After violence on the streets in parts of Mexico, things are returning to normal. But will it last? We’ll dig into the latest following the killing of cartel head “El Mencho” in Mexico. Why turnout for early voting for the March primaries is exceeding expectations – especially for Democrats. The growing calls for Congressman Tony Gonzales to step down and abandon his re-election campaign. An inside look at the rural hospitals at risk of closing in West Texas. And our bug lady answers kids’ quest...
Feb 24, 2026•51 min
A major repudiation of one of the Trump administration’s signature initiatives: The Supreme Court’s tariff decision and the Texas impact today on the Standard. A new investigative report reveals six deaths in six weeks at immigration detention centers in Texas. Other stories we’re tracking: As the first week of early voting in the Texas primaries comes to a close, what GOP voters in one reliably red district are thinking about as they head to the polls south of Austin. Also, why Tejano’s taking ...
Feb 20, 2026•52 min
James Talarico’s campaign raises millions after an interview with Stephen Colbert is pulled. But was it really a backfire against President Trump? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey with the lowdown. A look at a hugely important hearing today for four men accused of the notorious 1991 yogurt shop murders in Austin. Also, why are so many barbecue joints closing? The post Talarico interview on Colbert controversy shakes up race appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts ....
Feb 19, 2026•52 min
Wildfire risk is so high in the Texas Panhandle that an energy company preemptively cut off power to avoid lines blowing down and starting to spark. We’ll take a closer look at the situation. Early voting is underway across Texas. We sent reporters to polls across the state to hear from voters who made it out on the first day. We’ll profile the candidates in a hotly-contested race near Houston where the GOP is hoping to gain a seat. Beef prices are contributing to shock over grocery store bills,...
Feb 18, 2026•52 min
Early voting is underway in Texas for the primaries. We’ll go over what you need to know before casting a ballot on today’s show. With Paxton out, a look at the candidates who want to be the next attorney general in Texas. How Houston’s Johnson Space Center will play a critical role in the Artemis II mission to return astronauts to the moon. Keeping bicyclists safe on Texas roads. And W.F. Strong on why Robert Duvall’s legacy looms large in Texas. The post W.F. Strong on Robert Duvall’s Texas le...
Feb 17, 2026•52 min
Can Sylvia Garcia, Houston’s only Latina U.S. representative, hang on to her seat? We may know sooner than some realize. If you were waiting for this fall for the start of election season, wait no more. Early voting in the state’s primaries is set to begin tomorrow. A closer look at a race with huge implications for Texas – and beyond. Amid concerning reports from the immigration detention center at Dilley, what are conditions really like inside? Ask the children being held there. We’ll talk wit...
Feb 16, 2026•52 min
Major changes at one of the state’s flagship universities, with UT Austin consolidating seven departments focused on ethnic and gender studies into two new ones. Five years since Winter Storm Uri and a massive blackout that led to investigations and a rethink of how the state manages the power grid. What’s changed? A look back. The Standard’s Michael Marks on a new pest hitting rice growers at a very bad time. Hi, how are you? A new exhibit focuses on the life and legacy of the artist Daniel Joh...
Feb 13, 2026•52 min
What really happened that led to a sudden and largely unprecedented shutdown of the airspace and the airport in El Paso? We’ll dive in on today’s Texas Standard. With just days to go before early voting begins in the Texas primaries, Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom gets us up to speed on the Democratic race between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and state Rep. James Talarico, as well as a GOP showdown featuring Sen. John Cornyn, AG Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt. Also, Discord tells users ...
Feb 12, 2026•52 min
The FAA reopened airspace around El Paso as abruptly as it shut it down. We’ll dig into what we know about the strange and unprecedented actions. A months-long investigation from The Texas Newsroom and The California Newsroom finds pregnant migrant girls are being held at a South Texas shelter that’s been flagged as medically inadequate. Why even some within the Trump Administration are concerned. Have you noticed more political ads touting concerns about Islamic terrorism? An analysis about wha...
Feb 11, 2026•52 min
One of the most closely watched political contests in this midterm election year is happening in Texas, and a new poll offers some surprises. The race for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by John Cornyn has recently been characterized as tightening up, but a new poll suggests Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat Jasmine Crockett are pulling ahead from the rest of the pack. As AI makes image manipulation easier than ever, are the laws keeping up? Plus, the fastest-growing group online? It’s not ...
Feb 10, 2026•51 min
Redistricting wars may sound like esoteric politics, but a race in Houston shows how high the stakes are for some Texas communities. We’ll look at how a lesser-known political contest in Houston’s 29th district illustrates the impact of the redistricting fight on some Texas communities. It may sound like a social media trend, but it’s a real medical condition with dangerous, potentially life-altering effects: Understanding Alpha-gal syndrome. Unwalkable cities in Texas? The Dallas man who put th...
Feb 09, 2026•51 min
Texas becomes the first state with a strict abortion ban to provide doctors with guidelines on exceptions. We’ll dig into what’s in those guidelines with ProPublica reporter Cassandra Jaramillo. Coming soon to the pristine spaces of the Big Bend: Construction of a border wall. We’ll look at how many locals are trying to push back. And in a state that loves football, why the Bad Bunny halftime show will be the main event in many Texas homes this Super Bowl Sunday. Texas Standard is a listener-sup...
Feb 06, 2026•50 min
The application window opens for Texas education savings accounts, often called school vouchers. But demand may outstrip available funds. We’ll talk with two reporters for the Houston Chronicle closely following the application process, hear about the application experience of one Texas mom, and learn more about what’s included, what isn’t, and what happens if there’s not enough taxpayer money to go around. SpaceX and xAI could be poised for the largest IPO in history. We’ll dig into what this m...
Feb 05, 2026•50 min
The partial government shutdown is over. Did you know we were in one? Well, now another could be on the way as negotiations over ICE’s budget persists on Capitol Hill. Texas school boards are considering a new state law that allows time to be set aside during the day for prayer and reading the Bible. Texas has split from the American Bar Association. We’ll tell you why and the impacts the move might have. Our Shelly Brisbin explains how Elon Musk’s Starlink stands to benefit from a multibillion-...
Feb 04, 2026•50 min
Texas state prisons that don’t have a/c get so hot in summer with temperatures that violate state standards for other lockups. Also, well-known former Texas Police Chief Art Acevedo questions tactics used by immigration agents in Minneapolis. We’ll hear from him about his concerns over fallout for other law enforcement. And we’ll check in to see how people in Kerr County are coping with the mental health consequences in the aftermath of the July 4 flood. Plus, the legacy of Houston hip-hop pione...
Feb 03, 2026•52 min
In a little-watched race, Taylor Rehmet’s surprise win for Democrats in Texas may be a potential warning shot for Republicans in a midterm election year. Is this a one-off, or is the GOP in trouble in the Lone Star State? Also, Texas environmental regulators greenlight what looks like the largest fossil-fueled power plant project in the country. We’ll dig into what it might tell us about energy and the environment in Texas going forward. The post Democrat makes surprise win in solid-red Texas di...
Feb 02, 2026•49 min
With national attention focused on the tactics of immigration enforcement, a concern is growing among Texas Republicans about the political fallout. We’re still months away for an important midterm election. But this weekend, voters in one part of Texas will be picking their representative to Congress. Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media brings us the backstory of the race to replace the late Sylvester Turner. A new order from Gov. Abbott on H-1B visas has many institutions of higher educat...
Jan 30, 2026•50 min
Protesters outside the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley called for the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father who were taken into ICE custody in Minnesota.Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a massive military buildup as President Trump warns Iran to abandon its nuclear program – or else. But this may be about more than just nukes.Also, what new census numbers tell us about the state of the Lone Star State. The post Protesters, DPS troopers clash outside Dil...
Jan 29, 2026•50 min
The second death of a person in Minnesota at the hands of ICE agents has fueled an outcry from some for another government shutdown.Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers aren’t just in Minnesota, of course. They’re also showing up in small-town Texas. A look at their impact on Elgin.We’ll hear from journalists José Ralat and Rodrigo Bravo Jr. who believe they were targeted by officers in West Texas.A hangout in Austin that promotes doodling nights for adults.And how some dairy farmers are...
Jan 28, 2026•50 min
Pressure builds inside the Texas detention center in Dilley housing parents and children. What’s behind a protest that erupted there over the weekend? Second Amendment advocates speak out after licensed gun owner Alex Pretti is killed by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota. A look at how weight loss drugs are transforming obesity and diabetes care in San Antonio. Introducing the upstart jazz orchestra at Huston-Tillotson University that’s among the top in the country. And a North Texas estate sale...
Jan 27, 2026•50 min
An update on this weekend’s winter storm – the lingering aftereffects, and when to expect things to get back to “normal.”Though the worst may be over, many extreme cold advisories have been issued statewide today, and frozen precipitation is making many secondary roads treacherous. We’ll have an update, plus a look at the storm’s impact on the power grid.Despite hazardous driving conditions, an important political debate went on as scheduled Saturday: A showdown between the top two Democrats run...
Jan 26, 2026•51 min
Texans statewide are preparing for the biggest winter storm we’ve seen in years. We’ll have the latest on a weekend of snow, ice and freezing rain that’s en route to Texas. At the moment, officials say the power grid is looking good, though localized outages are likely due to falling limbs and ice on power lines. For now, though, the first debate between U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett and State Rep. James Talarico for the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat is still a go. We’ll have the lat...
Jan 23, 2026•50 min
Texans prepare for a major winter storm, projected to be the most severe since the deadly winter storm of 2021. We’ll get an update on preparations by state officials in what promises to be the first real test of the power grid since Winter Storm Uri five years ago. A Uvalde school police officer, the first law enforcement official to be charged in connection with the Robb Elementary School shooting, has been acquitted by a jury. Also, the death of Cuban immigrant at an El Paso detention center ...
Jan 22, 2026•51 min
Freezing temperatures and ice are in the forecast for much of Texas. We’ll go over what you need to know to feel prepared. An investigation into jail deaths in Tarrant County finds a common denominator: A lieutenant who looked on. Drone delivery could soon be coming to your front porch. We’ll cover the companies embracing the technology and the challenges it brings. The new PBS documentary, “American Sons,” highlights the lives of Marines who served together in Afghanistan and how they remember ...
Jan 21, 2026•50 min
A year ago, President Trump began his second term in office with a promise to carry out mass deportations. We’ll have a view from the border on today’s Texas Standard. Is the state funding private schools that discriminate? An update on a lawsuit challenging the heartbeat abortion law in Texas. Plus, award-winning photojournalist and musician Tamir Kalifa combines his talents to document the Uvalde school shooting and other events in a new project titled “Witness.” The post ‘Witness’ blends musi...
Jan 20, 2026•50 min
From one end of Texas to the other: Parades, celebrations and service events in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Veteran host of “In Black America,” John L. Hanson Jr., pays tribute to the civil rights leader. We’ll also hear from the host of a new PBS documentary on the evolving legacy of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We’ll delve into the death of an ICE detainee at the nation’s largest detention facility in El Paso – a death that may soon be ruled a homicide. And a ...
Jan 19, 2026•51 min
It may be the single election day with the greatest power to reshape the Texas political landscape, and yet most Texas voters don’t bother with it. We’ll unpack it today. Do you know when the Texas primaries are? Plan to vote in them? The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us with the often-misunderstood stakes of primary season. Two weeks after the U.S. military action in Venezuela, why some in very pro-Trump Midland are worried about the bottom line. Plus, the San Antonian behind one of the ...
Jan 16, 2026•50 min
Dueling ballot challenges in Tarrant County: Why longtime Texas politics-watchers say they’ve never seen anything like it. A look at a teacher’s alleged sexual misconduct and a new state law that could wind up costing a local school district millions. We’ll dive into whether other school districts could be on the hook as more victims seek accountability. Tech expert Omar Gallaga explains a controversy over explicit images generated by X’s AI tool, Grok. And a check-in on where Texas is at amid p...
Jan 15, 2026•50 min
A new investigation shows officials were confused about how many were missing at Camp Mystic in the hours after the deadly July 4 Hill Country flood.A disruption in the courtroom during the trial of the school police officer accused of not doing enough to intervene in the Uvalde shooting: Why the sister of one of the teachers killed said she couldn’t keep quiet. SpaceX rocket launches in South Texas have affected some commercial flights. We’ll look at a ProPublica investigation over how explosio...
Jan 14, 2026•50 min
The Republican race for U.S. Senate heats up with incumbent John Cornyn raising a record amount of money ahead of the primary. We’ll dive into where the race stands there, as well as between Democrats Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico. Six months after the catastrophic Hill Country flood, where do recovery efforts stand? Hope for the future and fear nothing will change: How Venezuelans in Texas view their country’s future now that Nicolás Maduro is gone. What closing the hemp loophole means fo...
Jan 13, 2026•50 min
