Austin Public Health has experienced some federal and city budget cuts this year, and the failure of Proposition Q means some of those holes won’t be filled. We look at the public health landscape in Austin. The old Faulk Central Library in downtown Austin became the Austin History Center, and has been redone after a renovation that was eight years in the making. What’s new in a place that showcases what’s old. Plus: We hear from the Black Austin Matters podcast and their guest, Pastor Gaylon Cl...
Dec 15, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 60
A new “bathroom bill” approved by Texas legislators has been in effect across the state for just over a week, requiring people to use public restrooms aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth . But there are still questions about how the law will be enforced, and here in Austin, a lot of it depends on which building you happen to be in. Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, the guiding hand behind the Voces Oral History Project, is stepping down after a quarter-century of documenting the stories o...
Dec 12, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 59
The light-rail transit line long promised to Austinites could soon clear a major hurdle – and that could give new momentum to a project that’s been dragged down through legal and political resistance. The latest on where the project is headed. Months after a Texas A&M professor was fired for discussing gender identity in a literature class, transgender college students in Texas are working out how to make their voices heard. Some are finding solace through expression in their community. Plus...
Dec 11, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 58
A former Austin Energy employee has been accused of defrauding the city utility of nearly $1 million over the course of six years by falsifying credit card payments to contractors and paying fake vendors that had addresses tied to him or his relatives. The YMCA in downtown Austin wants to expand and renovate , adding housing, restaurants and office space – but some nearby residents are concerned about how the project could affect the neighborhood. We’ll hear about the proposal and next steps. Th...
Dec 10, 2025•Season 2025Ep. 57
Austinites and many others across Texas insured through Blue Cross Blue Shield could lose in-network access to Ascension Seton facilities on Jan. 1 unless the two sides can agree on a new contract. Austin has been a testing ground for autonomous vehicles: Zoox, Texla’s Robotaxi, Waymo. However, Waymo has now issued a software recall after videos showed some vehicles passing stopped Austin ISD buses. Plus: 2025 is nearing its end, and what a year it’s been for the Austin music scene. We take a li...
Dec 09, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 56
Austin nonprofit LifeWorks has helped nearly three dozen young Austinites stay housed through a cash-assistance pilot program . We hear the story of one person who said the money helped her at a critical time. In Williamson County, folks are looking into where its cities get their water and how they could better work together. Plus: A look into holiday tunes and unwrapping our favorite present: tamales. Chef Rick Martinez brings us to the table at a holiday tamalada. If you host or or plan to at...
Dec 08, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 55
Across the city of Austin, medics are working and responding to emergency calls despite the budget challenges facing the city and Travis County . Voters in Austin resoundingly rejected a property tax increase that officials hoped could be used to supplement area first responders. Now, these departments are adjusting to a future with fewer resources. Plus, the Supreme Court is allowing Texas to use newly drawn congressional districts in next year’s midterm elections . The map was drawn to give Re...
Dec 05, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 54
We’re getting deeper into the holiday season and that brings flu season along with your yuletide festivities. Medical experts have said this flu season will be an active one . They’re reminding folks to get their flu shot before sickness ruins your holiday plans. Plus, the performance “Black Divas” is coming back to Austin this weekend. The piece focuses on Black maternal health issues . The show’s creator, Qi Dada, says she didn’t feel like there was any art to describe the struggle she was goi...
Dec 04, 2025•25 min•Season 2025Ep. 53
A college student flying to Austin was detained and deported by immigration authorities . She was trying to surprise her family for the Thanksgiving holiday. Now she’s having to finish her semester of college in a different country. Her lawyer says her deportation went against a federal court order. We’ll have more about the reason for her deportation and what the next steps in her story are. What do you imagine when you hear “dragon boat racing” ? Fire spewing out across Lady Bird Lake? Boats s...
Dec 03, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 52
The so-called “bathroom bill” aimed at restricting transgender Texans’ access to some restrooms goes into effect this week. Republicans in the Legislature have been trying to enact such a measure for more than a decade; opponents are worried its unclear guidance on enforcement could cause cause public harassment . There’s an upcoming benefit concert for Austin musician Rich Brotherton . We’ll hear from a few folks who know him well. Plus: It’s Giving Tuesday! Learn how you can get involved with ...
Dec 02, 2025•Season 2025Ep. 51
The Sobering Center in Austin has provided an alternative to jail or hospitalization since 2018. Now, it’s looking to help folks build a new journey beyond a one-night respite. After many delays, the HOPE Outdoor Gallery is finally back open . The new 6,000-foot space is working to maintain the try-anything vibe that made its original spot so very Austin. Plus: Businesses in downtown Austin are looking to attract more shoppers and more dollars to their stores this holiday season – and one way th...
Dec 01, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 50
The pits are lit, the speakers have been turned up to 11, and there’s a buzz across the Forty Acres. The Longhorn-Aggie Lone Star Showdown returns to Royal-Memorial Stadium today, and this season hasn’t gone as some Texas fans might’ve expected. Could a win over undefeated Texas A&M be enough to chalk the year up as a W? It’s been 15 years since the Longhorns and Aggies played in Austin. Is the rivalry between the state’s biggest schools still all it’s cracked up to be? A look at the tension...
Nov 28, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 49
Nearly five months after deadly July flooding, families in the Sandy Creek area of Travis County are still dealing with the cleanup and recovery of their properties and their lives. We’ll hear the story of one family that’s approaching a Thanksgiving that looks very different from years past. Plus: A roundup of UT sports ahead of Friday’s football showdown against the Aggies, and some Thanksgiving recommendations from the ATX TV Festival team . The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signa...
Nov 26, 2025•25 min•Season 2025Ep. 48
A future UT Austin academic medical campus – which is set to include an MD Anderson Cancer Center location – was set to be built on the site of the now-demolished Frank Erwin Center. But now the Board of Regents is considering a new location near the Domain. Cindy Walker might be the most successful Texas songwriter that most Texans have never heard of, with songs recorded by Roy Orbison, Bing Crosby and many others. A new tribute album celebrates Walker’s legacy and aims to help save her Mexia ...
Nov 25, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 47
The Austin Independent School District has passed a plan that will close 10 schools as it works to reduce a multimillion-dollar budget deficit and empty seats at many campuses. We talk more about the plan, the vote — which came after weeks of community meetings and protests — and what happens next. State officials recently released a heavily redacted stash of communications between Gov. Greg Abbott and Elon Musk . How public information is becoming a little less public. Lots of folks are heading...
Nov 24, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 46
The City of Austin cut $95 million from its budget , shrinking funding to parks, homelessness services and more after voters rejected Prop Q. We’ll get into how these cuts may impact you. With recent rain and an overnight flood watch in Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, many residents are reminded of the July 4 floods and the ongoing efforts to rebuild. Plus, art groups seeking affordable studio space find sanctuary in a downtown Austin church. We’ve got more on how they secured the space a...
Nov 21, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 45
Open enrollment for insurance plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act marketplace started this month. Millions of Texans currently use a marketplace plan, and here in Austin, folks are navigating uncertainty as premiums rise and federal subsidies expire. State officials finally released a hoard of documents and emails between Elon Musk and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office – and a majority of the information was redacted. We’ve got more about the files and the story from The Texas Newsroom. The ...
Nov 20, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 44
A federal court has ruled that the redistricting passed by Texas Republicans – a map that was set to eliminate one of Travis County’s two Democratic-held seats – cannot be used in next year’s midterm elections. The ruling was quickly appealed by Gov. Greg Abbott. We’ll get the latest from The Texas Newsroom. We’ll also hear from Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who plans to run for reelection following the ruling from the federal court. And: Travis County commissioners are facing a lawsuit over a 9.12...
Nov 19, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 43
Austin City Council members are working to finalize a city budget – and they’ll have to find ways to trim after voters resoundingly rejected a proposed tax rate increase that would’ve generated more than $100 million. The Austin Independent School District will vote this week on shuttering campuses and reassigning some students to different schools after releasing its final version of the plan last week. We have more about what’s changed and what’s the same. Plus: Bats eat tons and tons of pests...
Nov 18, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 42
Whooping cough – particularly dangerous to infants and young children – is a growing concern, with Austin continuing to confirm cases amid a statewide surge . Texas teens faced more barriers to getting an abortion than other age groups after the state’s six-week abortion ban went into effect in 2021. A new study looks at the impact on Texas and surrounding states . Plus: We chat with a couple of the folks behind the new book “Austin’s Music Scene.” The full transcript of this episode of Austin S...
Nov 17, 2025•27 min•Season 2025Ep. 41
The government shutdown may be over, but its impacts are still being felt across the country – including at Austin’s airport , which was already dealing with an air traffic controller shortage prior to the 43-day shutdown. Foreign exchange students in Texas schools could be prohibited from participating in varsity athletics in the near future after a UIL rule change that still requires approval from the state’s education commissioner. Why, and what it would mean for students. Plus: A popular Asi...
Nov 14, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 40
Looking for a smooth commute? KUT transportation reporter Nathan Bernier shares the best days to get on the road in Austin. The Austin Studio Tour continues this weekend at galleries, studios and homes around the city. With so much to look at, wouldn’t it be helpful to be chauffeured around to take in some of Austin’s best art? We hopped on a bus with 40 of our new best friends. Comedian John Mulaney is in Austin for a run of four shows starting tonight . We’ll hear some of his conversation with...
Nov 13, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 39
The Austin City Council will meet to start the process of making cuts to the city budget after voters struck down Proposition Q , a controversial property tax increase. These cuts could affect parks, public health programs, emergency medical services and more. KUT City Hall reporter Luz Moreno-Lozano shares more. KUTX’s Maile Carballo has the details on the lease extension of iconic blues venue Antone’s. Plus: We hear from singer-songwriter Judy Blank, KUTX’s artist of the month . Watch her KUTX...
Nov 12, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 38
Four months after the deadly flooding that ran through Central Texas, lawsuits are being levied against the groups in charge of Camp Mystic in the Hill Country . Families of those killed in the flooding say the people responsible ignored warnings and years of past floods. We have the latest about the lawsuits. Plus, we hear some music from students at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired here in Austin. The podcast This Is My Thing has highlighted a range of Austinite’s interests...
Nov 11, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 37
Organizations are working to bridge the digital divide in Texas and across the country, but that work has been made more difficult since the Trump administration withheld funds to assist programs aimed at getting underserved people online . Texas Standard’s Shelly Brisbin has more on how these groups and local governments are planning for a future without the financial aid. Austin FC is partnering with We Are Blood for a community blood drive this week. Learn how you can participate. And: Antone...
Nov 10, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 36
The Austin Independent School District announced changes this week to its plans to shutter campuses across the city as AISD looks for ways to save money. The consolidation plan started with 13 schools slated for the chopping block. Now, that number has been dwindled down, and some AISD parents are frustrated by what they consider the wishy-washy way the plans have been rolled out. KUT’s Katy McAfee was at last night’s district school board meeting and she joins us to share the latest updates. Pl...
Nov 07, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 35
A long-running storytelling event in Austin’s Hyde Park neighborhood is pairing personal stories with curated musical selections. We’ll have more about the shows and how you can find them . And KUT announced today that it is launching a festival of its own that’ll bring together the best of Austin’s music, arts, food and more. We’ll speak with KUT/KUTX General Manger Debbie Hiott to talk more about how the festival will build on the community that has powered the station for decades. Plus, the T...
Nov 06, 2025•26 min•Season 2025Ep. 34
Austin voters overwhelmingly rejected Prop Q , a proposed property tax rate increase. KUT’s Andrew Weber breaks down what happened – and where city officials will look next for reductions in spending. In other election news, Texans approved 17 amendments to the state constitution , touching on taxes, education, infrastructure and more. And: The sale of Cheer Up Charlies to a Florida investment firm has been called off, the latest twist in what’s been a chaotic year for the popular queer bar. The...
Nov 05, 2025•24 min•Season 2025Ep. 33
The Central Texas Food Bank is preparing to help more folks with food assistance amid the government shutdown and ahead of the upcoming holiday season. Beth Corbett, the food bank’s vice president of government affairs and advocacy, shares more about their plans to handle the increased demand. Find out how you can help or get help during the SNAP delay here . It’s Election Day, and Austin voters will give the final say on Prop Q, a proposed property tax rate increase that would result in more th...
Nov 04, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 32
Voters tomorrow will have one last chance to make their voice heard this election. One state constitutional amendment on the ballot – Prop 14 – would commit $3 billion to fund the new Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas . We’ll get the details from KUT’s Olivia Aldridge. Check out KUT’s Voter guides for Travis County , Williamson County and the proposed constitutional amendments . Plus what you need to know for election day. Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch explores adult education pr...
Nov 03, 2025•23 min•Season 2025Ep. 31
