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Houston megachurch faces legal revolt

A University of Texas professor says Congress has gotten so good at frequent government shutdowns, finding the political will to get back on track could be an obstacle in itself. We’ll take a closer look.

Nearly two weeks after the deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE facility, investigators say the motive may be more about notoriety than ideology.

Second Baptist Church in Houston is locked in a legal battle with its own members over leadership and finances, and the dispute is being heard in the city’s new business court.

Texas leads the nation in energy consumption, driven by population growth and the rise of AI data centers. What does it bode for the state’s grid and energy mix?

Food banks struggle to meet rising demand

What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details.

Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs.

Even without a pandemic, Texas food banks are facing shortages and surging need. The CEO of Feeding Texas joins us to talk about what’s driving the crisis.

Funds for adult education were first put on hold, then released – but there’s a big asterisk. The Standard’s Sarah Asch on a policy change that could affect adult ed.

Plus: Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn dishes on his latest list of the top BBQ 50 spots in the state.

Houston archaeologists uncover tomb of ancient Maya ruler

The Trump administration releases billions of dollars in education grants it previously withheld. What it means as students head back to school.

How the U.S. military is responding to a new kind of warfare that uses small, inexpensive drones.

The story of a Cuban man who raised a family in Texas and spent years working for a school district near Abilene – and now is locked up in an ICE detention center.

A high school student’s plan to help schools coping with a shortage of mental health counselors.

And: A Houston husband-and-wife team of archaeologists have discovered the tomb of the ruler of the ancient Mayan city of Caracol, now in present-day Belize.

Black farmers in East Texas feel the sting of DEI cuts

A peek into the week ahead for the Texas Legislature’s special session: We’ll hear the latest on a much-talked-about possible walkout by Democrats.

A plan to relieve congestion in Austin was approved by voters years ago – but so far, there’s not much to show for it. Is Project Connect off the rails?

The rollback of USDA diversity programs is impacting East Texas, which is home to more Black farmers than anywhere else in the U.S.

Plus: A big deadline for tariffs with Mexico on the table. If a deal can’t be reached by Aug. 1, what could that mean for Texas?

Asleep at the Wheel celebrates 50 years with Texas tribute

A very busy Thursday for first responders and meteorologists with flood conditions and heavy dust for many Texans – and it’s expected to get worse before it gets better. We’ll have an update.

Houston, we have a problem, and it may be related to a spat between the president and the world’s wealthiest Texan.

The Dallas Fed offers an assessment of the Texas economy and the Standard’s Sean Saldana has the details.

Also, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel talks about a new album focused on his favorite subject: Texas.

How a Houston man spent 18 years in jail without a trial

How hot is it in Texas prisons? After many questions about deadly heat, a new discovery: the facts as presented may have been fake. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom with the discovery of falsified records in an ongoing scandal about heat-related deaths behind bars.

A Houston inmate jailed for 18 years who never got his day in court: How did that happen, and could there be more?

What do you get when you cross a mouse with a woolly mammoth? It’s no joke: A Texas company says it’s just the beginning.

Also, who owns Texas? The results of an investigation of land ownership.
And this week in Texas music history.

Why Texas is so vulnerable to tariff impacts

Texas is in the crosshairs as tariffs against Mexico and Canada take hold. Why, what it means, and could short-term pain add up to long-term gain?

At the state capitol, a bill aimed at raising wages for workers who care for people with disabilities. Why some fear it won’t be enough to stem a critical shortage of such workers in Texas.

“Office Space” may have been a funny movie filmed in Texas, but there’s nothing funny about what a glut of unused office space is doing to the state’s metros. How one city’s trying to deal with the repercussions.

Speaking of movies, oh the horror! Why so few of the scary variety get critical acclaim, despite a growing public appetite.

Texas secures land for a new state park

A bird flu outbreak noted early in Texas is now a national issue, and concerns are rising about what the federal government plans to do.

From property taxes to THC and more, Lt Gov. Dan Patrick outlines the first batch of 40 legislative priorities for the current Texas legislative session.

Why a fight over mass transit it Dallas could wind up a matter for state lawmakers to untangle.

And: The state has finalized the purchase of a 2,000-acre tract along the Colorado River in Burnet County, next to Colorado Bend State Park.

Texans weigh in on how to spend the state’s $24 billion surplus

If Texans were in charge of the state’s budget, how would they spend the money? A new survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs sheds light on priorities.

We know many state lawmakers are prioritizing a school voucher effort that would give money for private education directly to families – and the proposal has moved forward in the Senate.

Some Texas business are already feeling indirect impacts of deportation efforts.

And: With Texas attracting more data centers, -what’s being done to ensure the energy grid can handle it?

Abbott wants feds to cover Texas’ border costs

Gov. Greg Abbott wants the federal government to reimburse the state for more than $11 billion spent on Operation Lone Star, and some lawmakers from both sides of the aisle support the request.

Texas leads the nation in wind energy jobs, but a White House executive order to pause new wind projects has some in the industry concerned.

As the Trump administration ramps up deportations of unauthorized immigrants, many farmers are bracing for the impact on agriculture.

Luring Buc-ee’s beyond Texas: Cities across the U.S. are offering the company tax breaks and other big incentives.

And: New state data shows a growing number of minors are traveling out of state for abortions.

Reflections from three Holocaust survivors in Texas

President Trump’s long-promised deportation raids get underway in Texas and in other parts of the country. Today, what we know about the weekend operations and what we’re learning.

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch brings us the voices and memories of survivors living in Texas.

And: The Texas Senate has unveiled a bill to create a school voucher plan. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey gets us caught up on the plan ahead of a public hearing on Tuesday.

Will Corpus Christi’s water restrictions be enough to stem emergency?

A dramatic move at the Texas Capitol upends a decades-long tradition of power sharing as conservative Republicans succeed in banning Democrats from chairing legislative committees.

The end of the CBP One program for asylum-seekers following President Donald Trump’s inauguration has left many with questions about their future.

And: Growing demand and industrial expansion have left Corpus Christi facing a water emergency.

US military sending troops to southern border

The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do?

Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project is a data center in Abilene.

And: Sherman, Texas, is experiencing a silicon rush, with two massive microchip factories under construction – one by Texas Instruments and another by Global Wafers.

What Trump’s declaration of an energy emergency could mean for Texas

As Texans try to keep warm, volunteers are bundling up to help a particularly vulnerable population: sea turtles facing “cold stun,” a life-threatening condition.

We’re three days into the new Trump administration and trying to keep up with a slew of executive orders. Digging into the impacts on the energy industry, as well as what it means to issue a presidential pardon.

Peer support specialists can help fill the gaps in mental health care in Texas. But there are some challenges to keeping people on the job.

And: The Sundance Film Festival gives fans a sneak peek at movies before they hit theaters. We’re keeping an eye on a few with Texas ties.

Trump’s first executive orders focus on immigration

Much of Texas is dealing with dangerously cold temperatures and conditions that make travel hazardous. How the state is coping – plus a look at the power grid.

President Trump declared an emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border and issued several executive orders on immigration. We’ll delve into the details.

A look at the life and legacy of Cecile Richards: The former president of Planned Parenthood, and a major force in Texas and national politics, has died of brain cancer at 67.

Plus: Texas Standard intern Yoali Rodríguez reports on the designers working to make El Paso a new fashion hub.

Health and Human Services Commission employees accused in data breach

Parts of Texas that seldom see snow may well see frozen precipitation blanketing beaches tomorrow. We’re keeping watch.

Seven employees of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission have been fired for improperly accessing, and in some cases, stealing, from the accounts of thousands of Texans receiving public assistance.

And: TikTok went dark for U.S. users on Saturday night, hours before a ban on the service was due to take effect. But on Sunday, the service returned, with a message crediting President-elect Trump, who said he would delay the ban. We’ll have the latest.

What we know about Texas ties to deadly attack in New Orleans

The FBI has identified the suspect in a deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans as Texas resident Shamsud-Din Jabbar. We’ll have the latest on the rampage that left 15 people dead.

Ahead of next week’s national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, a look at his impact on the Lone Star State.

What steps should lawmakers prioritize in the upcoming legislative session to address the state’s water crisis?

And: Scientists have identified a new bee species found only in Texas and Oklahoma.

What to watch on Election Day 2024

lection Day 2024 has arrived, and we’re checking in with reporters across the state as Texans cast their ballots. Plus, what to keep a close eye on tonight after the polls close.

A new survey predicts Dallas-Fort Worth is poised to become the hottest real estate market in the country in 2025. What it means for the people living there.

A new book, “A Natural History of Empty Lots” explores forgotten spaces. Author Christopher Brown discusses what he’s learned.

And: An update on plans for a new Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth.

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.

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.