KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

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

texas

SAFE Alliance cuts could shutter shelter, programs for abuse victims

The SAFE Alliance is preparing to make millions of dollars in cuts starting this summer. This could include closing a downtown shelter and the end of services that provide additional housing assistance for people leaving abusive situations.

After public outcry over the unexpected demolition of former East Austin cafe, Cenote, the developer of the property has committed to maintaining what’s left of the historic building it originally promised to preserve. The problem?There’s just one wall left standing. Austin Current’s Sam Stark stops by to talk about it.

Model Railroading has been a popular hobby pretty much as long as trains have been around. Steven Jacobs has been a fan for about half a century. He spoke with Mike Lee about it for the This is My Thing Podcast.

Plus, what is the best Texas rap anthem? We’ve got plenty of tracks to choose from across the state, and the fellas over at The Breaks are searching for a winner. We’ll talk about the choices.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Lawsuit challenges Texas crackdown on hemp-derived products

High stakes in Texas as cannabis businesses file suit over a new statewide ban on smokable hemp.
This year’s midterm elections signal the biggest turnover in recent memory and Texas is part of that trend. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey on what’s behind this changing of the guard.
Despite a tenuous ceasefire with Iran, tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us high-tech battles are still being waged.
The prescription for a nursing shortage in Texas? A new training opportunity launches in Abilene.
And a new series exploring Texas’ endangered landscapes debuts on PBS stations statewide tonight. We’ll have a preview of “Daytripping with the Nature Conservancy.”

From headliners to homegrown acts, Moontower Comedy Fest brings the laughs

Over the last year, Texas Republicans enacted regulatory and legal changes, completely altering life for noncitizens in the state. Many of these changes were put forward in the state Legislature, where they failed. Now, these changes are being made a reality outside of the normal legislative processes. We talk with Eleanor Klibanoff, the law and politics reporter at The Texas Tribune.

Austin ISD is facing a giant budget deficit heading into the next school year. A draft of that budget was presented this week to school board members. We’ll look at where the deficit stands and the plans the district is considering to address it.

Plus, the Moontower Comedy Festival is bringing hundreds more comics to town over the next week and a half. We’ll hear from one of the performers.

Also: A seance with Houdini? Intrigued?

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Bigger buildings on the way for industrial projects

Vacancies for industrial buildings in the greater Austin region are near the highest levels of any place in the country. It could be that companies thinking of moving to Austin aren’t finding buildings big enough to accommodate them.

Spring fever, oak and mold pollen, and now another strain of coronavirus — all about the latest variant and the complications it brings.

Half a century ago incarcerated Texans formed bands and recorded their music inside of state prisons. That music was shared recently with a wider audience.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Hitting the trails at the new Karst Canyon Preserve

Williamson County is making changes to avoid the chaotic scene that unfolded last month on primary Election Day. The new change is going back to the ways things were before the most recent election. We’ll dig into why it happened and how the county is trying to avoid a repeat.

The Karst Canyon Preserve is offering new public access to trails and open space in Hays County. The property near Jacob’s Well was previously slated for residential development.

Plus, the region needed this weekend’s rain showers — both to help with drought and to clear cars of springtime green tint from oak pollen. Why does the pollen get everywhere? We’ll get to the answer today.

Jason Mellard from The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University goes over Ronald Shannon Jackson records ‘Texas’ LP in Dallas from the the late 80s.

Onboard the Artemis II spacecraft right now are three Americans and one Canadian, including someone set to be the first woman in history to journey beyond low Earth orbit and travel around the Moon. Texas Standard Host, David Brown, asked Mission specialist Christina Koch what it felt like to be selected for the Artemis mission.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Cole World

On this episode, we discuss all the recent interviews J. Cole has done and why we aren’t big fans of them. We also discuss much simpler times when you could download, and burn, all the music you loved as a kid. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Vanessa Williams, Brandy, Kid Rock and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion will definitely be a conversation starter.

Texas Extra: City manager remains optimistic in the face of Corpus Christi’s water crisis

The water crisis in Corpus Christi has been on the minds of many Texans for the past few weeks. But in the city itself, officials have been dealing with drought and increased demands for water for years. On April 3, David Brown spoke with Corpus Christi city manager Peter Zanoni about how the city plans to beef up its water supplies, the state’s role and why no water emergency has been declared. This is an extended version of the interview that appeared on the radio show.

Audit of Austin’s $25 million contract with the Long Center reveals gaps in billing, transparency, oversight

A review of the city of Austin’s $25 million contract with the Long Center to disburse arts grants has exposed gaps in billing, transparency and oversight. City auditors said they raised concerns for years about weaknesses in the monitoring of city contracts. Andrea Ball from the Austin Current has the story.

A new program aims to bring Austin’s home-based side hustles out of the shadows of that crowded garage and into the light of day. It’s the latest effort from the city to create ways for micro business owners to thrive, not just survive.

Families across Texas that choose to celebrate Easter have varying traditions. For many, especially Mexican-American families, cascarones are a staple in children’s easter baskets. Austin Signal Managing Producer Kristen Cabrera takes us through what makes these eggs special.

Plus; The Texas women’s basketball team is back in the Final Four for the second year in a row. A pair of wins this weekend would give the Longhorns their second national championship — exactly 40 years after their first.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

A federal trial underway in Austin could decide whether Texas must provide air conditioning to all prisons

Summer temperatures in Texas prisons can often exceed 100 degrees, and lawyers have argued those conditions constitute cruel and unusual punishment for incarcerated Texans.
A federal trial underway this week in Austin could decide whether the state must provide air conditioning to all inmates.

A group of scientists from the University of Texas at Austin and MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a potential chemotherapy drug that may prompt a person’s immune system to attack cancer cells as if they were infected by a virus. The work on the drug started a decade ago and likely has years to go before it would be available. Reporter Olivia Aldridge joins the show to talk about the progress researchers have made so far.

Plus, the lifestyles of Austin’s rich and famous…cats? A catio tour raising awareness about local birds.

Someone asked ATXPlained “Who is behind these sometimes clever signs reminding you to be safe on the road?” KUT’s Samuel King has that story.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Smokable hemp is now banned in Texas, but what about by mail?

Hemp flower and other smokable forms of cannabis are no longer allowed to be sold in Texas. What hasn’t changed, however, is Texas law that says it’s legal to possess those kinds of products. So, can Texans procure these smokables from other states? It’s a complicated answer that we’ll delve into.

UT Austin’s Mexican American and Latina/Latino Studies will soon be consolidated into a new department. Latino Studies scholars and researchers are protesting the changes while planning for the future. We’ll look at the impacts of consolidation at UT Austin and in Texas public schools.

This week in Texas music history, San Antonio rockers join the British Invasion — in disguise. Jason Mellard from the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University has the story.

Plus, a neighborhood park in West Austin that was once segregated is now named for a Black Austinite and Austin High legend.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

UT Austin researchers help discover new dinosaur species

The Hays Consolidated School District voted unanimously in favor of more than $12 million dollars in budget cuts ahead of the next school year. It’s the largest such budget slash in more than a decade, and it’s a move other school districts could be facing in coming years.

There’s not much known about the tactics and technology used by Texas state police and ICE agents to detain people. But video from a detention last summer in East Austin is providing a better picture of how enforcement operations unfold.

Around a hundred million years ago, a small baby dinosaur about two years old died amid the harsh landscape. Fast forward a few years, and now that little dinosaur is the center of an exciting new discovery by UT Austin researchers.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

AISD hands over control of middle schools in bid to avoid state takeover

The Austin Independent School District is handing over control of three middle schools to a nonprofit in the hopes of avoiding a districtwide state takeover. Dobie, Burnet and Webb middle schools are trying to avoid a fifth accountability rating that could trigger the takeover. Acacia Coronado with the Austin Current has the story.

Austin city leaders have approved a new strategic plan to address some of the issues faced by people experiencing homelessness. The plan calls for more shelter beds, better coordination and increased community partnership. We’ll have more about those ambitions and the costs.

We remember the music and career of local Austin musician, Jon Dee Graham, who died Friday at 67.

And who’s the guy who dances at the corner of Barton Springs Road and South First Street?

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

New Age Media

On this episode we discuss the back and forth between radio personality Mero in NYC and popular streamer Akademiks and what it means for the new age of media. We also discuss Jay-Z’s recent interview with GQ magazine and what stuck out the most to us. Hip-Hop Facts this week includes facts about Jay-Z, Teddy Riley, the late DJ AM, and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion is sure to get people talking so tune in to find out what it is.

Texas Extra: Talking with NASA ‘Spacewoman’ Eileen Collins

It’s not everyday you meet someone who has been to space — let alone someone who led a mission and broke barriers for women who might want to do the same. Still, not everyone knows about Eileen Collins and her accomplishments. A new documentary aims to change that. Here’s an extended conversation with Collins and film director Hannah Berryman.

Why some Austin city staff are urging against plan for parks above I-35

TxDOT is pouring billions of dollars into I-35 through Central Austin, adding more lanes and eventually sinking parts of the highway up to 60 feet below ground level. This could make it possible to build parks above the highways — but that comes with a hefty price tag. We’ll dig into why Austin city staff are urging elected officials to hold off on those plans.

And a New York Times investigation is prompting new conversations about the legacy of labor leader Cesar Chavez across the country. We’ll look at how that ultimately led to the decision to remove a mural in East Austin and how the community feels about it.

The Austin-based group Dorio is performing at Rock the Park tonight. We’ll hear more about their journey and plans for the future on today’s show.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

What’s in store for Hole in the Wall after historic venue is sold

Temperatures are on the rise and Hays County is bracing for a fourth year of drought. On top of familiar water restrictions and limitations, there are now new severe issues with the county’s water wells.

In a viral clip heard around the world, actor Timothée Chalamet questioned the relevance of opera and ballet. The clip got people talking, but how do these words hit right here at home? We’ll hear from two local arts organizations, Ballet Austin and Austin Opera, to get their take.

Hole in the Wall is under new ownership. Find out what the new owners have planned for the historic Austin music venue.

Plus, Accent Unmuted, a live storytelling event, is happening tonight. Hear more from the event’s creator.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

AISD campus transforms into affordable housing for teachers

Affordable housing is top of mind for many Austinites, but especially for educators working in our local schools. Now, a former AISD elementary campus is being transformed into housing — with some units set aside specifically for teachers. Acacia Coronado from the Austin Current takes a closer look at the East Austin project.


Brown water is flowing from the taps in one Austin-area suburb. We’ll hear what residents say they wish they knew before moving in, and how they’re working to warn others.


We’ve had a very warm spring this year and we’re not even close to the peak of summer temperatures. The heat isn’t unusual, but it’s arriving at a time when Austin’s energy utility has sharply increased shutoffs for nonpayment.

Back in 1928, a city plan excluded Black residents from certain parts of Austin–including the city’s first public park, Pease Park. One group is working to reclaim that history and reshape the narrative. We’ll talk to the founders of the RISE Project on today’s show.

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

How traffic stops turn into ICE busts in Austin

We’re learning more about the tactics and technology used by police in Texas during deportation proceedings. The Texas Newsroom has accessed body and dashcam videos from an incident last summer in East Austin that ended with five people in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll discuss the tactics and technology being deployed in these apprehensions.

The fallout from the sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez made public this month continues among community members and in the world of academia. We’ll hear one local perspective as well as what could come in the future.

When this Texas band was at the apex of their popularity there were probably plenty of DJ’s in the studio who did a double take at their name before asking themselves, “Can i even say that on the radio? Jason Mellard from The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University has the story.

Elon Musk has announced a large-scale chip manufacturing project. What does that mean for Austin?

Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

×