Debris is cleared then more homes are gutted and the streets are filled again. We’ll explore the reality of hurricane cleanup and one city’s message to Washington. Also in Virginia yesterday it was the luck of the draw. But how would a tied election be decided in Texas? Plus, the roadway wonder that saves drivers headaches and gas, is prolific in Texas. Why it hasn’t caught on in most other places. And those who’ve lost everything in a disaster often miss things like photo albums the most. An effort to re-create some of those washed away memories. Those stories plus the Typewriter Rodeo, politics and more, on today’s Texas Standard:
politics
Texas Standard: January 1, 2018
From a crisis in Teacher Retirement to the never ending Twin Peaks saga, a massacre in south Texas and a hurricane named Harvey. This hour, its all things reconsidered as we look back in the rearview at the top stories in Texas in 2017. From a historic storm that literally and figuratively forever altered the landscape of the lone star state, to the hometown heroes whose hollywood ending brought smiles to Harvey hit Houston. There there was something called the bathroom bill, remember that? A surprise resignation among the top three most powerful Texas lawmakers and much more…your picks for top Texas news in 2017:
Texas Standard: December 29, 2017
An ongoing election recount issue in Virginia has a Texas tie. Why the state thought they had a fool-proof way of counting ballots in the wake of Bush v. Gore. Plus, thinking of changing careers in the New Year? Or taking steps to do so? We’ll lay out which industries across the state are likely to have the biggest needs. And we’ll introduce you to a new group of superheroes and, later, the candidates for Texas Agriculture Commissioner. We’ll also get a call from the future -sort of- thanks to a former Texan whose back “home” in Australia. And Fridays mean the Typewriter Rodeo and a wrap of the biggest stories in Texas politics, today on the Standard:
Texas Standard: December 25, 2017
In 2017, the oil industry didn’t bounce back to those record highs of three years ago, but oil country? That’s another story, we’ll explain. We hope you and yours are have a very merry Christmas day, and we are celebrating the holidays here at the Standard in a manner befitting those of us who love all things radio, with a bit of a listening party. Our reporters have made their lists of favorite stories, our editors have checked em over twice and today we’re listening back. From the ghost towns of Texas Christmases past, to a restringing session with Trigger…you know Trigger right? Grab something warm to sip on because its our special edition of the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 22, 2017
Before Harvey, developers were allowed to build homes inside reservoirs. How did they get the green light? And did anyone warn the buyers? The story today on the Standard.
Texas based AT&T giving 200,000 workers $1000 bonuses. The company says it’s thanks to the tax cuts just passed by congress. Now other companies are joining in the bonus giving spree. We’ll hear what may be the corporate calculation behind the bonus boom.
And with fewer than 1% of all Americans on active duty- a growing divide between the military and civilians
Also remember small town Texas? For those who may have forgotten, a writer in Abilene on seven pressing issues.
Texas Standard: December 21, 2017
Texans and the Tax Bill. There are winners- and losers too. Kevin Diaz of the Houston Chronicle has done the numbers. How it all adds up today on the Texas Standard.
Happy new year? With one of the biggest NSA surveillance operations ever authorized against US citizens currently set to expire December 31, a plan to reauthorize and possibly expand the NSA’s power hits a last minute wall. We’ll hear what happens next.
Fort Worth fires a veteran police officer over the tazing of an unarmed woman. How the story’s highlighting deep divisions there. Meanwhile in Houston, a first in the nation effort to plant virtual psychiatrists among first responders.
All those stories and much more on the national news show of Texas.
Texas Standard: December 20, 2017
What’s most important to Texas? Harvey relief? A deal for DACA? What about just keeping the government going through the holidays? Deadlines and decisions on the Standard.
In a moment we’ll talk with editors in three Texas cities to hear what Texans are telling them about what D.C. needs to get done by this weekend. And why.
Remember how schoolteacehrs used to pin a note to your shirt so parents would get the message? The state’s just done that to hundreds of students. The message: you’ve been hacked.
Plus the Texan who taught the Beatles how to blow it. Delbert McClinton on the real story on that intro to Love Me Do. All that and a whole lot more.
Texas Standard: December 19, 2017
Internal dysfunction at the Texas agency that manages state buildings. How it’s affecting what tax dollars pay for? On today’s Texas Standard.
You’ve heard it before, but could 2018 be the year for Texas Democrats? We’ll hear one argument.
Austin wants a soccer team. But the city is still kicking around ideas about where to put a stadium.
Plus, remember anthrax? The mail attacks made it a household name across the country, but it’s long been an issue in some parts of Texas.
And- is so-called clean coal really a viable solution to long-term energy plans? What one reporter found in the Lone Star State.
All that and more on today’s Texas Standard.
Texas Standard: December 18, 2017
The GOP says it has enough votes in the Senate to pass its tax bill. The reason? What might be called a last minute Santa clause…The story today on the Texas Standard.
When Katrina made landfall in 2005–more than a thousand guns disappeared in the chaos, reappearing in crimes years later. But after Harvey, the story was different…the results of an investigation by the Texas Standard and the Houston Chronicle.
Also, what’ll it take to bring tourism back to the coastal bend.
And the occupation with the highest rate of suicide? It’s probably not what you think. We’ll hear about a crisis down on the farm –and what can be done…All that and much more today on the Texas Standard.
Texas Standard: December 15, 2017
The UN and Amnesty International among the groups warning of a new move to green light the militarization of Mexico, we’ll have the latest. Also, NASA celebrating the discovery of a new planet in a solar system that looks not entirely unlike our own. But it’s how the discovery was made that’s a breakthrough unto itself, we’ll hear why. And on a fateful November day in Dallas, 1963, a secret service agent threw himself on top of the first lady to shield her from bullets. And for years blamed himself for the death of a president. Today, that agent, Clint Hill, joins us. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 13, 2017
A democratic victory in ruby red Alabama: was it just Roy Moore, or is it something bigger shaking the southern political landscape? We’ll explore. Also, a new war on drugs? This time it’s the most populous county in Texas suing big pharma over the opioid epidemic. And a new white house directive: another manned mission to the moon and then to mars. Should Houston get ready for relaunch? Plus attention holiday shoppers: commentator WF Strong has been making a list of gifts that made Texas what it is today, and you won’t find em at the mall. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 8, 2017
A group committed to boosting prospects for democratic women calls on the resignations of two prominent state senate democrats. In a season of sexual harassment scandals, new allegations against state senators Boris Miles and Carlos Uresti are the talk of the Texas capitol city. Both men deny the charges. We’ll hear from the person who reported the story, as well as a fellow state senator calling for reform of how sexual harassment cases are handled. And a legal scholar who says the implications go directly to a larger cultural problem at the capitol. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: December 1, 2017
The last man standing from the class of ’84 says goodbye to congress. Is this a start to a sea change in Texas Politics? We’ll have the latest. Also, a bill to authorize the army and navy to take over law enforcement south of the border. An essential step to stop the cartels or a militarization of security in Mexico? We’ll explore. The children’s health insurance program set to shut down for the first time in Texas, why letters may be going out at the first of next week. Plus the week in politics and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 21, 2017
The Governor offers $20,000 for information about an attack on border agents. But questions remain–was it really an attack? The story today on the Texas Standard.
What we know, and don’t know about the death of a US border agent near Van Horn.
Also, a John Doe, kicked out of the University of Texas for sexual assault–reinstated—at least for now. We’ll ask why.
For the second time in a row, a Mexican-American studies text is rejected by state officials…no ethnic studies classes? Not exactly. we’ll hear more…
Home for the holidays? Not in parts of southeast Texas–Harvey’s homeless three months on….
Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard
Texas Standard: November 17, 2017
It was introduced two weeks ago, and without a single hearing, it’s passed the house. Tax reform of some form seems likely, but at what cost?
The president’s plan for rebuilding America’s infrastructure: price tag? 1 trillion dollars. But who’s gonna pay for it? One expert says the answer should be obvious: China. And Texas could be at the center of it, we’ll hear why. Also, first do no harm, goes the maxim of medicine. But are med school costs hurting the profession itself? Why more prospective doctors are turning to Texas. And surviving a historic storm and emerging world champions, heroic enough for ya? The folks behind Superman and Batman come to Houston to talk superheroes. Those stories plus the week in politics and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 10, 2017
In Beijing today, the President trumpets ‘America first’, but how are they gonna pay for that down on the farm? A rural reach, we’ll explore. Also, could the US government be legally liable to the survivors of those killed in the church attack at Sutherland Springs? A law professor makes the case. Plus, as Texans reach out to help that community, a warning on scams. And should there be a statue honoring Texan Agnes Driscoll? Don’t feel bad if you don’t know the name, you soon will. The story of the unsung heroines of World War II, the codebreakers. And a remembrance of San Antonio’s King of Nachos, the week that was in Texas politics and much more coming up today on the Texas Standard:
Democracy (Ep. 31)
“Our enemy is apathy.” –Yanis Varoufakis
In 2015 today’s guests were propelled onto the global stage by their efforts to take on the European banking establishment and restructure the Greek government’s financial system. For 5 months they worked to negotiate alternatives to further austerity measures; trying to extend loans while moving Greece toward a more solvent state.
Their efforts to confront the Eurozone and proceed democratically to carry out the wishes of the Greek people were ultimately defeated, but it was this battle lost that was the impetus of their current endeavor—to reform Europe and institute a transnational, pan-European democracy called DiEM25 –Democracy in Europe Movement.
Yanis Varoufakis is the former finance minister of Greece, author of Adults in the Room: My Battle With the European and American Deep Establishment, and co-founder of the DiEM25 –Democracy in Europe Movement.
James K. Galbraith is an eminent economist, an assistant to Mr. Varoufakis while he was the Greek finance minister, and he chronicled his time in Greece with the book Welcome to the Poisoned Chalice: The Destruction of Greece and the Future of Europe.
They were in Austin for a conference on Democratic Reform in Europe at the LBJ School for Public Affairs.
Texas Standard: November 6, 2017
It’s being called the deadliest mass shooting in modern Texas history — why? And why in the tiny town of Sutherland Springs? This is a special edition of the Texas Standard.
Today coming to you from a remote community in Wilson County roughly 30 miles east of San Antonio. In yesterday’s mass shooting nearly one in every ten persons was directly touched by this tragedy—the second major mass shooting incident in the US in less than a month.
What we’re learning about the shooter…his bad conduct discharge from the military and how he obtained access to a new AR-style rifle…
Whether this affects the conversation on guns and the chilling new talk of a new normal in this quiet part of rural Texas. All that and much more today on the Texas Standard.
Texas Standard: November 3, 2017
The Texan who heads the House Science Committee: and who opposes arguments on climate change, won’t be going back to Washington. Lamar Smith’s announcement not to seek reelection comes as his colleagues take the wraps off a new tax reform plan- one that democrats call a giveaway to the rich, and the republicans claim will benefit the middle class. So what does it mean for Texas? We’re asking questions. Also, a new I-35 rivalry between teams that aren’t even in their respective cities. Confused? So are a lot of soccer fans. We’ll explain. Plus: a preview of the Texas Book Festival, the week that was in Texas Politics and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Political Bumper Stickers
Pundits may argue about whether political bumper stickers have any impact on the way people vote. But you would probably agree that seeing those stickers – well, some stickers – on a car in front of you can provoke strong feelings. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.