Texas Standard

The House has passed a bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. If the Senate signs off, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make it law.

A 2023 law expanded polling place requirements – but many small counties couldn’t keep up. Now a new bill that rolls back those mandates is headed to the governor.

Water insecurity is a problem around Corpus Christi – and that’s before a new Tesla plant coming in that will require more of it. What you need to know.

Plus: The eyes of the world are on Fort Worth for its annual Van Cliburn Piano Competition.

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A bill banning all products with THC is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Is this the end of the state’s hemp industry?

Lawmakers are also revisiting efforts to reform or replace the STAAR test.

An investigation finds that some people in Central Texas are stuck behind bars beyond the 90-day limit without being indicted – only to have their charges dropped.

From Tejano to Texas country, the sounds of the Lone Star State are getting a new home at Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Plus: We’ll go behind the scenes of the new podcast “Better Outside,” hosted by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

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This Memorial Day, we’ll hear the story of Florentino Cantú Jr., a Laredoan who saw military service as a ticket to a better life for his parents and 10 siblings.

Memorial Day is a day of reflection to be sure, but it is also the unofficial start of summer for many folks. We’ll be getting some tips on how Texans can make the most of it, from experiencing the great outdoors to keeping cool – plus some Texas summer songs that hit just right.

And: Hurricane season starts June 1, and CenterPoint Energy says it’s ready with a new and improved outage tracker. But after failures during Hurricane Beryl and last year’s derecho, is that enough to restore customer trust?

Texas Standard is a listener-supported production of KUT & KUTX Studios in Austin, Texas. You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org

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With just over a week to go at the Texas Legislature: what’s passed, what’s stalled, and where we stand.

Retailers track your every move to build shopper profiles and offer “personalized discounts.” But these loyalty perks may be more misleading than helpful.

Declining enrollment and tight budgets have school districts reevaluating their campuses. In Fort Worth, officials are proposing a five-year plan to close more than a dozen schools.

And: the week in politics with Jasper Scherer of The Texas Tribune.

The post Fort Worth considers shuttering 14 schools to cut costs appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A look at the behind-the-scenes dealmaking happening at the Texas Capitol with less than two weeks until lawmakers gavel out on June 2.

How proposed cuts to SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, would impact Texans.

Apple has a plan to make it possible to use your laptop, phone and even smartwatch with brain control. Tech reporter Omar Gallaga says it’s no gimmick and could bring serious accessibility benefits.

Plus: A new coach, a new star – and a bumpy takeoff for the Dallas Wings.

The post As the clock winds down, Texas lawmakers scramble to pass key bills appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas lawmakers are considering a plan that could help prevent fentanyl overdoses in the state. Why it may not become law.

A decade after the deadly biker shootout in Waco that led to nine deaths and more than 100 arrests, some civil cases against the city are still moving forward.

Some Texas law enforcement agencies are getting rid of a gun they consider too risky for their officers – by selling them to civilians.

State and federal money has been set aside to connect rural Texans to the Internet. When the remote West Texas town of Monahans couldn’t get that help, they did it themselves.

And: Texas cities once again top a list of the fastest-growing in the U.S., led by Princeton, a suburb east of Frisco.

The post How one West Texas town built its own broadband lifeline appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Today we’re broadcasting live from El Paso for a special edition of the Texas Standard.

We hear from some prominent El Pasoans – former Congressman Beto O’Rourke and former El Paso Mayor Dee Margo – on the city’s dynamic politics.

El Paso has become a leader in innovative water management. How the city is securing its future in the desert.

KTEP’s Aaron Montes visits a local academy training the future stars of lucha libre.
And: How bighorn sheep have returned to El Paso’s mountains after a century away.

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A bipartisan bill on abortion has passed the Texas Senate and is making its way through the House. Why lawmakers agree it’s necessary.

It’s been a decade now since a deadly shootout involving rival biker gangs at a Twin Peaks in Waco. What an investigation reveals about how the case was handled.

Thousands of Brazilians live in Central Texas. How they’re feeling about those from their country being targeted for deportation.

Plus: We’ll take you to the Kentucky Club in Juárez, a beloved border bar and one of the last of its kind.

The post 10 years later, still no convictions in Twin Peaks biker shootout appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As the school year winds down, Texas lawmakers cramming for their final days at their desks are focused on education – and what some had hoped would be an increase in state spending per student may be shifted to teacher pay raises.
Consumer Reports investigates a tip that sale prices at Kroger aren’t showing up at the checkout, with consumers taking the hit.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has rolled out motorized track wheelchairs to improve access at state parks.
Plus: A 15-minute film from Waco, “The Heart of Texas,” has already made a mark at festivals and is now headed to Cannes.

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 bill would make it possible for criminal offenders as young as 15 to be sent to state prisons for adults.
Why hopes for a big increase in per-student funding for Texas public schools may have slipped away for this legislative session.
Also at the Capitol: The loud bang of a wooden mallet is supposed to keep lawmakers in check. But it’s a symbol of power, too. What’s the story behind the use of the gavel?
For decades, a quiet but growing movement has supported artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Standard’s Sean Saldana visits a progressive East Austin studio helping redefine what inclusion in the art world can look like.
Plus: Texas musician Carrie Rodriguez joins us to talk about her new collaboration with Calexico.

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

You can support this podcast at supportthispodcast.org

The post Central Texas art studio centers artists with disabilities appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.