Texas Standard

Texas Standard > All Episodes

February 12, 2026

How an AI data center is driving a housing crisis in Abilene

By: David Brown

What really happened that led to a sudden and largely unprecedented shutdown of the airspace and the airport in El Paso? We’ll dive in on today’s Texas Standard.
With just days to go before early voting begins in the Texas primaries, Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on the Democratic race between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, as well as a GOP showdown featuring Sen. John Cornyn, AG Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt.
Also, Discord tells users it will begin age verification. Pushback and confusion ensue. Our go-to tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us why.
Plus, a new real estate trend in Houston that hearkens back to college dorm days: The rise of co-living deals.
Also, how a data center is driving housing affordability challenges in Abilene.
Those stories and much more today.

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.


Episodes

February 2, 2026

Democrat makes surprise win in solid-red Texas district

In a little-watched race, Taylor Rehmet’s surprise win for Democrats in Texas may be a potential warning shot for Republicans in a midterm election year. Is this a one-off, or is the GOP in trouble in the Lone Star State?Also, Texas environmental regulators greenlight what looks like the largest fossil-fueled power plant project in the […]

Listen

January 30, 2026

Austin’s Banana Phone turns public roasting into performance art

With national attention focused on the tactics of immigration enforcement, a concern is growing among Texas Republicans about the political fallout.We’re still months away for an important midterm election. But this weekend, voters in one part of Texas will be picking their representative to Congress. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media brings us the backstory […]

Listen

January 29, 2026

Protesters, DPS troopers clash outside Dilley ICE detention facility

Protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley called for the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father who were taken into ICE custody in Minnesota.Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a massive military buildup as President Trump warns Iran to abandon its nuclear program – or else. But […]

Listen

January 28, 2026

Possible government shutdown looms after ICE shooting

The second death of a person in Minnesota at the hands of ICE agents has fueled an outcry from some for another government shutdown.Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers aren’t just in Minnesota, of course. They’re also showing up in small-town Texas. A look at their impact on Elgin.We’ll hear from journalists José Ralat and Rodrigo […]

Listen

January 27, 2026

Gun rights debate resurfaces after Minneapolis shooting

Pressure builds inside the Texas detention center in Dilley housing parents and children. What’s behind a protest that erupted there over the weekend?Second Amendment advocates speak out after licensed gun owner Alex Pretti is killed by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota.A look at how weight loss drugs are transforming obesity and diabetes care in San […]

Listen

January 26, 2026

Austin police cooperation with ICE faces renewed scrutiny

An update on this weekend’s winter storm – the lingering aftereffects, and when to expect things to get back to “normal.”Though the worst may be over, many extreme cold advisories have been issued statewide today, and frozen precipitation is making many secondary roads treacherous. We’ll have an update, plus a look at the storm’s impact […]

Listen

January 23, 2026

Texans brace for winter weather on land – and in the sea

Texans statewide are preparing for the biggest winter storm we’ve seen in years. We’ll have the latest on a weekend of snow, ice and freezing rain that’s en route to Texas.At the moment, officials say the power grid is looking good, though localized outages are likely due to falling limbs and ice on power lines.For […]

Listen

January 22, 2026

Former Uvalde officer acquitted in first criminal trial tied to shooting

Texans prepare for a major winter storm, projected to be the most severe since the deadly winter storm of 2021. We’ll get an update on preparations by state officials in what promises to be the first real test of the power grid since Winter Storm Uri five years ago.A Uvalde school police officer, the first […]

Listen