Texas Standard

A demographic shift decades in the making is finally here. So what’s it mean for the state’s future? New data from the census bureau shows there are now more Hispanic than white residents in Texas. We’ll talk it over with the state’s demographer. Plus the story of a novelty website purchased for one and a […]

A major logistics catastrophe avoided. We’ll talk about the railroad worker strike that wasn’t. Railroad worker unions were prepared to go on strike without a contract that had better protections for sick time. We’ll have the latest on the deal that’s kept the trains on the tracks. Plus you’ve heard of blue books, the green […]

Texas’ border security mission has cost more than four billion dollars and counting. Where’s all that money coming from? Operation Lone Star put 10,000 Texas National Guard troops along the state’s border with Mexico. Today we’ll help you make sense of how the state’s paying for it. Also a looming railroad strike could mean pain […]

More details emerge about the horrific conditions faced by youths locked up in Texas’ juvenile justice facilities. Locked in a cell 22 hours per day with no place to use the restroom… That’s how some of the kids in Texas’ youth detention system spend their weekends, thanks to short staffing at the facilities. We’ll learn […]

Four months after Uvalde, what do we know about the role of the Texas Department of Public safety in the response? A deep dive into the history of Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw and the role he played (or didn’t) during the state’s deadliest school shooting. Also, Migrants are being released into the streets in […]

The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the end of an era; historian Caroline Ritter of Texas State University and our own WF Strong on its significance to Texans and the impact more broadly. Also, a leak reveals large membership numbers in Texas for an extreme right wing group linked to the January 6th insurrection. […]

One of the world’s top vaccine experts takes on questions as a new COVID-19 booster arrives in Texas; we’ll be talking with Dr. Peter Hotez about the new Omicron focused vaccines. Other stories we’re tracking: with pandemic disruptions, gun violence and other concerns, how some Texas school districts are trying to address students’ mental health. […]

A democrat running for a top statewide office gets a big endorsement from a prominent Republican. Could it shake up the midterms in Texas? Other stories we’re tracking: what’s happening with home prices in Texas? Why price trends are pointing toward a return to a buyers market…with some big caveats. Plus, a study that could […]

Texans are still reeling from the stories of Uvalde. But are schools any safer now? Today we’ll hear from Texans: students, educators, experts in crime and mental health. But also victims and survivors. We’ll sort through going back to class in the wake of the state’s deadliest school shooting. Uvalde: What’s Next? A special rebroadcast […]

A vote about a change to the social studies curriculum in Texas public schools. Only it’s not the sort of vote some advocates wanted. Proposals to add teaching about Junetheenth, the murder of George Floyd and LGBTQ rights are on long term pause. We’ll hear the backstory. Also how what’s happening in San Antonio could […]