Texas Standard

August 5, 2025

A century of redistricting fights in Texas

The high-stakes battle over redistricting continues. Why Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins took the risk and left the state.Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to remove Democratic lawmakers from their seats for leaving during a special session, but can he legally do that?The history of partisan gerrymandering in the Lone Star State.Why Texas has become a professional […]

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August 4, 2025

Texas Democrats flee state, break quorum over redistricting

More than 50 Democratic lawmakers have left the state so the Texas House would not have a quorum, trying to derail a redistricting plan that could add five more congressional seats for Republicans in the midterms. Harvest season is arriving in South Texas, but many cotton farmers are still reeling from drought, inflation, and weakened […]

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August 1, 2025

Kerr County emergency officials were sleeping when flood hit July 4

Why weren’t Hill Country communities alerted as a deadly wall of water roared down the Guadalupe on the weekend of July 4th? In their first public testimony on the floods, top emergency officials in Kerr County said they were away or asleep. Voting the old-fashioned way? A return to hand-marked ballots in Collin County is […]

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July 31, 2025

Food banks struggle to meet rising demand

What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details. Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs. Even without a […]

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July 30, 2025

Why ‘Don’t California My Texas’ isn’t the whole story

Are Democratic lawmakers on the verge of a walkout to stop Republicans from redistricting during the special session? We’ll have the latest. We’re also tracking possible federal funding cuts to legal aid organizations that could leave thousands of Texans who can’t afford a lawyer without the help they need. Going beyond armed security guards, some […]

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July 29, 2025

Houston archaeologists uncover tomb of ancient Maya ruler

The Trump administration releases billions of dollars in education grants it previously withheld. What it means as students head back to school. How the U.S. military is responding to a new kind of warfare that uses small, inexpensive drones. The story of a Cuban man who raised a family in Texas and spent years working […]

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July 28, 2025

Black farmers in East Texas feel the sting of DEI cuts

A peek into the week ahead for the Texas Legislature’s special session: We’ll hear the latest on a much-talked-about possible walkout by Democrats. A plan to relieve congestion in Austin was approved by voters years ago – but so far, there’s not much to show for it. Is Project Connect off the rails? The rollback […]

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July 25, 2025

Ben Kweller on grief, music and ‘Cover the Mirrors’

As Texas lawmakers move to consider regulations on THC products, what’s legal, and what’s not? KUT News reporter Nathan Bernier joins us to break it down. As many see the future of energy as cleaner renewables, why many in the city of Port Arthur are pinning their hopes for a comeback – on oil. At […]

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