Steady rain in the region over the last few days led to flooding in Williamson County, with some evacuations occurring. We’ll hear from residents impacted by the floods and how it differed from last summer’s flooding. A Central Austin building that was home to a Sears store for decades has new life as a one-stop shop — but instead of lawnmowers and washing machines, folks can now have many of their health needs met. We’ll have more about the transformation . Plus, Austin author Rebecca Bendheim’...
Apr 22, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 78
It’s been almost two months since a deadly shooting on West Sixth Street left three people dead, including one UT Austin student. Now a new scholarship to help underprivileged students advance their education has been created in honor of Savitha Shanmugasundaram’s life . UT Austin has announced a new Dell Medical Center and research campus following a $750 million gift from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation — one that makes the Dells UT’s first-ever billion-dollar donors. And, the satirica...
Apr 21, 2026•23 min
Austin’s unhoused folks say they lose everything when the city sweeps though their camps , despite a City Council resolution aiming to improve the sweeps and provide more notice ahead of time. The City of Austin overpaid hundreds of employees to the tune of more than $1 million. Most employees expected having to pay the money back — but didn’t expect to face potential legal action for the city’s error. Andrea Ball of Austin Current joins us now to talk about this. Gran Moreno , the KUTX Artist o...
Apr 20, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 76
Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to cut off more than $2 million in state grants for the City of Austin because of police policies on cooperating with federal immigration authorities. This follows Attorney General Ken Paxton launching an investigation into the same policies. City of Austin leaders got their first peek at the budget forecast for the next fiscal year. Now, city leaders must decide which programs could lose their funding as the city attempts to make up a deficit of millions. Austini...
Apr 17, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 75
Water use for Tesla’s Giga Texas out far beyond East Austin jumped more than 200 million gallons in two years. That’s raising concerns about whether Austin can fulfill its long-term water conservation strategy as plans for a new semiconductor plant could push demand even higher. Sam Stark, Austin Current’s government reporter joins us to talk about this. A state district judge has ordered Camp Mystic not to alter, demolish, repair or remove structures affected by floodwaters that killed 27 peopl...
Apr 16, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 74
The parents of a girl still missing from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ camp where 27 people died during last summer’s deadly floods in the Texas Hill Country, are asking a judge to prevent the camp from reopening this summer. We’ll have the latest from the Travis County court room . A private disagreement between local officials broke out into the open this week when Austin Mayor Kirk Watson let it be known he opposes a decision by the agency building the city’s light-rail system. And, a docum...
Apr 15, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 73
Though construction of data centers in Texas has garnered plenty of opposition from residents, plans are still moving forward to bring more of these facilities to Central Texas. But just how many? And how soon? Those questions and more were part of a recent hearing held by state leaders. Austin’s parks are a favorite amenity of many an Austinite — and the city has hundreds more acres of parkland currently unused. The costs of developing a neighborhood park. Andrea Ball, growth and development re...
Apr 14, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 72
It’s legal again for Texas businesses to sell smokable forms of hemp. New state rules that went into effect in March had effectively outlawed these sales, while raising fees on the businesses who carry them. We’ll delve into the state of the Texas hemp market. The state board of education gave preliminary approval to a mandatory list of books that all Texas public schools will teach starting in 2030. Critics of the list say it lacks diversity and emphasizes Christianity. Plus, what’s the story b...
Apr 13, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 71
Ahead of the coming summer heat, a federal court is considering whether air conditioning should be provided in all Texas prisons. We’ve been following the case that’s been happening in Austin over the past couple of weeks. There are new changes to SNAP, the benefits that help low-income Texans purchase food. That assistance can’t be used for candy or most sweetened drinks. We’ll take a look at what impact this is having. The San Marcos Studio Tour continues this weekend. We’ll hear about one art...
Apr 10, 2026•26 min•Season 2026Ep. 70
The SAFE Alliance is preparing to make millions of dollars in cuts starting this summer. This could include closing a downtown shelter and the end of services that provide additional housing assistance for people leaving abusive situations. After public outcry over the unexpected demolition of former East Austin cafe, Cenote, the developer of the property has committed to maintaining what’s left of the historic building it originally promised to preserve. The problem? There’s just one wall left ...
Apr 09, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 69
Over the last year, Texas Republicans enacted regulatory and legal changes, completely altering life for noncitizens in the state. Many of these changes were put forward in the state Legislature, where they failed. Now, these changes are being made a reality outside of the normal legislative processes. We talk with Eleanor Klibanoff, the law and politics reporter at The Texas Tribune. Austin ISD is facing a giant budget deficit heading into the next school year. A draft of that budget was presen...
Apr 08, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 68
Vacancies for industrial buildings in the greater Austin region are near the highest levels of any place in the country. It could be that companies thinking of moving to Austin aren’t finding buildings big enough to accommodate them . Spring fever, oak and mold pollen, and now another strain of coronavirus — all about the latest variant and the complications it brings . Half a century ago incarcerated Texans formed bands and recorded their music inside of state prisons. That music was shared rec...
Apr 07, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 67
Williamson County is making changes to avoid the chaotic scene that unfolded last month on primary Election Day. The new change is going back to the ways things were before the most recent election. We’ll dig into why it happened and how the county is trying to avoid a repeat. The Karst Canyon Preserve is offering new public access to trails and open space in Hays County. The property near Jacob’s Well was previously slated for residential development. Plus, the region needed this weekend’s rain...
Apr 06, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 66
A review of the city of Austin’s $25 million contract with the Long Center to disburse arts grants has exposed gaps in billing, transparency and oversight. City auditors said they raised concerns for years about weaknesses in the monitoring of city contracts. Andrea Ball from the Austin Current has the story. A new program aims to bring Austin’s home-based side hustles out of the shadows of that crowded garage and into the light of day. It’s the latest effort from the city to create ways for mic...
Apr 03, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 65
Summer temperatures in Texas prisons can often exceed 100 degrees, and lawyers have argued those conditions constitute cruel and unusual punishment for incarcerated Texans. A federal trial underway this week in Austin could decide whether the state must provide air conditioning to all inmates. A group of scientists from the University of Texas at Austin and MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a potential chemotherapy drug that may prompt a person’s immune system to attack cancer cells as if...
Apr 02, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 64
Hemp flower and other smokable forms of cannabis are no longer allowed to be sold in Texas. What hasn’t changed, however, is Texas law that says it’s legal to possess those kinds of products. So, can Texans procure these smokables from other states? It’s a complicated answer that we’ll delve into. UT Austin’s Mexican American and Latina/Latino Studies will soon be consolidated into a new department. Latino Studies scholars and researchers are protesting the changes while planning for the future....
Apr 01, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 63
The Hays Consolidated School District voted unanimously in favor of more than $12 million dollars in budget cuts ahead of the next school year. It’s the largest such budget slash in more than a decade, and it’s a move other school districts could be facing in coming years. There’s not much known about the tactics and technology used by Texas state police and ICE agents to detain people. But video from a detention last summer in East Austin is providing a better picture of how enforcement operati...
Mar 31, 2026•23 min
The Austin Independent School District is handing over control of three middle schools to a nonprofit in the hopes of avoiding a districtwide state takeover. Dobie, Burnet and Webb middle schools are trying to avoid a fifth accountability rating that could trigger the takeover. Acacia Coronado with the Austin Current has the story. Austin city leaders have approved a new strategic plan to address some of the issues faced by people experiencing homelessness. The plan calls for more shelter beds, ...
Mar 30, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 61
TxDOT is pouring billions of dollars into I-35 through Central Austin, adding more lanes and eventually sinking parts of the highway up to 60 feet below ground level. This could make it possible to build parks above the highways — but that comes with a hefty price tag. We’ll dig into why Austin city staff are urging elected officials to hold off on those plans. And a New York Times investigation is prompting new conversations about the legacy of labor leader Cesar Chavez across the country. We’l...
Mar 27, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 60
Temperatures are on the rise and Hays County is bracing for a fourth year of drought. On top of familiar water restrictions and limitations, t here are now new severe issues with the county’s water wells. In a viral clip heard around the world, actor Timothée Chalamet questioned the relevance of opera and ballet. The clip got people talking, but how do these words hit right here at home? We’ll hear from two local arts organizations, Ballet Austin and Austin Opera , to get their take. Hole in the...
Mar 26, 2026•26 min•Season 2026Ep. 59
Affordable housing is top of mind for many Austinites, but especially for educators working in our local schools. Now, a former AISD elementary campus is being transformed into housing — with some units set aside specifically for teachers. Acacia Coronado from the Austin Current takes a closer look at the East Austin project. Brown water is flowing from the taps in one Austin-area suburb. We’ll hear what residents say they wish they knew before moving in, and how they’re working to warn others. ...
Mar 25, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 58
We’re learning more about the tactics and technology used by police in Texas during deportation proceedings. The Texas Newsroom has accessed body and dashcam videos from an incident last summer in East Austin that ended with five people in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’ll discuss the tactics and technology being deployed in these apprehensions. The fallout from the sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez made public this month continues among community members and ...
Mar 24, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 57
The Republican Party in Williamson County has agreed to let voters cast a ballot at any polling location available in the upcoming primary runoff. A move to precinct-specific voting made for a confusing process for many voters last month in Williamson and Dallas counties. We’ll have more about why the party is reversing course. Rent prices in Austin continue to fall as more units become available and with fewer people moving to the city. We’ll dig into the latest numbers. A wildfire out in Bastr...
Mar 23, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 56
Lake Pflugerville’s water levels remain low after a series of waterline breaks, the most recent of which was fixed on Wednesday. Local officials have issued water conservation calls while the man-made lake gets back to normal levels. We’ll have more about those water issues. Libraries are havens for many Texans, especially those living in rural areas, further away from resources like healthcare. That’s part of the reason one nonprofit is now providing mental health resources in some Central Texa...
Mar 20, 2026•24 min•Season 2026Ep. 55
In the wake of public sexual assault and abuse allegations against union organizer Cesar Chavez, organizers of the annual parade in Austin honoring him canceled their upcoming event. Now, local activists and politicians are calling for the City of Austin to change the name of Cesar Chavez Street, the East-to-West thoroughfare running through the heart of Austin. We’ve got the latest from the fallout. Austin-area state Rep. James Talarico will need to broaden his base of support in order to win t...
Mar 19, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 54
It’s been more than two weeks since the deadly shooting at Buford’s in downtown Austin that killed three, wounded more than a dozen, and affected countless others. For mass shooting survivors, recovery can be a slow process. We’ll have the story of a mother and daughter going through that very thing following a shooting last year at an Austin Target store. An autonomous vehicle in Austin blocked emergency vehicles trying to reach the shooting scene at Buford’s. We’ll look at why a lack of regula...
Mar 18, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 53
Many Republican-led states like Texas require police officers to cooperate with federal immigration agents. That’s left liberal cities like Austin debating how to respond when they don’t want spend resources on immigration enforcement. ICE operations are deterring immigrants from participating in routine parts of their lives. Here in Austin, one clinic has seen its demand drop dramatically over recent weeks. Plus, South By Southwest wraps up tomorrow, but there’s still time to get in on the acti...
Mar 17, 2026•23 min•Season 2026Ep. 52
South By Southwest has brought many travelers into Austin to enjoy the city’s music, food and culture, but getting out of town via the Austin airport has turned a bit chaotic as TSA agents go without pay amid a partial government shutdown. We’ll have the latest from the airport and from local officials. Carmen Mejia was exonerated from a Travis County prison after serving 20 years for a crime she didn’t commit. Once she was exonerated, however, she still faced threat from Immigration and Customs...
Mar 16, 2026•22 min•Season 2026Ep. 51
The University of Texas at Austin is consolidating seven ethnic and gender studies departments in the College of Liberal Arts. That consolidation was announced in February. We’ll look more into these changes. South By Southwest 2026 is in full swing. On this episode, we’ll bring you the director and stars of the film “STAGES.” It’s the story of an Austin musician navigating his life and career, and it features many of our city’s best hangs — from Hole in the Wall to Joe’s Bakery. The movie premi...
Mar 13, 2026•25 min•Season 2026Ep. 50
We kicked off South by Southwest 2026 with a special, live one-hour show at Scholz Garten. We’ll speak with Austin artists Shakey Graves and Kydd Jones about the things they’re working on this year. We’ll also be joined by the director and producer of the upcoming Netflix documentary “The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson,” about a top-class cyclist murdered on a trip to Austin. Plus, a roundtable of chefs from Michelin Guide-recognized restaurants Dai Due , La Santa Barbacha and Ramen del Barr...
Mar 12, 2026•51 min•Season 2026Ep. 49
