If the ongoing government shutdown runs into next week, Texas families could see their SNAP food benefits cut off. Oil prices have plummeted to a level not seen since the COVID days. Why and what it could mean for Texas consumers and oilfield workers. Contract negotiations, the Dallas Wings search for a new coach, and more: A breakdown of what to expect for the new WNBA season as the popularity of the league soars. And “Dude. Be Nice”… The title of a new children’s book says it all. The post Spr...
Oct 21, 2025•52 min
Yes, it’s that time again: Early voting gets underway across the Lone Star State on this Monday. A statewide ballot that will decide no statewide offices? True, though the stakes in this election are huge for Texans – some 17 proposed changes to the Texas constitution hang in the balance. We’ll hear about several of the most wide-ranging ideas on the line. Plus, The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of early voting. And a potential final mission for the Space Shuttle Discover...
Oct 20, 2025•52 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 has 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 the Te...
Oct 17, 2025•50 min
Some local law enforcement offices in Texas get a heads-up when ICE is coming to town, but others don’t. We’ll dig into why. There’s new evidence that, no surprise, the online world isn’t always so great for today’s teens. Advice from tech expert Omar Gallaga on making it safer. Gov. Greg Abbott has a new challenger for the 2026 election. What we expect out of a campaign from Austin Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Taco journalist Mando Rayo shares what he’s learned from a few women in the culinary world...
Oct 16, 2025•51 min
After years of tightening restrictions on water use, a South Texas town issues an ominous declaration of emergency. Beeville, Texas, is fast running out of water and they’re asking for help from the state. We’ll talk to the interim city manager about what can be done. It’s a new law requiring parental permission for public school students to get physical or mental health services at school. We’ll hear why school nurses are concerned about the side effects. And they’re flocking back to Texas – wh...
Oct 15, 2025•52 min
The Trump administration has reportedly slashed jobs at a federal office responsible for overseeing special education. What might that mean here in Texas? A new school in Uvalde offers a place for learning apart from the building desecrated by a mass shooting – but remembrance is built into the design. The craft brewing bubble has burst. A look at the continued challenges facing those still open. There’s a rare jellyfish being spotted in the Texas Gulf. What you need to know about the pink meani...
Oct 14, 2025•52 min
The leading Democratic candidate for Texas’ U.S. Senate seat isn’t even in the race yet – and it might not be who you think. Plus, where things stand on the Republican side as U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt joins the field against incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Another delay in the Robert Roberson case. We’ll dig into the court’s ruling and what comes next. There’s a new movement in Texas barbecue that has its roots in the Middle East and Africa. We’ll give you a taste of the...
Oct 13, 2025•52 min
A new report from the Wall Street Journal raises questions about how a prominent Texas Republican got rich as a politician. The report puts the personal finances of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the spotlight, though his supporters are calling it a hit piece. We’ll talk with one of the reporters behind the story. A football rivalry like few others, only this year the stakes seem especially high for the Texas Longhorns as they take on Oklahoma. What is the “Selena Effect”? A new exhibit at...
Oct 10, 2025•52 min
Public schools across Texas are being put to the test. From Fort Worth to Grapevine, Austin to San Antonio, we’ll look at how communities are reacting – and in some cases, pushing back – on plans to shutter schools and shuffle the map for many students. Also, a big fight over redistricting with huge consequences – no longer on the political stage, but instead, a rather small federal courtroom. We’ll hear from Nacar Devine, an El Pasoan keeping tabs on what’s going on amid the hearing over Texas’...
Oct 09, 2025•52 min
A billion-dollar school voucher program is coming to Texas, but the company running it is based in New York. What that means for families. A Texas father convicted of killing his daughter faces execution in less than two weeks, but new evidence is raising serious doubts in the case of Robert Roberson. New World screwworms: The parasite that once devastated Texas ranches is back. We’ll hear from Ag Commissioner Sid Miller on what the state is doing to prepare. And Austin veteran Greg Stoker is ba...
Oct 08, 2025•52 min
The Texas National Guard is being sent beyond state lines. We’ll unpack what’s driving the deployment and the legal battle brewing around it. The ICEBlock app, designed to alert users about ICE agents nearby, has been pulled from app stores. Critics are calling it a violation of free speech. Years after the pandemic lockdowns, what do we know now about domestic violence rates in Texas? A new report sheds light on what’s changed and what hasn’t. And in today’s Hispanic Heritage Moment: the King o...
Oct 07, 2025•51 min
A University of Texas professor says Congress has gotten so good at frequent government shutdowns, finding the political will to get back on track could be an obstacle in itself. We’ll take a closer look. Nearly two weeks after the deadly shooting at a Dallas ICE facility, investigators say the motive may be more about notoriety than ideology. Second Baptist Church in Houston is locked in a legal battle with its own members over leadership and finances, and the dispute is being heard in the city...
Oct 06, 2025•51 min
A Texas congressional redistricting fight enters the courtroom, with both sides taking different positions from those taken earlier. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with more on the start of what’s expected to be a nine-day federal hearing over new congressional maps. The most polluted air in Texas? We’ll hear why a Houston community may have a tough time getting companies to take speedy action to clear the air. Also, would you vote for an increase in property taxes if it meant helping people...
Oct 03, 2025•50 min
The U.S. invasion of Grenada. The U.S. invasion of Panama. As the U.S. builds up a major military presence in the Caribbean, Katrin Bennhold of the New York Times talks about Venezuela and what she sees as the growing specter of regime change. The latest on the federal government shutdown and what it means for vital ports along the Texas gulf coast. Fundraising numbers show state Rep. James Talarico leading the pack for Democrats in the U.S. Senate race. What do the numbers tell us about how the...
Oct 02, 2025•50 min
The federal government is officially shut down. What does it mean for Texas, and what happens next in Washington? Also, the Supreme Court opens a new term and major rulings are ahead. What can we expect from the nation’s highest court over the next few months? And wildfire risk is climbing as the state swelters through record heat and one of the driest Septembers on record. We’ll get the seasonal forecast from Matt Lanza of Space City Weather. Plus, is Buc-ee’s just a convenience store, or a ful...
Oct 01, 2025•50 min
A court battle is set to begin over the newly drawn congressional maps. At stake is whether they go into effect for the 2026 midterm elections. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us to talk about the recent rise in political violence. Have you heard of 7-OH? It’s the latest drug cropping up at convenience stores. Now there’s a fight to stop the sale of what’s known as “gas station heroin.” A new book by former CDC Director Tom Frieden offers a formula for better health – potentially saving...
Sep 30, 2025•50 min
A breakthrough in a murder case unsolved for more than three decades: Police say they know who was behind Austin’s yogurt shop murders. Tony Plohetski of the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE on what has led police to declare the Austin yogurt shop murders “solved” after 34 years. Many questions swirling around a highly unusual meeting of U.S. military top brass being brought in from around the world for a rare joint in person meeting. We’ll take a look. Plus, a legacy of the Cold War: Nuclear ...
Sep 29, 2025•52 min
A looming budget deadline and threats of a government shutdown: what that could mean for Texans. The Texas Democratic Party has launched an expansion plan that includes relocating its headquarters to Dallas. The decision has roiled quite a few within the party, even prompting an exodus of top staff. In Texas, there are around 11,000 students who are blind or visually impaired, and many of them spend time in school learning how to get around safely. The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana takes us insi...
Sep 26, 2025•50 min
An investigative report claims as Texas flooded on the July 4 weekend, the head of FEMA couldn’t be reached. We’ll hear more about a reported slow response from acting administrator David Richardson and what it meant for Texas during the Hill Country floods. Concerns are rising in higher ed over millions of federal dollars for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) on hold, with no end in sight. The latest on lawsuits challenging Texas’ new law for the Ten Commandments in the classroom. Tech expert...
Sep 25, 2025•50 min
A deadly shooting this morning at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Dallas. We’ll share the latest details. Workplaces across the state trying to calculate the implications of a new $100,000 fee for H-1B applications. We’ll hear more on the questions raised by the new policy and the possible fallout. How college football in Texas and beyond is being reshaped by new NIL rules allowing for direct athlete pay by advertisers and sponsors. And the return of Rodney Crowell: Music an...
Sep 24, 2025•50 min
After years of failed attempts, a so-called “bathroom bill” becomes law in Texas. We’ll cover what the rules say and how they’ll be enforced. Thinking of getting a COVID booster and have questions? We have answers. Why the National Weather Service offices in Austin and San Antonio are not fully staffed, even after historic flooding this summer. A conversation with Christian Davenport, author of the new book, “Rocket Dreams,” all about the billionaires engaged in a new space race. And today’s His...
Sep 23, 2025•50 min
Some are calling it a new chapter in the relationship between higher education and Texas politics – we’ll have a closer look at what’s happening at A&M right now and why it matters. Something is missing in a new report from the Agriculture Department: an explanation for the data. Michael Marks reports on why the missing link is raising eyebrows. There’s been a boom in indie bookstores nationwide, with Texas leading the way. How did it happen? Last November, after years of the Odessa City Cou...
Sep 22, 2025•52 min
Texas A&M President Mark Welsh is resigning after a week of turmoil over a viral video and a clash over gender identity content in the classroom. What’s behind Texas’ redistricting push? KUT’s Mose Buchele reports on a political strategy started decades ago. The flesh-eating new world screwworm, a parasite once eradicated from Texas, has been detected within striking distance of the border. What species may be most vulnerable. The new documentary “When We Were Live” reflects on public access...
Sep 19, 2025•51 min
Remember the Democratic walkout this summer over Texas redistricting? Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit accusing Beto O’Rourke of bribery and other charges for supporting the walkout continues – but O’Rourke appears to have the upper hand. Recovery funds are finally on the way for many in Houston who suffered damage during Hurricane Beryl and last year’s derecho. But the need for assistance continues to outweigh available resources. For decades, the Texas Civil Rights Project has been a forc...
Sep 18, 2025•51 min
Programs aimed at helping millions of low-income students earn college degrees is potentially on the chopping block. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Silas Allen joins us with a look. A series of bills aimed at preventing a repeat of the July 4th flooding tragedy in Texas’ Hill Country has passed, but some are asking if they go far enough. Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom has been looking into that question. He was known as the Sundance Kid and an icon of cinema. We’ll hear more about the late ...
Sep 17, 2025•51 min
Hurricane Harvey caused historic flooding in Houston. Why developers are once again building homes in flood-prone areas. Gambling is illegal in Texas, but there is a gray area when it comes to online betting on sports teams: prediction markets and daily fantasy sports. Food banks are reporting steep increases in demand as families struggle with higher costs and stagnant wages An interview with Matthew McConaughey about his new book, “Poems & Prayers.” And: From rancheras to country to rock a...
Sep 16, 2025•51 min
From the border to the rest of the state, Gov. Greg Abbott’s crackdown on immigration enters a new phase. The Trump administration’s creation of long, thin military installations along the border is affecting not just migrants but locals as well. Texas has settled another opioid lawsuit. So where’s that money going? After more than 20 years in Washington, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul says he will not seek reelection. What’s next for the Central Texas congressman and his seat. If the idea of being to...
Sep 15, 2025•52 min
The contours of Texas politics are changing – part of Republican’s decades-long plan? Texas Monthly’s Robert Downen joins us to talk about what he sees as an unprecedented consolidation of power aimed at ending fair elections in Texas. Also, Texas A&M launches audits of its courses statewide – this after the firing of a professor over teachings involving gender identity in a children’s literature class. And a lawsuit challenging the Texas Medical Board over who gets to call themselves a doct...
Sep 12, 2025•50 min
The latest on the dismissal of a Texas A&M professor and the removal of two top administrators after political pressure over what was being taught in a children’s literature class – an incident that has led to concern about academic freedom. The impact of SpaceX launches in South Texas is felt across the border in Mexico, where some officials are even weighing legal action against the company. Tech expert Omar Gallaga on how Facebook is bringing back one of its earliest features, the “poke,”...
Sep 11, 2025•50 min
Gov. Greg Abbott seems to be taking THC regulation into his own hands. What we know about what he wants to change. About 20% of Medicaid recipients lose access during the yearly renewal process because of all the red tape. How Texas researchers are trying to fix that. Texas is home to more than 100 Hispanic-Serving Institutions, but new federal cuts could eliminate funding that supports these colleges and universities. What to know about Texas House Rep. James Talarico, the newcomer shaking up t...
Sep 10, 2025•50 min
