Tesla

Some convicted felons can actually vote from prison in Texas. Here’s why.

A reservoir first proposed in 1968 to provide water to the DFW area has failed to move forward for decades. Why a small group of landowners say all Texans should care.
Many state prison inmates in Texas, including people on death row, are eligible to vote and may not know it. The Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughy shares the details.
Texas is starting its own Wall Street of sorts, the Texas Stock Exchange, and there are big names and big money involved. But how exactly is that going to work?
And: Regional Mexican music is making waves throughout Texas.

Dozens of earthquakes rattle region west of Fort Worth

President Biden visits Texas and unveils his plan to reform the Supreme Court, including a call for term limits.
Protests and claims of fraud as Venezuela president says he won another election. Could that spur more migration to the U.S.?
Scurry County, west of Fort Worth, has felt more than 90 earthquakes in the past week.
Why Austin is pulling the plug on a plan to transition to battery-powered city buses.
And: Photographer Richard Doherty snaps images of the place where he’s lived for more than 40 years in his new book “Framing Oak Cliff: A Visual Diary of a Dallas Neighborhood.”

Is Tesla running out of power?

Twisters up north, flooding to the east, wildfire dangers out in the far west and a forecast that won’t let up… yet. Boat rescues reported in central east Texas and many road closures as riverbanks swell from the rain. Meteorologist Eric Berger with the latest and what to expect.
On the heels of layoffs in April, the state’s wealthiest resident moves to make deeper cuts at the nation’s top EV maker. A tipping point for Tesla?
An update on what Travis County officials describe as the worst outbreak of opioid overdoses in years.
Plus, a preview of a new podcast exploring the state’s takeover of the Texas’ biggest school district.

Celebrating Willie Nelson’s birthday and his concert tradition

Some of Texas’ biggest counties say their lockups are getting more overcrowded and many sheriffs say the state is to blame.
Destructive weather across the Midwest over much of the weekend turned to Texas late Sunday.
A school district that’s increasingly been in the spotlight over culture war issues heads toward what could be a turning point with local elections.
Payday loans? Yes, there’s an app for that, and experts are concerned.
Plus, on the birthday of a certain Red Headed Stranger, a look at how his picnic became an iconic event for many Texans.

Austin to be hit as Tesla announces 14,000 layoffs

Are protest organizers responsible if a participant breaks the law? A court decision could have a chilling effect.
A new report on maternal health shows Black Texans are much more likely to die after giving birth than their white counterparts.
What layoffs at Tesla mean for jobs in Texas and the EV car market.
The Houston Dash celebrates a decade of women’s pro soccer. How the team and the league have grown over the years.
And: We’ll talk to comedian Jeff Hiller, who’s returning to his home state of Texas for the Moontower Comedy Festival.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for January 04, 2023

Central Texas top stories for January 04, 2023. The nurses’ union at Ascension Seton Medical Center expands. Requests for advance abortion medication prescriptions went up after people learned about potential restrictions on abortion. APD has released body camera footage from a shooting at a 6th Street bar in December. Tesla expands into Hutto.

A look ahead to the new year in Texas, from politics to entertainment

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.

KUT Morning Newscast for October 18, 2023

Central Texas top stories for October 18, 2023. Austin Convention Center expansion. Tesla impact on Travis County. Travis County bond propositions. Williamson County Community Paramedicine Program expansion. San Marcos development plan. Junkdrop.

KUT Morning Newscast for July 28, 2023

Central Texas top stories for July 28, 2023. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton faces fraud charges. Possible active shooter incident cleared at Tesla factory. Austin previews city budget.

Workers rally to fight state bill ending water breaks

As Texans brace for another week of extreme heat, there’s pushback against a new state law that nullifies local rules requiring mandatory water breaks for outdoor workers.

Austin has ended its policing partnership with the Department of Public Safety – but Gov. Greg Abbott is sending more troopers to the capital city.

Some legal experts say the Supreme Court’s student debt decision may have scrambled the issue of standing, or whether a plaintiff has enough interest in a particular matter to stand before the court to request legal intervention. UT Law professor Stephen Vladeck explains.

And a new documentary on Jesse Treviño honors the late San Antonio artist, long considered one of the city’s finest.

A man died working on the Tesla Gigafactory. The company didn’t tell officials.

A car crash in Brownsville: 8 dead, 10 injured. An accident or was it intentional?

One day before a vote to expel a Texas house representative, a resignation. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom on the state lawmaker accused of an inappropriate relationship with an intern.

Questions about the heat death of a worker helping to build Tesla’s Texas Gigafactory and whether reporting rules are being followed.

And a Texas based Go-Go, Head Over Heels about her new role with a stage production. Our conversation with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Kathy Valentine.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for November 15, 2022

Central Texas top stories for November 15, 2022. Persistent chilliness. I-35 expansion. AISD superintendent search. Travis Co food access. Austin Police use of force settlements. Tesla Gigafactory complaints. Papyrus fragment on display in Austin. 

Texas Standard: September 19, 2022

With shelters full and an infrastructure near breaking point, hundreds of migrants released on the streets of El Paso without services. So what now? As Governor Abbott presses forward with a program to bus migrants to democratically controlled cities out of state, New York’s mayor threatens legal action, as critics call Abbott’s busing program a political stunt. We’ll take a closer look. Also Texas’ richest resident announces plans for a new startup: a lithium refining plant. Why that could be critical for the next evolution in transportation. And the road ahead for rural Texas: a report warns it’s especially treacherous. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: February 22, 2022

He’s been called Trump’s favorite cowboy; why Sid Miller’s attempt to hang on to his job as Texas Agriculture Commissioner is drawing a lot of national attention. And, a longtime democratic congressman in South Texas faces a repeat challenge from the left–a former intern. Also, why biorefineries could be the next big thing in Texas. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 29, 2020

As many anticipate the start of the New Year, many Texas public school officials fear what the stroke of midnight might mean for them. A hold harmless guarantee for Texas public schools expected to expire on December 31st. For districts facing a drop off in attendance, will there be enough money to maintain operations? Also, racial disparities in the pandemic spark a rethink of who’s most at risk to COVID-19. We’ll also look at concerns about social isolation and seasonal affective disorder. And with the launch of a U.S. Space Force, plans to find a home for the U.S. space command. Could it be landing in Texas? Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 24, 2020

Storm clouds gathering along the Texas coast as a tropical depression bears down on the Lone Star State. We’ll have more on the weather situation and what south Texas should be prepared for this weekend. Also as schools scramble to assemble reopening plans, high school football teams prepare to return to the field. We’ll have the latest. Plus, a cyber truck factory cruises into Texas, the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 5, 2018

A new outbreak in Texas of a fast spreading parasitic disease. How bad is it and where’s it coming from? We’ll hear about the search for answers. Also, critics are calling it the treason trip. A group of Republicans from Capitol Hill spending their Independence Day break in Moscow meeting with Russian officials to discuss what exactly? And why does the trip appear shrouded in secrecy? And Elon Musk built a battery the size of a football field to supply solar power to south Australia. Now there’s a plan for something similar in west Texas. We’ll look at whether it could be enough to spark an energy revolution and why packing the court has returned to our political dialogue. All of that and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 2, 2018

2018 means a slew of new laws are going into effect. Are there any that effect you? We’ll have the details. Also, remember the failing blowout preventer from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill? A proposed rollback in regulations targets drilling in places like the Gulf of Mexico. Plus: a dispute between Texas and New Mexico over water from the Rio Grande is going to country’s highest court. We’ll have the details. And a Texas high school won back to back to back state championships in 2017. But the school’s story of winning intertwines with a story of loss, we’ll have the details. And the why US may need to change its strategy to combat drug cartels on the other side of the border. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard: