Revelations over César Chávez’s reported history of sexual abuse has led to an immediate response across Texas. We’ll break it down. Texas is home to two of America’s four strategic oil reserves. We’ll dive into why the Gulf Coast was the right place for this storage — beyond its oil and gas infrastructure. We’ll take a trip to Brownsville for the Final Four — in college chess that is. And we’ll bring you a story about a Texas-led discovery in South Korea: A new dinosaur species, the Doolysaurus...
Mar 19, 2026•51 min
Time has run out for what many thought would be a game-changing endorsement in the GOP runoff for a U.S. Senate seat. President Trump has yet to weigh in on the race between John Cornyn and Ken Paxton. On the Democratic side of the aforementioned Senate race: What may be a difficult battle ahead for James Talarico, hoping to win more support from fellow Democrats. A federal judge orders an extension for school voucher applications. Gov. Greg Abbott announces steps to help with a water crisis in ...
Mar 18, 2026•51 min
A new report says the Trump administration created military zones on the border and charged people with trespassing. We’ll dive into why the cases are often flawed. Today is the deadline to apply for school vouchers. We’ll look at why students with disabilities are running into hurdles. Bob Odenkirk talks about his new film “Normal,” where he’s the sheriff of a small town hiding a deadly secret. And Texas will be well represented in the March Madness NCAA Tournament. We’ll break it all down. The...
Mar 17, 2026•51 min
Fire warnings, scary high winds, dust storms out west, temps plummeting 30 and 40 degrees in some places… We’ll get the latest on a wild weather weekend. Guilty verdicts in a trial involving the shooting of a police officer outside a North Texas immigration detention center. Could the Prairieland decision be a possible template for future federal prosecutions against antifa protestors? Texas’ laws on abortion access: New housing data suggests the economic ripple effects of such laws. And March M...
Mar 16, 2026•52 min
A recent change to Texas law now requires local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Driverless cabs are making headlines in Austin for all the wrong reasons. What this might mean for Waymo’s plans to expand statewide. Politics v.s. pragmatism in West Texas, long known for its oil, now making a sometimes-begrudging shift to solar to meet growing electricity demand. Their question? What’s in it for them? Also, why NASA’s hanging out the “help wanted” sign. The post W...
Mar 13, 2026•50 min
As gas prices nationwide skyrocket, President Trump announces a massive new Texas-based refinery in Brownsville he claims could spur thousands of new jobs. Plus, Exxon’s move may signal a tipping point for Texas as a center for business. Also, a cultural change in the U.S. military leads to growing concerns about reporting of sexual assault and harassment. And a rare record book gives a glimpse at faith on the frontier and health concerns spark action affecting ranches on both sides of the Texas...
Mar 12, 2026•50 min
Texas lawmakers did not get through a ban on THC sales this past legislative session, but new rules restricting them are about to go into effect. There’s been some confusing back and forth from the Trump administration on what exactly a border wall might look like in Big Bend. Another Texas university is making changes to race and gender studies programs. New so-called “man camps” are popping up in rural Texas. We’ll delve into what they’re for. Plus, Austin’s biggest festival, South by Southwes...
Mar 11, 2026•51 min
Corpus Christi, a major Texas port city, could run out of water as early as next year. What’s behind the looming crisis? We’ll track how the war in Iran is affecting prices at the pump and what to expect next. Will the national Democratic Party spend more money in Texas after James Talarico and other candidate’s strong showing in the primary election? Plus, pan dulce: A new masterclass teaches home cooks how to bake the beloved sweet bread. The post How Corpus Christi could be on the brink of a ...
Mar 10, 2026•50 min
Gasoline prices on the rise, a looming crisis in Corpus Christi, and more fallout from a Texas congressman’s decision to end his reelection bid. We’ll have the latest on Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales’ abrupt decision to end his reelection efforts amid a House ethics investigation on sexual misconduct allegations. Also, a deep-pocketed Aggie alunmus weighs in on what he calls the “politicization of his alma mater.” We’ll dig into what that could mean for Texas A&M. In Nacogdoches, Stev...
Mar 09, 2026•51 min
Director Sam Firstenberg and film restoration pioneer Michael J. Dennis stopped by the Texas Standard studio this week to talk about the movie “Riverbend.” This is an extended version of the interview that aired on Texas Standard. 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. The post Texas Extra: Extended ‘Riverbend’ film interview appeared first on KUT &...
Mar 07, 2026•27 min
After winning a spot in a runoff, Congressman Tony Gonzales drops his bid for reelection amid growing pressure over an affair scandal. We’ll dig into the latest today. Also, confusion at some polling places on primary day: What really happened and what’s the fallout? And a film of Black resistance shot in Texas — but largely lost to history — has now been resurrected. We’ll share more about the rediscovery of “Riverbend.” Plus, three big takeaways from a busy week in Texas politics. Texas Standa...
Mar 06, 2026•52 min
South Texas lawmaker, Rep. Tony Gonzales, is facing a runoff and has now admitted to carrying out an affair with an aide who later died by suicide. Now a House committee is investigating the scandal. How the primary election turned Tejano music star Bobby Pulido into a Democratic political contender in the general election. The taco truck: A staple of life in Texas. Taco journalist Mando Rayo on why many working in those trucks are feeling more anxious right now. A preview of the Texas Film Awar...
Mar 05, 2026•52 min
Excitement among Democrats, challenges for some incumbents and a few lingering legal questions after last night’s primary election. The top-line race on both sides of the aisle was for U.S. Senate. Democrat Jasmine Crockett conceded Wednesday morning to fellow progressive James Talarico, but for the Republicans it’s incumbent John Cornyn versus Ken Paxton in a runoff. How did Republican redistricting affect Texas congressional races? We’ll get a better answer in November, but we’ll dig into what...
Mar 04, 2026•52 min
It’s primary Election Day. We’ll check in with our reporters at polling places across the state. A federal appeals court cleared the way for tariff refunds to begin, so what’s next and what should you do if you’re owed money? Teachers are among those who caught hundreds of errors in the new religious curriculum introduced in Texas public schools. Now, the state is making corrections. And why more Texans are choosing green burials. The post Texans head to the polls on primary Election Day appeare...
Mar 03, 2026•52 min
Fighting widens as U.S. and Israeli warplanes pound Iran. Iran and its proxies hit back, leading to a spiraling expansion. We’re following a rapidly expanding Middle East conflict with a close eye on the implications for Texas. UT international affairs expert Jeremi Suri answers some of the critical questions right now. Also, we’ll have a warning about energy prices Texans may be facing with the conflict underway as well as reactions from people in Texas with ties to Iran. Plus, a deadly shootin...
Mar 02, 2026•51 min
Who’s up, who’s down, and who’s in trouble — a final poll before primary day in the Lone Star State. We’ll go over what the numbers are telling us. President Trump is in Corpus Christi today, hitting the hustings on this last day of in-person early voting before crucial primaries in Texas. James Henson of the Texas Politics Project joins us with results of a new survey. Also, echoes of politics of the past as Texas prepares to mark 190 years since its own declaration of independence. Michael Adk...
Feb 27, 2026•52 min
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton files suit against a California doctor and a larger international organization for providing abortion pills to Texans. Paxton’s lawsuit is not the first time he’s gone after out-of-state providers of mifepristone — though so far, he’s had little to show for it. After the floods in Kerrville, volunteers round what may be a post-flood turning point. A political scandal involving South Texas Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales is gaining attention. We’ll delve int...
Feb 26, 2026•52 min
Gov. Greg Abbott is urging Texans in Mexico right now to follow shelter-in-place orders as violence sweeps much of that nation. We’ll have a report from Mexico City on the wave of coordinated retaliatory attacks and widespread uncertainty as wanted drug cartel leader, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes – known as “El Mencho” – is killed by Mexican special forces. The start of a federal trial of nine people connected to a July 4 shooting outside the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas. ...
Feb 25, 2026•50 min
Texas came up more than once during President Trump’s State of the Union speech. We’ll have an analysis of what he mentioned and what he left out. Camp Mystic is facing troubles in court after the way it handled deadly flooding in July. But a comment from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick could spell even further challenges. After the deaths of two men in detention at a tent facility in Fort Bliss, we’re learning more about the kinds of medical emergencies happening at the camp in El Paso. Evidence one Texas...
Feb 25, 2026•52 min
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
