KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
Texas has been the starting point for a lot of iconic brands. Whataburger, H-E-B and Buc-ee’s are a few modern behemoths that come to mind. But Texas as a place to start a business goes back way further than that. W.F. Strong has the story of a man named Connie who forged a global chain from humble beginnings.
Stories from Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Collective historical memory is not always based in fact. Take the example that Napoleon was short. Apparently, he was about 5’7′ — which was very average for the time. You might call these historical myths.
Other bits of history appear in historical records but are similarly hard to nail down. Texas Standard Commentator W.F. Strong explores one.
Stories from Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
What does it mean to born in the U.S.? It’s a question the Supreme Court is considering today. We’ll dig into what’s at stake.
Guilty verdicts in the North Texas ICE shooting case meant a victory for the Trump administration in its fight against “antifa,” but how do we even define that movement?
We’re heading back to the moon. We’ll look at the goals of the long-awaited Artemis II mission and the countdown to what could come next.
If Texas stores can no longer sell smokable forms of cannabis but it’s legal to possess it, can your order it online?
And we’ll introduce you to some pampered pets. Why you might want to consider a catio.
It’s not hard to find a Texas connection to a news story. The same is true for history. One example that may surprise you is the fact that the Texas Hill Country inspired the design of New York Central Park.
Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong explores.
Stories from Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong examines how one of the state’s most celebrated writers found a home in San Antonio.
Stories From Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
It’s been a bit of a tradition over the years for commentator WF Strong to offer up a story of thanks each holiday season — for what he calls a great gift to Texas.
Often, the honor has gone to someone long gone. But this year, he’s thanking someone still very much with us — and hopefully with many decades still ahead.
Check out Traces of Texas
Stories From Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
The legal case against Nicolás Maduro and his wife has begun, but how’s that going to work exactly?
Venezuelans living abroad, including here in Texas, continue to react to the capture. Why Austin-based “Freedom is a Feast” author Alejandro Puyana says it’s so important we keep including their voices in the news coverage.
The U.S. military might increase fitness standards. Why some are pushing back on the idea.
New energy projects are taking off in Matagorda County. What it means for the mostly rural area.
Plus, commentator W.F. Strong pays homage to the modern archivist behind the popular “Traces of Texas” Facebook page.
For almost the full ten years of Texas Standard, commentator WF Strong has been bringing us stories about Texas. One of his first was a list of his favorite nonfiction books about the state.
On it was “The Big Rich” by Bryan Burrough. Now, WF Strong tells us that the author has a new book he’d recommend for those who might need an antidote for Hallmark holiday movies.
Stories From Texas is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support our work by donating at supportthispodcast.org.
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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
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens a concurrent second special session with a Democratic walkout still underway. Is there any end in sight?
Details from a new release of materials withheld by Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district in the wake of the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting.
What’s behind a massive growth in virtual schooling in Texas?
W.F. Strong meditates on what welcomes Texans back home after a long time away.
And: The scene at Voz de la Paloma, a women’s mariachi competition in honor of a San Antonio ranchera icon.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Online rumors are blaming cloud seeding for the deadly Texas floods, even though the science doesn’t support it.
Along with flood recovery and THC regulation, Texas lawmakers are tasked with redrawing congressional districts in their special session. The connection to racial gerrymandering.
Volunteers and rescue workers have descended on the Hill Country to help with flood recovery – and unfortunately, so have scammers. What experts say everyone needs to know.
The impact of recent budget cuts on mental health programs in schools.
And: Robert Earl Keen is going to headline a concert to benefit flood recovery. Our conversation with him on the star-studded lineup and why he says he was compelled to act so quickly.
Elon Musk may be on the outs in D.C., but closer to home, his political influence appears to be on the rise: The state’s richest billionaire scored some quiet but rather significant victories in the last legislative session.
Legislative support for wind and solar may be on the wane, but Texas lawmakers appear to be warming up to geothermal energy.
Don’t like tariffs? Commentator W.F. Strong tells us how some earlier generations of Texans didn’t, either – and what they did to fight them.
And: Remembering Cass Wheeler, who helped transform the American Heart Association into a national force during his 30 years at the helm.
You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.
Healthcare providers and people on both sides of Texas’ abortion ban are working together – kind of – on an effort to clarify the law.
The VA is trying to trim its budget without affecting patients. A closer look at the plans and their potential holes.
The number of nurses in Houston public schools has dropped by 50% in the past year. Now there’s an effort at the Texas Capitol to set requirements for having nurses on campuses.
What you need to know as the federal government restarts collections on federal student loan borrowers in default.
And: We’ll introduce you to Porfirio Salinas, the Texas painter who captured the Hill Country in a way that inspired Lady Bird Johnson.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.
Cases continue to rise in Texas’ ongoing measles outbreak. Experts say they know how to stop the spread. What’s preventing that?
One priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this legislative session is clawing back the state’s legalization of hemp-based products. Where that effort stands.
You’ll need a REAL ID to travel by air starting May 7. How to make sure you do.
New research out of Colorado finds that kids who live near oil and gas drilling sites face a higher risk of leukemia.
New to streaming: “Time Passages,” a personal documentary about memory and loss that manages to also be hopeful.
And: Texas euphemisms from commentator W.F. Strong.
The man who’s admitted killing 23 in a racist mass shooting in El Paso in 2019 will be given a plea deal that does not include the death penalty. What’s behind that decision.
A federal judge temporarily prevents Texas A&M from enforcing a ban on campus drag performances, setting the stage for this week’s Draggieland.
A long-lost book detailing DeWitt County’s history before 1900 has resurfaced, more than a century after it was written in German.
And: A potentially deadly bird flu spotted early in Texas jumps species in the UK, prompting a warning from health officials.
The fight against the measles outbreak in West Texas is being hampered in part by poor infrastructure.
Two days before a death row inmate was set for execution, it’s been delayed for the second time. The back-and-forth over evidence – and how victims families are feeling.
Another day of high wildfire danger across Texas. How one county is looking to help some people who may struggle to better prepare.
Going a cruise? Many Texans don’t have to leave the state to start that journey. How Galveston has become a key player in the industry.
It’s been four years since the deadly days-long blackout in Texas – and “The Disconnect” podcast is back for a third season, exploring what’s changed and what hasn’t.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been told by the new Trump administration to stop work. How a long-term closure might affect you.
An investigation into the death of a foster care child has led to the closure of one facility and some bigger questions.
And: The women on Texas death row have a special relationship with a group of nuns. The details might surprise you.
The words “historic election” have been far overused, but they’re worth considering when examining results out of Starr County. A look at a political shift in South Texas.
Texas’ oil and gas regulators requested an emergency influx of $100 million dollars in state money to address oil well blowouts and contamination. What’s happening in the oilfield?
Even during election time, you probably don’t give a lot of thought to the office of the Justice of the Peace. Why it matters – especially right now in Harris County.
Microsoft Windows users could soon face some consequences if they haven’t updated their software in a while. Our tech expert has tips on what steps to take now.
Plus, there was a plan to bring an exiled Napoleon to Texas. And no, it didn’t happen. Our W.F. Strong has been looking into this strange bit of history.
On request from Florida, Texas sends teams of emergency officials to support local authorities as they brace for the arrival of Hurricane Milton.
A geyser erupted in West Texas last Wednesday, shooting salty, oily water 100 feet into the air – an unexpected event that continued through the weekend.
At the heart of San Antonio’s historic Spanish Colonial Missions are their iconic bells, which have been ringing for centuries to mark major community events.
Plus: There’s a growing age gap between Texans and their elected representatives – and emerging leaders are working to reshape the political landscape.
After the worst-ever wildfire disaster for Texas agriculture, there’s now an effort to help ranchers who lost large numbers of pregnant cows.
A year after the mall shooting in Allen, what the data reveals about gun violence there more broadly.
A new report documents how unlicensed teachers are becoming fixtures in many Texas schools.
Organizers of the Texas Eclipse Festival in Burnet County are now offering partial refunds to attendees because the event ended a day early.
Also, just how smart is artificial intelligence getting? Commentator W.F. Strong tried a little experiment.