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. The post ‘The Stadium’ reconsiders the role of our modern arenas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

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. The post What Texas Democrats can look forward to as the DNC kicks off appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

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. The post How Texas is likely undercounting heat-related deaths appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A Houston housing program designed to increase affordability isn’t helping the lowest earners. Is it a failure – or is it more complicated than that?Two liquified natural gas projects set to be built in the port of Brownsville are on hold after a court ruling. What that means for the plans long-term.The safe return of two astronauts aboard the International Space Station remains a top priority for NASA.We’ll introduce you to a pair of Dallasites working to preserve Black histories in a changing neighborhood, the Tenth Street district.And: What to do when you need a physical copy of something and just don’t have a printer. The post Setbacks stall two big energy projects in the Rio Grande Valley appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has won the Democratic nomination to replace the late Sheila Jackson Lee on the November ballot for Texas’ 18th Congressional District.More and more Texas jurisdictions are sending people awaiting trial to other states and counties. What effect is this having on criminal justice?As Frito pie season returns, Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong dives into the rich history and lore of the iconic dish.TxDOT is starting work this summer to expand and lower Interstate 35 through downtown Austin, and the city and University of Texas want to install large decks over the highway that could have parks on them. It’s a concept that already exists in Dallas, and KUT’s Nathan Bernier went to check it out. The post What can Austin learn from Dallas about covering I-35 with a park? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Two women file federal complaints after they say Texas hospitals refused to perform medically necessary abortions to terminate ectopic pregnancies.In East Texas, a tiny museum is dedicated to preserving the history of the 1937 London School explosion, the deadliest school disaster in U.S. history and the reason natural gas has an added odor.Are state Republicans passing laws they know are unconstitutional – and is this a political strategy?People and places in North Texas pay homage to Mexican Painter Frida Kahlo.And: All across the state, honeybees make a big comeback thanks to new beekeepers – so much so that a statewide bee specialist is now on the job. The post Remembering the London School explosion, a tragedy that changed safety forever appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The city of Uvalde releases a trove of records from the Robb Elementary school shooting after pressure from the media. What are we learning?As tensions escalate in the Middle East with Israel anticipating a strike from Iran or its proxies within days, how could this affect Texas, its role in oil exports and prices? Matt Smith, energy analyst at Kpler has more.Across the Permian Basin, the discovery of plugged oil wells breaking down and leaking.All aboard? Amtrak set to restore Gulf Coast train service.Plus, 41 Texans have picked up medals in the Olympics and U.S. women’s soccer brings home the gold after beating Brazil. The post What we learned from new Uvalde school shooting records appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

With Kamala Harris in the spotlight, there appears to be a major momentum shift in presidential politics. Is it moving the needle in Texas?A new survey indicates that 90% of Texans believe housing costs are too high, with Democrats and Republicans in agreement.Schools are struggling to grapple with a rise in vaping among students.A conversation with Oscar nominated actor Colman Domingo on his new movie “Sing Sing.”And: the week in politics with The Texas Tribune. The post New survey reveals bipartisan concern over Texas housing affordability crisis appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas educators are preparing for the start of a new school year as billions of dollars in federal support expires.Houston ISD is preparing to go to taxpayers with a bond proposal – but the idea is not without controversy.Wastewater from fracking is spewing out of abandoned wells. What we’ve learned from a new study that confirms what many living around the oil patch have long expected.Plus: The new movie “Sing Sing” is a very different take on the prison film. A conversation with Texas-based producer Monique Walton and director Greg Kwedar. The post Federal COVID dollars for schools go away as Texas districts struggle appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas Standard kicked off a new project in August: The Texas Museum Map. To begin, we decided to get answers to some challenging questions about museums. This Texas Extra is an extended version of that interview with Kenneth Hafertepe, a fellow with the Texas State Historical Association and chair of the Department of Museum Studies at Baylor.  The full transcript of this episode of Texas Standard is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.The post Texas Extra: How do we define a museum? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.