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October 19, 2023

Legislature takes up ban on vaccine mandates at private businesses

By: David Brown

Years after peak COVID, Texas lawmakers are taking steps to ban vaccine mandates by private businesses.

Amid a nursing shortage in Texas and beyond, the journey of a new nurse trying to make a difference.

An award-winning novel set near the border takes the western genre to a whole new place. We’ll talk with ‘Valley of Shadows’ author Rudy Ruiz.

Also: As a new NBA season approaches, there are big expectations building for the San Antonio Spurs’ 19-year old Victor Wembanyama.


Episodes

August 21, 2025

The Texas House passes new district map designed to give Republicans an edge in Congress

President Trump claims a big win in Texas as the state House passes new congressional maps giving the GOP an edge in 2026. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom and Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media share what it means for the political landscape going forward.Are Americans falling out of love with their credit cards? […]

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August 20, 2025

11 Texas school districts temporarily blocked from displaying Ten Commandments

A poll on Texas’ 2026 Senate race finds a tightening GOP battle between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, and a Democratic preference for Beto O’Rourke – who isn’t yet in the race.This morning, a federal judge temporarily blocked 11 Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. We’ll bring you the latest.Texans are […]

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August 19, 2025

Could Texarkana be a political bellwether?

The state says the West Texas measles outbreak is over. What that means for parents and children.Are natural gas wells, pipelines and storage facilities prepared for another dangerous winter storm? Mose Buchele of KUT News examines the inspection process.We know AI data centers need a lot of power, but they also use a lot of […]

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August 18, 2025

A Texas firm tackles space junk

After national headlines and a pledge from California to offset Texas’ redistricting plans, the walkout by Texas House Democrats is over. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has the latest on the Dems’ return to Austin and what comes next.Old satellites, tools, even food wrappers: Space debris is piling up. Now, a Texas company’s recycling […]

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August 15, 2025

Tesla’s robotaxi plans shift into gear

Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom joins the show with a live update from the Capitol as the Legislature’s first special session ends amid a Democratic walkout.After flooding and a historically wet July, new concerns about water levels dropping.As students return to the classroom, more and more schools are being shuttered. The Standard’s Zachary Suri […]

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August 14, 2025

Why police are ditching a popular gun

Redistricting seems like the entire political conversation in Texas right now, so it’s probably no surprise it’s influencing the U.S. Senate race.Texas received millions in federal funding for adult education programs, but it was uncertain and came several weeks late.What are the impacts of programs that give money, with no strings attached, to people and […]

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August 13, 2025

Virtual public school enrollment surges

Gov. Greg Abbott threatens a concurrent second special session with a Democratic walkout still underway. Is there any end in sight?Details from a new release of materials withheld by Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district in the wake of the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting.What’s behind a massive growth in virtual schooling in Texas?W.F. […]

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August 12, 2025

No phones, devices in classrooms as Texas students return to school

Undocumented college students in Texas are no longer eligible for in-state tuition. As the new semester starts, many are in limbo.As we keep an eye on the special session where Texas Democrats broke quorum, a look at another state – Oregon – where Republican lawmakers staged a walkout.A new state law that bans cell phones, […]

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