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In attempts to ban library books, Texas leads the nation

Texas prisons are under a statewide lockdown as officials search for contraband to stem a rise in prison homicides.

More than 700 new state laws took effect in Texas on Sept. 1 out of the almost 3,000 that were filed – meaning the vast majority didn’t become law. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies tells us more.

Texas had the most book challenges of any state last year, according to the American Library Association.

Outlaw country, born in the 1970s, has long been dominated by men. But female artists have been making noteworthy contributions, especially recently.

Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

Del Rio’s William Beckmann fuses youthful energy and timeless soul in country music

A body was found in a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, prompting harsh criticism of Texas’ border strategy.

Four years after the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, people at the scene that day who are eligible for immigrant visas are still waiting.

The end of the pandemic emergency – and the end of pandemic relief funds – could mean a cut in childcare options in Texas. We’ll hear why.

A women’s soccer champion-turned Texas collegiate soccer coach weighs in on the U.S.’ prospects as the World Cup moves into the knockout rounds.

Plus the rise of songwriter William Beckmann, a Del Rio native.

As Texas leads the nation in ‘family annihilation’ cases, what can be done?

Ken Paxton, the impeached attorney general, is headed for a Houston courtroom today on his 2015 securities fraud charges.

An update on wildfires across the state as firefighters brace for another tough day of heat and wind. We’ll hear where the fire threat is greatest and what to do to prepare.

Since 2020, Texas has emerged as the epicenter of “family annihilation” cases, in which someone kills at least two kinds of family members.

A new documentary traces the careers of two of Texas’ most famous musical siblings: Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

And commentator WF Strong on what “Lonesome Dove “got right and wrong.

Workers rally to fight state bill ending water breaks

As Texans brace for another week of extreme heat, there’s pushback against a new state law that nullifies local rules requiring mandatory water breaks for outdoor workers.

Austin has ended its policing partnership with the Department of Public Safety – but Gov. Greg Abbott is sending more troopers to the capital city.

Some legal experts say the Supreme Court’s student debt decision may have scrambled the issue of standing, or whether a plaintiff has enough interest in a particular matter to stand before the court to request legal intervention. UT Law professor Stephen Vladeck explains.

And a new documentary on Jesse Treviño honors the late San Antonio artist, long considered one of the city’s finest.

State policies cause Texas to slip from top business rankings

A lawsuit challenging Texas’ new prohibition on hormone blockers and other treatments for transgender youth.

Lawmakers failed to pass new rules on locating concrete batch plants – what do those pushing for change plan to do next?

A report shows modest economic growth in Texas, we’ll hear more. Plus – Texas slips in the rankings of business-friendly states. Why and what are the implications?

A hit, or a swing and a miss? A certain sport using bats and balls arrives in Texas for summer, but are Texans ready for professional cricket?

Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune.

Is Paycheck Protection Program fraud partly behind the home price spike?

A planned buoy barrier along the Rio Grande designed to prevent migrant crossings faces legal obstacles of its own.

What’s known and what isn’t about the man who had been reported missing in the Houston area for eight years – who had only really been missing for about a day.

Could pandemic-era abuses be partly to blame for rising home prices?

And, how to lose friends and alienate the Legislature: Austin journalist Christopher Hooks on Gov. Greg Abbott’s legislative strategy and why he’s had so much trouble passing some key items on his agenda despite Republican majorities.

How to keep yourself and your pets safe this Fourth of July

Texas prison heat is an issue we’ve highlighted on this program for years. Why it’s not being solved quickly.

Abortion access is one of the top political issues in Texas. So how did state lawmakers manage to quietly pass a bill clarifying exceptions to the ban?

On the eve of July Fourth, we’ll give you a checklist to run through to make sure people, pets and property are all well taken care of.

And how the Supreme Court’s latest ruling on affirmative action will impact the processes at some Texas colleges and universities.

Texas State’s Operation Identification works to ID migrant remains

An attempted coup in Russia is over – but what does it signify about Vladimir Putin’s grip on power?
What an 8-1 ruling against Texas from the Supreme Court says about future challenges to federal immigration policy.
A year after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, how Texans are seeking abortion access.
A program at Texas State University is playing a big role in identifying the remains of migrants who die along or near the Texas-Mexico border.
And El Paso Chihuahuas broadcaster Tim Hagerty shares stories from the minor leagues in his new book “Tales from the Dugout.”

Latinos now make up largest share of state’s population

For the first time since the mid 1800s, the biggest population group in Texas is not white – it’s now Hispanic.
The San Antonio Spurs officially chose Victor Wembanyama with their No. 1 draft pick Thursday night, and he’s been welcomed with open arms by a city ready to win NBA Championships again.
There’s a push and pull in some Mexican restaurants across Texas between a culture of machismo and one of celebrating flamboyant musician Juan Gabriel.
Texas-born singer-songwriter Jess Williamson joins us to talk about her latest album, “Time Ain’t Accidental,” her writing process and Marfa influences.
Plus, a wrap-up of another tumultuous week in Texas politics.

Cormac McCarthy’s deep Texas ties

A tornado tore through the Panhandle town of Perryton on Thursday, leaving three dead, scores injured and many without homes – and forecasts say there’s more severe weather on the way.

Native American tribes are celebrating a big win before the Supreme Court in an adoption law case brought by a white foster couple from Texas.

What an expo in El Paso says about an aspect of border security that’s seldom talked about.

Remembering a giant of American novelists, Cormac McCarthy, and his ties to Texas.

And the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

What does Nate Paul’s arrest mean for Ken Paxton?

Impeached attorney general Ken Paxton won’t face trial in the Senate until late summer, but the indictment of prominent donor Nate Paul may have big implications for Paxton’s fate nonetheless.

Hurricane season is upon us, and the energy industry is making preparations for potential storms.

A colonia in El Paso is pulling water out of thin air using solar distillation.

A new podcast, “Under Cover of Knight, ” examines a death in small-town Texas – and why the CIA and local law enforcement wanted folks to stop asking questions.

And a longtime Texas radio journalist remembers NPR’s Wade Goodwyn.

What happened to the bill closing the ‘dead suspect loophole?’

Property tax cuts and border security are on the agenda as the Legislature’s special session moves into week 2.

A bill to promote police transparency received support in the House and the Senate, but now it’s apparently gone missing. KXAN investigative reporter Josh Hinkle explains.

There’s a shortage of mental health treatment for people arrested in Texas who are deemed in need of treatment before trial.

And Texas-based American Airlines has grounded planes amid an ongoing pilot shortage. What does this mean for summer travel?

Teaching ancient Greek and Roman texts in the Jim Crow era

As Title 42 comes to an end, El Paso declares a state of emergency due to the influx of migrants.

The week ahead at the Texas Legislature, and two bills affecting transgender youth in Texas; one relating to medical treatment, the other, sports competition.

An investigation of a chemical fire in Deer Park outside of Houston, and what it says about warning signs and preparation for potential disasters.

Researchers revisit an educational debate from the Jim Crow era, and the contributions of the Black Texans at the center of it.

What’s next in the legal fight over abortion drug mifepristone?

A decision from the Supreme Court on the availability of an abortion pill, and why it’s likely not the last word on the matter. What is the significance of the Supreme Court’s move regarding mifepristone? Constitutional law scholar Steven Vladek of UT Law joins us.
Also, a Texas bill to restrict real estate purchases by citizens of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran gets remodeled in the Senate. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom with more in our week ahead at the Texas Capitol.
Also, growing concerns over license plate theft, the myth of the “broke millennial” and much more.

How two Uvalde survivors are rebuilding their lives

Almost a year after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, two injured fourth graders are still trying to recover. Edgar Sandoval of the New York Times talks with us about his profile of two children injured in the shooting – and the months since.

Yesterday’s half-hour grounding of Southwest Airlines departures was blamed on technical issues. Why the FAA and other investigators want a closer look.

Why some lawmakers are pushing to keep Texas crypto miners from cashing in on a tool to help the power grid survive during times of peak demand.

Expanded telehealth is coming to an end

A Texas couple chose midwife care over a hospital, and now their baby is in foster care. Why this story is sounding alarm bells for many across the state.

Changes are coming to telehealth with the end of a federal pandemic order – and some patients will have to return to in-person medical care.

A bill in the Texas Legislature could lead to fines for some Texans who report pollution concerns.

Texas is home to millions of bats. But according to a new report out this week, more than half of North America’s bats are in peril if action isn’t taken to protect them.

TxDOT wants to bury a highway. The Dallas City Council wants to get rid of it.

Tenure is on the agenda in the Texas Senate this week, as lawmakers weigh a bill that would end the practice for the new faculty at public colleges and universities.

The Texas Department of Transportation wants to bury Interstate 345, a 1.4-mile stretch of highway that connects Dallas to its Deep Ellum neighborhood. But the Dallas City Council wants to get rid of it.

A Hill Country destination looks beyond tourism: The city of Kerrville gets busy on a plan to attract industry.

Pro sports teams shunned gambling on games, but now, Texas’ 11 top franchises are teaming up to legalize sports betting in the Lone Star State.

Do plans for a Texas business court work?

This week at the Texas Legislature: Laws aimed at making it easier to have a baby in Texas.

Under the big dome in Austin, a hearing on a proposal to ban Chinese non-citizens from buying land in Texas.

The state Republican Party censures one of its own, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, after a vote supporting a new gun law.

Is a two-tier court system coming to Texas? We’ll have more on a push for businesses to have their own legal system.

And: A gift to a major Texas museum is aimed at diversity for public art and and greater visibility for Latino artists.

What Texans think lawmakers should prioritize this legislative session

Texans say the border should be the top priority for the state Legislature this session, according to a new poll. We’ll dig into the results.

Questions about how the Center for Law and Human Behavior at the University of Texas at El Paso selected two Border Patrol agents for fellowships.

Taco expert Mando Rayo talks about his favorite traditional mom-and-pop eateries across the Lone Star State.

Piano music fills the air as El Paso hosts the Borderland Chopin festival spotlighting the beloved composer.

Five prescriptions for fixing Texas’ affordability crisis

With Texans across the state struggling to find affordable housing, we’ll hear from a team of experts who have some solutions.

The Texas Council on Family Violence has a list of legislative priorities for protecting survivors.

Saving wild African penguins: How people in North Texas are helping with a survival guide.

The original Angry Birds – the one you could buy and download for a small, one-time fee – is history. Our tech expert explains.