Lisa and Rich talk with community connector, voter motivator and conduit of curiosity Dewi Smith, highlighting the importance of being an educated voter. Dewi also shares her origin story, educational journey, devotion to the community, and commitment to rallying voters for this upcoming election.
politics
New exhibit showcases never-before-seen Freddy Fender artifacts
Schools and public libraries are often the focus of book bans. But what can we learn from a list of books prohibited in state prisons?
We’re celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Texans, including one who credits a librarian for helping him rise to became a leader in academia.
The infamous nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island could come back online to support a big tech company’s artificial intelligence operations.
And: The hometown of Freddy Fender will soon honor the trailblazing Tejano musician in a first-of-its-kind exhibit at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum.
A North Texas city has paused all new development
Princeton, a Dallas suburb, has quadrupled in population since 2010. Recently, city leaders paused all new residential development to let infrastructure catch up.
The latest in our series on the intersection of religion and politics: students from two schools in Abilene with a diversity of perspectives and a strong desire to bridge the political divide.
A standoff is brewing between Southwest Airlines and the San Antonio International Airport over terminal expansion plans.
Also: exploring Houston’s role in the renewable energy transition – the focus of a new podcast premiering today.
Abilene Christian University gets green light for nuclear reactor research
In Texas’ 2024 elections, long shot candidates are facing uphill battles in heavily gerrymandered districts. Why these candidates are running.
Why federal regulators are giving researchers the green light to build a nuclear reactor at Abilene Christian University.
The state is paying more for mental health services. But private psychiatric hospitals say they’re not getting a fair share when it comes to funding.
A new book by Texas historian H.W. Brands explores a divided America before World War II – and what we can learn now.
And: the changing role of the church in the lives of Black voters and what it might mean for this presidential election.
Researchers relocate coral to Texas coast in conservation project
The Matterhorn Express pipeline, a 580-mile project set to go online soon, will transport natural gas from a terminal in West Texas to Katy, near Houston. We’ll hear what it could add up to for Texas and for energy prices more broadly.
A proposed liquified natural gas terminal in the Rio Grande Valley is stirring debate among local Indigenous tribes.
In Corpus Christi, researchers are pitching in for “Operation Coral Rescue,” an attempt to save endangered reefs from the ravages of warmer oceans.
Voting in Texas means having the right ID. Need to update that driver’s license? Many Texans might be surprised it’s not quite as easy as it sounds.
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.
Hindu voters in Texas weigh in as political ties grow stronger
New questions about Attorney General Ken Paxton and his properties not disclosed in financial statements. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with more on what she’s found looking into the property disclosures of the state’s top lawyer.
State lawmakers hear testimony about the investigation into what caused the largest wildfire in Texas history earlier this year.
Also, the rising political power of Texas’ growing Hindu community in our series on the intersection of religion and politics, the NFL’s Houston Texans surprising the doubters, and much more.
Palestine fights Union Pacific’s move to leave town despite 1872 contract
Defense attorneys for the Walmart mass shooter, who’s already sentenced to life in prison, are asking for the court to take the death penalty off the table or drop the charges altogether due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct.
As we move closer to Election Day, The Texas Newsroom is exploring the role of religion in politics.
And: The city of Palestine, once a booming railroad town, is in a legal battle with Union Pacific to enforce an 1872 contract that promised the railroad company would stay “forever.”
Alamo Trust battles to keep Ferris wheel out of historic neighborhood
Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history, is returning to the Capitol as an adviser for House Speaker Dade Phelan. What it means for Texas politics.
Five years after a mass shooting in Odessa, a new sculpture rises in hopes of helping the city heal.
Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the State Fair of Texas and the city of Dallas over a gun ban at the fair.
A fast-spreading disease is threatening grape harvests and vineyards across the state.
And: The Alamo Trust is working to block the construction of a proposed Ferris wheel near the historic site.
How to prepare for the fall/winter gardening season in Texas
What effect is Texas’ booming population having on how the state’s moving politically? Some signs as we approach November.
A Texas company faces federal allegations of a price-fixing conspiracy pushing up rents across the U.S.
Want to grow a veggie garden this fall? An expert shares tips for choosing plants, protecting from freezes & more.
Two astronauts are stranded in space until next year, way beyond initial plans for their mission. A former astronaut weighs in on what’s happened and what comes next.
And: Remembering groundbreaking DJ Steve Crosno, who helped make El Paso’s music culture the rich scene it is today.
Texas athlete Ryan Medrano heads to his first Paralympic Games in Paris
Election Day is fast approaching, and controversies in Texas over who’s eligible to cast a ballot are picking up steam. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey has an update on Republican-led efforts to purge voter rolls and growing concerns about what could be a recipe for confusion come November.
As Texas public schools see enrollment numbers drop along with their budgets, an idea being tried by some districts in West Texas is garnering lots of attention – and apparently lots of money.
Texas is again well represented in Paris: We’re talking with El Paso fitness trainer Ryan Medrano, who’s running in the Paralympic Games this weekend.
Plus: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
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.
How Texas is likely undercounting heat-related deaths
Just how dangerous is triple-digit heat in Texas? They say the numbers don’t lie. Last year was the deadliest on record in Texas, but there’s reason to think we don’t know just how bad it really was – or is.
As schools begin welcoming students back to class, data shows nearly 1 in 5 will be chronically absent.
Are you a mosquito magnet, or does it just seem that way? What the science says, and what you can do about it.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
New survey reveals bipartisan concern over Texas housing affordability crisis
With Kamala Harris in the spotlight, there appears to be a major momentum shift in presidential politics. Is it moving the needle in Texas?
A new survey indicates that 90% of Texans believe housing costs are too high, with Democrats and Republicans in agreement.
Schools are struggling to grapple with a rise in vaping among students.
A conversation with Oscar nominated actor Colman Domingo on his new movie “Sing Sing.”
And: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.
What’s ahead for U.S. gymnastics at the Olympics
A faculty committee at UT Austin found that university leaders violated their own rules when calling police to respond to protests over the war in Gaza at the end of the spring semester. Audrey McGlinchy of KUT News shares the latest.
Five years after the mass shooting at a Walmart in El Paso, a new memorial is unveiled to honor the 23 people killed.
Serious questions have been raised over a private contractor providing healthcare services to prison inmates in many states, including Texas.
And: Texas was well-represented at the men and women’s gymnastics team and all-around events at the Paris Olympics. A look at what’s ahead for the athletes.
What VP Kamala Harris said at her Houston stop
The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee comes to Houston talking teachers, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media was at Kamala Harris’s speech to the American Federation of Teachers. We’ll hear what she had to say in her sprint toward the convention and Election Day.
How El Paso could teach the rest of Texas a thing or two about the future of managing water.
In the Panhandle, a federal plan to expand a wildlife refuge tenfold. Not everyone’s happy about it, either.
Corn or flour? Taco journalist Mando Rayo on some choices we Texans must face.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from Typewriter Rodeo.
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.