texas

Hemp flower legality, Airbnb Austin investment, mail-in ballots ruling

For years, Texans could walk into their local smoke shop and buy cannabis flower that looked and smelled exactly like marijuana. It came from the very same plant but was legally sold as hemp. Stores in Texas can no longer sell these smokeable products, but can folks still have them on their person?

And the City of Austin is getting a $6 million investment from Airbnb to help fund affordable housing.

Plus, a big decision was handed down from the Supreme Court yesterday on mail-in ballots ahead of November’s midterm Election Day.

And a sneak peek of the latest episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast.

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

Dallas-raised, best-selling author R.F. Kuang talks new novel ‘Taipei Story’

Texas pulled smokable hemp out of stores but it’s still available in other forms. So, what does the law say now?
A North Texas community weathered a recent wildfire but still lacks basic resources for another emergency.
And there’s a rise in dangerous ectopic pregnancies and it varies by state. We’ll delve into what’s happening in Texas.
Dallas-raised, best-selling author R.F. Kuang talks about her new novel, “Taipei Story” and explores what it means to learn a language after losing a generational tie to it.
Plus, we kick of Hispanic Heritage Month celebrating an Olympic silver-medalist.

Black & Indigenous Mexicans: A coming together on food, untold history and rich identities at the Texas Table

In this Tacos of Texas – En Vivo live taping, we explore how Black, Indigenous, and Mexican histories connect through identity, food, migration, and what it takes to build power together through shared stories. Joining us are Barbara Reaves, a descendant of the Black Seminole community in Nacimiento de los Negros, Coahuila, Mexico; Miles Bloxson, a seventh-generation Central Texan and award-winning storyteller; and Irasema Reza Bailey, a traditional healer and cultural keeper.

Central Health budget preview, Running in the heat, Can Longhorns go undefeated?

Thousands of people here in Travis County depend on Central Health for their wellness needs, particularly those who earn the least amount of money. County commissioners are meeting this week to discuss the upcoming budget. We’ll tell you what’s in it.

And, the dog days of summer are still with us halfway through September. That means folks are still choosing the treadmill over the trails, though that’s not the case for one group of running fools.

There’s a new No. 1 team in college football after an all-time comeback this weekend by the Texas Longhorns. The season is still young and there are plenty of tough games are left on the schedule — but can this team go undefeated and end a national championship drought of over two decades?

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

How the Longhorns took down top-ranked Ohio State in a dramatic comeback

Rural Texas has long been a GOP stronghold, but one issue could make a top statewide race more competitive than previously thought. We’ll look at how data centers have emerged as critical in the Texas gubernatorial contest.
Some Texas institutions of higher learning are encouraging students to use AI. We’ll dig into why.
Public libraries in Texas aren’t just for checking out books anymore. We’ll hear how art class is making the stacks a little noisier at one branch.
Plus, the college football comeback everyone’s talking about: How Texas took down Ohio State.

Ridin’ Dirty Down IH-35 w/ Vontay Galaxy

On this episode we talk with Austin rap artist Vontay Galaxy about his start at Texas State and traveling up and down IH-35 spreading his music. We also talk about if there is a lack of new rap superstars being created to supplement the genres growth. Hip-Hop Facts this week include facts about Ol Dirty Bastard, Kriss Kross, Nelly and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that rap is no longer a young peoples game.

Texas Extra: Texas political history and intrigue with politico Ben Barnes

There’s a lot to talk about in Texas on a daily basis and Texas Standard wants to get to as much as we can. But sometimes that means taking a great conversation and making it much shorter than we’d like. Such is the case with one this week with longtime Texas politico Ben Barnes. Our David Brown talked with him about his new memoir “Get It Done: Seven Decades of Lessons from a Political Legend.”

We present the interview in its entirety here for you now. Check it out — you’ll definitely learn something.

Remembering a Houston family’s loss 25 years after 9/11

25 years since 9/11, in which a series of coordinated attacks on the U.S. marked the end of one era and the start of another. We’ll share some stories of Texans whose lives were impacted.
A first-of-its-kind midterm political convention wraps up in Dallas. Did Republicans move the needle with just two months to go before midterms? Caroline Love of KERA North Texas joins us with a closer look.
What may be a major discovery in the search for dark matter: We’ll talk with a Texan who’s been involved in this search and hear more about what may be a critical new piece of evidence.
And in West, Texas, a cultural celebration turns 50.

New novel ‘The Beauty of Days Gone By’ tackles the Texas frontier

How might AI-generated images affect a high-stakes political contest in Texas? Rice University political professor Mark Jones joins the Standard to talk about how Ken Paxton’s campaign is hoping to win votes with AI-generated images of his Democratic opponent, James Talarico.
Also: Some top-line takeaways from the first day of a first-of-its-kind GOP midterm convention underway in Dallas.
As opposition to Flock gathers steam, the cameras may be lingering for a while, even in more politically progressive parts of Texas.
New phone fatigue: Is it real? A test of sorts as Apple takes the wraps off new models.
And a new novel drawing comparisons to “Lonesome Dove” takes a look at Texas in the frontier era. “The Beauty of Days Gone By” author Jason Stone joins us with more.

High electricity costs contribute to senior heat deaths in the RGV

Costs for air conditioning are so high that some on limited incomes are trying to do without. But with temperatures also at extremes, that’s leading to some grave outcomes for seniors, in particular.
The GOP’s unconventional convention is in Texas for a reason — and part of that is the state’s fundraising power. We’ll take a closer look.
And do your feelings about AI change if it helps you save money on taxes?
Plus, an update on an effort to help monarch butterflies on their great migration.

Flock cameras in the Austin area, Texas Republican donors, Halal tacos

Flock cameras are under scrutiny for a variety of reasons, and that has police departments in the Austin area considering their use of the technology. Even so, you should still expect to see the cameras here in Central Texas. We’ll tell you why and where.

With less than two months left until Election Day, the Republican National Committee is bringing a first-of-its-kind midterm convention to the state this week. Why now? And why Texas?

In Austin, there are plenty of taco choices to explore: bougie or basic, flour or corn, with cheese or not. But when’s the last time you had a halal taco? It wasn’t even on the menu at an East Austin taco truck — until a customer asked.

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

Texas political legend Ben Barnes looks back on career

While all eyes are on the upcoming midterm election, there are signs one particular Texan is looking at running for president again. Is Ted Cruz gearing up for 2028?

Also, why Democrats see James Talarico’s Senate run as an opportunity to gain votes in parts of West Texas that have been reliably red for decades.

And Texas political luminary Ben Barnes joins us to talk about his new memoir “Get It Done: Seven Decades of Lessons from a Political Legend.”

Plus, how Texas Republican leaders are cracking down on so-called “birth tourism.”
And celebrating the life of aviation pioneer Wally Funk.

Introducing: Where the River Took Us

Where the River Took us is a podcast from Texas Monthly about the July 4th floods. Senior Editor Aaron Parsley was on vacation with his family in the Hill country when the floods hit. Their house was torn from its foundation with him and his family in it. His original account of this event recently won a Pulitzer Prize, and the story continues in a podcast.

Through interviews with his family and other survivors, he explores what it’s like to live through such a traumatic event. The show is about the complexity of being a disaster survivor.

In this first episode you hear what happened the night of the flood.

Halal Tacos: A Mexican, a Muslim and a Rancher walk into a taqueria

In today’s episode of Tacos of Texas, we’re talking halal tacos. Yeah, you heard that right. We sit down with chef Jon Escamilla of Vecinos Tacos, the East Austin truck that went full halal and one of his most loyal regulars, Imad Ahmed, the customer who walked up one day and asked the question that changed the menu. We get into what halal actually means, why a Mexican taco truck would make the switch, and how a food truck became a gathering place for Austin’s Muslim community.

Special: The Data Center Next Door

It seems like every day, you hear a new story about data centers.
But beyond the hype, what do we know about them? What are they? Why are so many being built right now? And who gets to decide where they go?
Today, Austin Signal has a special 1-hour show focused on data centers. It’s a special KUT News series called The Data Center Next Door.
The show compiles five stories from KUT county reporters Leigh Walden, Katy McAfee and Kailey Hunt.
You’ll hear how the data center saga is playing out in Texas, the state where more data centers are being planned than anywhere else in the country.
Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org

Forged in flames: An oral history of the Labor Day wildfires

This Labor Day holiday marks 15 years since the most destructive wildfire in recorded Texas history — measured not by acres burned, but by homes lost.
The Bastrop County Complex Fire was just one of more than 30,000 that ignited in 2011 — by far the worst year since the Texas A&M Forest Service has been keeping track. It was spurred by an unprecedented one-year drought.
Today on the Texas Standard we’re revisiting the stories of the Labor Day wildfires, collected by our home station KUT in the months after the 2011 fire outbreak in Central Texas.
This is “Forged in flames: An oral history of the Labor Day wildfires.

NYC to AUS w/ Jai Bliss

On this episode we interview Austin rapper Jai Bliss about her musical journey from New York City to Austin and her musical inspirations. We also discuss the long awaited murder conviction in the case of 2pac that is 30 years in the making. Hip-Hop Facts include facts about Beyonce, Travis Scott, Pimp C and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion this week is that local artists don’t have to leave Austin to gain greater heights in their career if they have unfinished business here.

San Antonio husband-and-wife team talks ‘Pitmasters’ win

Following the money: What are super PAC donations telling us about Texas’ closely watched U.S. Senate race? Democrat James Talarico is outfundraising his Republican rival Ken Paxton big time. Who’s writing the checks and what does the money add up to in a high-stakes midterm?
Also, as the GOP puts finishing touches on next week’s national convention in Dallas, a closer look at the Bush Family Republican dynasty that was once built in Big D — and its resemblance to the party today.
On TV’s Food Network, a prestigious first-place finish for a pair of married pitmasters. We’ll hear the story of Esaul and Grecia Ramos of 2M Smokehouse.
Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

City outsourcing adult sports leagues, Buford’s shooting recovery, Classic films for teens

After initially planning to cancel its adult indoor basketball and volleyball leagues, the city now plans to find an outside company to run them. Players worry they could be priced out.

Next week, Republicans will gather in Texas for the party’s first-ever midterm convention. What does it mean to be a Texas Republican in 2026?

How one survivor of the Buford’s shooting is recovering — and how his family and a former professor have helped him along the way.

An Austin teenager is bringing old Hollywood to a new generation and building a community of classic film lovers.

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

A mysterious kidney disease is hitting Central American migrant workers in Texas

Tarrant County, a big Texas county seen by some as key in the upcoming midterms, cuts the number of polling places. We’ll have the backstory.
It’s not political convention season — or is it? What looks like an unconventional convention set for Dallas.
Also, more on a mysterious kidney disease that’s arrived in Texas hitting young men from Central America especially hard. We’ll hear what health officials are saying.
Plus, Texas Beachcomber Jace Tunnell, the Tacos of Texas and much more.