You check in with your ID, find an empty booth and cast your ballot in secret. But have Texas voter transparency laws challenged that privacy?Depending on where you live in Texas you might pay taxes to a local hospital system. Understanding how that works.Storm chasers have enormous followings on social media, many copycats and, increasingly, even people riding along. It’s a growing industry of sorts, but is it a good idea?A new docuseries coming to HBO, “Ren Faire,” follows what happens when the man who has presided over the Texas Renaissance Festival for 50 years retires.And: A push for classical studies in Texas classrooms could also include more conversations about the Bible. The post Students could soon be taught Bible stories in public schools appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

In the most expensive primary runoff in Texas House history, Speaker Dade Phelan hangs on to his seat, but many GOP incumbents lose after opposition from the far right. What do the primary results tell us about the state of the Texas GOP?The latest on storms moving across the state and what to expect today.A Texas college is stepping up its efforts to help with a nursing shortage.And in a place long considered a major agricultural force, is the Lone Star State running low on farmland? New rankings on the best and worst places for farmers. The post House Speaker Dade Phelan narrowly wins primary runoff election appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Deadly storms, including a tornado, ripped through North Texas over the weekend, killing at least seven people and injuring 100 others. We’ll have an update on the latest recovery efforts.The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins this week, will be “extraordinary,” forecasters warn.Our monthly deep dive into investigative reporting, The Drill Down, takes a closer look at the federal investigation into Ken Paxton. Could Texas’ attorney general still face charges?After years of expanding, some pharmacies are closing their doors – what that could mean for the corner drug store.And: The state’s lowrider culture is on display in a new exhibit at the Bullock Texas State History Museum. The post Communities begin cleanup following deadly North Texas tornado appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas is changing, and so is the world. If we squint to try to look at the future job landscape, what do we see? There are more than 15 million working Texans right now, but while the state boasts steady growth and “record high levels” for jobs and the labor force, there are always unknowns on the horizon.Among them: tech advancements and the impacts of climate change. So how will the jobs of tomorrow look different? We’re exploring all that and more today in The Future of Work in Texas. The post The Future of Work in Texas – A Texas Standard special appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There’s infighting among Texas Republicans over the next steps in their efforts to stop abortions in the state.Canada is Texas’s second-biggest international trade partner, behind Mexico. We’re talking to Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of export, trade and economic development, during her visit to the Lone Star State this week.After the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are considered children under state law, Democrats raced to pass bills to protect in vitro fertilization. Now, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz is pushing a similar bill – but what exactly would it do?Ahead of Memorial Day on Monday, we’ll hear from a Texas family still working to make sure the legacy of their beloved serviceman is honored.And: Today marks two years since the deadly shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. A survivor’s story. The post Why is Ted Cruz proposing a bill to legislate in vitro fertilization? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After an apparent tornado strike in Temple last night, it’s looking to be another day of severe weather across large parts of the Lone Star State.A ransomware attack on the Ascension hospital network is still having a big impact on staff and patients almost two weeks later.After online reports and videos of women giving up the birth control pill, The New York Times finds that prescriptions are not actually declining – in fact, the opposite.And: The latest album from singer-songwriter Susan Werner, “Halfway to Houston,” takes on the wide landscape of Texas. The post What’s behind an anti-birth control push on social media? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The May 28 primary runoff elections are fast approaching – we’ll have an update on contests in North Texas and a contentious battle over who will head the Texas GOP.With Texas school boards at the center of culture wars, a closer look at how those boards operate.What’s so funny about Texas? Laredo native Vanessa Gonzalez is featured in a PBS docuseries on the roots of comedy.And: Some Texas legislators are pushing to crack down on squatters. The post Laredo native Vanessa Gonzalez on how Texas informs her comedy appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

After spring storms drenched Southeast Texas, the state is offering to buy out flooded homes. Why some are saying no thank you.Early voting is underway for primary runoffs, and Gov. Greg Abbott’s battle over school vouchers continues as he backs candidates against those who oppose his plan.A look at how the military trains for tunnel warfare.Domestic production of EV batteries is ramping up in the U.S. – but EV sales have been down in recent months as consumers opt for hybrids or gas-powered cars that often cost less and offer more choices.And with summer travel season ahead, have you wondered who’s paying for Texas highways? The post Who pays for Texas highways? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

We’ll have the latest on relief and recovery efforts in Houston days after deadly storms hit the region and left hundreds of thousands without power.A new plan for mental health care in Texas and what some Texans say needs to be a shift in priorities.The Texas delegation to Congress is set to up the stakes in a water fight with Mexico.A small green beetle, the ash borer, has steadily decimated forests across the U.S. for more than two decades – and it’s recently spread to five new counties in Texas.This week in Texas music history: recounting the spring of 1963, when Texas’ own Roy Orbison hit the road with the Beatles.Plus, the antiquated music machines still playing back part of Texas history. The post What’s next for Houston after deadly storms appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Deadly and destructive storms sweep across downtown Houston, killing four and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. We’ll have an update on the latest as damage assessment and recovery efforts are underway.A new controversy surrounding Houston Superintendent Mike Miles is getting the attention of state lawmakers and the Texas Education Agency – this one involving an apparent transfer of Texas education dollars to charter schools in Colorado.Plus: the week in politics with Matthew Watkins of The Texas Tribune. The post Four dead after severe storms batter Houston, East Texas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.