poetry

Emmitt Smith’s latest move is fighting opioid overdoses

Texas governor Greg Abbott’s prediction a school voucher bill would pass now looks unlikely as the latest special session winds down.

Legendary running back and three-time Super Bowl champ Emmitt Smith teams up with NARCAN to reduce opioid deaths.

How Texans cross into neighboring New Mexico for abortions. We’ll have a special report.

A Texas town’s long-lost photos go on display. What residents hope to learn about their past.

And how a notorious monster has helped generations of parents get children to behave – especially at bedtime. Kristin Cabrera explains the Cucuy.

The Ozark Howler

Texas Standard has been Tracking Texas Cryptids. Some are known for their distinctive appearance. Others are known for their unique sounds. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Some blocks are trick-or-treat duds — no porch lights on, no one ready with the Halloween candy, no one home? Other blocks, are like the one that inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem. (And maybe, there’s even the full-sized candy bar house!)

The Jackalope

The Texas Standard team is Tracking Texas Cryptids this spooky season. There’s La Lechuza, the Hairy Man of Round Rock — and the Jackalope? One of these is a bit more adorable than abominable. That was the inspiration of this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

The science on why it’s fun to be scared

Recriminations over donations and demands for a high-level resignation: What’s behind the latest political fight between Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan?

The Senate green-lights a voucher-like plan to provide public money for private school tuition. Matthew Watkins of the Texas Tribune joins us with more on the week in politics.

How to safely view Saturday’s annular eclipse over Texas.

Ken Burns returns with a new PBS series on the American Buffalo.

And: On Friday the 13th in this spookiest month, why so many folks love to get scared.

The Beast of Bear Creek

This spooky season, Texas Standard is Tracking Texas Cryptids. The Typewriter Rodeo team is also in on the hunt. The target of this poem is said to live in Kimble County.

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.

Music Festivals

With temperatures (finally) cooling down, music festival season is ramping up across Texas. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Why homeschooling is on the rise across the ideological spectrum

Sean Theriault of UT-Austin with a look at why government shutdowns have become so common, and what needs to happen to avoid another come Sunday.

The summer of 2023 was the second hottest on record in Texas. But for renters, air conditioning isn’t legally required — at least not everywhere in the state.

Over the past couple of years, there’s been a shift in the way that many Texans school their kids, with more folks opting for homeschooling – for reasons that span the political spectrum, or lie completely outside it.

Writer Andrew Leland on losing his vision and the struggle to understand the changes, as told in his new memoir, “The Country of the Blind.”

Why the Barbie Movie is Causing so Many Break-Ups: Some Theories

The Barbie film was one of the summer’s runaway hits. Some may be still feeling ripple effects from it. That inspired this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Summer’s Over

The last official day for summer in 2023 is Sept. 23. Though the temperatures haven’t really changed that much yet, many are embracing the early signs of fall. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

The Benefits of Cheese

Some Typewriter Rodeo poems are serious. Some are timely. This one is about cheese.

An old shipwreck was found in coastal East Texas. What’s in it?

The Pentagon says it is likely that the head of a failed coup in Russia was killed, though questions swirl around the incident.

The digital divide in Texas was brought into sharp relief during the height of COVID. Now lawmakers are trying to bridge the gap between those with broadband and those without.

As the water line recedes along the Neches, a shipwreck emerges outside of Beaumont.

With the return of Friday night lights across the Lone Star State, there’s a new effort to protect referees from overly aggressive fans.

Summer Training

While school is beginning again, the calendar still reads summer — and so does the temperature gauge. This Typewriter Rodeo poem embraces the challenge of exercising in the heat. Still, be careful out there!

Why the film and TV strikes are at an awful time for Texas

A change in leadership in the embattled Texas foster care system is bringing with it some optimism.

Texas doesn’t have enough space in psychiatric hospitals, so some people are staying in jails instead. We’ll explore their legal limbo.

A new investigation from the Dallas Morning News explores the history and impact of excessive use of police force in Dallas.

The film strikes in Hollywood are having more than just ripple effects here in Texas – why the timing was especially bad for the state.

And it’s Friday, so that means the Typewriter Rodeo and a wrap of the week in Texas politics.

A New Teacher’s First Week at School

The new school year typically focuses a bunch on the students. But this Typewriter Rodeo poem takes the perspective of an educator.

My Best Day

Not every day seems easy — or even “good.” But support from those who love us can remind us that every day has the potential to be our best. Maybe it’s just a matter of perspective. That’s what inspires us about this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

A Tribute to Typewriters

If there’s one thing we know about the folks at Typewriter Rodeo, it’s that they’re into expressing themselves through poetry. But why via typewriters? And not just any ol’ electric typewriter — but vintage, manual typewriters. This poem explores that.

The Texas Eclipse Festival is coming to Burnet next year

Wildfire evacuations in Central Texas this week and concerns about rising sea levels reshaping the Texas coastline.

The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldaña shares the latest unemployment numbers and what they tell us about the economic shape Texas is in.

A new alliance of automakers is going to take on Tesla’s charging standard.

A Texas-sized theme party is planned to welcome the total solar eclipse coming next year.

Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

What My Grandmother Taught Me

There are plenty of quotes about age and wisdom. This Typewriter Rodeo poem doesn’t pull from stereotype or adage. It’s just a real-life example of a good lesson passed down.