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 th…

This bit of history really does seem too strange to be true. It involves the family of John Wilkes Booth, the son of Abraham Lincoln, and Sam Houston. The full transcript of this episode of Stories from Texas is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post New Y…

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 takin…

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 o…

Texas gets a lot of flack for its culture wars – but some note a change at the Capitol this legislative session. More than a year after the state took over Shelby Park in Eagle Pass during the peak of illegal border crossings, it has now reopened to the public – and residents have bittersweet feelings. After a big push from the Trump administration…

A record-breaking heat wave will blanket big sections of the state. Is this a preview of summer? The U.S. has suspended imports of cattle from Mexico as a devastating pest, the New World Screwworm, makes its way north, threatening livestock. The Houston City Council kicks off budget hearings this week, weighing steep cuts. The new book “Freedom Sea…

Abortion pills, denial of bail, and a ban on land purchases for some people: What’s happening in the final weeks of the Texas Legislature? After jackpot controversies, multiple resignations and a ban on online lotto ticket sales, the state’s lottery system is now under investigation. Cities on the rise across Texas are quite literally sinking, with…

Texas Catholics, now almost a third of the state population, are celebrating the selection of Pope Leo XIV, the first pontiff from America. Gov. Gregg Abbott has just signed into law a school voucher plan, but some Texans are continuing to push back. A judge orders the sale of the Texas Renaissance Festival, following a civil court trial over a pur…

Several current and former Frio County officials have been indicted for alleged vote harvesting, part of a years-long investigation led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. One critic calls it voter suppression 101. What’s behind the charges? In the conversation over cash bail reform, what’s missing? An new investigation points to a lack of focus …

According to a new poll, Texans have predictable opinions along party lines about Donald Trump’s immigration policies – but it’s more complicated on the economy. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against Austin ISD, accusing it of teaching critical race theory. It’s not the first time a Texas district has faced such charges. …

State lawmakers from the House and Senate reach a deal lowering property taxes. Will it pass? It’s the ultimate company town: How Space X’s launch site in South Texas became a city. Generic and house brands are taking off as people look to save on grocery bills. But that’s not the only reason shoppers prefer them. What’s next for Gregg Popovich in …

As the clock ticks down on the legislative session, how close is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to completing his wish list? Weekend balloting across Texas brings some big local changes. We’ll hear from reporters statewide. Texans dominate at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson golf tournament in McKinney. The documentary “The Stones Are Speaking” tells the story of Mic…

This week, Willie Nelson celebrated his 92nd birthday. Last weekend, the latest film he served as executive producer on had its debut. It screened at the Dallas International Film Festival and it was co-directed by his daughter, Amy. This is an extended interview with her about the film, “King of the Roadies.” It’s about the world’s first roadie, B…

A South Texas ruling prevents the deportation of some detainees. What it means for the Trump administration’s strategy. Houston’s large Afghan population is closely watching efforts to unwind programs providing them legal status in the U.S. Why many say they can’t return to their home country. Some Texans will be headed to the polls tomorrow for lo…

An $8 billion funding bill for public schools has passed the Texas House. But is it enough? Where lawmakers stand on education spending. After a string of weather disasters, a bill could bring financial relief to impacted farmers. A new book, “Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take,” examines a shift in trust over federal guid…

Texans weigh in on everything from artificial intelligence to the economic outlook. What a new poll tells us about the state of the state. We’ll also dig into consumer spending, and what the latest information from credit card companies does and doesn’t tell us about consumer confidence. Creeks and watering holes are a beloved aspect of Central Tex…

We’ve been here before, but this time feels different. President Donald Trump has rounded out 100 days in office, but getting a grasp of this moment in our country’s history is a challenge. Whether what’s unfolding is good or bad depends on where you look, and who you ask. This hour, we’re getting a snapshot of Trump’s second term by exploring what…

Though a voucher-like plan has passed in Texas, lawmakers are far from done with education-related changes. What’s still on the legislative docket? Just about a month left before scheduled sine die at the Texas capitol, Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media shares some of the less well-known school-related measures lawmakers are considering. In …

A measure long sought by Texas Republicans is now on its way to the governor’s desk: A voucher-like plan to use public dollars to pay for private education. We’ll get details from Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom. A massive plan was once proposed to keep Texas from running out of water in the late 1960’s… Voters said no. How the debate has resur…

After lawsuits and a long delay, the Texas Education Agency releases rankings for schools in the Lone Star State. The school rankings are more than just an indicator of how well students are doing, they can have ripple effects on the schools themselves, as well as on housing prices and more. KERA’s Bill Zeeble joins us with what the report cards te…

Healthcare providers and people on both sides of Texas’ abortion ban are working together – kind of – on an effort to clarify the law. The VA is trying to trim its budget without affecting patients. A closer look at the plans and their potential holes. The number of nurses in Houston public schools has dropped by 50% in the past year. Now there’s a…

The Supreme Court halts deportations under the Alien Enemies Act. We’ll have the latest on the case involving migrants held in Texas. He was called a “monster” by one of the survivors of the El Paso Walmart mass shooting. We hear from victims and relatives of those killed as the gunman is sentenced. Pope Francis once made a high-profile visit to th…

From Houston to Fort Worth, thousands of Texans joined people across the country over the weekend in a national day of protest against the Trump administration. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey gets us up to speed on what’s happening at the state Capitol with six weeks left in the legislative session. Four Houston-area suicides among members of l…

Texas Extras are special and extended content put together just for our podcast listeners! Texas Standard recently revealed our Top 10 list from April: the Top 10 Typewriter Rodeo poems from the past decade. Each poem is pretty short, usually just about a minute long, but we still didn’t have time to play them in their entirety in our on-air Top 10…

Bird flu is spreading fast among wildlife including foxes and raccoons in Panhandle counties. Twenty-seven candidates are running to become the next mayor of San Antonio – the city’s biggest field in recent memory – as voters head to the polls next month. Deployed Resources, a Texas company that grew into a contracting giant building tent shelters,…