The killing of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week sparked protests around the nation this weekend. We’ll look at what happened here in Texas. The state of Texas has handed over voter registration rolls to the Trump administration Justice Department. Why Texas Democrats and some experts fear that could have violated federal law and exposed confidential information about Texas voters. For some women behind bars in Nueces County, a financial education effort is underway that...
Jan 12, 2026•51 min
Concerns about the flu are making headlines in many places across the country. Where do we stand in Texas? Our conversation with the state’s epidemiologist to hear how concerned Texans need to be as flu season ramps up. Also, more and more Texas parents are crying foul over the rising cost of their kids playing in youth sports leagues. It’s not just about uniforms and equipment, either. And Netflix: not just for the sofa anymore. How the company’s making a move to brick and mortar. Texas Standar...
Jan 09, 2026•50 min
Over three years later, the first criminal trial over the police response to the Uvalde school shooting is underway. We’ll have a live report with the latest in the trial of one of the first police officers to arrive at the scene of the deadly school shooting at Robb Elementary. With a big meeting set at the White House on Friday, we’ll review the stakes for Texas’ oil industry after the capture and arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. We’ll hear why a Texas teachers union is suing the...
Jan 08, 2026•50 min
The legal case against Nicolás Maduro and his wife has begun, but how’s that going to work exactly? Venezuelans living abroad, including here in Texas, continue to react to the capture. Why Austin-based “Freedom is a Feast” author Alejandro Puyana says it’s so important we keep including their voices in the news coverage. The U.S. military might increase fitness standards. Why some are pushing back on the idea. New energy projects are taking off in Matagorda County. What it means for the mostly ...
Jan 07, 2026•51 min
The latest from inside Venezuela as the Trump administration takes over and an interim president is sworn in. A look at the on again, off again immigration status of Venezuelans seeking asylum in this country – and Texas, in particular. Dallas County prosecuted its first fentanyl dealer, so how did the case fall apart? Birders have been busy with the annual Christmas Bird Count. A look at what they saw along the coast of Galveston Island. And with a new year comes a new Public Domain Day. From B...
Jan 06, 2026•50 min
A historic U.S. military operation has extracted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro from the country. What are the implications, both for Texas and the U.S.? University of Texas global affairs expert Jeremi Suri weighs in on this weekend’s events, including the legality of the Venezuela operation and whether it was about narcoterrorism, oil, or something more. Speaking of oil, we’ll look at the implications for Texas as a global hub of the petroleum industry. Plus, the future of oil and gas in ...
Jan 05, 2026•52 min
As we celebrated 10 years of the Texas Standard in 2025, our yearlong tour of the state recently took us to our partners at Texas Public Radio, based in San Antonio. Though its many landmarks bring in the tourists, new residents are rushing in, too – putting pressure on resources like energy and water. We explored those growing pains but also sampled the tastes and sounds that make San Antonio special. The post Encore presentation: A special broadcast from San Antonio appeared first on KUT &...
Jan 02, 2026•51 min
Texas Standard had the best seat in the state for the recent Geminid meteor shower. We’re revisiting our special broadcast from the McDonald Observatory earlier this month. We’re focused on space science, including the history of this West Texas research gem – and how it’s continuing to contribute to what we know about the universe and beyond. Dark skies are essential for observation, but there are challenges with light pollution. What they’re doing out in Fort Davis and what you can do at home....
Jan 01, 2026•52 min
As we wrap up 2025, we’re reflecting on some of the most important news moments of the past year, including what happened with new proposals aplenty passed during the biennial state legislative session. We’ll also drill down on some original investigative reporting of the year with the Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughy and look at how 2026 is teed up for Texas through a political lens. The post The top news of the year and looking ahead to 2026 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts...
Dec 31, 2025•52 min
Texas could lose as many as 17 members of Congress next year. What does that mean for the Lone Star State in terms of clout? The clock is ticking as federal funding for the 988 Crisis Lifeline expires next year. Distractions are everywhere. “Indistractable” author Nir Eyal offers strategies for focusing on what matters to you. And as we wrap up our birthday celebration marking 10 years, we’ll take a look back at our favorite animal stories – from remarkable dogs and cats to fascinating wildlife....
Dec 30, 2025•52 min
There may be no personal income tax in Texas, but property tax? That’s another thing. And perhaps, the next big thing in Texas politics. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us with more on what’s emerging as a new theme in Texas politics for 2026: Property taxes. 4 million Texans signed up for health plans from the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and all are expected to be paying more for their premiums in the new year if subsidies are allowed to expire. And look back at some of the big st...
Dec 29, 2025•51 min
It’s almost time to turn the page on 2025, but we’re stretching out Texas Standard’s 10th birthday celebration a little longer with our 10 favorite book interviews from the past decade. It’s a list that includes children’s books, young adult literature, and books diving deep into history. Join us as we count them down. The post Our top 10 books stories of the past decade appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts ....
Dec 26, 2025•51 min
Just a few weeks ago, the editors and producers of the Texas Standard made out their lists and checked them twice, picking out stories from the past year that filled them with a certain sense of uplift – something that can at times seem so elusive. In the spirit of the season, we’re sharing some of these feel-good stories with you on a special Christmas Day edition of the Texas Standard. The post Stories to warm your heart this Christmas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts ....
Dec 26, 2025•51 min
Music is a huge part of what makes Texas what it is. And as part of Texas Standard’s yearlong 10th birthday celebration, we’re celebrating our top 10 favorite music stories from the past decade. Those include an exclusive interview with Phil Collins at the Alamo, an expansive conversation with the boundary-pushing band Khruangbin, and deep dives into the lives and legacies of Texas greats Johnny Canales and Nanci Griffith. We’ll also hear from the man entrusted to take care of Willie Nelson’s gu...
Dec 24, 2025•51 min
How will you remember 2025? This hour we’re listening back to some of our favorite stories of the year from reporters with the Texas Standard and Texas Newsroom. Remember the author of “Holes,” who made a sharp turn in 2025? Or when it was blazing hot outside and the swimming pool became too irresistible to say no to? What about the rise and rise of Labubus? All this and more on a special holiday edition of the Texas Standard. The post Our favorite stories from the Texas Standard and Texas Newsr...
Dec 23, 2025•50 min
This holiday season, we’ve been listening back to some of the most compelling reporting by our in-house journalists here at the Texas Standard, as well as a team of public media reporters statewide known as The Texas Newsroom. From an effort to help more adults complete a high school education, to a mystery Bible in Boerne, to the long-awaited launch of a new college football team in the Rio Grande Valley, you’re in for a treat on this special edition of the Texas Standard. The post The best of ...
Dec 22, 2025•51 min
Politicians can raise a lot of money running for election. But what happens to it when the campaign trail ends? Elected officials in Texas have a loophole to help them spend the money they raise on campaigns after they retire. How many concert venues have made it 75 years? We’ll take a tour of Dallas’ historic Longhorn Ballroom. All that plus the latest political headlines, SpaceX going public, and the Typewriter Rodeo. The post Dallas’ Longhorn Ballroom marks 75 years appeared first on KUT &...
Dec 19, 2025•51 min
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says a Wisconsin-based electronic health records company has a monopoly over the industry. We’ll have more on the AG’s fight against Epic. Remembering a couple of major figures in the Tejano music world who we lost this past weekend: Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla. Plus, counties are getting new equipment to warn residents before flooding strikes. What is it, and will it help? The post Tejano music mourns two foundational figures appeared first on KUT &...
Dec 18, 2025•51 min
He’s been an elected Democrat for over 50 years, but now local party officials in Houston are refusing to endorse Mayor John Whitmire. Unwinding the political drama, today on the Texas Standard. Texas’ new bathroom law effects schools and government-owned buildings, but one reporter found enforcement depends on exactly where you go. Texans Michael and Susan Dell are giving away billions to American kids. Who’s eligible and how the donation will work alongside so-called Trump Accounts. Texas driv...
Dec 17, 2025•50 min
Texas does not allow people change their gender on driver’s licenses. Those who still try are now being tracked. How the Trump administration is reorganizing the Army to reflect a new focus on Latin America. Professors caution students about relying on AI, but some universities are doing just that to review course content. And a new memoir by the man who helped invent the carefree Cosmic Cowboy movement. Our talk with musician Bob Livingston, plus a reflection on the legacy of Joe Ely, who died ...
Dec 16, 2025•51 min
Houston, Fort Worth… Now three more Texas school districts are expected to be taken over by state education officials. Where, why and what comes next? The son of Texas A&M’s campus rabbi is among those critically injured in the mass shooting at Bondi Beach near Sydney, Australia. Mexican citizens who routinely cross into the U.S. at Texas’ southern border to donate plasma may be taking advantage of an immigration loophole. And our own Sarah Asch tells us why a library in a tiny Texas town ma...
Dec 15, 2025•52 min
Austin and San Antonio have long been home to some of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. Together, they are becoming what the authors of a new book are calling a “Megaregion.” This is an extended conversation with former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros and longtime journalists Robert Rivard. The post Texas Extra: The challenges and opportunities ahead for the Austin-San Antonio ‘Megaregion’ appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts ....
Dec 13, 2025•22 min
The Geminid Meteor Shower is happening, and we’ll have tips for your stargazing in a special live broadcast from the McDonald Observatory. Today we’re focused on space science, including the history of this West Texas research gem – and how it’s continuing to contribute to what we know about the universe and beyond. Dark skies are essential for observation, but there are challenges with light pollution. What they’re doing out in Fort Davis and what you can do at home. Plus: A conversation with S...
Dec 12, 2025•51 min
Millions of student loan borrowers are bracing themselves for big changes. We’ll have details on the end of the so-called SAVE program and why experts worry millions of student loan borrowers may be forced into default. As some Texas cities cut funding for homeless services, a look at one approach from nonprofits: giving cash directly to people who need it. With Netflix in the news this week, tech expert Omar Gallaga notes some users are already spotting a change in how they stream the service a...
Dec 11, 2025•51 min
Texas’ top two political officials are lockstep on a new effort to make sure conservative youth organization Turning Point USA can launch at every high school in the state. We’ll take a closer look. Human plasma is vital for medical needs, but it’s also a multibillion-dollar industry on its own. We’ll explore. A Texas school district is sounding an alarm about some robotaxis, saying they’re passing school buses and may be putting kids at risk. Black bears are living in West Texas again. A look a...
Dec 10, 2025•49 min
High-profile Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett launches her campaign for the U.S. Senate. We’ll look at how she’ll compete in a crowded field against primary opponent State Rep. James Talarico and prospective general election foes incumbent Sen. John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton. Last month Texas voters approved funding for a dementia prevention and research institute. Now a lawsuit means that plan is on hold. Plus, why more and more Texans are selling their blood plasma for ca...
Dec 09, 2025•51 min
Political musical chairs is underway in Texas on deadline day for candidates to file for the midterm elections. We’ll explore where we stand and what it means today. Mandatory course reviews and changes to policies at universities have faculty warning of dire threats to academic freedom, especially when it comes to teaching hot-button topics – like transgender identity. Kaye Knoll with that story. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds… What about snacking on cottonseeds? The A&M researcher betting ...
Dec 08, 2025•51 min
It is a city as well known for its history as its growth in the here and now. Today we’re broadcasting from San Antonio for a special edition of the Texas Standard. As we celebrate 10 years of the Texas Standard, our yearlong tour of Texas takes us to the studios of our partners at Texas Public Radio, based in one of the most beautiful big cities in all of Texas. Though its many landmarks bring in the tourists, new residents are rushing in, too – putting pressure on resources like energy and wat...
Dec 05, 2025•51 min
Democratic congressman Henry Cuellar from Texas faced charges of conspiracy, bribery and money laundering. Why did the president just pardon him? We’ll dive in today. Texas becomes the first state to buy bitcoin. Why, and what it adds up to in a larger context. Imagine distilling your entire year into a snapshot – like a top 10 list. Spotify may have popularized the year-end personal recap craze, but they’re not the only game in town. Holiday wrapping and a whole lot more today on the Texas Stan...
Dec 04, 2025•51 min
Some new Texas laws are going into effect this week, including a modified bathroom bill. Other new laws include yet another one affecting abortion access, and one changing the tests kids take in Texas schools. Texas flagged hundreds of voters as potential noncitizens earlier this year, but county officials have already determined many were mis-flagged. The latest AP Top 25 college football rankings are out, but the handwringing continues over which teams will make the playoffs. And we’ll talk wi...
Dec 03, 2025•50 min
