KUT News Now

Central Texas top stories for March 25, 2025. Public Defender’s Office staffers are asking for fair pay and better benefits. The spending deal approved in Washington left tens of millions of dollars for Central Texas on the cutting room floor. Unseasonable highs in the forecast today, with rain arriving tomorrow night. Frontier Airlines is adding non-stop flights between Austin and San Diego starting in June.

The post KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 25, 2025: Public Defenders protested at the Travis County Commissioner’s Court today. appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Kim Vidrine loves her group of friends and she loves cakes. So six years or so ago, she created Cake Club as a way to celebrate both.

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

The post This Is My Thing: Cake! appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 25, 2025. Recent budget negotiations in Washington left Central Texas without tens of millions of dollars for local projects. Williamson County officials are searching for a new County Judge. The Round Rock Police Department says an investigation continues after a crash on I-35 yesterday killed one person. UT women’s basketball team advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA. 

The post KUT Morning Newscast for March 25, 2025: Austin is missing out on millions of dollars in federal funding. appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 24, 2025. Last night was our welcome to spring storm season. APD says they found incendiary devices at a Northwest Austin Tesla retailer. An Austinite is suing the U.S. Department of Education for removing access to income-driven repayment plans. Employees at the Travis County Public Defender’s Office will go before Commissioners this week to ask for higher pay, better benefits and more staffing. Texas is hiring Xavier’s Sean Miller to replace Rodney Terry as head Men’s Basketball coach.

The post KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 24, 2025: Austin police found incendiary devices at a local Tesla dealership. appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 24, 2025. An Austinite is suing the U.S. Department of Education for removing access to income-driven repayment plans. Employees at the Travis County Public Defender’s Office will go before Commissioners this week to ask for higher pay, better benefits and more staffing. Voting rights advocates are celebrating a federal judge’s ruling to strike down Texas’ ID requirements for mail ballot voting. Austin FC jumped to second place in the Western Conference standings after beating San Diego FC 2-1. The Texas Women’s basketball team plays Illinois today at 1:00 p.m. for the chance to advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament

The post KUT Morning Newscast for March 24, 2025: An Austinite is suing the US Department of Education for removing access to income-driven repayment plans.  appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 21, 2025. A bill aimed at clarifying the medical exception to the Texas abortion ban was filed this week in the state legislature. Arrivals from Houston and Dallas were halted at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport this morning. Leander is working to secure access to water for its growing population. Longhorn Women’s Basketball Team kicks off its NCAA tournament campaign this weekend.

The post KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 21, 2025: The Texas Legislature looks to clarify abortion exemptions. appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 21, 2025. As the measles outbreak in West Texas continues, Texas congressional representatives are demanding answers from national health officials. Landlords in Travis County filed more than 13-thousand evictions last year. Religious leaders in Austin have joined two federal lawsuits challenging an executive order by the Trump administration that allows immigration enforcement in previously protected spaces, including places of worship. Travis County leaders want to hear from residents about how they should spend about 75 million dollars on child care services this year. 

The post KUT Morning Newscast for March 21, 2025: Texas congressional representatives demand answers from national health officials on measles outbreak  appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 20, 2025. A tenant advocacy group says landlords filed the highest number of evictions last year in Travis County. Public education advocates in Austin are criticizing President Trump’s decision to dismantle the Department of Education. Austin officially has its first-ever poet laureate.

The post KUT Afternoon Newscast for March 20, 2025: State lawmakers are considering a bill that could speed up the eviction process for landlords. appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Last November, then-new Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis released a 100-day Action Plan called “Building Officer and Community Safety and Trust.” Earlier this year, before that 100-day marker, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talked with Davis about her plans for the Department.

The post Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis talks about her 100-day Action Plan appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Central Texas top stories for March 20, 2025. The city of Austin has a poet laureate for the first time ever. A state lawmaker wants to create the District of Austin, putting the city under state oversight. Firefly Aerospace concluded its first moon mission, and now we have images of the lunar sunset. Texas men basketball team is out of the NCAA after losing to Xavier. 

The post KUT Morning Newscast for March 20, 2025: Austin has chosen its first-ever poet laureate.  appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.