Central Texas top stories for August 26, 2024. Austin Community College kicked off its fall semester today. Police in Round Rock say additional warrants have been secured for one of the suspects arrested in connection with the deadly gunfire at this year’s Juneteenth celebration. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is the focus of a scathing report from the U.S. Department of Justice. CapMetro swore in its first-ever police chief today. People in West Travis County can now resume watering their lawns and filling up swimming pools. The Texas Longhorns kick off their first season in the Southeastern Conference this weekend.
Texas Juvenile Justice Department
Documentary highlights competitive high school mariachi
There’s a push in the Texas Senate to raise the penalty for illegal voting despite a widely reported absence of evidence that it’s a major problem. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom shares his weekly lookahead at what’s happening at the Legislature.
A bill filed last week would abolish the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and close down the state’s youth prisons.
There was chaos Sunday on the pedestrian bridge connecting El Paso with Juárez, Mexico. Lauren Villagran of the El Paso Times joins us to discuss what happened.
By many measures Texas is at the top of the pack for renewable energy, yet gas and oil likely remain big in the state for some time to come.
Plus we’ll hear from the directors and a student star of a new documentary that had its Texas debut at South by Southwest, “Going Varsity in Mariachi.”
Texas Standard: November 11, 2022
A state commission votes to extend the life of a Texas department under federal investigation for civil rights and abuse violations. More on what comes next for the embattled Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Plus this week Texas voters elected the first South Asian and Muslim state legislators. We’ll talk with Salman Bhojani, Representative-elect from District 92 in North Texas. Plus Fort Hood set to be renamed for a four star General from South Texas, the first Hispanic to reach that rank. Also On this Veterans day, the story of Harold Brown, one of the first Black military aviators. Plus the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: August 3, 2022
The city and people of El paso paying tribute to the 23 lives lost in a racially motivated mass shooting three years ago today. As El Pasoans come together to honor and remember victims of the August 3rd 2019 mass shooting, the accused shooter remains in jail and has yet to go to trial. Julian Aguilar of the Texas Newsroom with the latest. Also, in a part of Texas were democrats have long won election after election, republican fundraising efforts suggest a major shift. And almost 5 years after hurricane Harvey, how Houston and how the lives of those affected have changed. Plus a Politifact check and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: July 8, 2022
The Texas Department of Juvenile Justice says it won’t accept new offenders in state facilities because of a staffing shortage. We’ll have the latest. Other stories we’re tracking: the reversal of Roe and what it could mean for the midterms in Texas. Also red States, blue states, and a new report on the economic differential growing as people move from one to the other. Plus how Texas corn farmers are trying to weather the extended drought. And a conversation with native South Texan Cristela Alonzo about her new Netflix standup special. Also the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 11, 2022
What happened to more than a billion dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds for Texas? Officials want to know whether the money was misspent. Were COVID-19 relief funds used to defray the costs of the governor’s border crackdown? That story plus, how nominally non-partisan school board elections in Texas became a magnet for big money donations, and what that could mean for what’s taught in public school classrooms. Also higher ed in Texas prisons: a new report outlines big gender disparities in opportunity. And the work of the code inspector, and why it often isn’t working to help many apartment renters. Plus a Politifact check on SB8 and much more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: May 9, 2022
Texans overwhelming approved two constitutional amendments promising some tax relief. So what happens now? We’ll take a look. We’ll also dive deep into one Dallas neighborhood for some understanding of the challenges facing lower-income renters everywhere. And the head of the state’s juvenile justice department resigned just over a week ago. Why the timing has some advocates worried. Plus eyes are on an annual celebration in Russia this year, we’ll have what a Texas-based expert is watching for. And Lockhart, Texas is synonymous with BBQ, but it’s a veggie-growing enterprise there that’s caught our attention. We took a trip to find out why what’s going on there is so cutting edge. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Texas Standard: February 2, 2018
Have you seen maps of political districts that just look like they were drawn to achieve some certain result? We’ll explain how math could identify and prevent gerrymandering. Plus Mexican-American Studies are slowly gaining traction in school districts across Texas. We’ll look at why it’s been delayed at the state level and how some school districts are forging ahead on their own. And we’ll take you inside the business and passion of raising and breeding Texas Longhorns. Plus it’s Friday, that means the Typewriter rodeo and a wrap of the biggest political stories of the week. Today on the Texas Standard: