Texas Standard

January 29, 2025

Texans weigh in on how to spend the state’s $24 billion surplus

If Texans were in charge of the state’s budget, how would they spend the money? A new survey from the Hobby School of Public Affairs sheds light on priorities. We know many state lawmakers are prioritizing a school voucher effort that would give money for private education directly to families – and the proposal has […]

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January 28, 2025

Abbott wants feds to cover Texas’ border costs

Gov. Greg Abbott wants the federal government to reimburse the state for more than $11 billion spent on Operation Lone Star, and some lawmakers from both sides of the aisle support the request. Texas leads the nation in wind energy jobs, but a White House executive order to pause new wind projects has some in […]

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January 27, 2025

Reflections from three Holocaust survivors in Texas

President Trump’s long-promised deportation raids get underway in Texas and in other parts of the country – what we know about the weekend operations and what we’re learning. On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch brings us the voices and memories of survivors living in Texas. And: The Texas Senate has […]

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January 24, 2025

Will Corpus Christi’s water restrictions be enough to stem emergency?

A dramatic move at the Texas Capitol upends a decades-long tradition of power sharing as conservative Republicans succeed in banning Democrats from chairing legislative committees. The end of the CBP One program for asylum-seekers following President Donald Trump’s inauguration has left many with questions about their future. And: Growing demand and industrial expansion have left […]

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January 23, 2025

US military sending troops to southern border

The U.S. military is sending around 1,500 active-duty troops to the country’s southern border, under orders from President Donald Trump. But what will they be doing, exactly, and what are the limits on what they can do? Half a trillion dollars have been pledged for a new AI venture called Stargate, and the first project […]

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January 22, 2025

What Trump’s declaration of an energy emergency could mean for Texas

As Texans try to keep warm, volunteers are bundling up to help a particularly vulnerable population: sea turtles facing “cold stun,” a life-threatening condition. We’re three days into the new Trump administration and trying to keep up with a slew of executive orders. Digging into the impacts on the energy industry, as well as what […]

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January 21, 2025

Trump’s first executive orders focus on immigration

Much of Texas is dealing with dangerously cold temperatures and conditions that make travel hazardous. How the state is coping – plus a look at the power grid. President Trump declared an emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border and issued several executive orders on immigration. We’ll delve into the details. A look at the life and […]

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January 20, 2025

Health and Human Services Commission employees accused in data breach

Parts of Texas that seldom see snow may well see frozen precipitation blanketing beaches tomorrow. We’re keeping watch. Seven employees of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission have been fired for improperly accessing, and in some cases, stealing, from the accounts of thousands of Texans receiving public assistance. And: TikTok went dark for U.S. […]

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