A secretive project to build a long water barrier in the Rio Grande is revealed as letters go out to landowners to build a Big Bend border wall. We’ll hear what locals are thinking.
Look up to the sky: It’s a boom, it’s a flash… and a crash through a roof north of Houston. A UT geosciences professor helps us understand the meteor fragment impact that occurred this past weekend.
We’ll also dig into the somewhat surprising findings of a new report from the Brookings Institution on the costs of higher education.
And with March Madness in the air, the Sweet 16’s set in another bracket competition — the best Texas movie.
politics
SXSW 2026 Hangover
On this episode we recap our annual SXSW showcase SXBreaks and our overall experience with the revamped SXSW festival. We also discuss our thoughts on the Oscars winners from this past weekend. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Teyana Taylor, the Ewoks from Star Wars, the origins of Quiet Storm radio and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion is that Houston may have a problem on its hands in regards to spring break.
Waterline breaks prompt Pflugerville officials to call for conservation measures
Lake Pflugerville’s water levels remain low after a series of waterline breaks, the most recent of which was fixed on Wednesday. Local officials have issued water conservation calls while the man-made lake gets back to normal levels. We’ll have more about those water issues.
Libraries are havens for many Texans, especially those living in rural areas, further away from resources like healthcare. That’s part of the reason one nonprofit is now providing mental health resources in some Central Texas libraries. We’ll dig into the work they’re doing.
And it’ll be a busy weekend for Austin sports fans. The Texas men’s and women’s basketball teams will be in action as Austin FC prepares for a home clash with a familiar foe.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
A special broadcast from Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi cuts its timeline to a water disaster and the state issues emergency orders to deal with what may be an unprecedented crisis. Today we’re coming to you from the place they call the Sparkling City by the Sea — yet despite its proximity to the water, the region faces the imminent threat of running out of it.
We’re at the studios of KEDT, our partners in Corpus Christi. We’ll have the latest on the water crisis here, but also some of the extraordinary charms of the 8th most populous city in Texas — a hub for shipping, wildlife preservation, and great music.
Cesar Chavez Street, local march reassessed amid abuse allegations against labor leader
In the wake of public sexual assault and abuse allegations against union organizer Cesar Chavez, organizers of the annual parade in Austin honoring him canceled their upcoming event. Now, local activists and politicians are calling for the City of Austin to change the name of Cesar Chavez Street, the East-to-West thoroughfare running through the heart of Austin. We’ve got the latest from the fallout.
Austin-area state Rep. James Talarico will need to broaden his base of support in order to win the state’s U.S. Senate seat this fall. One group of voters he’ll have to convince will be those who voted for his Democratic primary opponent: Jasmine Crockett.
And March Madness is upon us! Don’t forget to fill your brackets and join us for today’s Austin Signal.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Debate grows over César Chávez Day and public memorials in Texas
Revelations over César Chávez’s reported history of sexual abuse has led to an immediate response across Texas. We’ll break it down.
Texas is home to two of America’s four strategic oil reserves. We’ll dive into why the Gulf Coast was the right place for this storage — beyond its oil and gas infrastructure.
We’ll take a trip to Brownsville for the Final Four — in college chess that is.
And we’ll bring you a story about a Texas-led discovery in South Korea: A new dinosaur species, the Doolysaurus — and it’s really cute.
We’ll also check in on the BBQ World Cup competition drawing interest across Texas for its huge, promised payout.
It’s been more than two weeks since the deadly shooting at Buford’s in downtown Austin that killed three, wounded more than a dozen, and affected countless others.
It’s been more than two weeks since the deadly shooting at Buford’s in downtown Austin that killed three, wounded more than a dozen, and affected countless others. For mass shooting survivors, recovery can be a slow process. We’ll have the story of a mother and daughter going through that very thing following a shooting last year at an Austin Target store.
An autonomous vehicle in Austin blocked emergency vehicles trying to reach the shooting scene at Buford’s. We’ll look at why a lack of regulatory guidelines could mean more of these kinds of incidents.
Organizers of the annual Cesar Chavez parade and celebration in Austin have canceled the event after allegations against the labor union organizer have been made public. We’ll take a look at how this story is developing.
Plus, it’s the last day of South By Southwest 2026. We’ve got the story of one Austin artist working over the past few days for his big break.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
How liberal cities are navigating mandated ICE partnerships
Many Republican-led states like Texas require police officers to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That’s left liberal cities like Austin debating how to respond when they don’t want spend resources on immigration enforcement.
ICE operations are deterring immigrants from participating in routine parts of their lives. Here in Austin, one clinic has seen its demand drop dramatically over recent weeks.
Plus, South By Southwest wraps up tomorrow, but there’s still time to get in on the activities. Today, we’ll tell you about a documentary that follows the search for an almost mythical Texas musician.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
When to start taking Social Security benefits, the pros and cons of investing in money market funds versus CDs, and the importance of carefully evaluating annuity products
Carl Stuart takes caller and text questions on when to start taking Social Security benefits, the pros and cons of investing in money market funds versus CDs, and the importance of carefully evaluating annuity products. Carl discusses the importance of long-term investing and cautions against making hasty decisions during market downturns, while also providing guidance on managing debt, budgeting, and tax-efficient retirement planning.
Waymo expansion sparks safety concerns in Texas cities
A recent change to Texas law now requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement.
Driverless cabs are making headlines in Austin for all the wrong reasons. What this might mean for Waymo’s plans to expand statewide.
Politics v.s. pragmatism in West Texas, long known for its oil, now making a sometimes-begrudging shift to solar to meet growing electricity demand. Their question? What’s in it for them?
Also, why NASA’s hanging out the “help wanted” sign.
A special SXSW 2026 show from Scholz Garten
We kicked off South by Southwest 2026 with a special, live one-hour show at Scholz Garten.
We’ll speak with Austin artists Shakey Graves and Kydd Jones about the things they’re working on this year.
We’ll also be joined by the director and producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson,” about a top-class cyclist murdered on a trip to Austin.
Plus, a roundtable of chefs from Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants Dai Due, La Santa Barbacha and Ramen del Barrio about the cost of a meal in Austin and the ways they’re working to keep them accessible to more Austinites.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Paxton targets Austin ISD over alleged ‘bathroom bill’ violation
Board members for the Austin Independent School District are considering an outside nonprofit to handle three of its middle schools with chronic failing grades. Another failing grade for these campuses would give the Texas Education Agency the authority to take over the district as a whole. We’ll have more about community meetings happening this week. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has notified AISD of a complaint alleging the district violated the state’s bathroom bill. We’ll dig into the story.
Since the start of the second trump administration. Immigration crack downs have been in the news and affecting communities and families across the nation, as well as here in Texas. Austin-based documentarian Louise Van Assche has taken a closer look at this by talking with the folks being directly affected.
South by Southwest officially kicks off tomorrow, but the unofficial showcases and house shows have plenty to offer up as well. We’ll share details about one benefitting a women’s correctional facility here in the Austin area.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
New changes to smokeable hemp rules could be coming
George Davis Jr. is one of the victims who had to be hospitalized after the deadly shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. He reached out to 911 for assistance, but had to turn to help of strangers to get him to the hospital. Davis is recovering now and trying to find the people who he says helped save his life. We’ll hear more about his experience that early morning and his recovery journey since.
Possible changes for smokable hemp in Texas could be happening sooner rather than later. We’ll go over what could be changing and the reaction from those in the industry.
And the City of Austin is looking for ways to save every nickel and dime after cuts to the budget. We’ll go over the latest way they’ve saved some money.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Buford’s reopens a week after deadly shooting
Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was open for business over the weekend, just days after a shooting left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. Some Austin residents felt the opening was rushed after such a tragedy. We’ll hear from others who felt showing up was the right thing to do.
The Austin Police Department has new rules for how its officers contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll hear more about the change.
After the suspected shooter in the attack was identified, a woman from Buda is alleging she was assaulted by the suspect in a separate incident last year at the Tesla Gigafactory. We’ll dig into what we know about the incident and lawsuit.
Plus, South By Southwest starts its takeover of Austin this Thursday. Our sister station KUTX is gearing up to bring you plenty of live music — from right here in Austin and from around the world.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
More background on Buford’s shooting suspect released
We’re learning more about the alleged shooter in Sunday morning’s deadly incident at a West Sixth Street bar. The suspect had no prior interactions with police in Austin, but that wasn’t true for other agencies in Texas. We’ll share more about that history, and why it wasn’t enough to keep him from legally acquiring firearms.
The Texas Department of Transportation has not started construction on a new boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake. TxDOT pledged $25 million for the project as part of the expansion of I-35. Now it’s warning the City of Austin to accept its terms or lose the project altogether. We’ll have more from a KUT News investigation.
We’ve got a little Austin music history for your day.
And this group of women in Austin have a shared interest in skateboarding. We’ll hear more about their story.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
How the primaries played out amid Williamson County confusion
Election Night is over in Texas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what happened yesterday in Williamson County. Some voters waited in line for hours, only to be told they’d have to go to an entirely different polling site to vote. Others made an after-hours trip to cast a ballot, only to find out their vote may not be counted.
Our team of county reporters was covering the most important races in Central Texas. They join us in the studio with their latest reporting.
And the City of Austin is ending a rental assistance program; it’s a byproduct of a trimmed budget. We’ll have more about the help that’s going out for the last time and the future of other assistance programs.
The people of Austin have voted Soundfounder on KUTX Radio Show of the Year! The host of the show, Andrew Brown, is with us today on Austin Signal
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
Central Texas voters head to the polls on primary Election Day
We’re getting more information about the three victims from Sunday morning’s shooting at Buford’s. We’ll have the latest from the KUT newsroom.
It’s primary Election Day here in Texas. Four Austin-area Texas legislators are vying for the Democratic nomination of various positions. In addition to the statewide offices, there’s lots going on in the Central Texas area. KUT’s county reporters for Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are out in the field talking to voters. We’ll hear about the reasons they’re coming out to cast a ballot this Election Day.
Plus, Austin wouldn’t be Austin without its wacky cast of characters. Who’s the guy who used to write and read poems before concerts across town? We’ll have the answer from our ATXplained project.
More details emerge following West Sixth Street shooting
Three people are dead and many more are hospitalized following a deadly shooting over the weekend at a popular West Sixth Street bar.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism, but authorities say it’s still too early to determine a motive.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and other local officials held a press conference sharing more information on the victims of the shootings.
We’ll also delve into what’s known regarding the 53-year-old alleged gunman.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org
The Breaks LIVE!
On this episode we are LIVE at Central Machine Works with a special episode featuring fellow KUT/KUTX personalities. Our first two segments we have Miles Bloxson (KUT) and Ryan Wen (KUTX) to discuss topics about the culture of hip-hop. For Hip-Hop Facts and Unpopular Opinion we have on Soundfounder (KUTX) and DJ Shani (KUTX) of The Groove Temple.
A Central Texas voters’ guide as primary Election Day nears
There are still a few hours left to vote early ahead of Tuesday’s Texas party primaries. We’ll tell you what you need to know before heading to the polls to vote today or Election Day on Tuesday.
We’ll also have closer look at races for two Travis County Commissioner seats and go over what exactly commissioners do.
Also, the federal government is now challenging a court order to repatriate college student Any López Belloza, who was deported after trying to fly to Austin last year.
Huston-Tillotson’s group of jazz musicians with fresh roots on the east side of Austin have already gained national recognition.
And it’s going to get loud at Circuit of the Americas this weekend: NASCAR is in town.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org