Episodes

December 29, 2025

What to know if Affordable Care Act subsidies expire

There may be no personal income tax in Texas, but property tax? That’s another thing. And perhaps, the next big thing in Texas politics. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us with more on what’s emerging as a new theme in Texas politics for 2026: Property taxes.4 million Texans signed up for health plans from […]

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December 26, 2025

Our top 10 books stories of the past decade 

It’s almost time to turn the page on 2025, but we’re stretching out Texas Standard’s 10th birthday celebration a little longer with our 10 favorite book interviews from the past decade.   It’s a list that includes children’s books, young adult literature, and books diving deep into history. Join us as we count them down. 

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December 25, 2025

Stories to warm your heart this Christmas 

Just a few weeks ago, the editors and producers of the Texas Standard made out their lists and checked them twice, picking out stories from the past year that filled them with a certain sense of uplift – something that can at times seem so elusive.   In the spirit of the season, we’re sharing some of these feel-good stories with you on a […]

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December 24, 2025

Our top 10 music stories of the past decade 

Music is a huge part of what makes Texas what it is. And as part of Texas Standard’s yearlong 10th birthday celebration, we’re celebrating our top 10 favorite music stories from the past decade.   Those include an exclusive interview with Phil Collins at the Alamo, an expansive conversation with the boundary-pushing band Khruangbin, and deep dives into the lives and legacies of Texas greats Johnny Canales and […]

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December 23, 2025

Our favorite stories from the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom 

How will you remember 2025? This hour we’re listening back to some of our favorite stories of the year from reporters with the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom.  Remember the author of “Holes,” who made a sharp turn in 2025? Or when it was blazing hot outside and the swimming pool became too irresistible to say no to? What about the rise and rise […]

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December 22, 2025

The best of the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom in 2025 

This holiday season, we’ve been listening back to some of the most compelling reporting by our in-house journalists here at the Texas Standard, as well as a team of public media reporters statewide known as The Texas Newsroom.   From an effort to help more adults complete a high school education, to a mystery Bible in Boerne, to the long-awaited launch of a […]

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December 19, 2025

Dallas’ Longhorn Ballroom marks 75 years

Politicians can raise a lot of money running for election. But what happens to it when the campaign trail ends? Elected officials in Texas have a loophole to help them spend the money they raise on campaigns after they retire. How many concert venues have made it 75 years? We’ll take a tour of Dallas’ […]

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December 18, 2025

Tejano music mourns two foundational figures

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says a Wisconsin-based electronic health records company has a monopoly over the industry. We’ll have more on the AG’s fight against Epic.Remembering a couple of major figures in the Tejano music world who we lost this past weekend: Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla.Plus, counties are getting new equipment to warn […]

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