With lots of food and fireworks, Texans turn out to mark the Fourth of July – and we’re celebrating with a special program dedicated to summer in the Lone Star State:
Julia Green, the manager at Front Street Books in Alpine, shares her recommendations on new book releases to add to your summer reading list.
Top tips from the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly on how to smoke short ribs in your own backyard.
The backstory of Willie Nelson’s famous Fourth of July picnic.
Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, has some suggestions for beating the heat with aguas frescas.
Plus: top songs of the season with a Texas connection.

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Texas Congressman Lloyd Doggett on Tuesday became the first Democrat on Capitol Hill to call for President Biden to abandon his re-election bid.
In several high-profile cases, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed rulings from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, where Texas cases go on appeal.
Ever try your luck at the lottery? We’ll hear about an out-of-state scheme to win big by buying up the odds.
And soda’s unintentional pop: KUT’s Mose Buchele takes the lid off the mystery of exploding cans in hot cars.

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A conversation with John Sharp, who – as the longest-serving chancellor in Texas A&M System history – has announced he’s retiring next year.
What you need to know about a brand-new consumer privacy law now in effect in Texas.
If you’ve made a big purchase anytime lately, you’ve been paying attention to interest rates. They remain pretty high – but why? We’ll dig in.
We’ll talk to Kareem El-Ghayesh, a Texas pitmaster vying to win the newest season of Netflix’s “Barbecue Showdown.”
One of the most photographed spots in the Texas Panhandle is turning 50. How the Cadillac Ranch became such a phenomenon.
And a new analysis of the out-of-state money funding Texas politics – and to what end.

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On the final day of its term, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the legal challenge to a Texas social media law back to a lower court and said Donald Trump has absolute immunity for official acts only. We’ll have the latest.

It may be up to Texas lawmakers to further clarify state rules around in vitro fertilization.

The latest on potential disruptions for energy and travel as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall in the Caribbean.

Marijuana is not legal for recreational use in Texas – but tests show the products sold at smoke shops and gas stations is more like the real deal than meets the eye.

And the Standard’s Kristen Cabrera reports from East Texas on the homecoming of the enduring love story of Jim and Winnie Shankle – one that began on a plantation and ended with emancipation – told in the universal language of dance.

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A grand jury investigating the failed police response to the Robb Elementary shooting has issued indictments against two law enforcement officers on the scene, including former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo.
Kathleen Dorothy Blackburn, author of the new book “Loose of Earth,” talks about her family’s search for faith healers as father died – and later, her effort to learn more about the so-called “forever chemicals” he was exposed to.
A look at the life and legacy of the incomparable Kinky Friedman, who died yesterday at his ranch outside Medina.
And: The week that was in politics includes multiple questions about the ethics of Texas lawmakers.

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The Supreme Court has dismissed a closely watched abortion case, paving the way for doctors to perform emergency abortions in Idaho.
How a tunnel system in Houston contributes to flooding – and the bipartisan effort to fix it.
We’ll have the latest from Consumer Reports on their sunscreen findings, from SPF ratings to new ingredients.
Women at a Texas prison allege they and others are suffering abuse at the hands of one guard. Texas Public Radio investigates.
Plus: Netflix House is coming to Dallas, and tech expert Omar Gallaga has the details on what to expect from the immersive experience.

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The Supreme Court, in the waning hours of this term, issues orders on social media and federal corruption laws. Some of the most contentious cases on the court’s docket remain undecided, though we’re expecting several rulings in the next 48 hours or so.
Sen. Ted Cruz is leading an effort to end tax on tips. Critics call it an election-year move to win over younger voters.
40 acres and a lie: what a new investigative report reveals about a well-known but often misunderstood Civil War-era reparation order.
Also: an effort to help law enforcement personnel in need of mental health support.

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Hundreds of homes and businesses have been destroyed by fires in New Mexico, and Texans are lending a helping hand.
Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee revealed earlier this month that she has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. A look at the implications amid the heat of a re-election battle.
The algorithm that investigators say is having the effect of creating a cartel for rental properties, driving up prices and removing apartments from the market.
And: A case of stolen valor or something else? The battle over a combat badge worn publicly by a Texas Rep. Troy Nehls – a badge the Army says should not have been awarded in this case.

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The Texas Medical Board has offered guidance to doctors on the emergency medical exception to the state’s abortion ban.
How the small town of Sanderson in West Texas is recovering after a pair of tornadoes.
Shipments of avocados and mangoes from the Mexican state of Michoacán to the U.S. are suspended after two U.S. Department of Agriculture workers in the region were detained by local protesters and later removed from the area, leaving inspections of produce on hold. What will it mean for prices?
Reading, writing and roasting: Texas A&M is hoping to school the next generation of coffee experts by offering a Coffee Processing and Quality Certificate.
And: what Texas architecture of the mid century tells us about the Lone Star State and its complicated aspirations – we’re talking to the author and photographer behind “Home, Heat, Money, God: Texas and Modern Architecture.”

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In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court has issued a major ruling on gun rights, effectively disarming domestic abusers.
A meeting today to consider the exceptions to the state’s near-total abortion ban: It’s an effort to deal with fears about prosecution cited by many Texas doctors.
The latest on what could be upcoming federal rules on heat protection for workers.
Elon Musk gets the green light to reincorporate Tesla in Texas – but he’s far from alone. How the move is a part of a larger shift to reincorporate in the Lone Star State and why.
A conversation with Tara López, whose new book “Chuco Punk: Sonic Insurgency in El Paso” examines the city’s punk scene from its beginning to the turn of the century.
And: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune.

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