Texas Music Madness

There’s no online registry for ranchers’ brands – but that could change

As China announces retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., the possible toll on Texas ranchers is generating lots of anxiety. A Texas A&M trade expert who’s worked on previous trade deals takes a closer look as the implications of extended trade wars loom large.
Fatalities related to child abuse in Texas fall dramatically – but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
And: There are thousands of unique livestock brands in Texas, but no centralized database to keep track of them all. State lawmakers could soon change that.

A forgotten history of DeWitt County comes back to life

The man who’s admitted killing 23 in a racist mass shooting in El Paso in 2019 will be given a plea deal that does not include the death penalty. What’s behind that decision.
A federal judge temporarily prevents Texas A&M from enforcing a ban on campus drag performances, setting the stage for this week’s Draggieland.
A long-lost book detailing DeWitt County’s history before 1900 has resurfaced, more than a century after it was written in German.
And: A potentially deadly bird flu spotted early in Texas jumps species in the UK, prompting a warning from health officials.

West Odessa residents take water crisis into their own hands

A Houston-area midwife and two others have been arrested for allegedly performing illegal abortions, marking the first instance of criminal charges under Texas’ restrictive abortion law.
In West Odessa, the demand for water has outpaced the infrastructure. Now, a grassroots effort is underway to secure a more reliable water supply.
Dallas is working to make it easier and safer to ride a bicycle. Are there lessons for other urban areas?
And: the story behind the success of the faith-based indie studio that calls Austin home. We talk to the head of the Wonder Project.

Inside the international friendly match between El Paso Locomotive FC and Juárez FC

Looking back at the week in politics with The Texas Tribune, from Gov. Greg Abbott calling for college students to be disciplined over anti-Semitic speech to a Texas congressman under investigation by the House ethics committee.
Red flags have been raised over group homes for Texans with intellectual disabilities.
For the first time last week, El Paso Locomotive FC and Juárez FC faced off in front of a sold-out crowd. Texas Standard intern Alan Tiscareno shares more from the international friendly match.
And: Texas music legend Alejandro Escovedo ties together a lifetime of songs in his new album.

An Indigenous perspective on the solar eclipse from a traditional healer

In a long-running securities fraud case against Ken Paxton, a deal has been reached that will let the attorney general avoid trial or an admission of guilt.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in what could be the most important case on reproductive rights since the Dobbs decision, this time on access to medication abortion.
Autonomous vehicles are getting a lot of bad press. Could smart roads pave the way to self-driving cars and trucks? A smart highway in Texas may put that to the test.
Marika Alvarado, who describes herself as a “direct descendant of generations of Medicine Women: traditional native healers of body, midwives and plant medicine,” shares her Indigenous perspective on the solar eclipse.
And: A UT San Antonio professor has dubbed the upcoming eclipse “the most profitable 22 minutes in Texas history.” Bulent Temel joins the show with more.