It’s the biggest drop in voter registration in Texas in a decade. What’s behind it and what does it mean for the future of Texas politics? Jeremy Wallace of the Houston Chronicle joins us with more.
When it comes to beef, Texas is number one. But President Trump wants push costs down with a plan to buy more beef from Argentina. Would that work? And what about the stakes for Texas? Some serious questions that we’ll put to an industry expert.
Car loan defaults reach levels not seen since the COVID era.
Also, who’s Texas’ Sausage Sensei? Where There’s Smoke, there’s Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn.
Texas Monthly
Talarico leads early in Democratic primary fundraising
The U.S. invasion of Grenada. The U.S. invasion of Panama. As the U.S. builds up a major military presence in the Caribbean, Katrin Bennhold of the New York Times talks about Venezuela and what she sees as the growing specter of regime change.
The latest on the federal government shutdown and what it means for vital ports along the Texas gulf coast.
Fundraising numbers show state Rep. James Talarico leading the pack for Democrats in the U.S. Senate race. What do the numbers tell us about how the race may be shaping up?
Plus, Daniel Vaughn, barbecue editor of Texas Monthly, has a bone to pick over a new list of top barbecue joints.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
‘CleaVage’ musical is a deep cut into Texas plastic surgery history
The contours of Texas politics are changing – part of Republican’s decades-long plan? Texas Monthly’s Robert Downen joins us to talk about what he sees as an unprecedented consolidation of power aimed at ending fair elections in Texas.
Also, Texas A&M launches audits of its courses statewide – this after the firing of a professor over teachings involving gender identity in a children’s literature class.
And a lawsuit challenging the Texas Medical Board over who gets to call themselves a doctor.
Plus, did you know breast implants were first developed in Texas six decades ago? Well, one Dallas plastic surgeon is making sure you do with a new musical.
Those stories, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune, the talk of Texas and so much more.
Food banks struggle to meet rising demand
What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details.
Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs.
Even without a pandemic, Texas food banks are facing shortages and surging need. The CEO of Feeding Texas joins us to talk about what’s driving the crisis.
Funds for adult education were first put on hold, then released – but there’s a big asterisk. The Standard’s Sarah Asch on a policy change that could affect adult ed.
Plus: Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn dishes on his latest list of the top BBQ 50 spots in the state.
Adult education programs feel the squeeze as federal funds remain on hold
Federal education funding is put on hold, leaving administrators scrambling to evaluate what programs may be affected and what comes next – not just for young students, but Texans in adult education programs as well.
What could rural schools teach the rest of us about how to better get along? New research by the George W. Bush Institute offers insights.
And just in time for July 4th: the Brazilian BBQ smoker many Texas pitmasters are calling the bomb.
Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.
You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org
Judge rules Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act was unlawful
A South Texas ruling prevents the deportation of some detainees. What it means for the Trump administration’s strategy.
Houston’s large Afghan population is closely watching efforts to unwind programs providing them legal status in the U.S. Why many say they can’t return to their home country.
Some Texans will be headed to the polls tomorrow for local elections. A preview of some of the biggest races and initiatives, including one that would create a new company town.
Efforts to change what people can buy with food stamps, or SNAP assistance, are underway on a couple of levels.
A remembrance as this week marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon.
And: A new way to enjoy Texas Monthly – with a new series on PBS.
Texas House gives initial approval to school voucher bill
For the first time ever, the Texas House votes to approve the use of taxpayer money for private school education. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom shares what comes next.
Many farmers in South Texas say a water treaty with Mexico is costing them dearly. Now the Trump administration appears ready to get involved.
Thousands of acres of Hill Country land have been set aside to create a new state natural area, and Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan got a preview.
And: Politics and water take center stage in the new documentary “Thirst for Power,” based on a book by Michael Webber. He joins the show with more.
Work up your Thanksgiving appetite with these Texas food tidbits
We’ve been cooking up a special treat: a show all about Texas eats and drinks – the sweet, the savory and everything in between.
The biggest food story in Texas in recent months was the announcement of the first-ever Texas Michelin guide, the creme-de-la-creme.
What Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor learned traveling the country in search of BBQ.
Inside the Atkinson Candy Co., which has been handcrafting classic treats in Lufkin for 92 years.
And: A new podcast about Texas whiskey that you just might think is neat.
After nearly 50 years, food critic Pat Sharpe asks for the check
Texas leaders are among President-elect Trump’s biggest supporters. Are they being left off the list of Cabinet picks?
She’s traveled and tasted dishes from across the Lone Star State: After 50 years, Texas Monthly food critic Pat Sharpe is retiring and sharing what she’s learned on the job.
The details of a plan to turn an old golf course into a world-class arboretum in San Antonio.
And: An update on the results of a rural summit bringing residents, local officials and state lawmakers together.
Brazos County voters to decide whether livestock should roam free or be fenced in
Why Texas billionaires are spending big on judicial races with flashy political ads.
Some religious leaders touch on political issues – but how does this align with U.S. tax rules and the separation of church and state?
A new book from political science professor John Domino explores the history of privacy laws in Texas and what they mean today.
Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor toured the country searching for the best BBQ – and it turns out he didn’t have to roam far from home.
Should livestock in Texas be allowed to roam free, or do they need to be fenced in? Voters in Brazos County will decide.
Sul Ross raises its own bucking horses to keep rodeo tradition alive
We’re taking a look at the new laws that took effect in Texas on Sept. 1.
Hauling freight on trains is a multibillion-dollar industry in Texas. The latest on safety concerns.
A report from the Paralympics in Paris, where Texans are making a strong showing.
Sul Ross State University in Alpine is the birthplace of collegiate rodeo – and is now raising their own bucking horses.
And: Standup comedian Sheng Wang, a Houston native, is bringing his comedy back to the Lone Star State.
Houston starts cleanup after Hurricane Beryl tears through the region
Hurricane Beryl makes its mark on the Texas coast. Now, the cleanup begins. We’ll hear what’s happening from folks on the Gulf Coast.
Tariff talk was all the rage about four years ago. Now, not so much. But is the Biden administration doing business any different from its predecessor?
And: The State of Texas is putting a lot of money and effort into a border wall. But at its current pace of half a mile per week, it will take approximately 30 years to complete. We’ll have the latest.
Celebrating summer with Willie Nelson, new book releases, aguas frescas & more
With lots of food and fireworks, Texans turn out to mark the Fourth of July – and we’re celebrating with a special program dedicated to summer in the Lone Star State:
Julia Green, the manager at Front Street Books in Alpine, shares her recommendations on new book releases to add to your summer reading list.
Top tips from the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly on how to smoke short ribs in your own backyard.
The backstory of Willie Nelson’s famous Fourth of July picnic.
Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, has some suggestions for beating the heat with aguas frescas.
Plus: top songs of the season with a Texas connection.
Texas Democrats plot election year strategy at convention
Texas Democrats reconvene for their annual convention, plotting an election year comeback. What’s the plan? The Texas Newsroom’s Julián Aguilar tells us more about the Texas Democratic convention that just wrapped up in El Paso.
A change in the state’s Medicaid rules would eliminate several major nonprofit health plans from the program.
UT’s flagship campus taking disciplinary action against recent pro-Palestinian protesters.
The case of the stolen smokers – Daniel Vaughn shares the tale.
And the Mavericks, down but not out as the NBA playoffs shift to Dallas for Game 3.
What’s next for pro-Palestine campus protests in Texas?
An even larger antiwar protest at the University of Texas at Austin takes place Thursday, now the official response to protesters taking center stage. Is a major constitutional battle looming over UT’s response to Wednesday’s campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war?
Why tiny rural Texas towns may be in the crosshairs for a new kind of cyberwar between the U.S. and its adversaries.
Historic Texas barbecue joints, fading into history? Texas Monthly’s Daniel Vaughn with details.
Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more.
Rio Grande Valley again draws attention ahead of 2024 elections
Is the boom in home prices in Austin, one of Texas’ hottest markets, over? And what might that mean for affordability?
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, long a champion of free markets, is now calling for lawmakers to take action and curb large-scale home purchases from institutional investors.
Some national politics watchers are pondering whether this is the year a long-time stronghold for Texas Democrats – Rio Grande Valley – turns solidly red.
And when it comes to chili, ¡Viva Terlingua! But chili’s got a new challenger. Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn samples what’s cookin.’
Children at Risk’s annual ranking of Texas schools is out
Texas officials say they’re reassigning workers to deal with an ongoing problem of providing care for foster kids without placement.
The 2022-2023 school ratings report from Houston-based nonprofit Children at Risk sheds light on progress and problems that districts are facing statewide.
Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, who also had a short stint in Houston, will soon take on a new position overseeing Austin’s police department.
And a giraffe in a park in Juárez, who made headlines last year, is getting a new home.
What you need to know about viewing the upcoming solar eclipses from Texas
Though Attorney General Ken Paxton has been acquitted on all impeachment charges, whistleblowers say they’re not giving up. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom shares more.
It’s rare for an eclipse to be visible at the same location within several years, much less a few months – but the skies over a portion of Texas will be ground zero for observing both an annular and a total solar eclipse.
At the Rescue Mission of El Paso, plenty of food is coming in – but it’s not to feed people experiencing homelessness. Instead, those people are feeding others. Texas monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn shares the mission of Hallelujah! BBQ.
Houston sues state over ‘Death Star’ law that will block local ordinances
Houston has sued the state to try and block the “Death Star” law that will block local regulations from being enacted at the city and county level.
Why several homes and businesses flooded during Hurricane Harvey may be passing up a last chance for compensation.
A new documentary, “Every Body,” turns the spotlight on people in the intersex community.
Plus, with digital streaming services upending the old model for making money in music, tech expert Omar Gallaga explores ways to support one’s favorite artists.
‘Lone Stars Rising’ profiles 50 Texans changing our world
The sheriff of Bexar County is pushing for charges to be brought over migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard.
Where did high-profile bills dealing with higher education wind up this legislative session? Kate McGee of the Texas Tribune joins with an overview.
An investigation has revealed a culture of sexism and discrimination in the El Paso Police Department.
Is air travel getting bumpier, or does it just seem that way? A Texas A&M expert explains what’s known as clear air turbulence.
Texas Monthly editor Jeff Salamon discusses “Lone Stars Rising,” a look at 50 Texans who have made a lasting impact in the past 50 years.
And stop the presses: A one-day walkout at the Gannett-owned Austin American-Statesman turns the spotlight on journalists in Texas moving to unionize.