stations is more like the real deal than meets the eye.

And the Standard’s Kristen Cabrera reports from East Texas on the homecoming of the enduring love story of Jim and Winnie Shankle – one that began on a plantation and ended with emancipation – told in the universal language of dance.

UTEP scientists spot bird not seen in decades

A unanimous decision from the U.S. Supreme Court reverses a challenge to Donald Trump’s eligibility to remain on primary ballots, just ahead of Super Tuesday.

The Texas Newsroom’s Rachel Osier Lindley shares an update on wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, where the biggest blaze in state history is only 15% contained.

We’ll have more on some key races to watch, from Abilene to Dallas County, as Texans prepare to go to the polls tomorrow.

And: The yellow-crested helmetshrike, a bird long feared extinct, was discovered by a team of scientists from the University of Texas at El Paso on an expedition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Coral samples in Galveston could be key to keeping the species alive

On the eve of early voting, Alexandra Samuels of Texas Monthly and Mark Jones of the Baker Institute at Rice University share a closer look at some of the big contests Texas voters will see on their primary ballots.

We’ll hear about what happened when reporters for the Houston Chronicle began mapping where tickets are being issued to people experiencing homelessness there.

Amid mounting threats from climate change, scientists at Moody Gardens in Galveston are caring for 150 coral fragments from five species to keep them alive.

Anyone up for barbecue – for breakfast? BBQ journalist Daniel Vaughn has some prime tips.

New music exhibit features iconic items owned by Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift and more

A new law making it a state crime for migrants to enter Texas without authorization faces a major test in a federal courtroom. We’ll hear the latest.

In Houston ISD, the biggest school district in the state, officials appointed by the state are getting pushback over plans to expand school reforms.

A Texas presidential museum turns a spotlight on Taylor Swift’s guitar, Willie Nelson’s boots and hundreds of other artifacts to help tell the story of American music.

Plus: The week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

A look ahead to the new year in Texas, from politics to entertainment

Two experts weigh in on the Texas political landscape and the stakes as we head into a major general election year amid growing rifts among Texas Republicans. Could the new year mark a tipping point for Texas Democrats?

Tech expert Omar Gallaga and the Standard’s own Shelly Brisbin look at what’s buzzing on the technology front.

Plus: coming attractions at the theater and some of the most anticipated book releases of 2024.

A look back at the year in review

It was a year like few others in modern memory at the Texas Capitol, with four special sessions on top of a regular session, a historic impeachment trial of the state attorney general and more.

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most seminal Texas music moments ever committed to vinyl: Viva Terlingua!

The best of the year in science & nature

Science and nature are in the spotlight today.

While the worst of COVID-19 appears to be history, scientists and researchers continue to draw lessons about what happened and how well-prepared we might be for the next pandemic.

How a Texan is trying to help answer questions about science in a new podcast aimed at non-scientists curious about the world around us.

Girl Scouts take a deep dive on science – quite literally – with the help of scuba gear.

And our conversation with an astronaut picked for our next return to the moon.

All about Texas cryptids

Most Texans have heard their names, and quite a few grew up hearing their stories: Bigfoot, jackalope, goatman, La Lechuza, chupacabra, just for starters. Scientists question whether they’re real, but the space they occupy in Texas folklore is very real indeed.

Today we’re sharing the results of a month-long effort to track down the origin stories of Texas cryptids – and discover why they have such a hold on Texas mythology and imagination.

The best of the year in arts & culture

Today we’re turning our attention to the world of arts and culture, from a riveting film featuring the audio diaries of Lady Bird Johnson, to the startling impact of a singer named Taylor Swift.

What if it is your first rodeo? We’ve got you covered there with what to do – and what not to.

And Austin-born actor Gabriel Luna talks about his role in the hit HBO series “The Last of Us.”

Our staff favorites of the year

Texas Standard producers have made their lists and checked ‘em twice – or more – selecting some of our most memorable conversations with fascinating Texans over the past 12 months.

This hour, we invite you to sit back and enjoy our staff favorites from the past year, including honky tonk heroines, birders in cemeteries, bears making a comeback and a whole lot more.

New proposals would let ranchers kill two birds. But is one really a predator?

New laws on arresting migrants who cross the border into Texas illegally are just one of many changes related to border security from this year’s legislative sessions. Julián Aguilar of The Texas Newsroom takes a closer look at what passed, what didn’t, and what it means.

How do Texas voters think lawmakers did dealing with top-line issues in 2023? Jim Henson of the Texas Politics Project shares the findings of a new poll.

A Texas perspective of the struggle over campus free speech.

Democratic lawmakers in Congress are pitching a plan to stop hedge funds from buying rental homes.

And the Standard’s Michael Marks dives in on Texas ranchers’ ongoing fight against predatory birds.