Some local law enforcement offices in Texas get a heads-up when ICE is coming to town, but others don’t. We’ll dig into why.
There’s new evidence that, no surprise, the online world isn’t always so great for today’s teens. Advice from tech expert Omar Gallaga on making it safer.
Gov. Greg Abbott has a new challenger for the 2026 election. What we expect out of a campaign from Austin Democrat Gina Hinojosa.
Taco journalist Mando Rayo shares what he’s learned from a few women in the culinary world.
A conversation with author Bryan Washington about his new novel, “Palaver,” about a man living in Tokyo, estranged from his family in Houston.
Social Media
ICE lets certain jurisdictions know about their raids, but Austin isn’t one of them
Austin and Travis County law enforcement are left in the dark when ICE conducts raids in the area – and though Austin officials say that’s not unusual, other places like Harris County are given a heads up. Why the different practices? KUT’s Mose Buchele looks into this.
As a once-disruptor of the music industry looks to be winding down, KUTX’s Maile Carballo talks about where the future could be headed.
What does the darkness mean to you? KUTX’s maven of darkness herself, Laurie Gallardo, on that very question and the live taping of (SP1000) Vampire Sunscreen happening Thursday Oct. 16.
Pushback in Mexico against SpaceX expansion
The latest on the dismissal of a Texas A&M professor and the removal of two top administrators after political pressure over what was being taught in a children’s literature class – an incident that has led to concern about academic freedom.
The impact of SpaceX launches in South Texas is felt across the border in Mexico, where some officials are even weighing legal action against the company.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga on how Facebook is bringing back one of its earliest features, the “poke,” to appeal to Gen Z.
The use of facial recognition technology in Juárez is raising red flags.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
AI and the Future of Music
AI is a hot topic right now, but how will it impact music? We discuss everything from fake bands getting millions of listens to a legendary producer vouching for the use of AI to lawsuits by major music groups against AI music generation programs.
In the latest episode, we dive into how Austin musicians are using the tool or staying away. Hear from Chinasa Broxton and Carlos Dashawn Daniels Moore of Tribe Mafia, Walker Lukens, Lauren Bruno, Jonny Johnson, Zeale and Erin Walter share their thoughts on the future of AI and music.
Tell us what you think about AI and Music
Pause/Play is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Social Media & Music: Love It, Hate It, or Use It?
Social media has completely changed how musicians share their work and connect with fans — but not everyone is here for the endless scroll. Some artists are over it and have even ditched it altogether.
In this episode, we dive into the love-hate relationship musicians have with social media. Hear from Chinasa Broxton, Carlos Dashawn Daniels Moore of Tribe Mafia, Walker Lukens, Sara L. Houser, and Robert Ellis as they dish on how they do — or don’t — use these platforms to build their careers and stay true to their art.
Season 6 of Pause Play starts June 17th!
The world is shifting faster than ever, and for many, the future feels more uncertain than clear. In season six of Pause/Play, we are taking a look at the future of Austin’s music scene. We’ll talk about how artists are making a living by exploring multiple creative avenues. We talk to artists who are reimagining fan connections beyond social media and who are dreaming up alternatives to the major streaming services. We’ll dive into how musicians are embracing (or rejecting) AI, what’s ahead for the Live Music Fund, and—of course – what the next generation of Austin musicians is up to.
Pause/Play is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Oil companies face new deadlines to plug orphaned wells
Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration. Why now, and what’s next for the Texas-based billionaire.
A bill that aims to plug the state’s abandoned oil and gas wells – sometimes called “orphaned wells” – is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk.
Insurers in Texas are partnering with aerial imaging and AI companies to assess homes from the sky.
The Trump administration continues to threaten mass deportations. But dairy farms don’t seem to be losing any workers.
And: “Tacos of Texas” podcast host Mando Rayo shares his taco hot takes.
There’s no online registry for ranchers’ brands – but that could change
As China announces retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., the possible toll on Texas ranchers is generating lots of anxiety. A Texas A&M trade expert who’s worked on previous trade deals takes a closer look as the implications of extended trade wars loom large.
Fatalities related to child abuse in Texas fall dramatically – but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
And: There are thousands of unique livestock brands in Texas, but no centralized database to keep track of them all. State lawmakers could soon change that.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 18, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 18, 2024. Austin and Travis County are issuing preemptive disaster declarations as dry, windy conditions increase the risk of wildfire. Texas lawmakers are looking at how social media affects children and the impact of a law they passed last year seeking to address this issue. More than a year after Austin voters approved a measure to make them public, the so-called “G-files” of police officers accused of misconduct are published.
Blue Chip Program provides mental health resources for law enforcement officers in Texas
The Supreme Court, in the waning hours of this term, issues orders on social media and federal corruption laws. Some of the most contentious cases on the court’s docket remain undecided, though we’re expecting several rulings in the next 48 hours or so.
Sen. Ted Cruz is leading an effort to end tax on tips. Critics call it an election-year move to win over younger voters.
40 acres and a lie: what a new investigative report reveals about a well-known but often misunderstood Civil War-era reparation order.
Also: an effort to help law enforcement personnel in need of mental health support.
Questions over how to remember an East Texas manhunt
SpaceX successfully conducted a test launch of its massive Starship rocket from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica this morning. We’ll hear from Gaige Davila of Texas Public Radio live from Brownsville.
The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly yesterday to ban TikTok, citing security concerns related to the Chinese-owned platform’s control of Americans’ data. The Standard’s Shelly Brisbin has been following the story, including where Texans in Congress stand.
And: Why a courthouse renovation is East Texas is dividing a community.
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.
Remembering renowned ventriloquist Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Estrada
Ready? Or not? As primaries fast approach, an effort to prepare young Texas voters to cast their very first ballots.
A federal complaint filed over Texans being wrongfully kicked off Medicaid rolls.
The latest on a challenge to Texas’ new law prohibiting social media companies from censoring political speech online.
A new TV series on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X inspired by the groundbreaking work of a Texas professor. We’ll talk with him.
Also, the Standard’s Kristen Cabrera on the death of a beloved entertainer: San Antonio-based ventriloquist Ignacio “Nacho” Estrada.
What new polling says about Texans’ presidential preferences
With the Texas House and Senate in special session, border security is taking center stage – including one measure that sparked a verbal brawl in the state Capitol on Wednesday night.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why social media companies are de-emphasizing news, and what that means.
Also, a new poll from the Texas Public Policy Project shares clues on where Texans stand on the eve of the 2024 election cycle.
What can Texas teach California about dealing with homelessness?
As temperatures rise, so does gun violence. What does this mean for a Texas already struggling with climate change?
A new study on police response times in Texas’ biggest city and what it hints at for other departments elsewhere in the state.
Send in the clones – after Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, are any of the alternates gaining traction?
California doesn’t often turn to Texas for policy tips, but more and more lawmakers from the Golden State are taking a closer look at how Texas cities are handling homelessness.
And a new book on the sitcom’s role in shifting attitudes toward the LGBTQ community.
Has Texas cracked down on protest after 2020’s racial justice demonstrations?
Do Texans support raising the minimum age to purchase firearms? We’ll hear the results of a new study by the Texas Politics Project.
The struggle to find staffing for the state’s psychiatric hospital system as needs for mental health support post pandemic have grown.
In response to the murder of George Floyd and police brutality broadly, people across Texas headed out to protest. A few years after those demonstrations, there’s been a backlash, writes the Houston Chronicle’s Jeremy Wallace.
Fusion … or something more? Taco journalist Mando Rayo on the similarities between food from Mexico and the Philippines.
And the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin on what may be emerging as the front-runner to replace Twitter.
What’s next after Texas judge rules abortion medication illegal
A ruling in Amarillo that could be the most consequential abortion decision since last year’s case overturning Roe v Wade. The ruling late Friday effectively bans Mifepristone, an abortion drug. But minutes after that ruling, another in Washington state orders the FDA to do nothing to restrict the pill’s availability. What happens next?
Two Democratic state legislators expelled last week in Tennessee. Could something similar happen in Texas?
And fentanyl: why experts are calling it the “social media drug”, and why interdiction efforts may be misplaced.
The future of TikTok hinges on ‘Project Texas’
Another tragedy in Uvalde, this one involving human smuggling. We’ll have the details on events there and in Eagle Pass that left three dead over the weekend.
Crowds are expected at the state Capitol this week as lawmakers take up several bills involving the treatment of transgender Texans.
What does it mean for Texas to blacklist a bank, especially at a time when the industry is so volatile?
“Project Texas” could be central to preventing a U.S. TikTok ban. But what is it exactly?
And why is a Texas school district considering leaving a statewide organization of school boards that until now has had 100% participation from public districts in the state?
Why many Texas cotton farmers are planting less this year
After a disastrous season for cotton production, could Texas lose its crown as top producer? Three Texans on the front lines talk about why some fear 2023 could be a tipping point.
The head of the University of Texas System Board of Regents puts a pause on new diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
With student debt forgiveness plans on hold, what are the implications for those struggling most to get out from under it?
Also tech expert Omar Gallaga on the rising price of social media verification and whether it pays to buy into the changes.
Lawmaker Gene Wu using Reddit to explain Texas Legislature
The clash between city leaders and state lawmakers is set to reach a new level at the Capitol. How state lawmakers are trying to crack down on policies by local prosecutors not to pursue certain cases.
A Texas researcher is pursuing a key to fight aging with the help of small monkeys.
We talk with Rep. Gene Wu, whose videos about how Texas politics actually works have blown up on social media.
In West Texas, concerns about growing tourism and the environmental impact spawn a plan to expand Big Bend National Park by purchasing adjacent land and giving it to the park.
Plus the legacy of San Antonio businessman B.J “Red” McCombs.