The Supreme Court allows ICE to round up people based on factors like appearance, at least for now. The attorneys general of New York and Texas face off over mail-order abortion pills crossing state lines. For years, rumors have circulated online about a serial killer targeting Rainey Street in Austin. A new study finds no such threat. The personal toll for people with chronic conditions who don’t have insurance. Photographer Pat Blashill captures the scene of Texas punk rock on the ’70s and ’80...
Sep 09, 2025•50 min
As the dust settles on this year’s legislative action at the Capitol, where do the two main parties stand? If you buy beef, you may have noticed that it’s gotten more expensive lately. Michael Marks has the story, and whether there are any signs of relief. For several years, black bears have gradually spread throughout the Trans-Pecos region. But recently, bear sightings in East Texas have earned headlines, too What does “BU” mean to you? The latest on a trademark battle between Boston and Baylo...
Sep 08, 2025•51 min
As Texas lawmakers return home, what are the big takeaways from six weeks of overtime at the Capitol? We’ll take a closer look at what happened – and what didn’t. Why some think Collin County could become one of the nation’s most highly contested political battlegrounds. Antone’s, known as Austin’s home of the blues, celebrates its 50th birthday with a new box set with deep Texas ties. Plus: A recap of the week in politics with The Texas Tribune. The post Antone’s celebrates 50 years of the blue...
Sep 05, 2025•50 min
The Legislature’s second overtime comes to a close with new political maps and a slew of Republican wins. But how do Texas voters come down on the big issues of the day? A new survey offers some answers. After years of planning and tens of millions spent already, Corpus Christi’s city council cancels a high-profile project to deal with growing water demands. What’s in a name? A lot if you’re talking about so-called Gulf coast shrimp. Details of a new law aimed at cracking down on the imposters. ...
Sep 04, 2025•50 min
No more QR or barcodes: Why Collin, Williamson and Bastrop counties are changing the way voters will cast ballots. Housing affordability is a big issue in Texas, and three new state laws aim to address it. Will they work? Many are concerned new Texas congressional maps dilute the voting power of Texans of color. But others welcome the changes. Inside an ICE job recruitment fair in Arlington. And: the bigger meaning behind the season’s first high school football game in Kerrville. Texas Standard ...
Sep 03, 2025•52 min
The Texas Lottery gets a second chance under new management. So what will change? A new state law now in effect targets AI-generated child pornography. But could it also ban some anime? Americans have been on the move since the founding of our country. But now, more people staying put rather than relocating for new jobs and other opportunities. And: Thinking about an energy efficient upgrade for your home? A tax credit to to help you get the job done is expiring at the end of this year. Texas St...
Sep 02, 2025•50 min
The fight over redistricting has shifted from the Capitol to the courthouse, but plenty of serious work is still on the table when legislators return to their offices Tuesday. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins with a look at what’s left on the agenda. A new law in effect today creates a statewide alert system for pests and diseases that affect plants and wildlife. The Standard’s Michael Marks has the story. And: The Standard continues celebrating 10 years on the air with a look back at so...
Sep 01, 2025•51 min
Three new measures are set to take effect aiming to “Make Texas Healthy Again.” Political sloganeering or genuine change? A closer look at the laws that prompted Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s visit to Texas. As we approach Sept. 1, more than 800 new laws are set to take effect. We continue our close-up of some of those that’ll have a major impact, including some that haven’t received much attention. Our own Sarah Asch tells us about a new obscenity law and why one provision related to exposing minors ...
Aug 29, 2025•51 min
Texas’ newly drawn congressional maps are aimed at helping Republicans in 2026, but they’re shaking up the political landscape already. We’ll hear just how today on the Texas Standard. Rice University’s Mark Jones on the musical chairs among Texas’ congressional Democrats, and whether these maps are likely to survive scrutiny as legal challenges proliferate. Over 800 new laws are set to take effect in just a couple of days. One of them is aimed at helping first responders deal with the trauma of...
Aug 28, 2025•50 min
President Trump is using the threat of legal action to push his policies forward in Texas and beyond. We continue our series about new state laws taking effect with a look at one that prevents people from certain countries from buying land in Texas. 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, how the New Orleans residents who found a home in Houston reshaped the cultural landscape. Actor Austin Butler and filmmaker Darren Aronofsky on their new film, “Caught Stealing.” And the Standard’s Kristen Cabrera w...
Aug 27, 2025•51 min
President Trump signs an executive order ending cashless bail. We’ll dive into what that means for cities like Houston. We’re also tracking new state laws set to take effect Sept. 1, including one that aims to attract more film and television productions. Another increases the penalty for assaulting a utility worker. Plus, could the San Antonio Spurs get a new venue as part of the Project Marvel effort to create a new downtown entertainment district? And the Standard’s Kristin Cabrera reports on...
Aug 26, 2025•50 min
A much-talked-about redistricting battle starts to take a back seat to other legislative priorities at the Texas capitol. As the battlefront over redistricting shifts to a multistate fight with Texas and California setting the pace, top California Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger has a message for his fellow Republicans in Texas. The Houston Chronicle’s Lisa Falkenberg tells us about her conversation with the Governator. Details of new anti-DEI laws set to take effect in just a few days. How law...
Aug 25, 2025•52 min
Asleep at the Wheel are celebrating 50 years in the business with their latest album out this week, “Riding High in Texas.” Longtime frontman Ray Benson joined Texas Standard to talk about the band’s legacy and the music of the Lone Star State in this extended version of a conversation that first aired in June. The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. Th...
Aug 23, 2025•20 min
At the Texas Capitol, a big shift in focus as the spotlight swings from bare-knuckle politics to long-delayed flood relief. Food is labeling set to change in Texas as a sweeping new law takes effect aimed at, among other things, alerting shoppers to ingredients long the focus of concern in other countries. Austin-based filmmaker Noah Hawley likes to play in the worlds of some of his favorite directors – and he’s doing it again with Ridley Scott’s “Alien.” Hawley joins the Standard to talk “Alien...
Aug 22, 2025•52 min
President Trump claims a big win in Texas as the state House passes new congressional maps giving the GOP an edge in 2026. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom and Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media share what it means for the political landscape going forward. Are Americans falling out of love with their credit cards? Not quite, but a new trend suggests a certain spending binge is over. Texas’ top taco journalist, Mando Rayo, previews the new season of the Tacos of Texas podcast. In the U....
Aug 21, 2025•51 min
A poll on Texas’ 2026 Senate race finds a tightening GOP battle between Ken Paxton and John Cornyn, and a Democratic preference for Beto O’Rourke – who isn’t yet in the race. This morning, a federal judge temporarily blocked 11 Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms. We’ll bring you the latest. Texans are bracing for changes to SNAP requirements and cuts in funding to the program that were signed into law by President Trump last month. And: Some Black men say t...
Aug 20, 2025•50 min
The state says the West Texas measles outbreak is over. What that means for parents and children. Are natural gas wells, pipelines and storage facilities prepared for another dangerous winter storm? Mose Buchele of KUT News examines the inspection process. We know AI data centers need a lot of power, but they also use a lot of water in drought-stricken TX. Austin author Louis Sachar, perhaps best known for “Holes,” is back with his first adult novel, “The Magician of Tiger Castle.” And: Could Te...
Aug 19, 2025•52 min
After national headlines and a pledge from California to offset Texas’ redistricting plans, the walkout by Texas House Democrats is over. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has the latest on the Dems’ return to Austin and what comes next. Old satellites, tools, even food wrappers: Space debris is piling up. Now, a Texas company’s recycling initiative has NASA’s attention. A new fight is emerging over the sale in Texas of kratom, an herbal supplement with opioid-like effects often found for sale...
Aug 18, 2025•51 min
Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom joins the show with a live update from the Capitol as the Legislature’s first special session ends amid a Democratic walkout. After flooding and a historically wet July, new concerns about water levels dropping. As students return to the classroom, more and more schools are being shuttered. The Standard’s Zachary Suri examines the long-term impact in Austin. Tesla now has a permit to offer ride-hailing in Texas through next August. The company’s been testing r...
Aug 15, 2025•51 min
Redistricting seems like the entire political conversation in Texas right now, so it’s probably no surprise it’s influencing the U.S. Senate race. Texas received millions in federal funding for adult education programs, but it was uncertain and came several weeks late. What are the impacts of programs that give money, with no strings attached, to people and families identified with high needs? We’ll dig into a study of such a program in Texas. A Houston police officer is suing a gun manufacturer...
Aug 14, 2025•51 min
Gov. Greg Abbott threatens a concurrent second special session with a Democratic walkout still underway. Is there any end in sight? Details from a new release of materials withheld by Uvalde County and the Uvalde school district in the wake of the 2022 Robb Elementary school shooting. What’s behind a massive growth in virtual schooling in Texas? W.F. Strong meditates on what welcomes Texans back home after a long time away. And: The scene at Voz de la Paloma, a women’s mariachi competition in ho...
Aug 13, 2025•51 min
Undocumented college students in Texas are no longer eligible for in-state tuition. As the new semester starts, many are in limbo. As we keep an eye on the special session where Texas Democrats broke quorum, a look at another state – Oregon – where Republican lawmakers staged a walkout. A new state law that bans cell phones, wearables and other electronic devices in Texas classrooms is raising questions from educators, parents and students about its implementation and impact. The University of T...
Aug 12, 2025•51 min
Just one more full week is left in the Texas Legislature’s special session, and with House Democrats away, what happens next? Some of those Democrats have decamped to California, which is now mulling a possible redistricting effort to offset potential Republican gains in the midterms. The IRS says churches can now endorse candidates, a move that could give Texas pastors more power than ever. And: The recent flooding in Travis County revealed fossilized dinosaur tracks. UT Austin paleontologist M...
Aug 11, 2025•52 min
Texas’ redistricting fight is has spread past state lines. New federal legislation aims to ban mid-decade congressional redistricting, and the brawl looks likely to impact upcoming elections and the 2028 presidential race. San Antonio is planning a massive sports and entertainment district, including a new arena for the Spurs, a convention center expansion and more – with local taxpayers footing part of the bill. San Benito native Charley Crockett went from street performer to arena headliner. H...
Aug 08, 2025•51 min
While the Texas House remains stalled due to a quorum break, the Senate continues its work, advancing a key education bill that could eliminate STAAR testing statewide. Texas is seeing a boom in data centers driven by AI and crypto – but the growth comes with major energy and water demands. Thanks to a $1 billion voter-approved investment, Texas is acquiring new land and developing trails to expand its state park system. And: The legacy of Claude Eatherly, a North Texas native who flew a weather...
Aug 07, 2025•52 min
Texas Democrats are facing legal threats and potential action from the FBI for fleeing the state during the special session. Concerns about artificial intelligence are coming to a head with the most recent round of college graduates. How it’s disrupting the job market. A proposed expansion for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge in the Panhandle had been in the works for years, but now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is backing away. The 1991 Yogurt Shop murders in Austin remain officially ...
Aug 06, 2025•51 min
The high-stakes battle over redistricting continues. Why Democratic Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins took the risk and left the state. Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to remove Democratic lawmakers from their seats for leaving during a special session, but can he legally do that? The history of partisan gerrymandering in the Lone Star State. Why Texas has become a professional services hub attracting top talent and creating new jobs. And: Remembering a Texas treasure – conjunto legend Flaco Jiménez. ...
Aug 05, 2025•52 min
More than 50 Democratic lawmakers have left the state so the Texas House would not have a quorum, trying to derail a redistricting plan that could add five more congressional seats for Republicans in the midterms. Harvest season is arriving in South Texas, but many cotton farmers are still reeling from drought, inflation, and weakened demand. Some are cautiously optimistic as new federal funding becomes available. The Standard’s Felicity Guajardo reports. And: One in four U.S. sports bettors say...
Aug 04, 2025•51 min
Why weren’t Hill Country communities alerted as a deadly wall of water roared down the Guadalupe on the weekend of July 4th? In their first public testimony on the floods, top emergency officials in Kerr County said they were away or asleep. Voting the old-fashioned way? A return to hand-marked ballots in Collin County is part of a change sweeping Texas and other parts of the country. Red-crowned Amazons squawk through summer nights in Brownsville – and they’ve been the city’s official bird sinc...
Aug 01, 2025•51 min
What we’re now learning about what happened – and what didn’t – before the Hill Country floods. Investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy has the details. Plus: Flood survivors are asking lawmakers meeting in special session right now to tap the state’s $24 billion rainy day fund to help them meet their immediate needs. Even without a pandemic, Texas food banks are facing shortages and surging need. The CEO of Feeding Texas joins us to talk about what’s driving the crisis. Funds for adult education...
Jul 31, 2025•52 min
