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Teachers and students in the Round

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Rock School District say they're

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seeing benefits from a statewide ban

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on cell phones in public school

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classrooms.

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That ban went into effect at the

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beginning of this school year and

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some students say they feel more

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engaged inside the classroom and

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outside of it too.

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We'll have more from Williamson

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County.

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In Texas, prisons without air

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conditioning routinely reach 90

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degrees in the summer heat with some

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even topping the triple digit

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mark. Such temperatures would

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routinely violate state standards

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for other types of lockups like

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county jails.

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We've got more data and more about

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that story on today's

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show.

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The Austin Signal is a production

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of KUT News, hosted by

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Jerry Quijano.

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Plus, this week in Texas Music

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History, Willie Nelson finishes up

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a pair of classic albums.

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Come find out which ones.

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That's coming up next on Austin

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Signal.

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Howdy, and thank you for

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tuning in today.

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This is Austin Signal.

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It's Thursday, February 5th.

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I'm your host, Jerry Quijano.

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Thank you for making us part

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of your day. We've got a lot to get

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into today, so let's jump on

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in.

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This past legislative session, Texas

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banned cell phone use in public

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schools. And since the beginning of

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this school year, district and

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teachers have worked out how to take

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the law into account and over the

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past several months have started

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seeing some results.

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At Round Rock ISD, students and

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teachers say they have benefited

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from it mostly.

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For more, we are talking with Kailey

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Hunt. She is KUT's Williamson

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County reporter and she's joining us

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live right now on Austin Signal.

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Kailey, thanks for coming in today.

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Thanks, Jerry.

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So let's first off, before we talk

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about the results, let's talk

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about how we got there.

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Remind us about this law and

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how have educators at Round Rock ISD

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been implementing it?

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Yeah. So this law is commonly

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referred to as the cell phone

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ban.

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It's name is House Bill 1481,

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and it went into effect in

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September.

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And basically what it does is

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requires school districts to

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prohibit students from using cell

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phones or other personal

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wireless communication devices.

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Play any kind of iPads, things like

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that, I'm guessing, okay.

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And so in Round Rock ISD,

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what that means is that, you know,

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phones or any of these other

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electronic devices must be

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stored out of sight during school

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hours.

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Okay, that seems pretty basic.

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So students have sort of been

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working hand-in-hand, I guess, maybe

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with some school leaders to discuss

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how things are going so far.

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How are these relationships,

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how are they playing out?

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Yeah. So, you know, one of the

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first things I did when I was

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reporting this story is, you know, I

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wanted to see how

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the students were actually feeling

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and the teachers and the folks in

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the classroom.

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And it turned out that Round Rock

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was actually holding a meeting

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itself where students would get on

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a Zoom.

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And this happened in December.

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Students got on a zoom and they met

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with district leaders and basically

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got a chance to tell them how they

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were feeling about this cell phone

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ban and

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Yeah, like you said in the intro,

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you know students maybe

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Right over the moon, right?

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They're not jumping right a bit to

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do this

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But they overall acknowledged

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that they felt more

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socially engaged, both inside

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and outside the classroom.

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Okay, well that certainly sounds

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like a positive. What about the

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teachers? How are they feeling?

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Yeah, I'm just gonna quote here

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a Spanish teacher that I talked to

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from Round Rock High School.

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She says it's been, quote, a delight

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from a teacher perspective,

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which I'm sure.

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And, you know, what I thought was

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interesting with this teacher,

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Jerry, is, you know she's been at

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the school for 11 years, a long-time

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teacher.

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And she told me that over

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the years, you know, she had

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been kind of flip-flopping on her

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cell phone policy in the classroom,

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figuring out the best way.

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To manage it as more and more

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students brought them to school,

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and no matter what,

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she said she always just had a fight

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with those cell phones, couldn't

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capture students' attention.

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And she said with this ban in place,

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being able to say, hey, this is a

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state law, it's actually became

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pretty easy for her to

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enforce it.

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Yeah, kind of like a tool in her bag

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right now she could actually use

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that and it's really

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hard It's understandable right that

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frustration with cell phones or

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all these personal devices are a

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huge part of all of our lives now

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So what else did you hear from some

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of the students or the teachers or

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anybody else who was working

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themselves through this process?

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Yeah, you know, well, and

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I want to acknowledge, you know,

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that the students did bring up some

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concerns.

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Um, most of those concerns were, uh,

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revolved around like school safety,

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right? Um, especially students

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who were in portables.

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They noted that they wanted to have

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the ability to communicate with

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their parents or loved ones, uh in

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the event that there'd be a serious

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emergency situation.

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Um, but yeah, overall,

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they- The students said that they

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were interacting more.

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They were making friends with

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people. They said that, they

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wouldn't normally be friends

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with, you know, playing cards

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at lunch. They're not staring

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at their phones as they're eating

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their lunch.

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Okay. Yeah.

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All right. Well, that sounds pretty

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good. I might have to take some of

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these things into account on my own

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life. Maybe I'll have to start

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talking to my coworkers in the

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kitchens, and normally I'm just

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looking straight at my phone.

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This has been enlightening at the

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least, and hopefully they'll

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continue to figure out this process

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up in Round Rock and everywhere else

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across Texas.

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For the Round Rock angle, we have

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been speaking with Kailey Hunt.

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She is KUT's Williamson County

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reporter, and we're going to have a

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link to her supporting in the

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podcast show notes and at kut.org

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slash signal.

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Kailey, thank you very much.

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Thanks, Sheri.

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In East Austin, Elon Musk's

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Tesla stands to lose millions in tax

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rebates if it doesn't meet Travis

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County requirements.

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That deal is under review to make

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sure Tesla is holding up its end

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of the agreement.

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We're going to have a link to that

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story in our show notes.

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But another Musk business is looking

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for the same deal, except this time

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with state funds.

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SpaceX, that's in the Rio Grande

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Valley, is one of the poorest

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regions in Texas.

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And SpaceX is applying for

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a state tax refund program.

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But as the Texas Tribune's

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Berenice Garcia reports, critics

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are questioning whether the

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potential tax incentives are

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an efficient use of state tax

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dollars.

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SpaceX has applied for the Texas

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Enterprise Zone program and could

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receive up to $7.5 million in

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state sales tax refunds through it.

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The program is designed to encourage

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investment and job creation in

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low-income areas.

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Two South Texas SpaceX projects,

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a rocket production facility and a

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launch pad expansion project, are

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all together expected to create more

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than 1,000 new jobs.

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But advocates argue the company's

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goals of launching more rockets from

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Starbase means that SpaceX probably

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would have created these jobs

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anyway, without the tax incentives.

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And while some argue this tax refund

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program encourages investment,

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critics say the program isn't

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working as intended.

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I'm Bernice Garcia in McAllen.

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Most Texas prisons do not

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have air conditioning, and the

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temperatures inside these prisons on

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a scorching hot day can get

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dangerously high.

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Investigative reporter Lauren

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McGaughy, who's been covering this

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for years, teamed up with Media

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Innovation Group fellows at UT

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Austin to look at new temperature

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data from these prisons.

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That group of fellows is headed by

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Christian McDonald, an associate

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professor of journalism.

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McGahey and McDonald spoke with

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Texas Standard's David Brown about

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their work together.

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Christian, what about data and

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prison temperatures?

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What sort of data is out there,

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and how did your team go about

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analyzing it?

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There are a couple of different.

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Things that we looked at, but this

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first one, this main one, was a

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listing of those indoor temperatures

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that are taken in each un-air

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conditioned prison.

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They're taken at 3 p.m.

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And they're taken during the

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summertime from April 1st to

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the end of September.

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And so they provided

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those to us in a

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big, like a PDF of a spreadsheet and

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we had to suck the numbers out

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of the spreadsheet and

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in a way that we could count them.

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So that we could see how many

287
00:08:28,850 --> 00:08:31,149
days were at different temperatures

288
00:08:31,150 --> 00:08:32,769
in different prisons.

289
00:08:32,770 --> 00:08:34,589
And what did you find?

290
00:08:34,590 --> 00:08:36,109
There were a lot of days with a lot

291
00:08:36,110 --> 00:08:38,048
of hot days within that time

292
00:08:38,049 --> 00:08:38,928
period.

293
00:08:38,929 --> 00:08:40,869
We looked at how many times it

294
00:08:40,870 --> 00:08:42,849
was above 85 degrees inside a

295
00:08:42,850 --> 00:08:44,809
prison, and at some

296
00:08:44,810 --> 00:08:46,449
point over that four-year period,

297
00:08:46,450 --> 00:08:48,349
almost every prison got over 85 at

298
00:08:48,350 --> 00:08:49,289
least once.

299
00:08:49,290 --> 00:08:51,209
That doesn't seem very hot, but as

300
00:08:51,210 --> 00:08:53,229
you mentioned, it's that

301
00:08:53,230 --> 00:08:55,859
standard for local lockups.

302
00:08:55,860 --> 00:08:57,699
And so we wanted to look at

303
00:08:57,700 --> 00:08:59,099
that first, but we also looked at

304
00:08:59,100 --> 00:09:00,439
how many times it was over 90

305
00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:02,139
degrees and how many time it was 100

306
00:09:02,140 --> 00:09:02,949
degrees.

307
00:09:02,950 --> 00:09:04,489
And that was consistent.

308
00:09:04,490 --> 00:09:05,429
We, you know, there were, it was

309
00:09:05,430 --> 00:09:07,349
consistently that hot across

310
00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:09,189
these on air conditioned prisons.

311
00:09:09,190 --> 00:09:10,409
And just as a reminder, you know, if

312
00:09:10,410 --> 00:09:12,289
you sit in your car on a summer

313
00:09:12,290 --> 00:09:14,489
day with the windows up, try,

314
00:09:14,490 --> 00:09:16,409
try to withstand 90 degrees

315
00:09:16,410 --> 00:09:18,329
inside of hot car for five minutes,

316
00:09:18,330 --> 00:09:20,209
you know, uh, people living in these

317
00:09:20,210 --> 00:09:21,489
conditions being incarcerated in

318
00:09:21,490 --> 00:09:23,269
these conditions, they don't have

319
00:09:23,270 --> 00:09:25,069
the free ability to just walk

320
00:09:25,070 --> 00:09:26,869
outside and get a breath of fresh

321
00:09:26,870 --> 00:09:28,569
air. You know, they're in a dorm,

322
00:09:28,570 --> 00:09:29,819
they are in a cell.

323
00:09:29,820 --> 00:09:31,679
They don't have ready access to

324
00:09:31,680 --> 00:09:33,799
water all the time or showers all

325
00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:34,739
the times.

326
00:09:34,740 --> 00:09:37,279
And so we really wanted to gage how

327
00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:39,139
many days in a row that they

328
00:09:39,140 --> 00:09:41,319
were sitting in cells or dorms

329
00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:42,719
in those temperatures.

330
00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,319
Lauren, I know that you and I have

331
00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:45,779
talked about this in the past since

332
00:09:45,780 --> 00:09:46,759
you have, as you were saying

333
00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,199
earlier, done a lot of reporting on

334
00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:49,079
this subject.

335
00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:50,959
But for the benefit of many

336
00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,199
of our listeners who may not

337
00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,239
understand this, why is it that

338
00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:55,979
in a state that gets as hot as Texas

339
00:09:55,980 --> 00:09:58,719
does, there are prisons without

340
00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:00,219
air conditioning?

341
00:10:00,220 --> 00:10:01,479
Yeah, you know, this is actually a

342
00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:02,939
national problem.

343
00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:05,299
So Texas isn't an outlier.

344
00:10:05,300 --> 00:10:07,179
Most prison systems across the

345
00:10:07,180 --> 00:10:09,099
country also do not have full

346
00:10:09,100 --> 00:10:10,579
air conditioning across all of their

347
00:10:10,580 --> 00:10:12,159
prisons. The difference, as you

348
00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,259
said, is here in Texas

349
00:10:14,260 --> 00:10:16,179
and also in the Southwest

350
00:10:16,180 --> 00:10:18,199
and in the South, it gets much

351
00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,139
hotter than it gets in other places.

352
00:10:20,140 --> 00:10:22,359
The reason why they don't have AC

353
00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,299
is that we've chosen not to

354
00:10:24,300 --> 00:10:25,199
install them with ACs.

355
00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:27,099
Some of these prisons are very old.

356
00:10:27,100 --> 00:10:29,199
The oldest prison in Texas dates to

357
00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:30,959
before the Civil War.

358
00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,859
But the prisons that we built in

359
00:10:32,860 --> 00:10:34,679
the 90s when we built dozens of

360
00:10:34,680 --> 00:10:36,499
prisons, they chose to build

361
00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:37,799
them without air conditioning.

362
00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,379
There were actual legislative

363
00:10:39,380 --> 00:10:41,659
discussions and hearings over that.

364
00:10:41,660 --> 00:10:44,279
And the decision was, well, let's

365
00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:45,639
save some cash.

366
00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:46,699
This isn't something we're gonna

367
00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:47,859
prioritize.

368
00:10:47,860 --> 00:10:49,359
The voters haven't asked us to do

369
00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:51,289
it, and so we're not gonna do it.

370
00:10:51,290 --> 00:10:53,429
And now the state is being sued over

371
00:10:53,430 --> 00:10:55,029
whether those conditions are

372
00:10:55,030 --> 00:10:57,109
actually violating the

373
00:10:57,110 --> 00:10:58,089
constitutional rights of

374
00:10:58,090 --> 00:11:00,229
incarcerated people because the

375
00:11:00,230 --> 00:11:01,669
allegation is that it's cruel and

376
00:11:01,670 --> 00:11:03,869
unusual punishment to live in

377
00:11:03,870 --> 00:11:04,749
that heat.

378
00:11:04,750 --> 00:11:06,609
I want to loop back to that a

379
00:11:06,610 --> 00:11:08,589
little bit further, but Christian,

380
00:11:08,590 --> 00:11:10,709
can you tell us about a couple of

381
00:11:10,710 --> 00:11:12,009
prison facilities where the data

382
00:11:12,010 --> 00:11:14,209
shows that excessive heat has been

383
00:11:14,210 --> 00:11:15,969
a demonstrable problem?

384
00:11:15,970 --> 00:11:17,709
There are several.

385
00:11:17,710 --> 00:11:19,689
Garza West is one of those units

386
00:11:19,690 --> 00:11:21,569
that had a lot of

387
00:11:21,570 --> 00:11:23,669
days that got really, really hot,

388
00:11:23,670 --> 00:11:25,109
especially during the summer of

389
00:11:25,110 --> 00:11:27,089
2023, where

390
00:11:27,090 --> 00:11:29,069
we had a heat wave

391
00:11:29,070 --> 00:11:30,329
throughout.

392
00:11:30,330 --> 00:11:32,249
And in that case,

393
00:11:32,250 --> 00:11:33,949
there were only 11 days where it did

394
00:11:33,950 --> 00:11:35,789
not reach 85 degrees

395
00:11:35,790 --> 00:11:38,169
during the summer of

396
00:11:38,170 --> 00:11:40,349
2025. So that's just last year.

397
00:11:40,350 --> 00:11:42,189
In 2023, it

398
00:11:42,190 --> 00:11:44,129
reached 95 degrees or above

399
00:11:44,130 --> 00:11:45,999
108 times.

400
00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,139
So that's nearly 60%

401
00:11:48,140 --> 00:11:50,459
of the days that we recorded

402
00:11:50,460 --> 00:11:52,979
during April to September.

403
00:11:52,980 --> 00:11:55,379
And it reached 100 degrees

404
00:11:55,380 --> 00:11:57,459
indoor 46 times

405
00:11:57,460 --> 00:11:58,460
in 2023.

406
00:11:59,770 --> 00:12:02,369
Lauren, in your story,

407
00:12:02,370 --> 00:12:03,869
you compare the heat in some of

408
00:12:03,870 --> 00:12:05,789
these state prisons

409
00:12:05,790 --> 00:12:07,889
with standards that

410
00:12:07,890 --> 00:12:10,249
are set for county jails,

411
00:12:10,250 --> 00:12:11,349
even animal shelters.

412
00:12:11,350 --> 00:12:12,209
Right.

413
00:12:12,210 --> 00:12:14,049
Okay. So what are those standards

414
00:12:14,050 --> 00:12:15,909
and why do, if I

415
00:12:15,910 --> 00:12:17,569
understand this correctly, no

416
00:12:17,570 --> 00:12:19,609
standards exist in

417
00:12:19,610 --> 00:12:20,689
prisons?

418
00:12:20,690 --> 00:12:22,889
Right. So county jails, many

419
00:12:22,890 --> 00:12:25,089
of those facilities are newer and

420
00:12:25,090 --> 00:12:27,269
there have been standards existing

421
00:12:27,270 --> 00:12:29,029
on the state administrative law

422
00:12:29,030 --> 00:12:30,829
books that say they have to keep the

423
00:12:30,830 --> 00:12:32,729
indoor temperatures between 65 and

424
00:12:32,730 --> 00:12:34,049
85 degrees.

425
00:12:34,050 --> 00:12:35,889
You know, county lockups, you

426
00:12:35,890 --> 00:12:37,709
know, just for people who may not be

427
00:12:37,710 --> 00:12:38,849
familiar with the criminal justice

428
00:12:38,850 --> 00:12:39,649
system.

429
00:12:39,650 --> 00:12:41,409
County jails often where you go, you

430
00:12:41,410 --> 00:12:43,169
know pre-trial before you're

431
00:12:43,170 --> 00:12:44,369
convicted of something, right?

432
00:12:44,370 --> 00:12:46,409
You get thrown in a drunk tank,

433
00:12:46,410 --> 00:12:48,249
you get pulled over for a DUI,

434
00:12:48,250 --> 00:12:50,089
you're sitting waiting for trial.

435
00:12:50,090 --> 00:12:51,689
That's county lockup.

436
00:12:51,690 --> 00:12:53,569
Prison is post-conviction.

437
00:12:53,570 --> 00:12:55,169
You've been convicted of a crime.

438
00:12:55,170 --> 00:12:57,149
So there's no direct one-to-one

439
00:12:57,150 --> 00:12:59,049
that they wanted the conditions to

440
00:12:59,050 --> 00:13:01,029
be poorer in state

441
00:13:01,030 --> 00:13:02,749
prisons, but there are better

442
00:13:02,750 --> 00:13:04,289
conditions in terms of temperature

443
00:13:04,290 --> 00:13:06,649
rules just on that face of it in

444
00:13:06,650 --> 00:13:08,609
county lockups where people still

445
00:13:08,610 --> 00:13:10,869
have that presumption of innocence,

446
00:13:10,870 --> 00:13:11,709
right? Many people have that

447
00:13:11,710 --> 00:13:12,849
presumptions of innocence.

448
00:13:12,850 --> 00:13:14,349
And then for animal shelters,

449
00:13:14,350 --> 00:13:17,169
there's also temperature rules.

450
00:13:17,170 --> 00:13:18,469
They're not as strict.

451
00:13:18,470 --> 00:13:20,369
They keep that 85 degree

452
00:13:20,370 --> 00:13:22,589
ceiling as well as best practices

453
00:13:22,590 --> 00:13:24,769
as it should not get above 85

454
00:13:24,770 --> 00:13:26,949
for dogs and cats and the like,

455
00:13:26,950 --> 00:13:28,789
but if it does, then they have to

456
00:13:28,790 --> 00:13:30,689
trigger all of these special

457
00:13:30,690 --> 00:13:32,669
fans and extra water

458
00:13:32,670 --> 00:13:33,849
and all that kind of thing.

459
00:13:33,850 --> 00:13:35,589
Interestingly enough, those same

460
00:13:35,590 --> 00:13:37,629
conditions, standards,

461
00:13:37,630 --> 00:13:39,389
exist internally for prisons.

462
00:13:39,390 --> 00:13:41,109
If it gets too hot, people

463
00:13:41,110 --> 00:13:42,469
incarcerated inside these Texas

464
00:13:42,470 --> 00:13:44,569
prisons should get extra water,

465
00:13:44,570 --> 00:13:46,449
access to fans, but what we hear

466
00:13:46,450 --> 00:13:47,749
from the people on the inside as

467
00:13:47,750 --> 00:13:49,769
that. The staffing problems are

468
00:13:49,770 --> 00:13:51,249
so bad that they don't have enough

469
00:13:51,250 --> 00:13:53,089
staff to actually provide those heat

470
00:13:53,090 --> 00:13:54,889
mitigation steps.

471
00:13:54,890 --> 00:13:56,489
And so that's all part of this

472
00:13:56,490 --> 00:13:58,629
lawsuit that I mentioned where

473
00:13:58,630 --> 00:14:00,349
incarcerated people and advocacy

474
00:14:00,350 --> 00:14:02,469
groups are litigating saying,

475
00:14:02,470 --> 00:14:04,449
we have lived too long with

476
00:14:04,450 --> 00:14:06,089
these disparate standards between

477
00:14:06,090 --> 00:14:07,149
lockups.

478
00:14:07,150 --> 00:14:09,069
The state needs to actually put

479
00:14:09,070 --> 00:14:11,129
into state law right into

480
00:14:11,130 --> 00:14:12,989
our laws that there

481
00:14:12,990 --> 00:14:15,009
needs to be a 65 to 85

482
00:14:15,010 --> 00:14:15,809
degree.

483
00:14:15,810 --> 00:14:17,789
Standard and we need to invest

484
00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:19,749
the money for this air-conditioning

485
00:14:19,750 --> 00:14:21,689
the prison system admits that it's

486
00:14:21,690 --> 00:14:23,069
hot They say of course we know it

487
00:14:23,070 --> 00:14:24,949
gets hot inside but they say

488
00:14:24,950 --> 00:14:27,029
we need time and cash from

489
00:14:27,030 --> 00:14:28,509
the state legislature to actually

490
00:14:28,510 --> 00:14:30,409
make this happen and The

491
00:14:30,410 --> 00:14:31,889
advocates believe that without a

492
00:14:31,890 --> 00:14:33,389
court order to do that that they

493
00:14:33,390 --> 00:14:34,659
can't get it done

494
00:14:34,660 --> 00:14:37,139
Is there any political pushback

495
00:14:37,140 --> 00:14:38,959
against, like say for

496
00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:40,839
instance, setting a state

497
00:14:40,840 --> 00:14:42,819
prison standard the way that

498
00:14:42,820 --> 00:14:44,779
these standards are set for jails

499
00:14:44,780 --> 00:14:46,159
and even animal shelters?

500
00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,099
I mean, if you can require

501
00:14:48,100 --> 00:14:50,219
county jails to do this,

502
00:14:50,220 --> 00:14:51,679
require animal shelters to meet

503
00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,519
those standards, what is the

504
00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,639
rationale for not having one for

505
00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:56,649
prison?

506
00:14:56,650 --> 00:14:57,969
You know, I haven't seen a lot of

507
00:14:57,970 --> 00:14:59,909
people saying, let them live

508
00:14:59,910 --> 00:15:01,869
that way, but

509
00:15:01,870 --> 00:15:03,729
the pushback is usually that

510
00:15:03,730 --> 00:15:06,369
the cost is going to be very high.

511
00:15:06,370 --> 00:15:08,209
That these are old buildings,

512
00:15:08,210 --> 00:15:10,169
the state runs more than a hundred

513
00:15:10,170 --> 00:15:12,329
prison units and

514
00:15:12,330 --> 00:15:14,149
60 plus percent of

515
00:15:14,150 --> 00:15:15,849
them don't have full AC.

516
00:15:15,850 --> 00:15:17,749
So this is a massive, massive

517
00:15:17,750 --> 00:15:19,709
project that we would have

518
00:15:19,710 --> 00:15:21,629
to invest a lot of taxpayer money

519
00:15:21,630 --> 00:15:23,249
into to actually fix.

520
00:15:23,250 --> 00:15:25,149
So, a lot of the pushback is on

521
00:15:25,150 --> 00:15:26,489
the complexity.

522
00:15:26,490 --> 00:15:28,449
And the cost rather than

523
00:15:28,450 --> 00:15:29,829
the issue itself.

524
00:15:29,830 --> 00:15:31,649
Has the State Department of

525
00:15:31,650 --> 00:15:33,649
Criminal Justice responded to

526
00:15:33,650 --> 00:15:35,629
your findings at all or no?

527
00:15:35,630 --> 00:15:37,489
They didn't weigh in on the

528
00:15:37,490 --> 00:15:39,729
data analysis itself.

529
00:15:39,730 --> 00:15:41,189
They have said that they believe

530
00:15:41,190 --> 00:15:42,889
that the heat mitigation protocols

531
00:15:42,890 --> 00:15:44,749
that they have in place, which

532
00:15:44,750 --> 00:15:46,749
like I said include the extra water,

533
00:15:46,750 --> 00:15:48,769
fans, et cetera, are enough

534
00:15:48,770 --> 00:15:50,809
to keep people safe during

535
00:15:50,810 --> 00:15:51,929
these heat waves.

536
00:15:51,930 --> 00:15:54,089
And they disagree that the

537
00:15:54,090 --> 00:15:55,909
conditions inside amount to

538
00:15:55,910 --> 00:15:57,150
cruel and unusual punishment.

539
00:15:58,430 --> 00:15:59,789
That's the argument.

540
00:15:59,790 --> 00:16:01,869
That's a decision that is now before

541
00:16:01,870 --> 00:16:03,269
a federal judge and he will

542
00:16:03,270 --> 00:16:04,559
ultimately.

543
00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,399
Make that decision when we go back

544
00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,009
to court next month.

545
00:16:08,010 --> 00:16:08,979
Christian, what did you want to-

546
00:16:08,980 --> 00:16:10,899
get involved in this?

547
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:12,479
A lot of it is a learning

548
00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:14,679
opportunity for my students who

549
00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:16,639
can use these data journalism skills

550
00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,419
to find and tell stories,

551
00:16:19,420 --> 00:16:21,579
and the kind of

552
00:16:21,580 --> 00:16:23,419
problems that Lauren brought to us

553
00:16:23,420 --> 00:16:25,179
to be able to tell a story that we

554
00:16:25,180 --> 00:16:27,199
wouldn't otherwise be able tell.

555
00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:29,159
It's one thing to go, oh, look at

556
00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:30,659
one prison and figure out what it

557
00:16:30,660 --> 00:16:32,819
was across a particular

558
00:16:32,820 --> 00:16:34,739
day, but to look across all

559
00:16:34,740 --> 00:16:36,619
of them against all these

560
00:16:36,620 --> 00:16:38,039
months and all years.

561
00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:39,859
It takes a little bit more

562
00:16:39,860 --> 00:16:42,039
effort and a little different style

563
00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,059
of looking at it, and it gives my

564
00:16:44,060 --> 00:16:45,559
students an opportunity to go

565
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:46,560
through this work.

566
00:16:47,860 --> 00:16:49,319
That was investigative reporter

567
00:16:49,320 --> 00:16:50,879
Lauren McGahey and Christian

568
00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:52,659
McDonald, associate professor of

569
00:16:52,660 --> 00:16:54,759
journalism at UT Austin,

570
00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:56,519
talking with Texas Standard's David

571
00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:57,339
Brown.

572
00:16:57,340 --> 00:16:58,819
Austin Signal will be back after a

573
00:16:58,820 --> 00:16:59,820
break.

574
00:17:00,580 --> 00:17:02,339
This is Austin Signal, welcome back

575
00:17:02,340 --> 00:17:03,919
to the show.

576
00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:05,699
The city of Austin is overflowing

577
00:17:05,700 --> 00:17:07,818
with music history,

578
00:17:07,819 --> 00:17:09,419
and then of course you have one

579
00:17:09,420 --> 00:17:11,499
Willie Nelson, Jason Mellard

580
00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:13,078
from the Center for Texas Music

581
00:17:13,079 --> 00:17:15,179
History at Texas State University.

582
00:17:15,180 --> 00:17:16,999
Tells us about a pair of classic

583
00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:18,858
albums from the redheaded

584
00:17:18,859 --> 00:17:19,859
stranger.

585
00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,899
This weekend in Texas music history,

586
00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:28,539
Willie Nelson completes two albums

587
00:17:28,540 --> 00:17:30,879
in one week with Atlantic Records.

588
00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,999
In April 1972 Willie Nelson departed

589
00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,679
Nashville for Austin, returning to

590
00:17:34,680 --> 00:17:36,599
the Texas scene that nurtured him.

591
00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:38,199
That same year he left his contract

592
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:39,799
with RCA after meeting Atlanta

593
00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:41,539
Records mogul Jerry Wexler at a

594
00:17:41,540 --> 00:17:42,459
house party.

595
00:17:42,460 --> 00:17:43,619
Wexlar, known for his groundbreaking

596
00:17:43,620 --> 00:17:44,859
work with Ray Charles and Aretha

597
00:17:44,860 --> 00:17:46,559
Franklin, was branching out into the

598
00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:47,919
sort of progressive country being

599
00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,699
forged in Austin at the time.

600
00:17:49,700 --> 00:17:51,019
He already had a relationship with

601
00:17:51,020 --> 00:17:52,539
Doug Somm and is reaching out to

602
00:17:52,540 --> 00:17:54,019
Texans freedom fired up.

603
00:17:54,020 --> 00:17:55,459
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Sleep at the

604
00:17:55,460 --> 00:17:57,059
Wheel, and Lou Ann Barton.

605
00:17:57,060 --> 00:17:58,599
Unlike the Nashville majors,

606
00:17:58,600 --> 00:17:59,819
Atlantic afforded Nelson the

607
00:17:59,820 --> 00:18:01,799
creative autonomy he desired.

608
00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,739
Wexler encouraged Nelson's rootsy

609
00:18:03,740 --> 00:18:05,539
sound and idiosyncrasies that graded

610
00:18:05,540 --> 00:18:07,319
against Nashville norms.

611
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,999
So, in early February 1973,

612
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:11,439
Willie Nelson and his family band,

613
00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:13,099
along with guests Doug Somm, Waylon

614
00:18:13,100 --> 00:18:14,639
Jennings, and Jesse Coulter,

615
00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:15,879
traveled to New York City to record

616
00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:17,799
not one, but two Nelson albums

617
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,799
in quick succession, Shotgun Willie

618
00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:20,800
and The Troublemaker.

619
00:18:26,810 --> 00:18:28,049
The first album recorded was The

620
00:18:28,050 --> 00:18:29,749
Troublemaker, a gospel compilation

621
00:18:29,750 --> 00:18:31,509
recorded in honky-tonk style over

622
00:18:31,510 --> 00:18:33,449
the span of just two days.

623
00:18:33,450 --> 00:18:35,469
Nelson used his band, alongside Doug

624
00:18:35,470 --> 00:18:36,989
Psalms, to add breadth to the

625
00:18:36,990 --> 00:18:38,109
album's sound.

626
00:18:38,110 --> 00:18:40,069
Unfortunately, Atlantic chose not to

627
00:18:40,070 --> 00:18:41,509
release it. The label wanted

628
00:18:41,510 --> 00:18:42,649
mischievous, counter-cultural

629
00:18:42,650 --> 00:18:44,029
country, but maybe not in the form

630
00:18:44,030 --> 00:18:45,649
of gospel that framed Jesus as the

631
00:18:45,650 --> 00:18:46,669
original outlaw.

632
00:18:46,670 --> 00:18:48,709
It only came out in 1976 after

633
00:18:48,710 --> 00:18:50,049
a redheaded stranger had launched

634
00:18:50,050 --> 00:18:51,130
Willie into superstardom.

635
00:18:52,610 --> 00:18:53,710
I'm loud today

636
00:18:58,340 --> 00:19:00,679
Whiskey river, take my

637
00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:00,799
money

638
00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:01,800
Bye!

639
00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,159
Don't let her memory

640
00:19:06,160 --> 00:19:07,669
torture me

641
00:19:07,670 --> 00:19:09,329
They recorded Shotgun Willie later

642
00:19:09,330 --> 00:19:10,449
that same week.

643
00:19:10,450 --> 00:19:11,869
A combination of originals and

644
00:19:11,870 --> 00:19:13,169
covers, including Willie's

645
00:19:13,170 --> 00:19:14,849
definitive version of Johnny Bush's

646
00:19:14,850 --> 00:19:16,549
Whiskey River, the album was a

647
00:19:16,550 --> 00:19:18,109
statement of Willie's new image.

648
00:19:18,110 --> 00:19:19,509
The raucous rebel and good timing

649
00:19:19,510 --> 00:19:21,309
Buddha, poignant song smith and

650
00:19:21,310 --> 00:19:22,789
reluctant leader, a breakthrough

651
00:19:22,790 --> 00:19:24,569
album in every sense of the word.

652
00:19:25,710 --> 00:19:27,929
I am drowning in

653
00:19:27,930 --> 00:19:29,589
a whiskey river

654
00:19:29,590 --> 00:19:30,869
You can hear music from the Lone

655
00:19:30,870 --> 00:19:32,729
Star State 24-7 on the

656
00:19:32,730 --> 00:19:37,529
Texas Music Experience at tmx.fm.

657
00:19:37,530 --> 00:19:38,929
I'm Jason Mellard from the Center

658
00:19:38,930 --> 00:19:40,569
for Texas Music History at Texas

659
00:19:40,570 --> 00:19:41,529
State University.

660
00:19:41,530 --> 00:19:43,549
A number of currents flowing

661
00:19:43,550 --> 00:19:47,349
from my mind

662
00:19:47,350 --> 00:19:49,549
And leaving the

663
00:19:49,550 --> 00:19:51,609
heart you left so cold

664
00:19:53,380 --> 00:19:55,539
Super Bowl Sunday is drawing near

665
00:19:55,540 --> 00:19:57,359
and for the first time in

666
00:19:57,360 --> 00:19:59,419
a while, at least what I can recall,

667
00:19:59,420 --> 00:20:00,979
the anticipation for the halftime

668
00:20:00,980 --> 00:20:03,019
show is much higher than the actual

669
00:20:03,020 --> 00:20:04,599
game itself.

670
00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,079
Here to tell us more is Maile

671
00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:07,759
Carballo from our sister station

672
00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:08,579
KUTX.

673
00:20:08,580 --> 00:20:09,200
Howdy Maile, how are you?

674
00:20:09,201 --> 00:20:10,909
Well, hey, Jerry, I'm doing great.

675
00:20:10,910 --> 00:20:12,159
I'm excited for the show.

676
00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:13,979
I'm excited for the game, for

677
00:20:13,980 --> 00:20:15,979
the food, and particularly for the

678
00:20:15,980 --> 00:20:16,759
show.

679
00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:18,269
Who's gonna be performing on Sunday?

680
00:20:18,270 --> 00:20:20,349
Yeah, there's a star studded

681
00:20:20,350 --> 00:20:22,409
lineup. You know, normally at KU-TX,

682
00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:24,869
we're an alternative music station,

683
00:20:24,870 --> 00:20:26,649
but we still love our pop artists.

684
00:20:26,650 --> 00:20:28,569
And for one, I'm really excited

685
00:20:28,570 --> 00:20:29,709
for them.

686
00:20:29,710 --> 00:20:31,629
Green Day will be opening the

687
00:20:31,630 --> 00:20:32,579
ceremony.

688
00:20:32,580 --> 00:20:34,299
Okay, opening before the game even

689
00:20:34,300 --> 00:20:35,459
gets started, right?

690
00:20:35,460 --> 00:20:35,620
Yes, sir.

691
00:20:35,621 --> 00:20:36,619
Yes sir, yes sir.

692
00:20:36,620 --> 00:20:38,159
Charlie Puth will be singing the

693
00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:39,039
national anthem.

694
00:20:39,040 --> 00:20:41,159
Mr. Perfect Pitch, as people

695
00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:42,599
call him.

696
00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:44,639
Brandi Carlile, Coco Jones,

697
00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:46,179
they'll be performing as well.

698
00:20:46,180 --> 00:20:48,959
And of course, Mr. Bad Bunny,

699
00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:50,959
who is in the hot seat of pop

700
00:20:50,960 --> 00:20:52,079
culture right now, will be

701
00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,519
performing at the halftime show.

702
00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,359
For sure, definitely in

703
00:20:55,360 --> 00:20:57,279
the zeitgeist right now is Bad

704
00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,199
Bunny, because he has had

705
00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:00,799
kind of a crazy week and it's gonna

706
00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,579
culminate obviously on Sunday with

707
00:21:02,580 --> 00:21:04,259
the Super Bowl halftime performance,

708
00:21:04,260 --> 00:21:05,469
but how did it start?

709
00:21:05,470 --> 00:21:06,369
Absolutely.

710
00:21:06,370 --> 00:21:08,229
Yeah. So last week was the Grammys.

711
00:21:08,230 --> 00:21:10,609
He won three Grammies,

712
00:21:10,610 --> 00:21:12,349
including having the first Spanish

713
00:21:12,350 --> 00:21:14,389
language album ever to

714
00:21:14,390 --> 00:21:15,569
win album of the year.

715
00:21:15,570 --> 00:21:17,189
That's kind of like the coveted

716
00:21:17,190 --> 00:21:18,449
award at the Grammies.

717
00:21:18,450 --> 00:21:20,429
And now he's making history as

718
00:21:20,430 --> 00:21:22,989
the first ever solo Latin headliner

719
00:21:22,990 --> 00:21:24,779
at the Super Bowl, super exciting!

720
00:21:24,780 --> 00:21:26,839
And I know that that

721
00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:28,439
album has gotten a lot of play and

722
00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,559
lots of cars and lots of headphones

723
00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:31,679
and things like that.

724
00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,129
What did you enjoy about that album?

725
00:21:34,130 --> 00:21:36,129
It's just a great blend of

726
00:21:36,130 --> 00:21:38,269
so many different historical

727
00:21:38,270 --> 00:21:40,409
pieces and media and

728
00:21:40,410 --> 00:21:41,189
culture.

729
00:21:41,190 --> 00:21:43,209
Like there's a lot of layered in,

730
00:21:43,210 --> 00:21:45,109
you know, kind of quotes and

731
00:21:45,110 --> 00:21:46,909
different things in that album.

732
00:21:46,910 --> 00:21:49,029
And you just, you can't deny a

733
00:21:49,030 --> 00:21:51,269
beat like Bad Bunny brings too.

734
00:21:51,270 --> 00:21:52,209
It's true, yeah.

735
00:21:52,210 --> 00:21:53,609
Even if you've never heard the song

736
00:21:53,610 --> 00:21:55,149
that you're about to hear, it's

737
00:21:55,150 --> 00:21:56,989
going to be hard to ignore

738
00:21:56,990 --> 00:21:58,829
the rhythm and the

739
00:21:58,830 --> 00:22:00,849
groove that's hitting your body.

740
00:22:00,850 --> 00:22:02,789
I think a lot of times these

741
00:22:02,790 --> 00:22:04,849
Super Bowl performances are,

742
00:22:04,850 --> 00:22:07,409
or can be, career spanning.

743
00:22:07,410 --> 00:22:09,249
Last year with Kendrick Lamar, we

744
00:22:09,250 --> 00:22:10,389
saw that it was maybe a little bit

745
00:22:10,390 --> 00:22:12,329
more focused on his album that had

746
00:22:12,330 --> 00:22:13,569
just been released.

747
00:22:13,570 --> 00:22:14,789
What do you think Bad Bunny's going

748
00:22:14,790 --> 00:22:15,789
to do? Do you think he's going focus

749
00:22:15,790 --> 00:22:17,389
on these newer songs from his latest

750
00:22:17,390 --> 00:22:19,379
album, or maybe try to do Sort of

751
00:22:19,380 --> 00:22:20,799
a career retrospective, even though

752
00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,269
he's still early in his career.

753
00:22:22,270 --> 00:22:24,429
Yeah, I think he's gonna do

754
00:22:24,430 --> 00:22:26,349
a full spread, honestly.

755
00:22:26,350 --> 00:22:28,089
You know, his newer songs are really

756
00:22:28,090 --> 00:22:30,049
great and are super hot right

757
00:22:30,050 --> 00:22:31,989
now, but he's kind of at a point in

758
00:22:31,990 --> 00:22:33,369
his career where he's trying to take

759
00:22:33,370 --> 00:22:35,289
a stance too with all of his fame.

760
00:22:36,390 --> 00:22:38,209
You know at the Grammys he used his

761
00:22:38,210 --> 00:22:39,849
acceptance speech to kind of address

762
00:22:39,850 --> 00:22:41,909
the recent concerns with ICE

763
00:22:41,910 --> 00:22:43,789
and I surely believe

764
00:22:43,790 --> 00:22:45,829
that he is going to address more

765
00:22:45,830 --> 00:22:47,829
at the Super Bowl and really,

766
00:22:47,830 --> 00:22:49,539
really make a moment in history.

767
00:22:49,540 --> 00:22:51,739
Okay, Maile, so last question,

768
00:22:51,740 --> 00:22:53,779
do you think, you know, the game is

769
00:22:53,780 --> 00:22:55,159
between the Seahawks and the

770
00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:56,599
Patriots? Do you think that

771
00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:58,239
ultimately Monday morning Bad Bunny

772
00:22:58,240 --> 00:22:59,899
is going to be the big winner?

773
00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:00,679
Oh, yeah.

774
00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:01,839
Oh, yeah. This is going to be the

775
00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,919
most talked about 13 minutes for

776
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:05,219
the year so far.

777
00:23:05,220 --> 00:23:06,899
And probably for a long time to

778
00:23:06,900 --> 00:23:07,979
come. I'm excited.

779
00:23:07,980 --> 00:23:10,119
We will see what Bad

780
00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:12,279
Bunny brings to the field on

781
00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:13,739
Sunday. And we have been speaking

782
00:23:13,740 --> 00:23:14,719
with Maile Carballo.

783
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:17,979
She is from our sister station KUTX.

784
00:23:17,980 --> 00:23:19,179
Maile, always great to talk with you

785
00:23:19,180 --> 00:23:20,119
on Austin Signal.

786
00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:21,120
Thank you, Jerry.

787
00:23:22,020 --> 00:23:23,839
And that is it for today's

788
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,179
episode of the show.

789
00:23:25,180 --> 00:23:26,739
Thank you for tuning in.

790
00:23:26,740 --> 00:23:28,619
We are listener-powered public

791
00:23:28,620 --> 00:23:30,619
radio here at KUT

792
00:23:30,620 --> 00:23:31,399
News.

793
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:32,239
And we're going to have a link to

794
00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:33,359
the stories that we talked about

795
00:23:33,360 --> 00:23:35,399
today in our podcast show notes.

796
00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:37,399
And you can find more from us at

797
00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:40,099
KUT.org slash Signal.

798
00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:41,999
Thank you to Kailey Hunt, Bernice

799
00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:43,839
Garcia, Lauren McGaughy,

800
00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,419
Christian McDonald, the Media

801
00:23:45,420 --> 00:23:47,099
Innovation Group fellows, Jason

802
00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:48,919
Mellard and Maile Carballo for

803
00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:49,799
their help today.

804
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,079
Thank you always to Kristen Cabrera

805
00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:53,659
and Rayna Sevilla.

806
00:23:53,660 --> 00:23:55,419
I'm your host, Jerry Quijano.

807
00:23:55,420 --> 00:23:57,159
Austin Signal will be back with you

808
00:23:57,160 --> 00:23:58,260
tomorrow. Have a great day.