
Texas Standard
Coverage of politics, lifestyle, environment, technology, innovation and money matters from a uniquely Texas perspective.
Latest episodes

Aug 29, 2024 • 51min
The state is facing a middle-class housing crunch
Housing availability is too low across Texas – and the cost to buy a home is just too high. We’ll have the details of a new report that shows the middle class feeling the brunt of the housing crunch.Seniors were some of the hardest hit during the power outages caused by Hurricane Beryl. What’s being done to protect them before the next storm?FEMA applications for damage caused by Beryl have far outpaced any other recent storm in Harris County, even Hurricane Harvey.What we know about how CEOs are using artificial intelligence to make high-level executive decisions – and when humans should step in and override AI’s choices.And: UT and Oklahoma are now in the SEC. If you don’t really get why that matters, we’ll have the cliff’s notes as college football season kicks off.
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Aug 28, 2024 • 0sec
Boerne Little League reflects on historic World Series run
Mexico has halted diplomatic ties with the U.S. Embassy over criticism of the outgoing president’s plans to overhaul the country’s judicial system. What does it mean for relations with our biggest trading partner?Two towns within the city of Arlington are trying to distance themselves from their reputations as “speed traps.”CDC researchers are trying to get the word out about a disease that affects many who many not even realize they suffer from the condition: heart valve disease.And: Despite heavy rain, thousands in Boerne turned out to celebrate the Little League team that could. We’ll hear from a player and the team’s manager following their historic World Series run.
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Aug 27, 2024 • 0sec
Preserving the legacy of the Kilgore Rangerettes
Is an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton protecting the balloting process or an attempt to suppress Latino voters?CenterPoint Energy tries to repair damage to its relationship with customers after many were left without power following Hurricane Beryl.A decade of drone research at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, what does the future hold?Our Texas Museum Map project looks at the high-kicking legacy of the Kilgore Rangerettes and how they led the way for halftime entertainment.And: In East Texas, newly hatched horned lizard babies offer hope for the future of the threatened species.
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Aug 26, 2024 • 0sec
East Texas has a long history of labor disputes you may not know about
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suspended his bid for the White House and appeared with former President Donald Trump to offer his endorsement. What does it mean for the race moving forward?
Where does the economy really stand, and what do the presidential candidates’ promises add up to in substance? A top Texas economist does the math.
The University of Texas at San Antonio and UT Health San Antonio are set to merge by 2025, with the potential to become a national and international powerhouse.
And: An East Texas reporter has spent the weeks leading up to Labor Day looking back at the biggest historical labor disputes in the region. Michael Garcia of KETK in Tyler shares what he’s learned.
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Aug 23, 2024 • 0sec
Remembering Johnny Canales’ legacy
Presidential nominee Kamala Harris took the stage for a historic acceptance speech to end the Democratic National Convention, a celebration of unity and momentum unimaginable just a few weeks ago.A new series tracks the impact of one of the biggest transitions in Texas history: from big oil to greener energy.Remembering the impact of legendary TV presenter Johnny Canales, who would have turned 82 today.Plus: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
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Aug 22, 2024 • 0sec
Lawmakers slam Texas Lottery for aiding jackpot scheme, prompting policy change
A new policy blocks transgender Texans from changing the sex on their driver’s licenses, unless it’s to fix a clerical error.The game is up on a Texas lottery loophole that allowed some to buy up tickets en masse, guaranteeing a win. But the door could still be open for abuse.A new poll on presidential politics in Texas shows Vice President Kamala Harris cutting into former President Donald Trump’s lead.Midland officials have pushed to figure out how to address a multimillion-dollar deficit in the city’s firefighter pension, but recently efforts to stabilize the fund have slowed.Plus: Are you in the market for a fitness tracker or a laptop for your kid? We’re talking to the experts and have some tips you should consider for adding them to your cart.
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Aug 21, 2024 • 0sec
Biden administration bets on Texas Instruments in the chip manufacturing race
Another August day, another forecast for record-setting heat – and plenty of questions about whether the power grid can manage the strain. So far, so good, to the surprise of many who’ve been bracing for calls to conserve electricity. What different about the energy mix this go-round?Texas Instruments recently received a $1.6 billion Department of Commerce grant for new chip-building facilities.In the least populated county in Texas, where truly every vote counts, a judge has overturned an election. We’ll hear about a shakeup in Loving County.Plus: A new pin on our growing Texas Museum Map, this time in the border town of Eagle Pass.
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Aug 20, 2024 • 50min
‘The Stadium’ reconsiders the role of our modern arenas
The Democratic National Convention kicked off with an emotional evening and Texans among the featured speakers.A jury found that the parents of the accused gunman in the 2018 Santa Fe High School shooting were not responsible for his actions.Highway lanes are shrinking in Austin. It’s part of national trend – but what does it mean for safety?Why an effort to ban books in a Rio Grande Valley high school library failed.Also: A new book from historian Frank Guridy delves into why sports stadiums are more than places to cheer on your favorite team.
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Aug 19, 2024 • 0sec
What Texas Democrats can look forward to as the DNC kicks off
Texas has the third-largest delegation at the Democratic National Convention. We’ll hear more about the four-day political spectacle getting underway in Chicago and what it could mean for the Lone Star State and the presidential race.Conservative activists, led by the Houston-based group True the Vote, are submitting lists of names to county election officials all over Texas, claiming the listed people are illegally registered to vote.More and more school districts in Texas taking cellphone bans seriously as students return to class.Also: Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a special type of self-watering soil that can actually pull water from the air and slowly release nutrients to plants.
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Aug 16, 2024 • 50min
How Texas is likely undercounting heat-related deaths
Just how dangerous is triple-digit heat in Texas? They say the numbers don’t lie. Last year was the deadliest on record in Texas, but there’s reason to think we don’t know just how bad it really was – or is.As schools begin welcoming students back to class, data shows nearly 1 in 5 will be chronically absent.Are you a mosquito magnet, or does it just seem that way? What the science says, and what you can do about it.Plus, the week in politics with the Texas Tribune and poetry from the Typewriter Rodeo.
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