KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts
KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond
The Olympics — as we were all just reminded — are a fantastic display of athleticism of all sorts. For many of us, watching the games is a reminder of just how we could never do that thing that we’re watching other people do.
But watching got commentator W-F Strong thinking there’s quite a lot Texans seem to be pretty good at. And he thinks maybe there should be a competition that would be open to all while taking advantage of our state’s unique geography.
As the Delta variant continues to infect Texans and strain hospitals, more schools are defying the Governor’s orders and mandating masks. The Austin Independent School District joins Dallas and likely Houston in mandating masks. We’ll talk to AISD’s Superintendent about how the district came to this decision and what challenges may lie ahead. We’ll also check-in with our doctor on call about what decisions parents are weighing as they consider whether to send students to in-person learning. Plus the Texas Legislature is back in session again. And this time it looks like they may soon have enough lawmakers in attendance to do business. What that means as Democrats still try to fight a bill over how Texans can vote. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
With the Delta COVID variant spreading and a gubernatorial mask mandate in place what are local officials to do? Some say mandate masks anyway. More today on the Texas Standard. A battle over mask mandates and why the issue could end up in court. Also, what parents are thinking about a return to school. Vaccine mandates at the federal level, why enforcing them is proving to be a challenge. The great bitcoin migration from China and why many miners are coming to Texas to dig for virtual gold.
And growing up in the Lone Star State–two authors look for a common thread that binds some of the best known figures of modern Texas history. Those stories and a whole lot more.
As the Delta COVID variant spreads rapidly nationwide, what’s the big picture looking like for Texas? A new model provides some answers. That and more today on the Texas Standard.
A spike in COVID cases or something more? Researchers at the University of Texas have a better idea of the Delta variant’s trajectory- and we’ll hear what they’re projecting.
An increase in migrants and asylum seekers reaching a tipping point in McAllen as city leaders begin building shelters, calling it as matter of public safety. We’ll hear more.
And the new official Texas state fungi? No, it’s not some guy named McConaughey, we’re talking mushrooms- and a whole lot more.
As front line workers warn of the spread of the Delta variant, a top Texas pediatric doctor intensifies warnings about back to school. That today on the Texas Standard.
The latest from the pediatrician in chief at Texas Children’s Hospital says 80% of new hospital admissions are COVID related. We’ll hear an update.
Also, the close of a special session brought to an early standstill. What comes next? And will anything change?
And, the threat to cutoff capitol pay- if you’ve put in the work, aren’t you entitled to the money, period? Yes. Unless there’s a loophole, and a Texas law professor says there is one. Those stories and more.
In this mini-episode, we tell what happens next if the Texas power grid were to suffer a catastrophic failure. It almost did in February — and if it had happened, there might have been an even bigger problem.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
Back to school? How’s that going to work with Texas now a top state for the spread of a new COVID variant. That and more on today’s Texas Standard.
Rates of COVID infection are back up near pandemic highs in Texas and younger and unvaccinated people appear to be more vulnerable to the Delta variant. And schools are scrambling to get ready. We’ll talk with reporters in Dallas and El Paso and get the latest.
Also, Governor Abbott’s executive order restricting the transportation of migrants is dealt a blow by a federal judge. And what is it that makes Texas gymnast Simone Biles the greatest of all time. Those stories and more.
A call out for more nurses to respond to a health care crisis in the coastal bend as hospital reach a critical point in caring for COVID patients. More today on the Texas Standard.
As many parts of Texas sound the alarm over the rapid spread of the Delta Variant, local officials scramble to come up with answers. We’ll hear from the judge of Nueces County issuing an all cal for nurses, and from a doctor in Temple who says she’s seeing more severe cases among pregnant women than at any time in the pandemic. Also, an effort to deal with food insecurity through food literacy. And the search for true history of the battle of Medina. All those stories and more.
The expiration of an eviction moratorium. What comes next for hundreds of thousands of Texans behind on rent? A closer look today on the Texas Standard.
Other stories we are tracking: the federal government sues the state of Texas over a new order from the governor restricting the transportation of migrants. We’ll have details. Also a new chapter for a legendary Texas publishing house. The impact of the switch to the SEC for student athletes. Spiritual healers from the borderlands and their often overlooked impact and legacy. And a surprise victory for a Texas republican whose challenger was endorsed by Trump. What happened? Those stories and more.
We’re going into another academic year that will be impacted by the pandemic. What we know now about how it’s affected student progress. Also, the DACA program can no longer accept new applicants based on a Texas judge’s ruling. So what’s that mean going forward? And the pandemic’s impact on employment has meant some gains for Americans with disabilities. What employers can learn. Also the pandemic’s partly responsible for Texas’ frenzied housing market. But will the bubble burst? We’ll ask an expert. We’ll also remember a dark day in Texas history, 55 years ago. And we’ll wrap up our Friday with the top news from this week in Texas politics. All of that today on the Texas Standard:
Almost all of Texas is red on a CDC map tracking high COVID-19 transmission rates. One of the state’s top infectious disease expert breaks down mask guidance and what we should be considering as kids prepare to go back to school. The potential spread of the virus is also behind the governor’s new executive order. It’s aimed at migrants but it’s broad in scope and is raising some serious concerns. Plus one of the biggest companies in the gaming industry is getting called out by its own employees for its destructive workplace culture. And a pair of remembrances today – a musician with a beard that you probably know and an activist who shunned the limelight that you ought to know. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
The story of how the worst blackout in Texas history unfolded — and left millions of people cold, hungry and with no faith in their state’s power grid.
A warning: Some of what you’ll hear in this episode may be disturbing, especially if you lived through this disaster.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
After the winter outages, Texans have been demanding a rethink of the Texas electricity market. Is it finally coming? Weathering criticism for its handling of winter outages, The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, or ERCOT, announces a redesign of the electricity market. We’ll explore the planned changes and what they add up to. Also, is Mexico breaking the free trade agreement with its Mexico-first oil policy? A bipartisan group of Texans asks President Biden to intervene. And endangered sea turtles on the Texas coast, now facing a new threat. Those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:
How did we get the power grid we have today? Andrew Weber has the story — and it involves football, subterfuge and a whole lot of lobbyists.
You can find a full transcript of this episode here.
It was only when the lights went out in Texas that many of us realized — electrically — we are all alone. Claire McInerny brings us that story. Plus, Jimmy Maas tells us how the electricity market in Texas used to work up until about 20 years ago.
Find a full transcript of this episode here.
The special session walkout: a stalemate? Or could this add up to a new political math in Texas longer term? A new group of younger Texas democrats willing to sharpen their message and their elbows, see the walkout as energizing the base and perhaps changing the political mix longer term. But are they right? We’ll explore. Also, Texans going for the gold in Japan…though the cloud of COVID-19 hangs over the Olympics, a view from a Texan in Tokyo covering the games. And in a Texas city known for its distinctive sound, a distinctive new installation aimed at the ears. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
A Texas judge puts the brakes on a program designed to defer deportations of younger migrants to the U.S. We’ll hear about the implications, short and long term, for the DACA program after a federal judge in Houston rules it unlawful. Also, 5 Texas democratic lawmakers who left the Lone Star State to protest proposals for new voting restrictions have tested positive for COVID-19, and Texas doctors voice concerns about rising numbers of juvenile and adolescent covid cases. We’ll have the latest. Plus Van Horn Texas prepares for its moment in the national spotlight. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
A plane trip back to Austin for Texas Democrats, courtesy of the House speaker. We’ll have the latest in a huge political stalemate still unfolding. With Texas Democratic House and Senate members in D.C. right now, a maneuver to deny a quorum and stop legislation to further restrict voting in Texas. The political theatre is getting more dramatic with very real political fallout. Also, with Texas growing exponentially the state transportation department wants to spend billions widening highways, but some are wondering if that mindset should be thrown into reverse. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
The final totals aren’t yet in but, for many Texans, this July has certainly felt a lot wetter than usual. In some cases and in some areas, the weather has been quite severe. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
A quorum busting escape from Texas by Democrats in the state House and Senate, and the effects go beyond voting laws. As Texas Democratic lawmakers abandon the statehouse to put the brakes on controversial changes to state voting laws, other bills remain in limbo. We’ll take a closer look at what’s been left hanging. Also, a new law set to take effect that would ban abortions after six weeks and allow individuals to sue anyone who assisted a woman in getting an abortion. A new study examines the likely effects. Those stories plus a Politifact check and more today on the Texas Standard: