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KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

Tesla

Senate GOP primary brawl could open a door for Democrats

Gov. Greg Abbott’s last-minute veto of a proposed ban on THC-derived products has opened a rift with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful leader of the Texas Senate who championed the ban.
More autonomous vehicles are now on Austin streets – and these Tesla robotaxis are a little harder to spot than their Waymo counterparts.
Some Texans are finding relief from high grocery prices on the other side of the border.
License plate readers have become popular with police departments around the state, but many folks have concerns about privacy. What we learned from a Houston investigation.
And: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in 2026 – and the bruising primary may offer Democrats a rare shot at flipping a Texas Senate seat.

KUT Afternoon Newscast for June 20, 2025: The city of Austin lost nearly 9.3 billion gallons of water last year

Central Texas top stories for June 20, 2025. The city of Austin lost enough water to fill Lady Bird Lake four times over. Governor Greg Abbott has until Sunday to take action on a bill that would ban consumable hemp products containing THC. Tesla’s fleet of driverless robotaxis is set to hit Austin streets this Sunday. Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign a bill by Sunday that would limit land sales to non-citizens from several countries. Austin ISD will cut more than 20 percent of positions at its Central Office. The Moody Center is hosting gamers from across the world this weekend at the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

Why ranchers are ‘absolutely terrified’ of the New World screwworm’s return

A old law suddenly no more: a judge strikes down in-state tuition for undocumented students in Texas.
What changes can Texans expect for energy and the environment after this week’s conclusion of the 89th Texas Legislature?
After the Smokehouse Creek Fire scorched over 1 million acres, lawmakers also passed a slate of wildfire preparedness bills.
The devastating New World screwworm, eliminated from North America decades ago, are on their way back. The Standard’s Michael Marks talked to ranchers who remember what it was like to fight them.
And: Texas sheriffs could be required to help enforce federal immigration law.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

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Corpus Christi’s water future looks uncertain as Tesla builds nearby refinery

The House has passed a bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. If the Senate signs off, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make it law.

A 2023 law expanded polling place requirements – but many small counties couldn’t keep up. Now a new bill that rolls back those mandates is headed to the governor.

Water insecurity is a problem around Corpus Christi – and that’s before a new Tesla plant coming in that will require more of it. What you need to know.

Plus: The eyes of the world are on Fort Worth for its annual Van Cliburn Piano Competition.

KUT Morning Newscast for April 23, 2025:  Elon Musk says self-driving Tesla taxis are still coming to Austin.

Central Texas top stories for April 22, 2025. More people died while driving in construction zones in Texas last year compared to the year before. Self-driving Tesla taxis are still coming to Austin this summer. A bill that would add more prosecutors to areas surrounding major cities in Texas has been delayed once more. Greenhouse gas emissions have gone down in Austin since 2011 according to the State of Our Environment Report from Austin’s Watershed Protection Department. 

KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 24, 2025: Austin police found incendiary devices at a local Tesla dealership.

Central Texas top stories for March 24, 2025. Last night was our welcome to spring storm season. APD says they found incendiary devices at a Northwest Austin Tesla retailer. An Austinite is suing the U.S. Department of Education for removing access to income-driven repayment plans. Employees at the Travis County Public Defender’s Office will go before Commissioners this week to ask for higher pay, better benefits and more staffing. Texas is hiring Xavier’s Sean Miller to replace Rodney Terry as head Men’s Basketball coach.

What are current struggles signaling for Texas-based Tesla?

The Legislature is considering bills that would lift restrictions on how Texas’ maternal mortality committee can investigate maternal deaths, including by reviewing abortion-related deaths.
Looking for a Tesla? Or trying to sell one? How politics appears to be reshaping the market for the Texas-based company long considered the leader in the electric vehicle space.
Also: Seismic activity in West Texas prompts regulators to put the brakes on the subsurface injection of wastewater. But one company appears to be flaunting the directive.

As Elon Musk veers right, some Tesla drivers in Texas are saying ‘hell no’ 

For years, Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk was politically neutral or even leaned left. Now, he’s aligned himself with the conservative right and is also the face of the dramatic cuts being made by the Department of Government Efficiency. The Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughy talked to Tesla drivers in Texas, some are feeling alienated. 

KUT Afternoon Newscast for February 5, 2025: Hundreds gathered at the Texas Capitol to protest the Trump Administration.

Central Texas top stories for February 5, 2025. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered on the Texas Capitol grounds today to protest the Trump administration. The Texas Senate is debating on a bill to spend public money on private schools. Uber customers can sign up to get a ride in a self-driving vehicle starting today. Gas prices have continued their climb in the Austin area. Drizzle and cloud cover around the Austin area kept temperatures in the 70’s today.

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.

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