Central Texas top stories for October 25, 2023. Austin ISD superintendent search. Natural gas power plant amendment. Georgetown pride. Victor Wembanyama debuts tonight.
pride
Senate adopts rules for Ken Paxton impeachment trial
The rules are in: How Texas senators will manage the history-making impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texas parks officials want to keep nearly 2,000 acres of parkland open to the public using eminent domain. Leaders in the county where Fairfield Lake State Park is located say not so fast.
First Twitter, now Reddit? The details are different, but another information-sharing site is seeing major owner/user conflict.
She has one of the most recognizable names in Texas history, but how much do you really know about Lady Bird Johnson? A new podcast explores.
Plus, the latest on severe weather across the state.
Evidence suggests Texas Rangers may have created mass gravesite
Is a plan to advance credit for early parole to prisoners with good conduct records or educational advancements a good idea for Texas?
A deadly shooting in West Texas. The victims: migrants. The suspects: brothers in law enforcement. Seven months later, questions mounting about what’s happened to the investigation. Angela Kocherga of KTEP El Paso with more.
The FAA is grounding SpaceX in the aftermath of a historic and messy launch in South Texas.
Also the story behind a Texas furniture store owner, known as much for his TV commercials as for his big league sports wagers.
KUT Morning Newscast for March 29, 2023
Central Texas top stories for March 29, 2023. DPS in Austin. Pride week ban bill. Hays County Mental Health Court. Rodney Terry.
Texas Standard: September 26, 2022
Abortion, gun laws and much more. What might be on the agenda as Texas lawmakers prepare to reconvene? Some of the political patterns emerging for Texas in the aftermath of the Texas Tribune festival. Political writer Patrick Svitek ties some of the strands together. Also eyes on the skies, as Hurricane Ian enters the gulf what it could mean for the energy cap of the world. You know the one. And speaking of energy, guess which state has the most blackouts? We’ll shed some light on that. Also not for the down and out, we’ll meet the man who literally wrote the book on the Texas dive bar. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
BabiBoi: “Boyz 2 Men”
We hope you’ve been enjoying our Pride Month portraits of local artists over the past few weeks, but in case you haven’t had a chance to read the one on BabiBoi, we’ll give you a quick recap. BabiBoi is the preferred handle for Austin’s Dorian Delafuente, who’s also a co-founder of House of Lepore, one of Texas’ few underground LGBTQ+ ballrooms. When BabiBoi’s not commentating burlesque shows at Lepore, they’re bringing that same sassy energy to the mic for an unapologetically queer hip hop project. Since 2017 they’ve performed at SXSW, Pride festivals across the state, and even an opening slot for Charli XCX. And for a genre as historically plagued with homophobia as hip-hop, it’s a breath of fresh air to hear voices like BabiBoi go balls-to-the-wall over absolute bangers.
Today BabiBoi, ever embracing the ratchet-ness of their image, dropped their bawdiest track to date, “Boyz 2 Men”. No, you won’t hear any a cappella harmonies or New Jack Swing. Instead it’s an explosion of unrestrained sexuality that sweats confidence across two and a half minutes of cowbells and beats. It sounds like a cross between Big Freedia and Megan Thee Stallion, but with an extra sense of southern flamboyance. If you like what you hear (and why wouldn’t you?), catch BabiBoi’s performance at Pride in Local Music Festival, 6PM this Saturday at the Long Center (ahead of our June 2022 Artist of the Month Caleb DeCasper). And if you really want to get down and dirty, come out to the “Boyz 2 Men” single release show 9pm next Friday at Neon Grotto along with Lavender Thug, Miss Girl6, Johnny Psycho, and Dreamiecloud.
Texas: A State That Loves Its Flag
By W.F. Strong
If you were ever to start a new country, one of the first tasks you’d have to undertake would be to design a flag. Are you really a country if you don’t have a flag to advertise your existence – a flag that can fly atop skyscrapers, state houses, schools and ships at sea? Now cities and even corporations have flags, as do organizations and social movements.
I’m proud to tell you that according to Ted Kaye, one of the world’s leading vexillologists – a fancy word for one who studies flags – the Texas flag is the best-selling of all the state flags. It also rates almost perfect in artistic design. That’s the conclusion of one landmark study by the North American Vexillological Association (try saying that after three beers at sea). The study rated all national, state and territorial flags of North America and found that only New Mexico’s flag had just a smidgen of a better design.
Ted Kaye says these are the five rules of good design.: first, keep it simple – so simple a child can draw it from memory. Use meaningful symbolism. Use two to three basic colors – no more than three. No lettering. No words. The design should speak for itself. Do you hear it saying Lone Star State? Yep. And finally, your design should be distinctive. I know what you’re thinking – the Chilean flag. There are accidental similarities, but there is no evidence at all that the Chilean design influenced ours.
Not only is the Texas flag the best-selling state flag, it is also displayed more in all its forms than any other state flag.
Drive down any neighborhood street in Texas and you will see the flag flying proudly in the Texas breeze on 30 and 40 foot poles in many a yard. It’s displayed from wall mounts on porches or over garages. You will see it over car dealerships and on top of skyscrapers in cities. In the countryside, you’ll see it at the entrance to farms and ranches, perhaps with the Stars and Stripes next to it.
It’s at the beach, fluttering and snapping smartly behind four-wheel-drive pickups. Or on boats and at makeshift campsites and even over children’s forts in the woods. It’s found in dorm rooms and in shopping malls. It’s everywhere.
And when it’s not in cloth form, you will find it displayed in many a medium. It’s painted on barns. You can’t drive very far in rural Texas without seeing a barn flag. I’ve never seen a Nebraska barn flag. I see many a Texas flag painted on gates, too. Beautiful. Never seen a Michigan flag gate, either. And though it’s not the same, I’d like to point out that we’re the only state with our own toast. There’s no Oregon toast. There’s no Florida-shaped waffle maker either.
Yes, the Texas flag is everywhere: t-shirts, swimsuits, towels, bikinis, boots, belt-buckles, earrings and tattoos. We have Texas flag picnic tables, tablecloths and stools. And if it’s not a flag, we have the Texas star as a stand-in, on the side of our houses, hanging on the wall in the kitchen, or on the apron we’re barbecuing with. I have even seen a Texas star barbecue grill cover.
John Steinbeck pointed out that the deep love and commitment Texans have for their state closely approximates that of a religion. Based on the affection we have for our symbols; it seems that we are an extraordinarily devout people. As this is radio I can’t end with the flag, but I can play Willie. You can hear Texas in his voice.
Texas Standard: June 26, 2020
Bars being closed, new curbs on restaurants and other steps issued this morning to deal with the huge spike in COVID-19 cases statewide, we’ll have details. Also, its condition red in Laredo as the city runs low on hospital beds and staff to help those suffering from COVID-19. We’ll hear about how officials are trying to manage the situation there. Also answers to more listener questions about COVID-19. Plus a comprehensive police reform bill passed late last night by the U.S. house. Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson on her concerns about the bill’s future. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Why Is Austin’s ‘Official’ Pride Festival In August — And Not June, Like Most Everyone Else’s?
June is when many places celebrate LGBTQ Pride Month. So why doesn’t Austin?
Texas Standard: May 17, 2017
What did he know and when did he know it? That’s so 1973. Today’s question: did president Trump attempt to obstruct justice? We’ll explore. Also: it’s been two years since the biker shootout in Waco, more than a hundred 70 arrested and charged, but not a single opening argument yet. What’s the explanation? We’ll take a look. And a laptop ban said to be in the works for travelers coming to the US from Europe. Does a laptop ban make sense? Also teen pregnancies hit a record low nationwide, but not here. Why Texas is bucking the trend. Also police chiefs claim there’s less crime in so-called sanctuary cities. But is that a fact? All those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Three Texas Pride Stories
I’ve been sad lately noticing how the oral tradition seems to be dying. Twenty years ago friends would often come up to me on the street and say, “Hey, I got a story for you.” But now they just come up to me and hold out their phone and say, “Seen this?” And laugh. Not the same.
Today I thought I’d do what I can to fight this trend. I’m going tell you three short stories – or jokes – that showcase our Texas pride. You can even pass them on, if you think them worthy.
The first one I heard from my father when I was about 10. It was my first exposure to this genre – and I loved it. It went like this:
“A man from Kentucky was talking to a Texan and bragging about all the gold they had in Fort Knox. The Kentuckian said, “You know we have enough gold in Fort Knox to build a wall of solid gold, six foot high, all the way around Texas?”
The Texan said, “Is that so? Tell you what, you go ahead and build your wall – and if we like – we’ll buy it.”
The next story comes from John Gunther’s book, “Inside U.S.A.” You remember Gunther, who was famous for the quote, “If a man’s from Texas, he’ll tell you. If he’s not, why embarrass him by asking?”
Gunther says that a man from Boston was visiting a friend in Texas. The Bostonian was tired from traveling and went to bed early. As he pulled back the blankets, he was shocked to find a 12-inch lobster waiting for him. Rather than let the Texan get the better of him with this practical joke, he picked up the lobster and took it into the living room where his friend was reading the paper.
He held up the lobster and said, “You sure do have big bed bugs in Texas.”
The Texan peered up over the paper, squinted at the lobster and said, “Well, must be a young ’un.”
The last story, truly a Texas classic from the 60s, concerns a prideful Texan who died and went to Heaven. Saint Peter was giving him an orientation tour of Heaven, to get him acquainted with beauties of the place.
He first showed him some snow-covered peaks reminiscent of the Swiss Alps, and the Texan said, “Well, they are nice if you like your mountains all covered in snow that way. I like mine with a light dusting now and then and otherwise hot and dry like we have ‘em in Big Bend.”
Next, Saint Peter took him by the elbow and flew him up to a peak overlooking a gorgeous mountain river. He said, “You ever seen a more beautiful blue than that?” The Texan said, “No, but you want to see the most beautiful turquoise river ever, you need to see the Devil’s River in West Texas. Sorry to mention him, but that is the name of it. And don’t get me started on the Guadalupe for beauty and beer that was…”
Saint Peter interrupted him and pointed to the Alpine forest waving in the gentle mountain breeze before them. The Texan said, “Impressive, but nothing can steal my heart away from the Piney Woods of East Texas. You ever seen the Big Thicket?”
Exasperated, Saint Peter flew the Texan over to the very edge of Heaven and had him look over the side. Far, far below there was dense fire, and smoke as far as he could see. Saint Peter said, in an almost threatening tone, “What do you think of that?”
The Texan said, “That is impressive and clearly out of control, but I tell you what, we got some ol’ boys down in Houston who can put that out for ya.”