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KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
Five men are handed over in Mexico along with a letter purportedly from the Gulf Cartel apologizing for the “senseless crime” of violently kidnapping four Americans, leaving two of them and one Mexican dead. U.S. officials say the apology seems authentic, though perhaps not sincere.
What’s being done to combat the nation’s shortage of truck drivers.
A sneak peek at the start of SXSW Film as the festival kicks off in Austin.
And the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
As a deadline approaches for bills to be filed in the Texas Legislature, proposals on guns and secession are making headlines. There is rare bipartisan support building around a proposal that proponents say would boost the effectiveness of background checks for buying a firearm, a move prompted by the school shooting in Uvalde.
When it comes to property tax relief, are Texas Republicans a house divided? There is a possible battle looming between the Texas House and Senate.
And the last red-light cameras still giving out tickets in Texas – and the push to switch them off for good.
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.
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.
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.
The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in two challenges to student loan forgiveness. With Texas having the second highest number of student loans in the nation, a University of Houston legal scholar offers analysis and what comes next.
There’s a push in the Texas Legislature to ban polling places on college campuses – but some students see it as voter suppression.
Once upon a time in the not-so-distant past there was a planned mega-merger in the publishing biz. Today: the postscript.
On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s war with Ukraine, Valerie Hudson, international affairs expert at Texas A&M, shares a Texas perspective on where the conflict stands today.
Author and commentator David Frum on concerns about moves being made by Mexico’s president that could turn back the clock on democratic change there – and the implications for Texas and beyond.
The Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch reports from the SheBelieves Cup soccer tournament in Frisco, where the U.S. Women’s National Team
took home the title.
Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.
The clash between city leaders and state lawmakers is set to reach a new level at the Capitol. How state lawmakers are trying to crack down on policies by local prosecutors not to pursue certain cases.
A Texas researcher is pursuing a key to fight aging with the help of small monkeys.
We talk with Rep. Gene Wu, whose videos about how Texas politics actually works have blown up on social media.
In West Texas, concerns about growing tourism and the environmental impact spawn a plan to expand Big Bend National Park by purchasing adjacent land and giving it to the park.
Plus the legacy of San Antonio businessman B.J “Red” McCombs.
We’ll break down Gov. Greg Abbott’s biennial state of the state address, which highlighted schools, border security and property tax relief among emergency items for lawmakers.
How people in Texas with ties to Turkey and Syria are rallying for relief following last week’s devastating earthquakes.
Tough times for the economy and a lack of funding have some Texas school districts considering shuttering schools to make ends meet.
And in San Benito, a grand new home opens this weekend for celebrating the story of Texas conjunto music.
We have a preview of tonight’s State of the State Address, Gov. Greg Abbott’s chance to lay out his agenda for lawmakers.
The governor’s address comes amid calls to do more on gun violence, and just a day after another shooting in El Paso. Julián Aguilar of the Texas Newsroom joins us with the latest on the shooting at Cielo Vista Mall, very close to the Walmart where 23 people were killed in a 2019 mass shooting.
How concerns about restraints in Texas special education programs are getting the attention of state lawmakers.
And remembering Jesse Treviño, a beloved San Antonio artist who died this week.
Black lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are pushing colleagues for changes to key Texas laws. Texas State Representative Ron Reynolds, chair of the Black Caucus, joins us to discuss top priorities in the 88th session on issues ranging from criminal justice reform and environmental justice to voting rights.
The Standard’s Kristen Cabrera on an effort in San Antonio to bridge the gap between public art exhibitions and marginalized communities.
And no Texas teams in the Super Bowl, but there are some big reasons for Texas football fans to get excited for Sunday’s big game.
Insurance claims are about to spike as Texans try to recover from storm damage – a Texas insurance specialist advises how best to move forward with claims: what to do, and what not to do. We’re also answering your questions about trees and ice damage.
We take a look at what winter storms have done to the state’s aviation industry.
The Standard’s own Sean Saldana shares new Texas job numbers and what they tell us about the state of the economy.
And the Texas Tribune’s James Barragán with the week that was in Texas politics.
A test of Texas public schools against potential intruders shows a 95% pass rate. But what about that other 5%? Megan Mangrum of the Dallas Morning News with more on the findings from inspections ordered by the governor after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary.
LBJ, Robert Caro, and a new documentary on the challenges of writing an epic biography of a larger than life Texas figure.
Also an effort by juvenile services to help students manage their emotions with the aid of a golden retriever.
As cities grow, so do tensions between state and local officials over policy direction. A bipartisan coalition of 18 big city mayors team up to press state officials over top priorities. What they’re planning and more in our conversation with the mayor of Fort Worth. Also, how transgender youth and their families are gearing up to fight several new proposals in the GOP led Texas legislature. And an update over public access to a beloved east Texas body of water called The Cutoff. Plus rising grocery prices and the SNAP gap for those needing help to get food on the table. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
One year after an attack on a synagogue in north Texas: an appeal to fellow Texans to step up the fight against antisemitism. We’ll have details. Other stories we’re tracking: with a record surplus, a legislative wishlist from leaders of higher ed in Texas. And which comes first, chicken or eggs? Inflation forcing some tough choices for many Texans as grocery prices scramble home budgets. Also dry January? Or just drier than usual? Some considerations for those resolving to abstain from alcohol in the new year. And a post apocalyptic video game transformed into a TV series. Actor Gabriel Luna on the show’s ties to Texas as well as his own plus much more today on the Texas Standard:
A big announcement that could add up to a major boost for tourism and the economy of North Texas. Underscoring the explosion of population and business growth in the Lone Star State, the announcement of plans to build a Universal Theme Park in Frisco is generating excitement in some quarters and concerns in others. We’ll hear all about it. Also after supply chain disruptions and worse, why Laredo could be at the center of a shift in how U.S. companies do business. And talk of a federal ban on gas stoves ignites a political firestorm, and fresh concerns about the safety of a common appliance. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
2 years after the insurrection on Capitol Hill the implications of the event and its aftermath for Texas and Texans. We’ll have more. Also on this January 6th, a look at concerns about extremism among some who previously served their country in the military. And order in the court? Despite discrepancies in representation between men and women in many fields, Texas bucking national trends with what some have called a golden age of elected female judges. And taco journalist Mando Rayo serves up some tips for home cooking. Plus the greatest Texas guitarists of all time, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:
New laws that took effect, decisions from the courts that made history, the fight for social justice and more; it’s 2022 in review. With the Texas Legislature set to reconvene in just days, it’s worth looking back at how much Texas changed over the past 12 months, and what those changes may tell us about what’s to come in the new year. We’ll turn a spotlight on politics and a campaign season that didn’t turn out as expected, the economy, technology and much more as we reconsider the year that was across miles and miles of the Texas, today on the Texas Standard:
After a year covering miles and miles of Texas, what did our producers pick as standout stories? With a new year dawning, we asked our team of producers and reporters to hand pick some of the standout stories we’ve shared over the past 12 months. From amateur astronomers making celestial discoveries to a reconsideration of labor leader Cesar Chavez, and a mysterious tradition involving a certain Sam Houston. We offer a collection of unforgettable voices and tales from 2022 today on the Texas Standard:
In 2022, Texas played more than just bit parts on screens big and small. We look back at the year that was for Texas on film and TV. We’ll have our conversation with one of the most celebrated directors of the Lone Star State, Richard Linklater, on his movie about growing up in Texas at a time when the US was aiming for the moon. Also an actor and comedian from Houston by way of Kuwait, Mo Amer, on his hit Netflix series and what his title character tells us about the Texas of today. And South Texas born comedian, actor and author, Cristela Alonzo on her streaming success, and gettin middle classy. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard: