Questions about the Trump administration’s military operations in the Caribbean against Venezuela are growing. We’ll delve into the details. We’re also following the special election in Houston’s 18th Congressional District amid uncertainty over which congressional map Texas will use. Fort Worth and Tarrant County cut back on some public meetings, leading to an outcry. Is Texas becoming a dumping ground for oil waste from another state? And we get a tour of San Antonio’s new Museo del Westside. ...
Dec 02, 2025•51 min
The eyes of many Texans are on the U.S. Supreme Court – with new redistricting maps hanging in the balance. The Texas Tribune’s Eleanor Klibanoff joins us with an update on a legal back and forth that could affect which maps Texas uses for the 2026 election season. Another Texas Republican, U.S. Rep. Troy Nehls, says he won’t seek reelection to Congress. That makes him the sixth GOP lawmaker to step back from elected office as we approach a new election season. What’s behind these departures? Al...
Dec 01, 2025•52 min
We’re bringing you a special rebroadcast from the studios of our partners at Houston Public Media, the November destination in our yearlong waltz across Texas marking 10 years on the air. Today, we’ll explore Houston’s rise to become the nation’s newest global city. Also, a mission to tell the true story of the first female astronauts, the Houston Chronicle with a new list of the top Houston restaurants, a take on Texas zydeco, and a whole lot more. Texas Standard is a listener-supported product...
Nov 28, 2025•49 min
Texans under the age of 18 make up almost a quarter of the state’s population, so we put together a show with them in mind, from Abilene and the Children’s Art and Literacy Festival In June. We begin with a conversation about politics: We’ll hear from some Texas teens who make their voices heard, even though they can’t yet vote. Checking in with our go-to tech expert about kids and technology – some tips for engaging them while avoiding some of the pitfalls. Other familiar voices on the show wil...
Nov 27, 2025•49 min
From the oldest radio station in Texas, in Dallas’ historic Fair Park, site of the State Fair of Texas, it’s Texas Standard Time. As we continue to celebrate our 10th birthday this year, the Texas Standard tour bus in October pulled into the historic home of WRR, temporary home to our partners KERA North Texas. We’ll explore the economic boom across North Texas, hear voices from the fair, learn about a new sports classic set to kick off at the Cotton Bowl and much more. It’s a special edition of...
Nov 26, 2025•52 min
As we continue our yearlong 10th birthday celebration, we’re sharing a special rebroadcast of our July show before a live studio audience at a place that’s been called the “Athens of Texas” – Waco, itself celebrating 25 years of public radio from our partners at KWBU. We’ll be sampling some of the sights, sounds and tastes of this historic Central Texas city. After all, when you’re the birthplace of Dr Pepper, home to a national monument marking an epic concentration of mammoths, and with a grow...
Nov 25, 2025•51 min
Today we’re bringing you a special rebroadcast of Texas Standard’s May show from El Paso. We hear from some prominent El Pasoans – former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo – on the city’s dynamic politics. El Paso has become a leader in innovative water management. How the city is securing its future in the desert. KTEP’s Aaron Montes visits a local academy training the future stars of lucha libre. And: How bighorn sheep have returned to El Paso’s mountains after a cen...
Nov 24, 2025•51 min
He’s cultivated relations with top political figures, but how much is known about the ties between Elon Musk and Gov. Greg Abbott? The Texas Newsroom’s investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy on what started out as a public records request that turned into an odyssey as she tried to learn more about the relationship between Musk and the Texas governor. Also, she’s one of the most successful Texas songwriters in history – yet many Texans don’t even know her name. The Standard’s Leah Scarpelli repo...
Nov 21, 2025•50 min
You’ve heard about the ruling striking down Texas’ new congressional maps, but what does that mean as a practical matter for the upcoming primaries? The new ruling on Texas’ redistricting plan, and an expected appeal throws a lot into limbo. Space shuttles once routinely orbited the earth many times over, but a plan to bring one to Texas is having trouble getting off the ground. Plus, the Standard’s Sarah Asch looks at how the Mexican government is filling in the gaps for some adult education pr...
Nov 20, 2025•50 min
A ruling out of West Texas has upended Republican redistricting efforts to get more seats in Congress. Where things stand now that a federal judge in El Paso has struck down Texas’ new congressional map. We’ve reported before on how Texas school district leadership seems to have become increasingly partisan. We’ll take a closer look at the fallout in one part of the state. El Paso’s highway system has a history and impact everyday commuters might not know. Miguel Juarez, author of “Frontera Free...
Nov 19, 2025•51 min
Texas A&M bans professors from discussing race or gender ideology. Will other universities follow? They were supposed to be protected from deportation, but now ICE is going after some DACA recipients, too. How some Dreamers are ending up in detention centers. Why the VA is making it harder for men with breast cancer to get medical care and disability benefits. Also, the wild, little-known history of the NFL’s Dallas Texans, as well as how AI is making old lottery scams targeting Texans seem ...
Nov 18, 2025•52 min
For the first time in more than a decade, there is no incumbent in the race for one of the most powerful – and often contentious – posts in Texas. Incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton is not running for reelection, and now seven people are vying for his office. Eleanor Klibanoff of the Texas Tribune joins us with a preview of the upcoming battle. Also, a new study says more than half of Texas parents haven’t heard of education savings accounts, sometimes called school vouchers. We’ll see what t...
Nov 17, 2025•51 min
No matter where you are, you’re in for a treat as we broadcast from the biggest city in the Lone Star State. We’re coming to you from the studios of our partners at Houston Public Media, the latest destination in our yearlong waltz across Texas marking 10 years on the air. Today, we’ll explore Houston’s rise to become the nation’s newest global city. Also, a mission to tell the true story of the first female astronauts, the Houston Chronicle with a new list of the top Houston restaurants, a take...
Nov 14, 2025•51 min
The deal to reopen the federal government included a ban on intoxicating hemp – potentially undoing measures taken by the Texas Legislature last session. Houston’s 9th congressional district is among those most affected by redrawn political maps. We’ll take a trip there to explore the impact. Corpus Christi is trying to shore up water supplies. What city leaders are considering. Apple wants to keep you connected, even on a hike in a remote place. How they might accomplish that. Plus, both Ken Pa...
Nov 13, 2025•51 min
Healthcare subsidies were a central issue that led to the federal government shutdown. Now that a deal is in the works, what happens to them? We’re still waiting to hear from courts on whether new Texas district lines will be in place for the 2026 election. We’ll dig into the potential impacts in Houston. In Austin, voters turned down a property tax increase. What does that mean now for the city’s budget? Plus, the challenge of envisioning a truly bikeable Dallas. Those stories, a political push...
Nov 12, 2025•51 min
A few Democrats join Republicans in an effort to end the federal shutdown. We’ll have details. Families of girls killed in the July 4 Hill Country flood sue Camp Mystic. Car-dominant Texas needs more public transit to meet future needs. So says a new report from TxDOT. And on this Veteran’s Day, the Voces Oral History Center pays homage to a helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam. Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this p...
Nov 11, 2025•51 min
Signs of a possible temporary end to the federal shutdown, but closer to home concerns are growing that Texas is running out of water. The Texas Tribune employed artificial intelligence to answer some Texans’ water concerns, but there are limits. We’ll hear from two Tribune reporters who are trying to fill in the gaps. The U.S. race for uranium: Why Texas is finding itself at the center of it. We’ll also talk with a member of SNL’s Five-Timer’s Club now on tour across Texas: Comedian John Mulane...
Nov 10, 2025•51 min
Cancellations across the nation are putting many air travelers in limbo. KUT’s Nathan Bernier joins us with an update of how flight cancellations brought on by the federal shutdown are affecting the nation’s busy air traffic system – with a particular look at the impact here in Texas. Also, why Texas is likely to be the state hardest hit by increases to Affordable Care Act health care premiums. Plus, the Standard’s Shelly Brisbin with the impact of a cutoff of Digital Equity Act funds, the week ...
Nov 07, 2025•51 min
At stake? Prices for consumers, billions in business activity, and the scope of presidential power. A Texas perspective as the U.S. Supreme Court takes up the case against President Trump’s tariffs. The Wall Street Journal says “Amazonification” has come for Texas-based Whole Foods. A look at what that means. Look! Up in the sky! Is that thing still legal? Texas drone pilots are closely watching talk of new restrictions. Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us what’s up. And Texas director Richard Lin...
Nov 06, 2025•51 min
Texans said yes to all 17 proposed state constitutional amendments. What’s that mean now? We’ll also dig into some select local results from across the state, including an update in the race to fill the U.S. House seat of the late Sylvester Turner. The Trump administration recently announced a new cap on the number of refugees that the U.S. will accept in the upcoming year. What’s that mean for the big picture? Plus, an El Paso woman concerned about her neighbors who rely on government food assi...
Nov 05, 2025•52 min
1 in 4 immigration arrests are happening in Texas under the Trump administration. We’ll take a look at the statewide crackdown. It’s Election Day. One constitutional amendment that funds a new Dementia Prevention and Research Institute for the state’s aging population is on the ballot. A look back at our top 10 author interviews as the Standard continues celebrating a decade on the air. Plus, a new cookbook from Chef Adán Medrano focuses on the plant-based recipes that have deep roots in Mexican...
Nov 04, 2025•51 min
A federal court orders the Trump administration to prevent the Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP) from lapsing. What happens now? A trial is set to begin this month against defendants for their alleged roles in the July 4 shooting at an ICE detention center in Alvarado. Why this may be a playbook for prosecutions now that Antifa has been designated a terrorist organization. Public school districts trying to comply with new laws against DEI and sexual content in books are turning to AI w...
Nov 03, 2025•52 min
SNAP food assistance benefits are set to run out at midnight, and across the Lone Star State, food banks are bracing for unprecedented demand. How Texans can best help their neighbors in need. Of the 17 constitutional amendments to be decided by Texas voters, at least four go straight to the heart of a major effort to transform Texas into a world-class business and finance hub. With Election Day fast approaching, we’ll hear what’s at stake. Texas author Fernando Flores discusses his new novel, “...
Oct 31, 2025•52 min
With 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot next week, state officials are reminding Texans what to expect at the polls. We’ll talk with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office about dos and don’ts while voting. Both Austin and Houston are facing financial strain, but their solutions couldn’t be more different: One wants to raise taxes, while the other wants to hold the line. Austin DJ Laurie Gallardo, host of the podcast “SPF 1000: Vampire Sunscreen,” discusses Latinx goth culture, its roots ...
Oct 30, 2025•50 min
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Tylenol could trigger a wave of government-led litigation over claims about a highly questioned link to ADHD and autism. A year after Michelin first arrived in Texas, the coveted dining guide has released its latest list of awardees. But what does the honor actually mean for local chefs and their businesses? Bats are heroes for Texas farmers, eating insects that threaten crops like pecans. Michael Marks takes us to an orchard near Lockhart. A n...
Oct 29, 2025•52 min
As the federal government shutdown drags on, the impact grows worse. From food benefits to trade, what it means for the Lone Star State. Texas does not have regulations for police pursuits, and some end in deadly crashes. What can we learn from Minnesota, where accountability rules offer a potential model for reform. Immigrants with college degrees often still struggle to find work that matches their training, but adult education programs across Texas are helping these professionals reconnect wi...
Oct 28, 2025•52 min
Texas voters are deciding on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution – including one to dedicate a portion of state tax revenues to funding water projects. We’ll take a closer look at Proposition 4. There are growing concerns among military families as the federal shutdown continues, with no clear end in sight. East Texas is seeing a surge in mineral mining as companies explore new lithium deposits. And: How Bonnie Parker’s niece has spent decades trying to have her aunt buried alongsid...
Oct 27, 2025•52 min
First responders in Kerr County struggled to communicate during this summer’s deadly Independence Day floods because parts of their radio network failed to reach key areas, according to an investigation by The New York Times. Tech giant Meta is building a $1.5 billion data center in Northeast El Paso – a project that’s raising tough questions about water use, electricity demand and local incentives. The ongoing federal shutdown and Trump administration tariffs are creating headaches for business...
Oct 24, 2025•52 min
It’s the biggest drop in voter registration in Texas in a decade. What’s behind it and what does it mean for the future of Texas politics? Jeremy Wallace of the Houston Chronicle joins us with more. When it comes to beef, Texas is number one. But President Trump wants push costs down with a plan to buy more beef from Argentina. Would that work? And what about the stakes for Texas? Some serious questions that we’ll put to an industry expert. Car loan defaults reach levels not seen since the COVID...
Oct 23, 2025•52 min
Texas has flagged thousands of registered voters who officials say could be noncitizens. What we know about that claim right now. For years, Texas Standard has been following the legal battle over a beloved waterway in East Texas. Now, some powerful figures are getting involved in the fight over the Cutoff. Some leadership changes at UT Austin raise questions about what it means for someone to be removed based on “ideological differences.” A new book chronicles the history of local police violen...
Oct 22, 2025•52 min
