Early voting for the upcoming primaries in Texas begins next month. Up in Williamson County, things are going to be a little different this election cycle. Voters there will no longer be able to vote at any polling site on Election Day. We’ll talk about why that is, and the impacts it could have.

Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement have continued in the Austin area this week. Demonstrators gathered outside Austin City Hall on Tuesday. We’ll hear more from those who took part.

Plus, bats have long found a cozy home here in Austin, but they’re not just nestling up under the South Congress bridge.

And living, dying and grief is the subject of a short film premiering this weekend in Austin.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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Hundreds of private schools in Texas are being shut out of the state’s new school voucher program because of alleged ties to some organizations or foreign governments, and that includes dozens of schools in the Austin area. We’ll have more about the voucher program and its continuing rollout.

Plus, hobbies can lead to rewarding experiences, but carving out the time to invest in one can be tough. We’ll hear the story of a group of skaters in Austin that prioritizes community and fun – despite their busy schedules.

And the executive director for Texas Performing Arts stepped into the role just months before the pandemic forced shows to stop and theatres to close. We’ll hear what he learned about the job and the future of arts and performances going forward.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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A person was detained last week by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Kyle. The man had to be transported to the hospital, according to local police, and the KUT Newsroom is working to get more details on the story.

An attorney for the student who was deported while flying back to Austin for a holiday says the federal government admitted it violated a court order when it deported her to Honduras. Any López Belloza, an Austin-raised student at Babson College outside of Boston, was detained after trying to fly home to Austin before Thanksgiving. We’ll have more about her story and her status.

It’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and we’ll hear from him through archival audio in a reflection from the podcast In Black America.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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Complaints against Austin Police could be worked out through a new city program focused on mediation. We’ll hear more about what these types of guided conversations to address community concerns could look and sound like.

There is a downtown fixture close to Rainey Street that has somehow avoided becoming yet another Austin skyrise – the IHOP on Cesar Chavez, of course. We’ll hear about the real estate drama behind its longevity and what the future could hold for the building and the land it’s built on.

This week in Texas music history we hear about how the Karnes City country singer, Goldie Hill, struck gold in Nashville and set a precedent for women in country music.

Plus, a conversation with the director of a new documentary on podcasting. The “Age of Audio,” premieres at Austin Film Society this weekend.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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The Austin Police Department is changing its rules over how officers report people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The change comes after the detention and apparent deportation last week of a Honduran mother and her 5-year-old daughter.
We’ll go over the changes and the reaction from Austin City Council members.
And Austin voters could once again be faced with deciding whether to raise property taxes to help the city tackle expenses like park improvements and public safety. KUT’s city council reporter will have more on that.
Austin Poet Laureate Zell Miller talks about his new theatre program. It’s first production? A hip-hop rendition of Aesop’s fables.
Plus, KUTX hip-hop show “The Breaks” is up for a Best Radio Show award in the Austin Music Awards Poll. We hear about how they’d like to continue growing their show.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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Text messages from officials in Kerr County reveal confusion amid the July 4 Hill Country floods last year. Information and misinformation spread amid the flooding that killed more than 130 people. We’ll talk about those messages.
More changes are coming to I-35 as work continues on overhauling the highway at the center of Austin. We’ll dive into what to expect on the roads and how it could impact your travels.
Plus, the Alamo Drafthouse is doing away with pen-and-paper ordering and folks have feelings about it.
And a chat about the TV shows you and everyone else will be talking about all year long.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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Earlier this month, the CDC reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children. The change has flummoxed some parents and pediatricians in the Austin area. We’ll listen to some of the questions they’ve been asking.

It’s been more than six months since deadly flooding killed more than 130 people across Central Texas and the Hill Country. Recovery is still a long way down the road. We’ll have an update from some of the folks still working through that process.

Plus, the ATX Free Fridge Project has been filling in gaps in food access across the Austin area for more than half a decade, but the project itself could use a little love and help these days.

And with a new year comes new art in the public domain. We’ll find out what’s been added in 2026.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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Demonstrations against ICE continued in Austin this weekend after an officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good last week in Minnesota. We’ll hear about the activity around town and its aftermath.

We’ll also hear about an Austin mother and her five-year-old daughter who were taken into ICE custody last week after police responded to a disturbance call at their home.

Plus, smokable hemp could be outlawed in Texas by the end of this month. The state’s health agency has proposed new rules that could upend the hemp market in Texas. We’ll delve into the new proposals and how Texans are feeling about the future.

We also take a look at news from our collaborators at Austin Current.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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People in the Austin area joined with many thousands of others across the country in protesting after an ICE officer fatally shot a woman this week in Minneapolis. Demonstrators gathered outside a Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville. We’ll bring you some of those voices.

After a U.S. military operation in Caracas last weekend, Venezuelans in Austin are hoping for bigger changes before they feel ready to go back home. We’ll hear from them, along with a Venezuelan-Texan author based here in Austin.

Plus, how did Austin come to be known as “The Live Music Capital of the World”? Come and dig into the ATXplained vault with us.

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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The state health agency in Texas has proposed new rules for hemp products. Those rules could mean higher fees for businesses, more testing for products, and could effectively outlaw access to hemp flower. We’ll look at what’s being proposed and how Texas business owners are feeling about it.

Plus, after oak wilt claimed a tree in his yard, local artist Steve Parker turned its wood into a sonic experience. His solo exhibit at Ivester Contemporary features wooden records and wind instruments. We’ll experience some of those sounds for ourselves.

What do you get when you mix Austin’s best music station with an Austin music venue and stage that’s famous the world over? We’ve got the “Hole Story” right here on Austin Signal. And who is Lavada Durst to Austin’s music History? We’ve got the answer. 

The full transcript of this episode of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.

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