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

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Texas A&M professors sue over race and gender teaching rules

Texas A&M professors are suing the university system over restrictions on teaching about race and gender identity. We’ll discuss the legal challenge.

Some Latino voters in Texas who supported Donald Trump in 2024 say they’re reconsidering that decision ahead of this year’s midterm elections. We’ll hear what’s driving the shift.

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood supply crisis. Why donations have dropped to a four-year summer low, and how Texans can help.

And, the story of Roy Velásquez, the Austin businessman who built a taxi company that served communities shut out by segregation, is now inspiring a new children’s book.

Gov. Abbott pauses new Texas data centers for state audit

A look at why Sen. John Cornyn decided to back President Trump’s choice for Attorney General, Todd Blanche, after all — and what’s next.
Also, why Gov. Greg Abbott has hit the brakes on any new data center projects for now.
Plus, the late U.S. Rep. Kay Granger’s enduring legacy.
And plans are underway in Austin for a new housing development for victims of human trafficking and children fleeing domestic abuse and sexual assault.
Plus, how Texans are coping a year after cuts to the SNAP food program.
And why San Antonio is pushing for more dog parks.

Texas backtracks after wrongly flagging voters as noncitizens

A voter purge is being rolled back in Texas after some eligible voters were wrongly flagged as potential noncitizens. We’ll discuss what happened and what it means ahead of the midterms.

Also, for recent college graduates across Texas, the job market can be a difficult reality check. We’ll look at why landing that first job is proving tougher than many expected.

Plus, back-to-school shopping comes with sticker shock. A look at what’s driving up the cost of notebooks, backpacks and other classroom essentials — and how families are coping.

Also, as immigration arrests increase, South Texas communities are turning to neighborhood warning networks to track ICE activity. We’ll hear how those systems work and the legal questions they raise.

Activists call for better mental health resources in wake of teen’s shooting by police

Plans for high-voltage transmission lines have hit a snag after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his allies this morning called for a halt to the proposal. The power lines are meant to help meet growing energy demand in West Texas, but the plan faced fierce opposition this week at a public hearing at the state capitol.

Fallout continues after Austin Police fatally shot unarmed teenager Anthoneil Williams II. Activists gathered at city hall this week demanding better mental health resources.

Music and film collide next week at the 6th Sound Unseen Austin Film Festival. We’ll talk with the festival’s director about what’s in store.

Plus, some of the best art to experience this weekend.

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

Revisiting ‘Out of the Blue,’ 60 years after the UT Tower shooting

Columbine. Sandy Hook. Santa Fe High School. Robb Elementary: Touchstones for a sense of shared tragedy. School shootings have become a part of modern life, but what do we remember of the event that opened this chapter 60 years ago?
On Aug. 1, 1966, a sniper climbed to the top of the University of Texas Tower, opening fire on an unsuspecting public below. No one had any way to make sense of it. It was an event so unthinkable at the time, many of those who lived through it only started to share their stories in recent years.
Today: A special edition of the Texas Standard, “Out of the Blue: 60 years after the Texas Tower shooting.”

What to know as Delta-8 ban goes into effect Friday

A ban on Delta-8 products takes effect tomorrow and Austin police say possessing certain products could now be a felony. We’ll explain why the law is changing, what it means for consumers and how local businesses are preparing.

One new affordable housing development in East Austin is moving forward with just one parking space. It’s possible because of the city’s Affordability Unlocked program, which allows developers to bypass certain building requirements.

Plus, KUTX Artist of the Month, Quentin, joins us to talk about her musical journey, the inspiration behind her new album “TOMGIRL,” her favorite songs and what’s next for her career.

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

Laredo’s drag performers and allies navigate changing landscape

Texas public radio stations teamed up to tell the story of what happened after the July 4, 2025, floods — then deadly storms hit again. A conversation on how “After the Flood” updated its coverage.
After years of being legal, possessing products containing Delta-8 is about to be a felony in Texas. We’ll have a look at how we got to this point.
A state sales tax break for data centers may be costing the state billions. We’ll go over the debate in the Legislature over whether it should stay in place.
Plus, the chilling effect of a Texas law regulating drag performances. Our multimedia journalist tracked the impact in Laredo.
And if we told you railroad vine was blooming in Texas, where would you guess those flowers were popping up? We’ll tell you about these blooms that thrive in intense heat and direct sun.
That, plus a wrap of the week in Texas politics and more.

Activists call for Garza to prosecute officers in teen’s shooting death

Activists are demanding that Travis County District Attorney José Garza prosecute three Austin police officers who fatally shot a 17-year-old last week. We’ll have more on that.

Midland ISD in West Texas announced it would be suing the state over the recapture school finance system also known as Robin Hood. Will Austin ISD follow?

Plus, data centers are popping up everywhere — including right here in Texas. But what is a data center? We’ve got the start to a special series on data centers on today’s show.

It’s been 60 years since the tower shooting at the University of Texas at Austin. The Texas Standard takes a look at how events unfolded in their documentary “Out of The Blue.”

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

A peek inside a Texas wolf sanctuary

A new poll has James Talarico up five points over Ken Paxton in the race for U.S. Senate. We’ll have a look at how money and scandal could factor in.
Texas shifted a lot of foster care responsibilities to third party contractors about a decade ago — but now, many have closed their doors. We’ll find out what we can learn from a key example.
There’s a civil war of sorts going on at a Houston megachurch. We’ll share a look at what a recent ruling means for a congregation’s right to control church business.
No matter where you are, data centers are one of the hottest topics in Texas right now. But what exactly are they? We’ll dig in.
And we’ll take you to a Texas sanctuary for wolves and wolf dogs — and dispel some myths.

Delta-8 possession will soon be a state jail felony

There’s the possibility of a CapMetro strike shutting down virtually all fixed-route bus service in Austin, but how much control does the agency have over negotiations?

Texas is banning Delta-8 THC and a broad class of similar cannabis compounds starting Friday. These products have been sold for years in Texas. More about what’s set to take effect.

The latest on Austin’s cyclospora cases as the search for a contamination source continues.

Austin City Council Woman Vanessa Fuentes returned to City Hall this week after pregnancy leave and announcing a cancer diagnosis. We talk with her about her journey.

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

Floods delay Corpus Christi water emergency until 2028

Heavy rains replenished reservoirs and helped Corpus Christi delay a water emergency. We’ll explore how city leaders will use the extra time.
Also ahead: Concerns over data centers cross party lines in rural parts of the state. Democrats are using the issue to win over some Republican voters.
Plus, the latest “Map the Meal Gap” study shows Texas has the largest number of residents coping with food insecurity. We’ll delve into the details.
And you’ve heard of the SAT and ACT… What about the CLT? Why supporters want this test included as an option to college entrance exams.

What is the KCC Fest? w/ Sunhi & Cherri

On this episode we interview artists Cherri and Sunhi (Sue-Knee) about their viewpoint on R&B in Austin and also their upcoming performances at the Kinky Coily Curly festival. Hip-Hop Facts include facts about Nas, Frank Ocean, Danny Bonaduce and more. Fresh’s Unpopular Opinion is that all AI flyers aren’t that bad.

“There is this sense of helplessness,” UT Professor talks about faculty fears following his tenure denial

Extended Interview: UT Austin professor Chaar López, a scholar on border surveillance, was denied tenure without a stated reason, despite positive reviews and recommendations. He talks about what this means for his future, and the chilling effect it has had on faculty across the country. At the core of the conversation, the loss of academic freedom and changes to education in the state and what he sees as a “growing spiral of censorship and control and demands for obedience that are concerning and troubling.”

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

UT president unexpectedly denies tenure for border surveillance scholar

UT Austin professor Chaar López, a scholar on border surveillance, was denied tenure without a stated reason, despite positive reviews and recommendations. What this means for his future, and what experts have to say about his case.

Tiny Sounds Collective is supporting independent bands by booking all-ages shows in nontraditional spaces. The idea is built on a budget-free, do-it-yourself philosophy.

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

Texas foster care rulings strengthen parental rights

Policies in Texas over when children should be removed from their parents are shifting. What do experts say about the changes?
Ken Paxton just lost a step in the first major case against an alleged violator of Texas’ abortion ban. We’ll dig into what the ruling may indicate about the law.
There have long been talks about connecting parts of Texas by rail, but a route between Austin and San Antonio is unlikely to happen anytime soon. We’ll explore why.
Oil prices are down but gas prices aren’t likely to fall as quickly. A look at the factors at play behind the pump.
Plus, why it matters that father figures are involved in reading programs.

City Council approves financial agreement for Dog’s Head development

More than 12,000 homes and apartments, along with millions of square feet in office, retail and industrial space, could be coming to a large undeveloped piece of land just north of the Austin airport. We’ll have the latest on the Dog’s Head development.

Rainbow crosswalks and Black Artists Matter slogans may have been erased from Austin roads, but what are community members thinking of doing to replace them?

Next week, KUT News is launching a reporting project on data centers here in Central Texas. We’ll get a preview.

And it’s Friday, so we’ll check in with KUT Arts Desk Editor Stephanie Federico about what’s going on over the weekend.

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

School finance lawsuit heads to court

Midland ISD claims the way schools are funded has turned them into the state’s tax collector — in violation of the Texas constitution. We’ll dig into what this means and why it matters way beyond Midland.
Recent flooding in South Texas brings something dangerous to the surface: Breakaway buoys in the Rio Grande.
In a dystopian future, a young woman tries to make sense of her world, piecing together fragments of the not-so-distant past. A conversation with Texas-based author Mary Helen Specht about her new novel, “Mudlark.”

San Antonio seeks psychedelic therapy trials for veterans

As cleanup continues after massive rains in the Hill Country, a storm from the east threatens the Texas Gulf Coast.
An update on Tropical Storm Bertha: After making landfall in Louisiana, the storm headed back into the gulf. Forecasters fear it could loop back into South Texas.
Texas’ World Cup summer has come and gone — almost. In Houston, an early accounting of the impact.
San Antonio — a center for research on soldiers and PTSD, and how it could become central to research on some unconventional therapies.
Plus, brisket prices gotcha down? Tri-tips and other tips from Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn.

Company behind fast-tracked Dog’s Head project revealed

We now know which Fortune 100 company is behind the Dog’s Head project in East Austin. The venture moved through the Austin City Council with some urgency this year. We’ll have more on the week’s developments.

The city is also set to begin construction on a years-long major project in Northeast Austin. We’ll dig into what’s happening at the site of the old Home Depot at St. Johns.

No summer BBQ is complete without the perfect playlist. We’ve got the best tunes of July from our sister station KUTX. And if tranquility is more your jam, we’ve got more books to dive into.

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

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