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July 17, 2023

Workers rally to fight state bill ending water breaks

By: David Brown

As Texans brace for another week of extreme heat, there’s pushback against a new state law that nullifies local rules requiring mandatory water breaks for outdoor workers.

Austin has ended its policing partnership with the Department of Public Safety – but Gov. Greg Abbott is sending more troopers to the capital city.

Some legal experts say the Supreme Court’s student debt decision may have scrambled the issue of standing, or whether a plaintiff has enough interest in a particular matter to stand before the court to request legal intervention. UT Law professor Stephen Vladeck explains.

And a new documentary on Jesse Treviño honors the late San Antonio artist, long considered one of the city’s finest.


Episodes

April 9, 2026

Lawsuit challenges Texas crackdown on hemp-derived products

High stakes in Texas as cannabis businesses file suit over a new statewide ban on smokable hemp.This year’s midterm elections signal the biggest turnover in recent memory and Texas is part of that trend. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey on what’s behind this changing of the guard.Despite a tenuous ceasefire with Iran, tech expert Omar […]

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April 8, 2026

‘Western Star’ explores Larry McMurtry’s legacy and Texas storytelling

A proposed overhaul of Texas classrooms could change what millions of students read. We’ll look at how this could impact classrooms across the state.An investigation into Congressman Tony Gonzales uncovers a pattern of pursuing staff members. What we know and how the congressman is responding.Billions of dollars in clean energy investment across Texas is now […]

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April 7, 2026

South Texas water crisis raises concerns about aquifer use

A deepening water crisis in Corpus Christi is raising questions about how South Texans get their water — and who gets it.For students pursuing job training instead of a traditional college degree, there are some long-awaited changes to financial aid. Now, new support could open doors for workforce programs.A reckoning over the legacy of Cesar […]

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April 6, 2026

What Trump’s election executive order could mean for voting

A runoff in the Houston area between challenger Christian Menefee and longtime incumbent Al Green is being seen as part of a much bigger fight for the future of Texas Democrats.Also, an executive order from the Trump administration may put the postal service in the middle of election-year politics.Also — explosions on the other side […]

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April 4, 2026

Texas Extra: City manager remains optimistic in the face of Corpus Christi’s water crisis

David Brown speaks with Corpus Christi city manager Peter Zanoni about how the city plans to beef up its water supplies, the state’s role and why no water emergency has been declared.

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April 3, 2026

Corpus Christi official says the city will never run out of water

Despite warnings of a water crisis, Corpus Christi’s top official overseeing water says “we will never run out.” Gov. Greg Abbott has warned of a state takeover if the city can’t deal with a water crisis. The city manager tells Texas Standard why he’s so reluctant to declare a water emergency. The maker of a […]

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April 2, 2026

What the Artemis II liftoff means for the future of space exploration

Control of Artemis II has been handed over to Houston: we’ll hear about the launch and what appears to be a big boost in interest in the space program. But it’s getting a little tight up there above the air: concerns about orbital traffic jams after a second Starlink satellite breaks apart. Texas prisons without […]

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April 1, 2026

Artemis II mission builds on lunar exploration legacy

What does it mean to born in the U.S.? It’s a question the Supreme Court is considering today. We’ll dig into what’s at stake.Guilty verdicts in the North Texas ICE shooting case meant a victory for the Trump administration in its fight against “antifa,” but how do we even define that movement?We’re heading back to […]

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