Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing Bexar County over a plan to reach out to unregistered voters with applications.
After two years of missing its recruitment goals, a new Army college partnership is helping recruits in San Antonio get their GEDs.
Amazon is trying to save its Echo program with a major artificial intelligence upgrade for Alexa. Tech expert Omar Gallaga with the how and what’s at stake.
And: A conversation with author Alejandro Puyana, a Venezuela native now living in Austin, on his debut novel “Freedom is a Feast.”
Rio Grande Valley
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.
The latest updates on Hurricane Beryl after storm makes landfall in Texas
Hurricane Beryl has become the first of the 2024 season to make landfall in Texas, with major power outages reported across the Houston region as heavy rain and damaging winds move up from Matagorda. With floodwaters filling some streets in Galveston and 121 counties under a disaster declaration, we’ll have the latest on the storm.
The San Antonio Water System is under fire after shutting off water to four apartment buildings – affecting 600 units – after their property owners didn’t pay their bills.
And: Business owners and officials in the Rio Grande Valley seek to counter negative stereotypes about their communities by highlighting the region’s assets – and their first step is rebranding the RGV and its neighbors in Mexico as the “RioPlex.” Will it stick?
Inside San Antonio College’s hands-on mortuary science program
We’re taking a look at the remaining Supreme Court decisions this term, on gun rights, abortion, freedom of speech online, and homelessness, just to name a few.
Texas Democrats and Republicans build bipartisan consensus to tackle the state’s affordable housing crisis.
A petition drive in the Valley aims to change the McAllen city charter, to give voters more power in shaping policy.
San Antonio has a new funeral home, the only one in the country operating on a college campus.
And: saving the Texas tortoise and horned lizard – how a rancher and her dog are helping scientists find the elusive critters.
Rio Grande Valley again draws attention ahead of 2024 elections
Is the boom in home prices in Austin, one of Texas’ hottest markets, over? And what might that mean for affordability?
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, long a champion of free markets, is now calling for lawmakers to take action and curb large-scale home purchases from institutional investors.
Some national politics watchers are pondering whether this is the year a long-time stronghold for Texas Democrats – Rio Grande Valley – turns solidly red.
And when it comes to chili, ¡Viva Terlingua! But chili’s got a new challenger. Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn samples what’s cookin.’
The state’s only sugar mill is closing. What’s next for sugar cane farmers?
New laws – one from Texas – to regulate platforms like Facebook and TikTok are getting Supreme Court scrutiny today, with potentially profound implications.
Years of drought have devastated sugar growers in South Texas – so much so that the state’s only sugar mill is closing.
Austin’s I-35, the spine of the region’s roadway grid, is about to undergo the largest expansion since the highway opened in 1962. Nathan Bernier joins with a drill down into what it means.
And: We’ll learn about a device that can help blind and low-vision people experience the eclipse.
Ballet folklórico competition comes to North Texas
Former president and presidential candidate Donald Trump wades into Texas politics with downballot endorsements.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton takes aim at a faith-based group in El Paso providing services for migrants.
In Texas farm country, concerns grow over a lack of water.
In the congressional district that includes 800 miles of the state’s border with Mexico, four republicans are challenging the GOP incumbent as polls show high voter interest in border security.
Plus: High schools push for competitive ballet folklórico.
Chronicling Resilience in the Rio Grande Valley
In the series finale of Mind of Texas, Ike uncovers the threads between historical research, community engagement, and minority mental health in one of Texas’ most troubled regions. You’ll hear from Dr. Monica Martinez, author of The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas, alongside researchers Stephanie Childress, PhD/Assistant Instructor for UT’s American Studies Department and Alexandra Salazar, PhD for UT’s Mexican American and Latino Studies department.
What we know about Ken Paxton’s upcoming impeachment trial
The Department of Justice has sued the State of Texas over its floating border barrier near Eagle Pass, alleging Texas doesn’t have the authority to place barriers in the Rio Grande. Gov. Greg Abbott’s reply? “See you in court.”
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom brings us the latest developments in Ken Paxton’s upcoming impeachment trial.
Congressman Greg Casar is calling for federal regulations to protect workers against heat-related illness in light of state law that will undo local rules starting Sept. 1.
And why a goat that went missing from a livestock show has captured the imagination of lots of folks in the Rio Grande Valley.
Texas outlawed red-light cameras years ago – but this town still has them
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.
What zoos are doing to stay safe
Funding for public education is set to take center stage at the Capitol. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom joins us with what to expect this week as the Senate finance committee takes up education funding.
Some Texas lawmakers say student mental health is a top priority this legislative session. We’ll take a closer look at what’s being proposed.
Nearly two years after a major winter storm that knocked out power statewide, the city of San Antonio is facing a federal lawsuit that says its emergency preparedness plan is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Plus: After a series of animal disappearances at the Dallas Zoo, how are zoos and aquariums rethinking security?
Texas Standard: October 25, 2022
With voting in the midterms underway, we’ll take a close look at how political disinformation is playing out in Texas politics. A case study of disinformation in action as the Texas Newsroom hones in on how false claims are affecting the democratic process. Also a disappointing report card on the post-pandemic state of education for elementary and middle schoolers. What can be done to combat learning gaps. Plus a historic shakeup in the UK, and what it could mean for Texans. And a first of its kind effort to lift barriers separating the field of chemistry and students with blindness and low vision. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 11, 2022
As protests have grown over the school boards’ handling of the aftermath of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary, the Uvalde school superintendent announces his retirement. We’ll have more on Monday night’s school board session. Also: are national democrats conceding republican gains in south Texas come November? The cancellation of campaign ads in the Rio Grande Valley raising questions. And the annual college rankings: a go to for students and parents. But how useful a tool in the real world? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 26, 2022
A Texas gun restriction for 18 to 20 year olds ruled unconstitutional. This, just 3 months after a young gunman’s deadly attack on a school in Uvalde. A judge in Fort Worth rules that Texas can’t ban 18 to 20 year olds from carrying handguns. We’ll hear more about what’s behind the decision and what comes next. Also beyond debt forgiveness: what can be done to bring down the cost of higher ed in the first place? And amid a water shortage in the Valley, one community moving to reclaim water for the future. Also a teacher shortage today, a crisis for the future? Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: June 28, 2022
An horrific discovery outside of San Antonio where investigators describe one of the deadliest human smuggling incidents in years. The bodies of at least 50 people, all suspected migrants, found in and around an unair-conditioned abandoned tractor trailer truck. We’ll have the latest. Also the continued repercussions of the Dobbs decision. How the fall of Roe factors into Texas politics: specifically the race for governor. Plus post Roe privacy concerns and the intersection with technology, including the smartphone. And the push for truancy reforms after the shooting in Uvalde and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: June 21, 2022
An excruciating inside look at what happened during a critical 70+ minutes inside Robb Elementary on that May 24th, 2022 in Uvalde. Though officials have been reluctant to release video evidence from the mass shooting in Uvalde, Terri Langford of the Texas Tribune has seen critical footage from inside the school. She shares with us what she’s discovered. Also Brian Chasnoff of the San Antonio express reports that classroom doors may not have been locked, contrary to one of the key claims made by law enforcement. We’ll have details. Also a very public transitioning for a Texas small town celebrity. And an update on what’s left for the Supreme Court. All of that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 23, 2022
Plans to lift Title 42 at the border today are now on hold. We’ll look at what this means for the future of immigration and deportations. Other stories we’re tracking: how the mass shooting in Buffalo, New York is resonating in El Paso, the site of a racist shooting at a Wal Mart three years ago. Also what a political runoff in South Texas tells us about an intra-party ideological battle among Texas Democrats. And more than a year ago, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality announced a social justice initiative. So what’s happened since, and what hasn’t? And a new film that puts a more human face on a larger than life Texas baseball legend. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 17, 2022
There’s an election going on and all week we’re profiling the races. Today it’s the Democratic runoff for Land Commissioner. We’ll have details. Also, Sweden and Finland want to join NATO after decades or even centuries of military nonalignment. A look at the road ahead for the alliance. And comparing the leaked draft Supreme Court opinion on Roe v. Wade to a brief submitted by the architect of some of Texas’ abortion restriction laws. And not a leak, SCOTUS released a final opinion on a case involving campaign finance yesterday. The plaintiff was U.S. Senator from Texas Ted Cruz. Plus we’ll slow things down in a conversation focused on the legacy of Houston’s DJ Screw. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: November 2, 2021
SB8, the state’s new abortion law, is in the crosshairs of the U.S. Supreme Court. On the day after oral arguments, where does the law stand? What clues can be drawn about the future of abortion restrictions after yesterday’s high court questioning in two cases challenging SB8? We’ll explore. Other stories we’re tracking: a new poll shows a tight race between Governor Greg Abbott and a certain democrat yet to officially announce his intentions. We’ll have details. Also, you’ve heard about winterization to avoid a repeat of last winters massive blackouts…but what does that actually entail? Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: October 14, 2021
It is a legislative season that at times has seemed like it might never end. Today Bob Garrett of the Dallas Morning News and Taylor Goldenstein of the Houston Chronicle get us up to speed on what the lege has left to finish, and what’s been done up to this point. Also the launch of a lawsuit over public beach closures near the SpaceX facility. And a military plane crash brings home the dangers of housing developments near bases, quite literally. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard: