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December 4, 2024

Texas’ ghost towns spotlight rural population shifts

By: David Brown

Martial law has now been lifted in South Korea – Texas’ fourth-largest trading partner – but the effects may not be as short-lived. A top Texas expert tells us why.
Ongoing casualties in what was long touted as the war on drugs: Kevin Krause of The Dallas Morning News analyzed a decade of meth sentencing data in North Texas.
Texas is known for its ghost towns, spotlighting shifting population dynamics.
With nearly half of Texas counties lacking maternity care services, rural mothers face daunting hurdles.
And: China has announced a ban on exporting certain rare minerals to the U.S., a move likely to disrupt tech manufacturing and deepen tensions.


Episodes

February 28, 2025

A year after the Smokehouse Creek Fire

One year later, how are people in the Panhandle managing recovery after the biggest wildfire in Texas history?The impact of DOGE cuts hits national parks in Texas, including a historical park in San Antonio. Jack Morgan of Texas Public Radio has more.Capital Metro, Austin’s transit agency, saw its payment system collapse for about a month […]

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February 27, 2025

What potential mass layoffs at the IRS could mean for your tax filing

Amid reports of mass layoffs at the IRS, what does the math look like for tax season?More than a million Texas kids have been kicked off Medicaid rolls since 2023. What’s happening? We’ll talk with a reporter at Public Health Watch.Texas school districts are racing to meet a deadline to move students getting special instruction […]

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February 26, 2025

What’s affecting El Paso’s air quality?

One person has now died in the Texas measles outbreak that’s up to more than 120 official cases.Hit the road in many parts of Texas these days and you’re likely to see some Teslas. So how are those drivers feeling about the very public and controversial latest moves by CEO Elon Musk?Teacher pay increases may […]

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February 25, 2025

Controversies and resignations at the Texas Lottery Commission

An appeals court upholds a decision to remove the judge who pushed the state to improve conditions for foster children. What happens now?A controversial lottery win leads Texas to ban third-party apps selling tickets.A federal court has blocked the SAVE plan, a Biden-era initiative aimed at lowering – and in some cases, erasing – student […]

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February 24, 2025

Major airlines target rule setting standard for disability accommodations

What would be the implications for a Texas constitutional amendment “protecting the right of parents to raise their children”? Blaise Gainey of The Texas newsroom tells us who’s pushing it and the questions surrounding it.Texas-based Southwest and American Airlines are joining with Delta, JetBlue and United to ask a court to overturn a rule requiring […]

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February 21, 2025

What’s in the forecast for Texas’ real estate market?

We’re taking a closer look at what’s been happening at this Texas Legislature on school choice, aka school vouchers – and why there could be an early battle between the House and Senate.Plus, the first in a series of profiles of the people behind the politics at the Legislature, starting with Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez.What’s […]

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February 20, 2025

Lawsuit challenges federal wildlife trapping in Texas

A nearly $5 billion bill filed in the Legislature seeks to provide across-the-board raises for teachers and put more money toward bonuses.Lithium-ion batteries are a major fire threat. Learn why and what consumers can do.Texans love sharing their favorite under-the-radar barbecue spots, but how often do they actually live up to the hype? Texas Monthly […]

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February 19, 2025

Behind Southwest Airlines’ big job cuts

15% of Southwest Airlines’ corporate workforce is out of a job in the Dallas-based company’s first-ever major layoffs.Frigid temperatures across the state and all eyes are on the Texas grid’s ability to handle it. How the grid became what it is today.President Trump has dismantled a couple of boards you’ve probably never heard about. Why […]

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