Violence

Could Texas’ electric grid finally connect to other states?

A grand jury in Uvalde will consider possible charges over law enforcement’s failed response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary.

An Air Force general who was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph faces a court-martial over charges of sexually assaulting a subordinate.

The Texas power grid is famously separate from the rest of the country – but a plan has been quietly moving forward to connect it to a grid operating in the southeastern U.S.

And: Shipping lanes are shifting routes amid attacks in the Red Sea. What are the ripple effects in Texas?

Standoff between Texas and the feds continues over Rio Grande access

Tensions between Texas and the federal government intensify over Border Patrol access.

On the day after the release of the findings of a federal investigation into the 2022 mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, what we’re learning and what it could mean for accountability.

With the intensification of winter weather this week, how advocates for people experiencing homelessness are trying to shelter and care for Texans left out in the cold.

A sneak peek at the Super Bowl prospects for the Houston Texans, facing a big playoff challenge this weekend.

And we’ll have the week in politics with Matthew Watkins of the Texas Tribune.

Exploring the difficulties of rural reproductive care in West Texas

Texas leads the nation in executions again, and Harris County sentences more people to die than any other county in the U.S. A new report examines dozens of death penalty cases there.

A new podcast from Marfa Public Radio looks at the challenge of accessing reproductive care in the Big Bend region.

The season started out with great expectations, but now the San Antonio Spurs have lost a record 18 games in a row. What’s gone wrong, and can it be fixed?

Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune’s Ayan Mittra.

What can Texas teach California about dealing with homelessness?

As temperatures rise, so does gun violence. What does this mean for a Texas already struggling with climate change?

A new study on police response times in Texas’ biggest city and what it hints at for other departments elsewhere in the state.

Send in the clones – after Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter, are any of the alternates gaining traction?

California doesn’t often turn to Texas for policy tips, but more and more lawmakers from the Golden State are taking a closer look at how Texas cities are handling homelessness.

And a new book on the sitcom’s role in shifting attitudes toward the LGBTQ community.

How the Legislature’s property tax cut proposals differ

A regular session and now two specials – what will it take to get lawmakers to agree on a property tax cut plan? A closer look at why the two approaches are at the center of a political battle.

Sentencing begins in a federal courtroom this week for the gunman who killed 23 people at an El Paso Walmart in 2019.

How some Houstonians without adequate air conditioning are trying to beat the heat as the thermometer rises.

Plus, what science is revealing about a common bird of prey and frequent defender of many a Texas garden.

What are the weirdest laws in Texas?

At the Capitol, an intraparty rivalry between Republicans explodes into the open. The dueling charges between Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dade Phelan are so personal and serious, some longtime Capitol watchers are characterizing the battle as among the most significant in Texas political history. Lauren McGaughey of the Dallas Morning news will have details.

After a scandal at a Bastrop foster care facility, Texas lawmakers pass two new bills to crack down on abuses.

We’ll have more on a vigil last night in Uvalde marking the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary.

The Texas Legislature will finish its session having made lots of new laws. But there are plenty of old laws on the books that seem pretty weird by today’s standards.

And debt collectors get a new high-tech tool.

Sen. Roland Gutierrez on Uvalde, one year later

On the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in Uvalde that left 19 fourth-graders and two teachers dead, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez says he’s still pushing for gun reform. Meanwhile, trust in police remains frail in Uvalde.

A report from Matamoros on migrants in limbo after the end of Title 42.

As Austin firefighters rack up millions in overtime, the department is working to address mental health needs.

And state officials team up with a Texas producer for a walk on the wild side: a musical celebration of Texas parks.

What do Texans think of the Legislature’s actions this session?

Economists call it political theater, but the implications of failure to reach a debt ceiling deal are very real.

As Washington faces a debt deadline, lawmakers in Texas race to beat the clock on the end of the legislative session, and one issue in particular could send them into overtime: The latest on the big divide over cutting property taxes.

With much of this session focused on culture war issues, where do registered voters in Texas stand? A new survey from the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation may offer more than a few surprises.

It’s do or die for the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup race.

And a toxic worm that’s got Texans talking.

Why the Rio Grande Valley is a transit desert

It started 5 months ago, and if all goes according to plan, it ends this week. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán of the Texas Newsroom joins us with his look ahead at the final days of the Texas legislative session. And what happens to the many proposals that didn’t pass? To understand, a knowledge of zombies might be beneficial.

Why have so many Democrats been lining up with Republicans on key items this session?

And you’ve heard the song “Whiskey River”? Though the song’s a fable, a new book shows how whiskey flows through Texas history more than you might expect.

Singer-songwriter Robert Ellis returns with new sound and perspective

Texas is on the brink of becoming the latest state to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asks the governors of other states to provide police and military forces to help secure Texas’ border with Mexico, as the numbers of reported unauthorized entries plummet.

Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us about congressional hearings on regulating artificial intelligence.

And the musician formerly known as the Texas Piano Man sheds his fancy white suit and hat: Robert Ellis tells us how fatherhood and Fort Worth factor into his new release, “Yesterday’s News.”

How the ‘We Buy Ugly Houses’ company preyed on desperate and elderly sellers

Migrant crossings at the border with Mexico are reported to be dramatically down after the end of Title 42.

Adolescent medicine doctors at Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin are out amid calls from politicians for an investigation of gender-affirming care at the hospital.

A bill to preempt new local regulations on a variety of issues including labor and the environment moves quickly toward an expected passage in the Texas Senate.

And what’s the story behind those “We Buy Ugly Houses” signs? A ProPublica investigation reveals that the buyers behind the signs took advantage of elderly homeowners.

Podcast explores whether a Texas Ranger extracted a false confession

Two major changes in federal policies within the past 24 hours having outsized implications for Texas. Change number one: the end of Title 42 rapid deportations. But for tens of thousands now trying to cross the Mexico border into Texas, the deportations continue.

The end of an era for the pandemic as the national emergency is lifted, but a Texas epidemiologist says that doesn’t mean an end to the COVID-19 threat.

A confession of guilt during a Texas murder investigation, but was the confession real or compelled by questionable interrogation techniques?

Also the week in Texas politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.

What to watch for as the Texas Legislature sprints to Sine Die

With just 19 days to go before the end of the 88th Texas legislative session, where do we stand?

A bill to raise the age to purchase a semi-automatic rifle made it out of a House committee – but as the Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports, it may not get much further.

Hundreds of migrants line up in El Paso for processing in advance of a major change to immigration policy tomorrow.

What some believe is a banking crisis: Should Texans be worried, and should there be a different approach to regulation?

Also, the story of a teacher fired in 1975, and why it resonates with the politics of Texas today.

What we know about the mass shooting at an Allen outlet mall

Another Texas community is reeling after a mass shooting that killed eight people, this time at an outlet mall in Allen, outside of Dallas.

Following local elections across the state, we’ll have reports on some closely watched propositions in San Antonio, El Paso and Austin.

Fort Hood in Central Texas is formally set to be renamed Fort Cavazos for the nation’s first Hispanic four-star general. Hispanic and Latino civil rights groups are applauding the move but looking for more substantive change.

And the the University of Texas at Austin is getting a new school of civic leadership – but some questions are being raised by some students and faculty.

Cloud seeding has never been proven, but drought-stricken Mexico is ready to try

At first, media coverage of the Cleveland, Texas, shooting focused on the manhunt for the gunman. But what about the victims lost?

As the clock ticks away for the 88th legislative session, there are some bills with bipartisan support that advocates say could have a positive effect on the state’s LGBTQ residents.

Housing affordability in Texas: is the state losing a certain edge? The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana explains.

The cost of living is hitting Texans hard – how a group in San Antonio is fighting back with coupons.

Mexico is trying its hand at a controversial technique – cloud seeding – to break its drought.

Plus the week in politics with the Texas Tribune.

What it’s like in a self-defense class for LGBTQ Texans

The latest on a massive manhunt following the shooting deaths of five people in San Jacinto County.

As the Texas Legislature enters the final month of its biennial session, there’s a push to get more money for public schools.

There’s more turbulence ahead for Texas-based American Airlines as pilots say they’re ready to strike.

The border with Mexico is experiencing what many see as a surprising rise of Chinese migrants.

And fighting for the right to be free from fear: the Standard goes inside martial arts sessions for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

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.

Indigenous chefs take center stage at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion

Almost a year after the Uvalde school shooting, a new investigation by the Texas Tribune reveals it was the type of weapon used, an AR-15, that prompted officers to back off from the room where the shooter was holed up. Reporter Zach Despart joins us to explain.

A closer look at bills in the Legislature focused on hot-button social issues, including what’s being taught in public schools.

And at Willie Nelson’s annual food fun and music shindig in Luck, Texas, there’s something extra special on the menu: The Standard’s Kristen Cabrera has more on the Indigenous food on the table.

Why a brand-new mental health hospital is sitting empty

There is a critical shortage of mental health care professionals amid surging demand statewide, with almost 99% of Texas designated as a shortage area for mental health professionals.

With heightened demand for mental health treatment, you’d expect the Kerrville State Hospital – a new, $30 million state-owned inpatient mental health facility – to be full. Instead, it’s completely empty.

A professor at Texas Woman’s University says Chat GPT and other AI tools present an opportunity to teach and learn in new ways.

And the story of Herman Barnett, a Black veteran who desegregated a Texas medical school.

In Texas, you can be forced to sell your condo

Eight months after the school shooting in Uvalde, Democratic state Sen. Roland Gutierrez announces a package of gun safety reforms. Will Texas Republicans take it up?

A decades-old Texas is law forcing some condo owners to leave their homes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first lab-grown meat product for human consumption. But will consumers bite?

After conquering the hearts of many a Texan, Willie Nelson and Family take Sundance.

And a PolitiFact check of President Biden over whether wages are keeping up with inflation.