He’s cultivated relations with top political figures, but how much is known about the ties between Elon Musk and Gov. Greg Abbott?
The Texas Newsroom’s investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy on what started out as a public records request that turned into an odyssey as she tried to learn more about the relationship between Musk and the Texas governor.
Also, she’s one of the most successful Texas songwriters in history – yet many Texans don’t even know her name. The Standard’s Leah Scarpelli reports on a push to turn the spotlight back on Cindy Walker.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can help make this podcast happen by donating at supportthispodcast.org.

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You’ve heard about the ruling striking down Texas’ new congressional maps, but what does that mean as a practical matter for the upcoming primaries? The new ruling on Texas’ redistricting plan, and an expected appeal throws a lot into limbo.
Space shuttles once routinely orbited the earth many times over, but a plan to bring one to Texas is having trouble getting off the ground.
Plus, the Standard’s Sarah Asch looks at how the Mexican government is filling in the gaps for some adult education programs in the U.S.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

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A ruling out of West Texas has upended Republican redistricting efforts to get more seats in Congress. Where things stand now that a federal judge in El Paso has struck down Texas’ new congressional map.
We’ve reported before on how Texas school district leadership seems to have become increasingly partisan. We’ll take a closer look at the fallout in one part of the state.
El Paso’s highway system has a history and impact everyday commuters might not know. Miguel Juarez, author of “Frontera Freeways: Highway Building and Displacement in El Paso, Texas,” hopes we all can learn.
W.F. Strong shares a look back on the life of the late George Foreman and how he fought his way to the top.
And a new documentary from producer Jordan Peele hopes to bring more attention to the Black cowboy. “High Horse” director Jason Perez joins us ahead of the three-part series’ debut on Peacock.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

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Texas A&M bans professors from discussing race or gender ideology. Will other universities follow?
They were supposed to be protected from deportation, but now ICE is going after some DACA recipients, too. How some Dreamers are ending up in detention centers.
Why the VA is making it harder for men with breast cancer to get medical care and disability benefits.
Also, the wild, little-known history of the NFL’s Dallas Texans, as well as how AI is making old lottery scams targeting Texans seem more real.

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For the first time in more than a decade, there is no incumbent in the race for one of the most powerful – and often contentious – posts in Texas. Incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton is not running for reelection, and now seven people are vying for his office. Eleanor Klibanoff of the Texas Tribune joins us with a preview of the upcoming battle.
Also, a new study says more than half of Texas parents haven’t heard of education savings accounts, sometimes called school vouchers. We’ll see what that adds up to.
Plus, along the Texas Gulf Coast, the latest in a long-running battle against plastic pellets known nurdles.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

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No matter where you are, you’re in for a treat as we broadcast from the biggest city in the Lone Star State.
We’re coming to you from the studios of our partners at Houston Public Media, the latest destination in our yearlong waltz across Texas marking 10 years on the air.
Today, we’ll explore Houston’s rise to become the nation’s newest global city.
Also, a mission to tell the true story of the first female astronauts, the Houston Chronicle with a new list of the top Houston restaurants, a take on Texas zydeco, and a whole lot more.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

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The deal to reopen the federal government included a ban on intoxicating hemp – potentially undoing measures taken by the Texas Legislature last session.
Houston’s 9th congressional district is among those most affected by redrawn political maps. We’ll take a trip there to explore the impact.
Corpus Christi is trying to shore up water supplies. What city leaders are considering.
Apple wants to keep you connected, even on a hike in a remote place. How they might accomplish that.
Plus, both Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott made their campaign bids official this week.

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Healthcare subsidies were a central issue that led to the federal government shutdown. Now that a deal is in the works, what happens to them?
We’re still waiting to hear from courts on whether new Texas district lines will be in place for the 2026 election. We’ll dig into the potential impacts in Houston.
In Austin, voters turned down a property tax increase. What does that mean now for the city’s budget?
Plus, the challenge of envisioning a truly bikeable Dallas.
Those stories, a political push from a Fort Worth megachurch, and a sports break looking at how women’s basketball is heating up with UT, Baylor and TCU in the mix.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org.

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A few Democrats join Republicans in an effort to end the federal shutdown. We’ll have details.
Families of girls killed in the July 4 Hill Country flood sue Camp Mystic.
Car-dominant Texas needs more public transit to meet future needs. So says a new report from TxDOT.
And on this Veteran’s Day, the Voces Oral History Center pays homage to a helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam.

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas.

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

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Signs of a possible temporary end to the federal shutdown, but closer to home concerns are growing that Texas is running out of water.
The Texas Tribune employed artificial intelligence to answer some Texans’ water concerns, but there are limits. We’ll hear from two Tribune reporters who are trying to fill in the gaps.
The U.S. race for uranium: Why Texas is finding itself at the center of it.
We’ll also talk with a member of SNL’s Five-Timer’s Club now on tour across Texas: Comedian John Mulaney.

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