Veterans

Performers pay tribute to Willie Nelson for his 90th birthday

A push in the state Legislature to end countywide voting on Election Day. Nearly 100 counties in Texas allow voters to cast their Election Day ballots anywhere in the county. But now a move to require voters to cast their ballots in specific district locations. Why the push, and why it matters.

The Veterans Administration is looking into a new application for artificial intelligence: suicide prevention.

An oil tanker bound for Houston seized by Iran. What this move may signal.

And country music luminaries pool their talents for an album to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Red Headed Stranger Willie Nelson.

Is prosecuting librarians the next front in Texas’ book wars?

You’ve heard about library book bans in Texas, but behind the scenes there is a campaign underway to prosecute librarians for putting certain books on the shelves of school and public libraries.

After four decades, Texas politician Ben Barnes comes clean about his role, and that of former Texas Gov. John Connally, to delay the release of 52 American hostages held in Iran in order to ensure the election of Ronald Regan. Peter Baker of the New York Times joins us.

Also Texas gets a new professional sports franchise – not football or basketball, but Major League Cricket.

The rock stars and unsung heroes of Texas guitar playing

2 years after the insurrection on Capitol Hill the implications of the event and its aftermath for Texas and Texans. We’ll have more. Also on this January 6th, a look at concerns about extremism among some who previously served their country in the military. And order in the court? Despite discrepancies in representation between men and women in many fields, Texas bucking national trends with what some have called a golden age of elected female judges. And taco journalist Mando Rayo serves up some tips for home cooking. Plus the greatest Texas guitarists of all time, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and much more today on the Texas Standard:

What does the new year have in store for Texans’ pocketbooks?

In just over a week, lawmakers gather again at the capitol. What to expect in the upcoming Texas legislative session? Niki Griswold of the Austin American Statesman and James Barragán of the Texas Tribune with more on what to look for in the 88th legislative session. Also new incentives to buy an electric car. What does it mean for those in the market and will it be enough to jumpstart reluctant buyers? Plus the latest on a lawsuit to address racial bias in veterans benefits. And a big win for the Horned Frogs puts them in contention for the National College Football crown. TCU’s winning ways and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 21, 2022

‘Tis the season for bill filing; a quick look at what filing season in the Texas legislature tells us about lawmaker priorities for the coming session. Other stories we’re watching: an earthquake recorded in west Texas last week, the third biggest ever recorded in the state, what it could mean for the oil and gas industry. And a nuclear reactor taking shape on the campus of Abilene Christian University, we’ll hear why. Also how military families are trying to deal with the search for suitable housing. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 18, 2022

The end of Title 42 and reaction from inside a migrant camp. Angela Kocherga reporting from Juarez. Also, as the impact of the midterms continues to unfold, a Texas election administrator with an insider’s account of what went right and wrong on election day. And a preview of the World Cup and the Texans who could be making history. Also the seldom told story of the woman from Dallas who shattered ceilings and made history in the world of sportscasting, business, and beyond. The authors of a new biography of Phyllis George. Plus the week in politics with James Barragán of the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 10, 2022

A major win in a very close race for the top seat in Texas’ most populous county. We continue to track final results and the implications of the midterms in Texas: Sergio Martinez Beltran with a debrief. Also apparent bipartisan agreement on one issue. With the passage of marijuana referendums in no fewer than 5 Texas cities. Plus in advance of Veterans Day, we’ll hear from a veteran who served two tours of duty during the don’t ask don’t tell era. And new archaeological findings about a west Texas massacre more than 100 years ago that complicates the historic narrative. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

KUT Afternoon Newscast for October 11, 2022

Central Texas top stories for October 11, 2022. Last-minute voter registration. UT Campus polling places. Teen poll workers. Project Connect and displacement. Veterans Treatment Court. Monarch migration.

Texas Standard: August 25, 2022

Are billions in school debt owed by Texans about to be written off the books? We’ll look at what President Biden’s announcement adds up to for Texans. Other stories we’re tracking: buying out of flood prone property: what it could mean for a region ravaged by Hurricane Harvey 5 years ago. Also after this weeks rains in North Texas, how the struggle’s just beginning for some families. And as housing prices skyrocket across Texas and many parts of the nation, military allowances not keeping up. And is the University of Texas about to pass Harvard as the country’s wealthiest university?Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: July 28, 2022

18 billion in pandemic aid for Texas schools, a huge amount of money. So why has less than a third been spent? We’ll explore. Also with back to school just around the corner, many districts struggling to find and retain teachers. Will promises of a four day workweek do the trick? We’ll hear what educators and parents make of that approach. And five years after Hurricane Harvey, what researchers are finding out about a less obvious impact: the exposure to chemicals. Plus thousands of miles of new roads in Texas displacing hundreds of homes and businesses, but repeated findings of no environmental impact. A red flag? Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: June 9, 2022

In the aftermath of the Uvalde shooting, wrenching testimony on Capitol Hill and questions about what comes next to protect school kids. We’ll have the latest. Also, what if anything Texas lawmakers might do to tighten gun regulations. And the fight for political control in South Texas this fall. But among democrats, fireworks and calls for recounts already in two close congressional runoff races. Also a new report on childcare deserts. And behind the scenes for primetime hearings on the January 6th insurrection. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: April 8, 2022

New reports of a surge at the border but the story’s more complicated than what you may be thinking. Seven weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a new chapter in the story unfolding at the border north of Tijuana is raising questions about who’s allowed into the US, who isn’t, and why. We’ll hear more. Also, federal funds to help COVID-19 patients cover hospital costs run out. So what happens now? And micro plastics called little poison pills polluting Texas waterways, but a Texas researcher has a recipe for cleanup… just add okra? Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: March 03, 2022

A state judge tells Texas it must stop its investigation of a family suspected of providing gender affirming medical care for their transgender teenager. President Biden’s weighing in on the matter too. Plus, legally mandated efforts to get Texas public school students back up to speed after pandemic disruptions; schools say they simply don’t have the tutors to do it. Those stories and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: February 17, 2022

Looking back at the winter storm of last February and why one year later disparities in the death toll persist; Mose Buschele, of KUT Austin, has more on that story. Also, efforts to secure federal recognition for Texas’ emancipation trail. And, the state’s legal challenge to the company formerly known as Facebook. These stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: February 9, 2022

As more teachers quit, those who remain are taking on more students and more responsibilities; a survey suggests a new Texas public school crisis in the making. Also, efforts to ban certain books from school libraries and how what’s been happening in Hood County may be a harbinger of what’s ahead. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: January 21, 2022

What, exactly, does Governor Abbott’s newly unveiled “Parental Bill of Rights” really mean for Texas public schools? Also, many renters in Hays county brace themselves as federal dollars for a covid rent relief program disappear. Those stories, the week in politics, and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: December 1, 2021

Four new laws aimed at improving the lives of almost a million and a half Texas residents who served in the military. We’ll have Details. Other stories we’re following: young authors and librarians weigh in on the Governor’s attempts to purge what he calls pornography from public schools. Also big news for a small city: what the decision to locate a new multi-billion dollar semiconductor facility means for the town of Taylor in Central Texas. Also what’s in the name “Brackenridge” and a Politifact check of a claim that U.S. households are on track to spend 19 billion dollars more on energy by 2030. All that and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 11, 2021

While the Supreme Court considers Texas’ new abortion law, what appears to be the first hearing on SB8 in a state court. We’ll take a look at the potential impact. Other stories we’re tracking: more than a hundred noted Texas authors sign an open letter warning of book bans, censorship, and a threat to marginalized Texans. Plus virtual Reality, once primarily the province of gamers, becomes serious business helping seniors. Tech expert Omar Gallaga with more. And on this veterans day, a West Texas native reflects on his days in uniform, and then in the custody of the North Vietnamese. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 9, 2021

More lawsuits pour in as officials continue to investigate how a concert crowd turned deadly, we’ll have the latest. Also, Texas is worse off now than a year ago. At least that’s one takeaway from the latest University of Texas / Texas Tribune Poll… We’ll have a look deeper into the data. Also a celebration of Jewish religion and culture on screen, even as the community has faced recent attacks. The mission of the Austin Jewish Film Festival. Plus we’ll explore a new book that highlights some underrepresented voices in the historic record on civil rights. And a tiny Texas town adjusts to unprecedented growth and explores how it might maintain what’s made it unique. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 4, 2021

Kids between 5 and 11 in Texas begin getting vaccinated for COVID-19, and reports indicate demand for vaccination is high. The first shots to young children in Texas and among the first in the nation have been administered at a hospital in Houston. We’ll hear from the COVID-19 Task Force Co-Chair at Texas Children’s Hospital. Also, the Texas gulf coast getting swallowed up? A new investigative report shows direct effects of climate change. And you’ve heard of CPS, Chld Protective Services, but what about APS? The Standard’s Joy Diaz with more on a lesser known safety net for adults. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard: