texas

How liberal cities are navigating mandated ICE partnerships

Many Republican-led states like Texas require police officers to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That’s left liberal cities like Austin debating how to respond when they don’t want spend resources on immigration enforcement.

ICE operations are deterring immigrants from participating in routine parts of their lives. Here in Austin, one clinic has seen its demand drop dramatically over recent weeks.

Plus, South By Southwest wraps up tomorrow, but there’s still time to get in on the activities. Today, we’ll tell you about a documentary that follows the search for an almost mythical Texas musician.

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

Bob Odenkirk talks new action role in SXSW film ‘Normal’

A new report says the Trump administration created military zones on the border and charged people with trespassing. We’ll dive into why the cases are often flawed.
Today is the deadline to apply for school vouchers. We’ll look at why students with disabilities are running into hurdles.
Bob Odenkirk talks about his new film “Normal,” where he’s the sheriff of a small town hiding a deadly secret.
And Texas will be well represented in the March Madness NCAA Tournament. We’ll break it all down.

SXSW, partial government shutdown impacting Austin-Bergstrom travel

South By Southwest has brought many travelers into Austin to enjoy the city’s music, food and culture, but getting out of town via the Austin airport has turned a bit chaotic as TSA agents go without pay amid a partial government shutdown. We’ll have the latest from the airport and from local officials.

Carmen Mejia was exonerated from a Travis County prison after serving 20 years for a crime she didn’t commit. Once she was exonerated, however, she still faced threat from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll have the latest on her story.

Plus, the Texas men’s and women’s team basketball team are gearing up for the start of this week’s championship tournaments. We’ll break down who they’re playing and what their championship odds are looking like.

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

Would could the Prairieland decision mean for future federal prosecutions?

Fire warnings, scary high winds, dust storms out west, temps plummeting 30 and 40 degrees in some places… We’ll get the latest on a wild weather weekend.
Guilty verdicts in a trial involving the shooting of a police officer outside a North Texas immigration detention center. Could the Prairieland decision be a possible template for future federal prosecutions against antifa protestors?
Texas’ laws on abortion access: New housing data suggests the economic ripple effects of such laws.
And March Madness bracket season with a Texas twist. What’s the best Texas movie? Let the games begin.

When to start taking Social Security benefits, the pros and cons of investing in money market funds versus CDs, and the importance of carefully evaluating annuity products

Carl Stuart takes caller and text questions on when to start taking Social Security benefits, the pros and cons of investing in money market funds versus CDs, and the importance of carefully evaluating annuity products. Carl discusses the importance of long-term investing and cautions against making hasty decisions during market downturns, while also providing guidance on managing debt, budgeting, and tax-efficient retirement planning.

New film ‘STAGES’ brings iconic Austin venues to the big screen

The University of Texas at Austin is consolidating seven ethnic and gender studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. That consolidation was announced in February. We’ll look more into these changes.

South By Southwest 2026 is in full swing. On this episode, we’ll bring you the director and stars of the film “STAGES.” It’s the story of an Austin musician navigating his life and career, and it features many of our city’s best hangs — from Hole in the Wall to Joe’s Bakery.

The movie premiered this week as part of the fest. We’ll delve into how the project came together.

An Austin nonprofit dedicated to investing in Black, Indigenous and other communities of color is presenting a free, four-day event during SXSW.

And we’ll get a check-in from our official SXSW correspondent.

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

A special SXSW 2026 show from Scholz Garten

We kicked off South by Southwest 2026 with a special, live one-hour show at Scholz Garten.
We’ll speak with Austin artists Shakey Graves and Kydd Jones about the things they’re working on this year.

We’ll also be joined by the director and producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson,” about a top-class cyclist murdered on a trip to Austin.

Plus, a roundtable of chefs from Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants Dai Due, La Santa Barbacha and Ramen del Barrio about the cost of a meal in Austin and the ways they’re working to keep them accessible to more Austinites.

One of the musical artists at SXSW is joining us now is a 2026 SXSW official artist, we’ll welcome Kydd Jones to the stage!

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

Paxton targets Austin ISD over alleged ‘bathroom bill’ violation

Board members for the Austin Independent School District are considering an outside nonprofit to handle three of its middle schools with chronic failing grades. Another failing grade for these campuses would give the Texas Education Agency the authority to take over the district as a whole. We’ll have more about community meetings happening this week. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has notified AISD of a complaint alleging the district violated the state’s bathroom bill. We’ll dig into the story.

Since the start of the second trump administration. Immigration crack downs have been in the news and affecting communities and families across the nation, as well as here in Texas. Austin-based documentarian Louise Van Assche has taken a closer look at this by talking with the folks being directly affected.

South by Southwest officially kicks off tomorrow, but the unofficial showcases and house shows have plenty to offer up as well. We’ll share details about one benefitting a women’s correctional facility here in the Austin area.

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

New changes to smokeable hemp rules could be coming

George Davis Jr. is one of the victims who had to be hospitalized after the deadly shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. He reached out to 911 for assistance, but had to turn to help of strangers to get him to the hospital. Davis is recovering now and trying to find the people who he says helped save his life. We’ll hear more about his experience that early morning and his recovery journey since.

Possible changes for smokable hemp in Texas could be happening sooner rather than later. We’ll go over what could be changing and the reaction from those in the industry.

And the City of Austin is looking for ways to save every nickel and dime after cuts to the budget. We’ll go over the latest way they’ve saved some money.

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

How Corpus Christi could be on the brink of a water disaster

Corpus Christi, a major Texas port city, could run out of water as early as next year. What’s behind the looming crisis?
We’ll track how the war in Iran is affecting prices at the pump and what to expect next.
Will the national Democratic Party spend more money in Texas after James Talarico and other candidate’s strong showing in the primary election?
Plus, pan dulce: A new masterclass teaches home cooks how to bake the beloved sweet bread.

Buford’s reopens a week after deadly shooting

Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was open for business over the weekend, just days after a shooting left three people dead and more than a dozen injured. Some Austin residents felt the opening was rushed after such a tragedy. We’ll hear from others who felt showing up was the right thing to do.

The Austin Police Department has new rules for how its officers contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll hear more about the change.

After the suspected shooter in the attack was identified, a woman from Buda is alleging she was assaulted by the suspect in a separate incident last year at the Tesla Gigafactory. We’ll dig into what we know about the incident and lawsuit.

Plus, South By Southwest starts its takeover of Austin this Thursday. Our sister station KUTX is gearing up to bring you plenty of live music — from right here in Austin and from around the world.

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

This Or That?

On this episode we discuss who had the bigger impact on hip-hop, James Brown or Michael Jackson. We also talk about the difference, musically, in both Dallas and Houston and the emerging artists from both cities. Hip-Hop facts this week are about Bubba Sparxxx, Zach Brauf, Nelly and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that media will eventually give hip-hop a seat at the table.

Rebalancing a Retirement Portfolio for Longevity and Legacy

Carl Stuart takes caller and text questions, recommendations on how one can rebalance their portfolio, including investing in a balanced mix of equities and bonds, as well as advice on researching international funds and defined outcome ETFs.

More background on Buford’s shooting suspect released

We’re learning more about the alleged shooter in Sunday morning’s deadly incident at a West Sixth Street bar. The suspect had no prior interactions with police in Austin, but that wasn’t true for other agencies in Texas. We’ll share more about that history, and why it wasn’t enough to keep him from legally acquiring firearms.

The Texas Department of Transportation has not started construction on a new boardwalk along Lady Bird Lake. TxDOT pledged $25 million for the project as part of the expansion of I-35. Now it’s warning the City of Austin to accept its terms or lose the project altogether. We’ll have more from a KUT News investigation.

We’ve got a little Austin music history for your day.

And this group of women in Austin have a shared interest in skateboarding. We’ll hear more about their story.

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

UT students hold vigil for victims of Buford’s shooting

We are continuing to follow developments after Sunday’s shooting at Buford’s that killed three people.

We’ll hear the latest update from the Austin Police Department that just wrapped up in the last hour…we have an update on the number of people shot and victims still in hospital, and there was a vigil last night on the University of Texas campus to honor the victims at least two are confirmed UT students.

And later imagine your local box store parking lot as it’s own thriving ecosystem,and now think about how that might be conveyed as an art installation in cardboard.

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

How the primaries played out amid Williamson County confusion

Election Night is over in Texas, but we’re still figuring out exactly what happened yesterday in Williamson County. Some voters waited in line for hours, only to be told they’d have to go to an entirely different polling site to vote. Others made an after-hours trip to cast a ballot, only to find out their vote may not be counted.

Our team of county reporters was covering the most important races in Central Texas. They join us in the studio with their latest reporting.

And the City of Austin is ending a rental assistance program; it’s a byproduct of a trimmed budget. We’ll have more about the help that’s going out for the last time and the future of other assistance programs.

The people of Austin have voted Soundfounder on KUTX Radio Show of the Year! The host of the show, Andrew Brown, is with us today on Austin Signal

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

After Texas primary night, attention turns to November

Excitement among Democrats, challenges for some incumbents and a few lingering legal questions after last night’s primary election.
The top-line race on both sides of the aisle was for U.S. Senate. Democrat Jasmine Crockett conceded Wednesday morning to fellow progressive James Talarico, but for the Republicans it’s incumbent John Cornyn versus Ken Paxton in a runoff.
How did Republican redistricting affect Texas congressional races? We’ll get a better answer in November, but we’ll dig into what we can learn from primaries.
Plus, a closer look at the results in other statewide races, from governor to attorney general.

Central Texas voters head to the polls on primary Election Day

We’re getting more information about the three victims from Sunday morning’s shooting at Buford’s. We’ll have the latest from the KUT newsroom.

It’s primary Election Day here in Texas. Four Austin-area Texas legislators are vying for the Democratic nomination of various positions. In addition to the statewide offices, there’s lots going on in the Central Texas area. KUT’s county reporters for Hays, Travis and Williamson counties are out in the field talking to voters. We’ll hear about the reasons they’re coming out to cast a ballot this Election Day.

Plus, Austin wouldn’t be Austin without its wacky cast of characters. Who’s the guy who used to write and read poems before concerts across town? We’ll have the answer from our ATXplained project.

Texans head to the polls on primary Election Day

It’s primary Election Day. We’ll check in with our reporters at polling places across the state.
A federal appeals court cleared the way for tariff refunds to begin, so what’s next and what should you do if you’re owed money?
Teachers are among those who caught hundreds of errors in the new religious curriculum introduced in Texas public schools. Now, the state is making corrections.
And why more Texans are choosing green burials.

More details emerge following West Sixth Street shooting

Three people are dead and many more are hospitalized following a deadly shooting over the weekend at a popular West Sixth Street bar.

The incident is being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism, but authorities say it’s still too early to determine a motive.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and other local officials held a press conference sharing more information on the victims of the shootings.

We’ll also delve into what’s known regarding the 53-year-old alleged gunman.

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