With less than two weeks until Election Day, presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are both making high-profile stops in Texas today.
A nonprofit is helping Black farmers in Texas build a home-grown community.
Filmmakers share the story behind “Subtopia,” a new Texas-based mockumentary about HOA drama.
And: Remembering Sister Angela Murdaugh, a Franciscan Sister of Mary and certified nurse midwife who was named to the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame.
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West Texas town dealing with insect invasion
Why an arrangement to care for an aging millionaire is raising questions about a Texas Supreme Court Justice and state ethics rules.
More and more college-age students are steering clear of campus life and turning to “microcredentials” as a path to employment.
We’re talking with Nico Lang, author of “American Teenager,” a new book on growing up LGBTQ+ in modern America.
Also: Why red flour beetles have taken over the town of Socorro, just southeast of El Paso, and what’s being done to deal with an unprecedented infestation.
A second siege of the Alamo
Even though the words “Remember the Alamo” are available on t-shirts, bumper-stickers, and kitchen kitsch, the Alamo wasn’t always remembered with the reverence it is today. For a long time, the Alamo was used mostly as a warehouse. Even the church, which people rather universally think of as the Alamo, was used as an army depot for decades. Texas Standard commentator WF Strong has the story of two women who helped to change that.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 22, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 22, 2024. Work is underway after seven train cars turned over early this morning following a freight train derailment in East Austin. Travis County saw more in-person voters Monday than on the first day of early voting in the last three November general elections. The Austin City Council is set to vote this week on a long-term labor contract with the city’s police union. Officials in Mexico are joining local leaders to push for expanding passenger rail from Texas into Mexico.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 21, 2024
Central Texas top stories for October 21, 2024. It’s the first day of early voting for the November election and Travis County voters can cast a ballot at any of the county’s 42 polling locations. The Austin City Council this week could consider making local rules for where registered sex offenders can live. H-E-B plans to open a third store in San Marcos after reaching an agreement with the city. The Southeastern Conference is imposing a $250,000 fine on the University of Texas. Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is encouraging travelers to show up early as officials anticipate about 40,000 departing passengers today.
Lawmakers buy more time for Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson
After a series of extraordinary moves, the Texas Supreme Court issued a stay of execution for Robert Roberson, convicted in the 2002 shaking death of his child. He’s been subpoenaed to testify before a House committee next week. We’ll hear from Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison, who was instrumental in the last-minute temporary reprieve.
Why is the Texas Department of Transportation buying a Houston toll road? And what might it mean for the patchwork of toll roads run by third parties across the state?
And: The Alamo is welcoming visitors from around the world with a new offering – guided tours entirely in Spanish.
‘Austin City Limits’ celebrates 50 years on PBS
The execution of Robert Roberson, scheduled for tonight, has been subject to appeal upon appeal. Now, a surprise subpoena from a House subcommittee has left his fate uncertain.
Why a commissioners court race could be an indicator of future politics in Tarrant County.
Persistent dry weather means wildfire risk is high – and the governor has declared a disaster declaration for nearly 150 counties across the state amid the increased threat. What you should do now to reduce risk.
How AI-driven phishing scams are targeting Gmail users.
And: Celebrating 50 years of the music TV program “Austin City Limits.”
Trailer: 24 Hours in Austin
What does a day in the life of Austin, Texas sound like? A team of audio producers from KUT spent the last several months documenting a handful of days in the life of Austin. We spent 24 hours straight in one location, talking to anyone who’d talk to us. Their stories. Their struggles. Or whatever happened to be on their mind. We found that as big as Austin has gotten, standing still, it gets a little smaller.
Fact-checking Texas voter roll claims
Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, sparred in their only debate last night. We’re taking a look at some of the highlights and takeaways.
Our exploration of the intersection of religion and politics in Texas takes us to a Black church outside Sulphur Springs.
Why part of the story in the fight for Texas farmworkers and Latino civil rights is left out of the schoolbooks and what it could mean to change that.
And: Gov. Greg Abbott has touted that Texas removed over 1 million ineligible voters this election cycle, including more than 6,500 noncitizens – but an investigation found these numbers were overstated.
My brush with fate or serendipity
Sometimes things happen in the world that just seem too coincidental to be coincidental. We have lots of words to describe these moments — luck, serendipity, maybe fate or destiny, perhaps a miracle?
Texas Standard Commentator WF Strong remembers one of these moments he just can’t explain.
KUT Morning Newscast for October 8, 2024
The Austin Airport worker’s union has avoided a strike by securing a wage hike. Texas OBGYNs say best practices are hindered by restrictive state abortion law, many have considered leaving Texas. Fewer Monarch butterflies have been spotted in Texas so far this fall, a bad sign for their annual migration. A malfunction at Austin’s Longhorn Dam caused Lady Bird Lake to start draining on Monday. City says the problem has been fixed.
Dewi Smith
Lisa and Rich talk with community connector, voter motivator and conduit of curiosity Dewi Smith, highlighting the importance of being an educated voter. Dewi also shares her origin story, educational journey, devotion to the community, and commitment to rallying voters for this upcoming election.
Are Chico’s Tacos actually tacos?
This might be controversial but those drowned tacos are actually flautas or are they? We’ll dig into this highly debated issue in Chucotown. Guest is Ivan Enriquez, owner of El Perrito Austin.
A special broadcast live from the State Fair of Texas
Today we’re bringing you a special broadcast from the opening day of the State Fair of Texas in Dallas:
The fair’s storied history dates back to 1886. Karl Chiao, executive director of the Dallas Historical Society, shares more about its history, and the fair’s Karissa Condoianis talks about its future.
Big Tex is a cowboy icon – but did you know he started out as Santa Claus? The midway’s Rusty Fitzgerald shares the story of this Texas giant.
Bryan Berg, who holds four Guinness World Records for card stacking, joins us ahead of his performance at the fair.
Thousands of kids across Texas participate in the Youth Livestock Competitions at the fair. KERA’s Penelope Rivera reports on what drives their passion.
And: We’ll hear about running bumper cars and the family behind a 75-year-old food vendor.
New exhibit showcases never-before-seen Freddy Fender artifacts
Schools and public libraries are often the focus of book bans. But what can we learn from a list of books prohibited in state prisons?
We’re celebrating the contributions of Hispanic Texans, including one who credits a librarian for helping him rise to became a leader in academia.
The infamous nuclear power plant at Three Mile Island could come back online to support a big tech company’s artificial intelligence operations.
And: The hometown of Freddy Fender will soon honor the trailblazing Tejano musician in a first-of-its-kind exhibit at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum.
A North Texas city has paused all new development
Princeton, a Dallas suburb, has quadrupled in population since 2010. Recently, city leaders paused all new residential development to let infrastructure catch up.
The latest in our series on the intersection of religion and politics: students from two schools in Abilene with a diversity of perspectives and a strong desire to bridge the political divide.
A standoff is brewing between Southwest Airlines and the San Antonio International Airport over terminal expansion plans.
Also: exploring Houston’s role in the renewable energy transition – the focus of a new podcast premiering today.
Abilene Christian University gets green light for nuclear reactor research
In Texas’ 2024 elections, long shot candidates are facing uphill battles in heavily gerrymandered districts. Why these candidates are running.
Why federal regulators are giving researchers the green light to build a nuclear reactor at Abilene Christian University.
The state is paying more for mental health services. But private psychiatric hospitals say they’re not getting a fair share when it comes to funding.
A new book by Texas historian H.W. Brands explores a divided America before World War II – and what we can learn now.
And: the changing role of the church in the lives of Black voters and what it might mean for this presidential election.
This Is My Thing: LEGO!
Ben Rollman has loved LEGO since he was a kid. After a brief ‘Dark Age’ away from the hobby, he started back up as an adult and is now a bigger LEGO fan than ever.
Researchers relocate coral to Texas coast in conservation project
The Matterhorn Express pipeline, a 580-mile project set to go online soon, will transport natural gas from a terminal in West Texas to Katy, near Houston. We’ll hear what it could add up to for Texas and for energy prices more broadly.
A proposed liquified natural gas terminal in the Rio Grande Valley is stirring debate among local Indigenous tribes.
In Corpus Christi, researchers are pitching in for “Operation Coral Rescue,” an attempt to save endangered reefs from the ravages of warmer oceans.
Voting in Texas means having the right ID. Need to update that driver’s license? Many Texans might be surprised it’s not quite as easy as it sounds.
Texas Extra: Remembering DJ Steve Crosno
The El Paso radio and TV disc jockey made a lasting impact on the city’s music scene and contributed to the mixing of cultures that still makes far west Texas so special. This is an extended interview about an effort to document Crosno’s impact before his death in 2006.