It’s almost time to cast your ballot in the Republican and Democratic primaries. Early voting polls will be up and running across Texas next Tuesday.Some recent polling shows Ken Paxton pulling ahead of incumbent Senator John Cornyn… but Cornyn has the advantage in fundraising. We’ll take a look at the race for the nomination.West Texas has been a solid-red voting region for decades. The region’s Democrats are looking to draw lessons from the recent upset in the state senate special election.Officials are considering new proposals to build housing in Abilene. But some community members think there just isn’t enough being done about the growing affordable housing crisis in the city…And the Food Bank of West Central Texas provides millions of pounds of food assistance to more than a dozen communities in the Big Country. They’re working on making their support even more accessible. We’ll check in on mobile food pantries and other efforts.

This week’s show marks the first full year on the air for the West Texas Dispatch.Today we’ll bring you an overview of the upcoming primary election season. Did you realize that early voting starts in just a couple of weeks?The surge of ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minnesota has affected students. Agents have appeared on campuses and followed some parents after they picked up kids from school. We’ll hear about a legal case in El Paso that set the standard that until recently kept border agents away from schools.Far West Texas has one source of help for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and administrators hope they’ll be able to expand their outreach from new headquarters in Alpine.Hyundai is building a new solar project in West Texas. It’s expected to generate millions in local tax revenue, and new capacity for the grid at a time that many are concerned about the pressure that AI data centers will place on it.

On today’s show we’re finishing our conversation with Texas Agriculture Sid Miller. He’s got a lot of irons in the fire - we’ll hear what he thinks of how officials are fighting the spread of the New World Screwworm, and what he thinks could help stave off a parasite that would devastate the Texas ranching industry… and threatens wildlife.We’ll also take a look at the mental health challenges seniors face, and local resources for seniors and tips for caregivers.The Party Line is up and running, connecting Abilene to San Francisco. We’ll tell you how it’s going.And Napoleon Dynamite, Pedro and Uncle Rico are coming back to Abilene. We’ve got John Heder on today’s show. We’ll talk about whatever he wants to - Gosh!

If you live in West Texas, chances are that a data center is being built or coming soon, to an area near you. But, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller would like to pull on the reins a little. He wants to keep them out of prime farmlands. He’ll join us to explain.Abilene’s observance of the Martin Luther King Junior holiday has grown over the past few years. This year’s banquet was sold out. Some neighbors showed up to pray or march, others volunteered to beautify the city in King’s name. We’ll tell you about it.This week we’ve also got stories about a West Texas horse rescue, a new Abilene startup that hopes to capture some of the energy around the AI data center project, and Congress’s move to close the so-called “hemp loophole.”And we’ll tell you about an event happening tonight at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest. Science Ambassador JD Stillwater is making a stop in Abilene on his US tour helping people understand some scientific concepts–and connect with them.

He’s the mayor of Abilene. A few years ago, it was a slow growing somewhat sleepy town. But with the biggest construction project in the US taking place within those city limits…it’s sleepy no more. We’ll sit down with Mayor Weldon Hurt.West Texas will serve as a testing ground for the upcoming census. We’ll hear about efforts to prepare for the 2030 count.A nonprofit organization is encouraging Texas Tech’s leaders to protect freedom of speech for its faculty. We’ll tell you more about their request aimed at ensuring academic freedom on Texas Tech’s campuses.West Texas Roots brings us the history of Abilene’s oldest restaurant.And we’ll tell you all about an experiment coming to Abilene that aims to connect folks from one of the nation’s most conservative cities–with people from one of the most liberal cities on the West Coast. The Party Line goes live soon in downtown Abilene!

America’s strikes on Venezuela have captured a lot of attention this week. Texas congressional delegation has had a mix of reactions to the complicated political and diplomatic situation. We’ll take a closer look at historical context, as well as the reaction from West Texas, and what it might mean for the state’s oil industry.There’s a whole lot of symptoms this time of year. From the flu to seasonal allergies lots of folks are feeling a little under the weather. We’ll check in on how it’s hitting West Texas.The state is working to add to public lands in the Big Bend region. The new area won’t be open for years… but state officials are working to get the public earlier access to it.We have the next installment of the Bloodwork series - with a look at the personal experience of being a plasma-donor.The Abilene Philharmonic is preparing to perform its first concert of 2026. The audience will enjoy a piano concerto and the work of Tchaikovsky. David Itkin shares his thoughts on the concert, which is coming up next week.

This week’s show is a special edition-bringing you the best of what this program has produced in our inaugural year.When we launched the West Texas Dispatch in early February we had no idea what was in store. It’s been a year of ups and downs, some political surprises, major development news, and growing pains for the Big Country.On today’s show we’ll hear from our partners across West Texas. We’ll also bring you the best of reporting from KACU’s student staff–as well as one of our favorite West Texas Roots Segments and a conversation or two with the people who do big things for the Big Country.

We’re continuing to look at the increasing pressure on Abilene’s affordable housing market. Today we’ll hear about how things are changing for renters.We’ll hear from one renter who shares her frustrations with finding housing right now…We’ll also hear more about those who rely on the assistance of housing vouchers–and the challenges they face in being able to use those vouchers.We’ll bring you the second part of the Blood Work series…with a look at the industry around blood-plasma…which is a multi-billion dollar segment of the U-S economy.Abilene’s non-profits have one more chance to be part of what’s become the biggest day of giving in the city. We’ll tell you more about the Community Foundation of Abilene’s plans as they wrap up a decade of community philanthropy through “Abilene Gives”.And the owner of Catie Pies shares some favorite recipes and tips for what to do with the holiday leftovers.

The days of Abilene ranking as one of the state’s more affordable cities–may be numbered. We’ll take a look at how A-I growth combined with major reductions to housing assistance– is pricing-out low-income families.West Texas has at least two open seats for next year’s elections…The window to file for the March primary closed this week. We’ll check out the major party candidates who made it onto the ballot.Texas leads the nation in blood plasma donations. Today we’ll bring you the first installment of a series of reports focused on “Blood Work”.Lots of people look to various types of seeds and nuts to supplement the protein in their diets. We’ll hear about one Texas researcher who’s developing an edible version of one of the state’s big fiber crops.

December has brought cold temperatures and warm hearts as community members look to bless others this holiday season. We’ll check in on the Salvation Army’s annual bell-ringing and angel tree campaigns.It’s also time for seniors pick their Medicare options for the next year – it can be overwhelming – and we’ll get some tips from a local expert.A new book details the life of a West Texas musician – from the daughter’s perspective.The NCCIL is the home for all things children’s literature. We’ll hear how they work to build a love of reading with children.And this week is the Abilene Philharmonic’s Christmas concert. Conductors Notes gives us a sneak peek at the Three Tenors Christmas.