Texas Standard

New details from a deposition more than a decade old shed light on how Ken Paxton has amassed his wealth. Could they rattle the tight Texas U.S. Senate race? A new military push for AI, and an outsized role for Texas. Why some say the process is moving too fast. San Antonio’s Fiesta will look different in […]

President Trump’s performance in the Rio Grande Valley surprised many observers of the 2024 election. But was that that the start of a trend, or just a blip on the political radar? A new professional sports league is hoping to spur new interest in an ancient practice. The Sumo Championship League’s first-ever event is happening […]

Texas school districts appear increasingly suspicious of STAAR test results graded by a computer system. We’ll dig into what’s going on. Republican candidate for railroad commission Bo French recently drew criticism from many in his own party for comments widely labeled racist. We’ll look at the potential impact on the rest of the ballot. Texas leads the […]

The midterms are just around the corner and we’re watching several competitive races in the Texas House. We’ll have details on some of those races. A botched execution in Tennessee is having immediate impacts in Texas. A look at why the 2009 Fort Hood shooter will be executed by firing squad. Meanwhile, there’s a push to spiritualize […]

With less than two weeks to go before the first in-person early votes are cast in the midterms in Texas, great expectations are rising among Democrats here and nationwide with polls and pundits alike predicting big gains. We’ll break down the what, where and why. So stressed or frustrated you just want to scream? Welcome to […]

The first Monday in October means the U.S. Supreme Court is back to work. We’ll have an early look at the docket, what Texans should watch for and more. A red-hot congressional race in a huge district — a contest between YouTube gun rights supporter Brandon Herrerra and child rights advocate Katy Padilla Stout — is […]

Remember redistricting in Texas? The plan was to try to secure more surefire wins for Republicans. Now we’re seeing some surprises. We’ll have the details today. And another political surprise possibly in the making: The governor’s race, initially not expected to be much of a battle for Gov. Abbott, is forcing many to reconsider. We’ll hear […]

In Texas’ biggest metro, Houston, a vote looms to tell police whether to deprioritize marijuana cases. But even if it gets the green light, will it make a difference? Also, the latest on an alleged threat on the Texas capitol and a possible change of heart over a border wall in the Big Bend region. Where things […]

If you’ve consumed any media with commercials lately you know why the race for U.S. Senate between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico has become so expensive. We’ll dig into the details. With the election now just weeks away, it’s worth making sure your voter registration is in order. A backlog is affecting a lot […]

The remnants of Hurricane Polo are expected to bring heavy rainfall and possible flooding across much of the state. We’ll have the details. It’s been a year since a gunman opened fire at an ICE office in Dallas. We’ll hear from the wife of one of the victims — a man who was in ICE custody. Plus, […]

Artificial intelligence is developing fast, and if you think it’s impacting life now, just wait. This is a special edition of the Texas Standard — “The New Wild West: Texans on the AI frontier.”What happens when you press that return button in ChatGPT? We’ll follow the energy-intensive requests. We’ll also explore the life-changing benefits AI can […]

Tens of thousands of unprocessed voter registrations were never forwarded to county officials for processing, leading to chaos and questions. If you registered to vote through the DPS, such as when you were updating your driver’s license, you may want to check with county officials who are now working through a backlog of forms they should […]

Last year’s tragedy at Camp Mystic moves into the realm of criminal investigation, with search warrant requests by the Texas Rangers. As many Texas communities try to push back on more data centers, they often find local officials can’t do much. How did Texas find itself in this position? What new studies are revealing about the connection […]

A shooting involving immigration enforcement is under investigation in Austin — and it’s sparked protests. Also, a federal judge has ordered Texas to air condition every state prison by the end of 2029. We’ll look at the years-long fight over extreme heat behind bars. Houston’s new homeless services center in East Downtown has been open for about […]

Do data centers help local economies? The largest one is under construction in West Texas and could provide some answers. Also, we’ll get an update on the ICE shooting of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin and take a look at the use of deadly force by ICE on city streets across the country. Plus, the struggle […]

Another ICE shooting in Texas, this time in the Texas capital city on Sunday. Also, what could be an important week of speeches and negotiations in New York. UT’s Michael Mosser joins the Standard with more on what to look for, and what’s at stake at the UN general assembly gathering. With much of the UN focused […]

In the Big Bend region, local businesses are banding together to push back against border wall construction. Growing food insecurity in rural areas is on par with some of the country’s biggest cities amid changes to federal nutrition programs. In the fight against the spread of a destructive parasite, a look at what may be a gaping […]

As concerns grow over data centers in Texas, something is conspicuously missing: Reliable data on the impact. We’ll have a look at the search for real numbers. A global conference on energy wraps in Houston as gas prices reach wallet-slimming levels across the Lone Star State. We’ll hear more on the G20 energy summit and ask […]

We assume the hundreds of new data centers popping up across Texas use quite a bit of water, but we’ll look at why we don’t know for sure. Texas has a program to help expand access to preschool. But why do some providers say it’s having unintended consequences? Republican candidate for the Texas railroad commission Bo French […]

Texas pulled smokable hemp out of stores but it’s still available in other forms. So, what does the law say now? A North Texas community weathered a recent wildfire but still lacks basic resources for another emergency. And there’s a rise in dangerous ectopic pregnancies and it varies by state. We’ll delve into what’s happening in Texas. Dallas-raised, […]

Rural Texas has long been a GOP stronghold, but one issue could make a top statewide race more competitive than previously thought. We’ll look at how data centers have emerged as critical in the Texas gubernatorial contest. Some Texas institutions of higher learning are encouraging students to use AI. We’ll dig into why. Public libraries in Texas […]

There’s a lot to talk about in Texas on a daily basis and Texas Standard wants to get to as much as we can. But sometimes that means taking a great conversation and making it much shorter than we’d like. Such is the case with one this week with longtime Texas politico Ben Barnes. Our […]

25 years since 9/11, in which a series of coordinated attacks on the U.S. marked the end of one era and the start of another. We’ll share some stories of Texans whose lives were impacted. A first-of-its-kind midterm political convention wraps up in Dallas. Did Republicans move the needle with just two months to go before […]

How might AI-generated images affect a high-stakes political contest in Texas? Rice University political professor Mark Jones joins the Standard to talk about how Ken Paxton’s campaign is hoping to win votes with AI-generated images of his Democratic opponent, James Talarico. Also: Some top-line takeaways from the first day of a first-of-its-kind GOP midterm convention underway […]

Costs for air conditioning are so high that some on limited incomes are trying to do without. But with temperatures also at extremes, that’s leading to some grave outcomes for seniors, in particular. The GOP’s unconventional convention is in Texas for a reason — and part of that is the state’s fundraising power. We’ll take a […]