KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
Two experts weigh in on the Texas political landscape and the stakes as we head into a major general election year amid growing rifts among Texas Republicans. Could the new year mark a tipping point for Texas Democrats?
Tech expert Omar Gallaga and the Standard’s own Shelly Brisbin look at what’s buzzing on the technology front.
Plus: coming attractions at the theater and some of the most anticipated book releases of 2024.
There haven’t been any votes yet, but we kind of already know what the Texas delegation to the U.S. House will look like in 2024.
The Israel-Gaza war is challenging what it means to have free speech at colleges across the country. A visit to a San Antonio campus highlights why.
Gov. Greg Abbott is set to sign into law a measure that makes illegal border crossing a state crime. What you need to know.
It’s tamale time for many folks across Texas. We’ll explore the base ingredient, masa, with our go-to taco journalist.
And a conversation with this year’s state 2D artist, Gaspar Enriquez, about how he depicts El Paso and what it means to be Chicano.
The U.S. House approved a measure lifting the debt ceiling, but we’re not out of the woods quite yet.
As state lawmakers continue to tangle with the governor’s priorities, what actually was accomplished in the regular legislative session? A roundtable of Texas reporters looks at changes for rural Texans.
A federal district judge will hear arguments today on the future of DACA in a case brought by the attorney general of
Texas, who’s now been impeached and suspended. How much does that change things, if at all?
Also, they’re not just a time suck but a money pit, too: What can be done to cut the cost of meetings?
Texas is on the brink of becoming the latest state to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asks the governors of other states to provide police and military forces to help secure Texas’ border with Mexico, as the numbers of reported unauthorized entries plummet.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us about congressional hearings on regulating artificial intelligence.
And the musician formerly known as the Texas Piano Man sheds his fancy white suit and hat: Robert Ellis tells us how fatherhood and Fort Worth factor into his new release, “Yesterday’s News.”
Attorneys for a man convicted of fatally shooting a Black Lives Matter protester in Austin in 2020 are asking for a retrial – a request that comes after Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to review the conviction.
The debate over school vouchers, or a variation called education savings accounts, has just passed by the Texas Senate. Are there parallels with a decades-old debate over charter schools in Texas?
In Llano County, after a federal order to return books with LGBTQ -and race-related content to library shelves, commissioners today take up whether to close down the library system altogether.
Also: What could be a new tipping point in offshoring jobs.
For the first time in three years, Medicaid recipients have had to re-apply for the benefit as a major safety net installed during the pandemic disappears – and millions of Texans may lose health coverage.
Taylor Swift is coming to town, and the excitement is off the charts for the superstar’s Texas swing, starting this weekend in Arlington.
Also take a deep dive into deep fakes.
After the Texas Education Agency’s announcement that it will take over the Houston Independent School district, we’re taking a look at what previous state takeovers could signal for this one.
“Stand up and be heard” – that’s what we’re often told to do when the Legislature’s in session. But how does one do that, exactly? We’ll hear a step-by-step primer.
Our go-to tech expert Omar Gallaga shares some key takeaways from the tech side of South by Southwest.
Plus, the creators of “The Lady Bird Diaries” join us to talk about the new film.
Texas’ law against censoring political speech on social media is not in force for now, but that could change. Also: Truckers like to say they keep America rolling, but more are leaving the profession than ever – and it could have major ripple effects for everyone. Plus: A generation gap in high-tech, and a major difference in how sweeping layoffs are being felt. And: A Texas nonprofit founded to support voting restrictions tried to build a hospital in Ukraine; it has not gone as planned, and now red flags are going up.
Arbitrary and capricious- so says a federal judge ordering an end to COVID-19 related rapid expulsions at the border. We’ll look at what’s next for Title 42. Other stories we’re covering: an 800% spike in ER visits for young people facing mental health emergencies in Texas. Anna Bauman of the Houston Chronicle with more. And tens of thousands of Tech company layoffs in rapid succession. Our go-to Tech expert Omar Gallaga has been looking into the whys and what’s next. And concerns about an outbreak of canine influenza in Texas. What pet owners and caregivers should know those stories and much more coming up today on the Texas Standard:
One of the world’s top vaccine experts takes on questions as a new COVID-19 booster arrives in Texas; we’ll be talking with Dr. Peter Hotez about the new Omicron focused vaccines. Other stories we’re tracking: with pandemic disruptions, gun violence and other concerns, how some Texas school districts are trying to address students’ mental health. Plus, a longtime liberal activist who worked alongside Anne Richards talks about a life in Texas politics and the future of the causes she fought for. These stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
A crack in the governor’s crackdown on inspections of commercial border traffic. But the supply chain likely to remain tangled. We’ll have details. Also three top staffers for Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo indicted in a contract award scandal. Why and what it might mean for a politician considered to be a rising star among Texas democrats. And a Texas university told it cannot charge out of state students more for tuition than undocumented students. What the decision could mean for colleges and universities statewide. Plus a case 75 years ago that shook the separate but equal status quo in Texas and beyond. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
A federal judge calls for an investigation into possible criminal charges of sex trafficking and pornography at a shelter for teens in Bastrop. Robert Garrett of the Dallas Morning News with more on an explosive hearing in a long running suit against the state’s foster care system. Also New Mexico prepares for marijuana tourists from Texas at that state’s laws on recreation pot change at the stroke of midnight. Angela Kocherga with the view from El Paso. And Texas’ role in the personal computer revolution. The unlikely story of the TRS-80, and the man behind it. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
A state judge tells Texas it must stop its investigation of a family suspected of providing gender affirming medical care for their transgender teenager. President Biden’s weighing in on the matter too. Plus, legally mandated efforts to get Texas public school students back up to speed after pandemic disruptions; schools say they simply don’t have the tutors to do it. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Confusion and widespread rejections of mail-in ballot applications statewide as a registration day approaches. Also, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir on the early impact of changes to voting laws. And why the world’s only binational professional baseball team may say bye-bye for good to its Laredo home. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:
Reading between the lines of questioning in one of the most potentially consequential abortion cases since Roe vs. Wade. We’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re tracking: how the Texas Capitol city appears to be on track to become the least affordable city in the country after California. We’ll talk with the New York Times reporter who wrote about those findings. Also small Texas towns, big problems with cybersecurity. Omar Gallaga on what they’re doing to try to manage the threat. And the fruitcake fraud of Corsicana, now the subject of a documentary film, we’ll talk with the director and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
The quorum busting impasse at the capitol continues, and the Governor’s promising to arrest absent lawmakers. Governor Greg Abbott joins us today. Texas House Democrats say their decision to leave the capitol and break up a quorum was a last ditch effort to stop restrictive changes to voting laws. Governor Abbot promising to keep calling special sessions until lawmakers come back and calling to question the character of Texas House Democrats. Also a lawsuit filed this week against new abortion restrictions set to take effect in Texas on September first, we’ll explore what’s at stake. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:
What an investigation shows about a “shock and awe” exercise that was meant to take place in El Paso on election day. We’ll learn more about the forces behind this exercise and about the reporter who uncovered it. Also, money is tight for the country, for the state, for families. And federal unemployment benefits will end for Texans in a matter of days. We’ll look at the implications. And as the climate changes, researchers learn from Houston and from some of its strategies. Plus Manufacturing is alive and well in Texas. We’ll take a quick look at the tech companies that are building here. And we’ll honor the men and women who have died in service to the country. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
2 trillion for infrastructure. The big push from the Biden administration. But what might those big plans mean for the Lone Star State? We’ll have details. Plus, going to a concert? Baseball game? Getting on a plane? You may need a passport for that. The push for and the controversy over so-called vaccination passports. Also Dr.Fred Campbell of UT Health San Antonio takes on more of your COVID-19 questions. And new lockdowns in other parts of the world and the ripple effects on Texas and the energy business. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
What did ERCOT know and when did they know it? As millions of Texans still struggle with power outages pressure builds for clear answers. Members of Congress among others demanding straightforward explanations for the collapse of the power grid and uneven distribution of so-called rolling blackouts that left many in the dark and cold for days. Compounding matters, sources for safe water drying up in several parts of Texas as supplies are shut off to deal with cracked pipes and treatment issues. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
The start of the next Texas legislative session is looming… but what will it look like during this pandemic? Today on the Texas Standard.
We’ll examine questions over how Texas lawmakers will vote and what access the public will have to hearings. Plus, Texas nursing homes will be among the first places in the state to get access to the COVID-19 vaccine. We’ll look at how that rollout will happen. And, how a Texas town dependent on tourism is faring in this time of limited travel. That plus some options for safely connecting with Santa this holiday season. And why the keepsake could be more meaningful.