The Week in Texas Politics

Flight cancellations, long TSA lines hit Texas travelers

Cancellations across the nation are putting many air travelers in limbo.
KUT’s Nathan Bernier joins us with an update of how flight cancellations brought on by the federal shutdown are affecting the nation’s busy air traffic system – with a particular look at the impact here in Texas.
Also, why Texas is likely to be the state hardest hit by increases to Affordable Care Act health care premiums.
Plus, the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin with the impact of a cutoff of Digital Equity Act funds, the week in Texas politics and more.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Food banks prepare to fill the gap as SNAP runs out

SNAP food assistance benefits are set to run out at midnight, and across the Lone Star State, food banks are bracing for unprecedented demand. How Texans can best help their neighbors in need.

Of the 17 constitutional amendments to be decided by Texas voters, at least four go straight to the heart of a major effort to transform Texas into a world-class business and finance hub. With Election Day fast approaching, we’ll hear what’s at stake.

Texas author Fernando Flores discusses his new novel, “Brother Brontë,” a dystopian story set in the town of Three Rivers.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Meta’s billion-dollar bet on El Paso

First responders in Kerr County struggled to communicate during this summer’s deadly Independence Day floods because parts of their radio network failed to reach key areas, according to an investigation by The New York Times.
Tech giant Meta is building a $1.5 billion data center in Northeast El Paso – a project that’s raising tough questions about water use, electricity demand and local incentives.
The ongoing federal shutdown and Trump administration tariffs are creating headaches for businesses that rely on the Port of Houston.
It’s pumpkin season – and the race is on to grow the biggest gourd.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

Amarillo startup wants AI to go nuclear

A Texas congressional redistricting fight enters the courtroom, with both sides taking different positions from those taken earlier. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of what’s expected to be a nine-day federal hearing over new congressional maps.
The most polluted air in Texas? We’ll hear why a Houston community may have a tough time getting companies to take speedy action to clear the air.
Also, would you vote for an increase in property taxes if it meant helping people who are homeless find a place to live? A test of that idea on the ballot in Austin.
Plus, the Amarillo startup wanting AI to go nuclear, the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune, and much more.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

How thousands of blind and visually impaired Texans learn to get around safely

A looming budget deadline and threats of a government shutdown: what that could mean for Texans.
The Texas Democratic Party has launched an expansion plan that includes relocating its headquarters to Dallas. The decision has roiled quite a few within the party, even prompting an exodus of top staff.
In Texas, there are around 11,000 students who are blind or visually impaired, and many of them spend time in school learning how to get around safely. The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us inside the process of orientation and mobility training.
For years, birdwatching in Texas has been a tale of two jays: blue in the east, and green further south. Recently though, researchers have found a rare new species that lies somewhere in between – the Grue Jay.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

‘CleaVage’ musical is a deep cut into Texas plastic surgery history

The contours of Texas politics are changing – part of Republican’s decades-long plan? Texas Monthly’s Robert Downen joins us to talk about what he sees as an unprecedented consolidation of power aimed at ending fair elections in Texas.
Also, Texas A&M launches audits of its courses statewide – this after the firing of a professor over teachings involving gender identity in a children’s literature class.
And a lawsuit challenging the Texas Medical Board over who gets to call themselves a doctor.
Plus, did you know breast implants were first developed in Texas six decades ago? Well, one Dallas plastic surgeon is making sure you do with a new musical.
Those stories, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune, the talk of Texas and so much more.

Antone’s celebrates 50 years of the blues in Austin with special box set

As Texas lawmakers return home, what are the big takeaways from six weeks of overtime at the Capitol? We’ll take a closer look at what happened – and what didn’t.
Why some think Collin County could become one of the nation’s most highly contested political battlegrounds.
Antone’s, known as Austin’s home of the blues, celebrates its 50th birthday with a new box set with deep Texas ties.
Plus: A recap of the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

Educators face new risks under inappropriate material law

Three new measures are set to take effect aiming to “Make Texas Healthy Again.” Political sloganeering or genuine change? A closer look at the laws that prompted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to Texas.
As we approach Sept. 1, more than 800 new laws are set to take effect. We continue our close-up of some of those that’ll have a major impact, including some that haven’t received much attention. Our own Sarah Asch tells us about a new obscenity law and why one provision related to exposing minors to controversial material has teachers, librarians and even doctors concerned.
Tech producer and reporter Shelly Brisbin gets us up to speed on a sweeping new bill aimed at regulating artificial intelligence.
Plus, the week in politics and much more.

There’s no online registry for ranchers’ brands – but that could change

As China announces retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., the possible toll on Texas ranchers is generating lots of anxiety. A Texas A&M trade expert who’s worked on previous trade deals takes a closer look as the implications of extended trade wars loom large.
Fatalities related to child abuse in Texas fall dramatically – but the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
And: There are thousands of unique livestock brands in Texas, but no centralized database to keep track of them all. State lawmakers could soon change that.

PBS special explores untold Latino history

With immigration a major issue in presidential politics, the Fifth Circuit takes up Texas’ challenge to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
North Texas car dealerships accused of racially discriminatory practices are now suing the Federal Trade Commission, saying their interference is unconstitutional.
A new study finds Black and Latino consumers are twice as likely to be prone to digital scams or cyber attacks.
And: The PBS special “American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos” sheds light on the evolving story of Latinos in media, academia and beyond.

Presidio County seeks ownership of international bridge

A massive dockworkers strike has ended – but the settlement reached is only a tentative deal, and it leaves one of the most contentious issues still unsettled.
Presidio County wants to gain control of an international crossing that’s currently in the hands of the state. But the process might be more complex than it seems.
A new documentary, “We’re Here,” examines the aftermath of the Smokehouse Creek Fire that scorched millions of acres in the Panhandle earlier this year.
And: Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is coming alive with its annual Fortlandia exhibit. The Standard’s Patrick M. Davis and takes us behind the scenes.