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May 15, 2026

Lou Diamond Phillips talks Texas roots, ‘La Bamba’ and legacy

By: David Brown

Big and getting bigger — that’s been the story of Texas’ population growth, but recent census numbers suggest a new chapter being written. State Demographer Lloyd Potter helps us do the math.
Cancelled elections in some parts of Texas, though not for nefarious reasons. We’ll hear the why and how.
Full speed ahead on data centers? Not so fast. We’ll hear about a Texas county hitting the pause button on development.
Also, in the 40 years since “La Bamba” made him a household name, Lou Diamond Phillips reconnects with his Texas roots.


Episodes

October 21, 2026

Texas Extra: The Prairieland 22 Episode 1

The Prairieland 22 is a podcast from our partners at KERA News and NTX Now. We’re sharing these episodes Wednesday nights. Episode 1: “4th of July Party!” July 4, 2025. A protest, the shooting of a police officer, and a case the government cites as an example of a growing domestic terrorism threat: “Antifa.” Over […]

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October 21, 2026

Texas autism therapy program could lose its funding

Democrat Bobby Pulido is leading a poll in Texas’ Congressional District 15 that had heavily favored Trump. The district’s Latinos may be leaning even further left.Some Texas school districts shifted toward a four-day school week during the pandemic. Now there may be legislation to discourage that.Texas is considering doing away with a program meant to […]

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October 20, 2026

‘Redemption’ explores faith and sisterhood on Texas death row

Early voting is underway. We’ll go over five things to watch for as Texans cast ballots in races that are too close to call.Is the state of Texas trying to sell a beloved beachfront state park to Elon Musk?Plus, how school cafeterias are coping amid rising costs and cuts to federal food assistance.And why out-of-state […]

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October 19, 2026

Latino horror anthology explores fears carried across generations

The border is secure, but there’s a border emergency. Why the difference between two GOP narratives? We’ll have a closer look.The first in-person votes are being cast in the Texas midterms today as early voting kicks off. The Standard’s Michael Marks joins us with a look at the race for agriculture commissioner, and how one […]

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October 16, 2026

Big Bend border wall worker camps raise concerns in West Texas

A border wall cutting through Big Bend is on hold, but something connected to the wall still has many locals unsettled.This week saw a debate between candidates hoping to represent what is geographically the biggest congressional district in Texas, and the stakes for both parties are high. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies tells us […]

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October 15, 2026

What a Democratic governor could mean for Texas

The last time a Democrat served as Texas governor was decades ago. Is that about to change?For years, politics-watchers have all but dismissed the prospect of a Democrat being elected governor in deep-red Texas. But polls suggest the closest gubernatorial race in recent memory between incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott and challenger Gina Hinojosa. Two veteran […]

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October 14, 2026

New UT poll shows unusually tight statewide races

A new poll from the Texas Politics Project suggests the Republican winning streak in the Lone Star State faces its toughest test yet. It’s cotton picking season in Texas. Scientists studying wild cotton and its ancestral origins hope older genetic traits could eventually strengthen the varieties farmers plant today. And: One of the most durable […]

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October 13, 2026

South Texas congressional race tests GOP gains with Latino voters

What’s next for Camp Mystic as a judge rules wrongful death lawsuits filed by parents can move forward. Republican Monica De La Cruz is seeking a third term in Texas’ 15th Congressional District, where Democrat Bobby Pulido, a Tejano singer and first-time candidate, is challenging her. The South Texas race will test whether recent Republican […]

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