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KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

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What is Proposition Q on Austin’s ballot this November?

Election season is upon us once again. It’s not midterm time and we don’t have a president to pick, but voters in Central Texas will have a reason to cast their ballots. Here in Austin, folks will be deciding whether to approve a tax-rate hike above the normal threshold allowed by the state.

Why is the city asking for so much? And how are folks feeling a week out from early voting? KUT’s City Hall reporter Luz Moreno-Lozano joins the show to answer those questions.

And a new bird just dropped! Texas Standard’s Raul Alonzo talks Austin birding and the new “Grue Jay.” Plus catching us up on Austin FC’s run for the U.S. Open Cup championship with the co-host of the Vamos Verde podcast, Juan Diego Garcia.

Levitation Fest hits Austin this weekend

Texas Republican lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional districts in a special session this summer, doing so at the desire of President Trump and leaving no questions about their reasoning: They were changing the maps to benefit their party. But the idea of gerrymandering hasn’t been limited to just Texas this year. KUT’s Mose Buchele will dive deeper.

While some are counting down to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, others are hitting up Levitation Fest this weekend. It’s the perfect weekend to hit the town before thousands of visitors take over the city.

Plus: more live music and movie recommendations that are worth leaving your couch for.

Fantastic Fest celebrates 20 years of Horror and Sci-fi in Austin

They say AI is the future and for the city of Austin, artificial intelligence could be one way to catch people committing crimes in parks.The City council was considering a proposal and that had some Austinites pretty concerned. Plus, for fans of horror, sci-fi, fantasy and offbeat films, it doesn’t get much better than Fantastic Fest. The film festival’s celebrating its twentieth anniversary this week. And what do you love to do – not because you have to, but just because you love it? Hear about the Central Texan who’s totally into sumo wrestling and even became a coach for Team USA in international competitions! Jennifer Stayton in the host chair today.

Austin fire union, city at standstill over contract days before deadline

Contract negotiations between the city of Austin and its fire department are fast approaching the deadline for a new deal, with negotiations at a standstill. The firefighters union called the city’s offer insulting; the city says it’s willing to negotiate. KUT government accountability reporter Andrew Weber joins the show with more.

We’ll hear about the journey and future plans of 20-year-old professional soccer player Owen Wolff, who has been part of Austin FC since its inaugural season in 2021 and is a big part of the current run of success his side is experiencing.

Plus from our sister station KUTX, a bit Mama Duke the Austin musician who will be featured on the America’s Got Talent finale tonight. 

HAAM Day takes over Austin and Central Texas

Most Austin area drivers have a love-hate relationship with Interstate 35 – or they avoid it completely, and have no relationship at all. The latest round of I-35 construction is hitting its stride.

Live music at the grocery store, hospital, your favorite sandwich shop or taco joint? It’s HAAM Day, benefitting health care coverage for Austin musicians.

Jennifer Stayton is in the host chair today on Austin Signal from KUT News.

Williamson County deals with the ramifications of a proposed data center in Taylor

Up in Williamson County, a proposed data center is set to break ground in the city of Taylor. These kinds of centers have drawn all kinds of feedback for the resources and electricity demand required to power them. But the progress of this latest data center could be stopped in its tracks. Williamson County Reporter for KUT News  Kailey Hunt joins Austin Signal for more on this. Plus, there’s a lot of news and emotions to take in daily as a human being. So, we make the time to take a moment for ourselves with the help of Marnie Castor. Learn a little and relax a little here on Austin Signal from KUT News.

Texas A&M president resigns amid viral video controversy

Texas A&M President Mark Welsh is resigning after a week of turmoil over a viral video and a clash over gender identity content in the classroom.

What’s behind Texas’ redistricting push? KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on a political strategy started decades ago.

The flesh-eating new world screwworm, a parasite once eradicated from Texas, has been detected within striking distance of the border. What species may be most vulnerable.

The new documentary “When We Were Live” reflects on public access TV in Austin through rare archival footage and interviews with local producers.

Kerr County emergency officials were sleeping when flood hit July 4

Why weren’t Hill Country communities alerted as a deadly wall of water roared down the Guadalupe on the weekend of July 4th? In their first public testimony on the floods, top emergency officials in Kerr County said they were away or asleep.

Voting the old-fashioned way? A return to hand-marked ballots in Collin County is part of a change sweeping Texas and other parts of the country.

Red-crowned Amazons squawk through summer nights in Brownsville – and they’ve been the city’s official bird since 1992.

Plus: An update on a major scramble to defend Texas from a devastating invader, the New World Screwworm.

Food banks struggle to meet rising demand

What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details.

Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs.

Even without a pandemic, Texas food banks are facing shortages and surging need. The CEO of Feeding Texas joins us to talk about what’s driving the crisis.

Funds for adult education were first put on hold, then released – but there’s a big asterisk. The Standard’s Sarah Asch on a policy change that could affect adult ed.

Plus: Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn dishes on his latest list of the top BBQ 50 spots in the state.

Why ‘Don’t California My Texas’ isn’t the whole story

Are Democratic lawmakers on the verge of a walkout to stop Republicans from redistricting during the special session? We’ll have the latest.

We’re also tracking possible federal funding cuts to legal aid organizations that could leave thousands of Texans who can’t afford a lawyer without the help they need.

Going beyond armed security guards, some Texas schools are turning to drones to increase security.

The changing role of social media influencers was on display in the aftermath of the July 4 floods.

And: Are Texas lawmakers quietly taking cues on governing from California?

Houston archaeologists uncover tomb of ancient Maya ruler

The Trump administration releases billions of dollars in education grants it previously withheld. What it means as students head back to school.

How the U.S. military is responding to a new kind of warfare that uses small, inexpensive drones.

The story of a Cuban man who raised a family in Texas and spent years working for a school district near Abilene – and now is locked up in an ICE detention center.

A high school student’s plan to help schools coping with a shortage of mental health counselors.

And: A Houston husband-and-wife team of archaeologists have discovered the tomb of the ruler of the ancient Mayan city of Caracol, now in present-day Belize.

Black farmers in East Texas feel the sting of DEI cuts

A peek into the week ahead for the Texas Legislature’s special session: We’ll hear the latest on a much-talked-about possible walkout by Democrats.

A plan to relieve congestion in Austin was approved by voters years ago – but so far, there’s not much to show for it. Is Project Connect off the rails?

The rollback of USDA diversity programs is impacting East Texas, which is home to more Black farmers than anywhere else in the U.S.

Plus: A big deadline for tariffs with Mexico on the table. If a deal can’t be reached by Aug. 1, what could that mean for Texas?

Asleep at the Wheel celebrates 50 years with Texas tribute

A very busy Thursday for first responders and meteorologists with flood conditions and heavy dust for many Texans – and it’s expected to get worse before it gets better. We’ll have an update.


Houston, we have a problem, and it may be related to a spat between the president and the world’s wealthiest Texan.


The Dallas Fed offers an assessment of the Texas economy and the Standard’s Sean Saldana has the details.


Also, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel talks about a new album focused on his favorite subject: Texas.

Fort Worth considers shuttering 14 schools to cut costs

With just over a week to go at the Texas Legislature: what’s passed, what’s stalled, and where we stand.

Retailers track your every move to build shopper profiles and offer “personalized discounts.” But these loyalty perks may be more misleading than helpful.

Declining enrollment and tight budgets have school districts reevaluating their campuses. In Fort Worth, officials are proposing a five-year plan to close more than a dozen schools.

And: the week in politics with Jasper Scherer of The Texas Tribune.

As the clock winds down, Texas lawmakers scramble to pass key bills

A look at the behind-the-scenes dealmaking happening at the Texas Capitol with less than two weeks until lawmakers gavel out on June 2.

How proposed cuts to SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, would impact Texans.

Apple has a plan to make it possible to use your laptop, phone and even smartwatch with brain control. Tech reporter Omar Gallaga says it’s no gimmick and could bring serious accessibility benefits.

Plus: A new coach, a new star – and a bumpy takeoff for the Dallas Wings.

How one West Texas town built its own broadband lifeline

Texas lawmakers are considering a plan that could help prevent fentanyl overdoses in the state. Why it may not become law.

A decade after the deadly biker shootout in Waco that led to nine deaths and more than 100 arrests, some civil cases against the city are still moving forward.

Some Texas law enforcement agencies are getting rid of a gun they consider too risky for their officers – by selling them to civilians.

State and federal money has been set aside to connect rural Texans to the Internet. When the remote West Texas town of Monahans couldn’t get that help, they did it themselves.

And: Texas cities once again top a list of the fastest-growing in the U.S., led by Princeton, a suburb east of Frisco.

A special broadcast from El Paso

Today we’re broadcasting live from El Paso for a special edition of the Texas Standard.


We hear from some prominent El Pasoans – former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo – on the city’s dynamic politics.


El Paso has become a leader in innovative water management. How the city is securing its future in the desert.


KTEP’s Aaron Montes visits a local academy training the future stars of lucha libre.
And: How bighorn sheep have returned to El Paso’s mountains after a century away.

10 years later, still no convictions in Twin Peaks biker shootout

A bipartisan bill on abortion has passed the Texas Senate and is making its way through the House. Why lawmakers agree it’s necessary.


It’s been a decade now since a deadly shootout involving rival biker gangs at a Twin Peaks in Waco. What an investigation reveals about how the case was handled.


Thousands of Brazilians live in Central Texas. How they’re feeling about those from their country being targeted for deportation.


Plus: We’ll take you to the Kentucky Club in Juárez, a beloved border bar and one of the last of its kind.

How a Houston man spent 18 years in jail without a trial

How hot is it in Texas prisons? After many questions about deadly heat, a new discovery: the facts as presented may have been fake. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with the discovery of falsified records in an ongoing scandal about heat-related deaths behind bars.


A Houston inmate jailed for 18 years who never got his day in court: How did that happen, and could there be more?


What do you get when you cross a mouse with a woolly mammoth? It’s no joke: A Texas company says it’s just the beginning.


Also, who owns Texas? The results of an investigation of land ownership.
And this week in Texas music history.

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