Texas Wants to Know

It's an election year, and as deadlines approach, Texas wants to know the impact of early voting on the final results, how it came to be, and of course — the deadlines to register.

Texas has a lot of different landscapes. Those flat, open farmlands take up a good chunk of what makes up the state. But there is a certain animal that’s ruining the landscape: feral hogs. According to the Texas Monthly , Texas agriculture suffers millions of dollars in damages alone from the invasion of feral hogs.  The species also reproduces fast. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service estima...

The TCU women's basketball team made headlines last week after it was forced to cancel two Big 12 conference games due to a lack of healthy players. The Horned Frogs were down to six available scholarship players for games against Kansas State and Iowa State. So, in an unusual twist, the team held open tryouts in the middle of conference play, added four new players, and took on the University of...

Texas' population is projected to grow to 51.5 million by 2070,  according to the Texas Water Development Board . While parts of the state are already battling low water levels or aging infrastructure, officials are developing plans to best use water resources.

January is historically the coldest month of the year in North Texas. That has been the case this month, with near-record temperatures in the low teens and wind chills dipping below zero. We spoke with KRLD Chief Meteorologist Dan Brounoff to discuss the patterns leading up to the freezing weather and the pending cold weather on the way.

In 1971, restaurant owner Mariano Martinez had people order frozen margaritas and complain that the drink wasn’t consistent. So, Martinez created the first frozen margarita machine. It is now the “official drink” of Dallas and the state of Texas. So Texas wants to know, why was the frozen margarita machine invented here, and how?

Former U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, who represented Dallas in the House for 30 years, died on New Year's Eve. This week, a memorial service and funeral were held in Dallas, bringing a visit from President Joe Biden and eliciting video messages from the likes of Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Bill Clinton. Gromer Jeffers, a political writer at The Dallas Morning News, and Mat...

From technological advances in things we're familiar with, like cameras and license plate readers, to newer developments like drones and artificial intelligence, police departments have more tools than ever with which to operate. North Richland Hills police Chief Mike Young says most of the available tools weren't even a thought when he entered law enforcement nearly 40 years ago. Levelland police...

Texas is a large state with a huge population to take care of. With recent moves to provide better healthcare, Texas is said to be the leading state for advancing healthcare and medical education. Recently, ARPA-H , a medical innovation federal agency, has declared Dallas as one of its three national hub spaces for its medical breakthroughs in science and medicine. So, Texas wants to know, what is...

Dallas' White Rock Lake gives visitors a chance to experience dozens of species of animals in the middle of a major city. But one species of bird stands out among the rest: the monk parakeet. It's a bright green bird that is originally from South America. Experts say it's unclear how they wound up in North America, and even harder to pinpoint how they got to Texas specifically. Regardless of how t...

Twenty years ago, an iconic venue for North Texas wrestling fans, the Dallas Sportatorium, was torn down. But this month, it's coming back -- on the big screen in the movie Iron Claw.

The population of downtown Dallas has increased by 71% in the last decade, according to Downtown Dallas, Inc. It estimates that 13,000 people live downtown, with 80,000 within a two-mile radius. This week, we take a look at what's driven the rise in residents and what comes next.

After Nov. 22, 1963, Dallas was labeled the "city of hate" for being the place where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. It put the city and its politics under a microscope in a way it hadn't been previously scrutinized. Guests include the curator of the Sixth Floor Museum Stephen Fagin , longtime Dallas Morning News reporter Michael Granberry , and Jack Ruby biographer Danny Fingeroth .

Before he became the host of Face the Nation or moderated presidential debates, Bob Schieffer was a police reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. And an unlikely phone call to the newsroom on Nov. 22, 1963, would have a profound impact on his career. The call Schieffer answered was placed by Marguerite Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald. Schieffer ended up driving Marguerite Oswald from F...

Next week marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Texas Wants to Know is revisiting the event to explore how it impacted Dallas. In this episode, we dive into conspiracy theories. Kennedy's assassination was not the only historic event to spark theories, but it seemed to become the most mainstream. So, why did Kennedy's death spark so many conspiracy theories?

As the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy approaches later this month,  Texas Wants to Know is taking a look at the event and how it impacted Dallas. In the first episode, we explore how younger generations perceive the event and walk through the challenge of imparting the gravity of it. It also changed how news outlets used television, and by extension, how America...

The Texas Rangers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night to take the series 4-1 and win the first title in franchise history. Dallas-Fort Worth native, former Rangers pitcher, and host on Audacy's 105.3 The Fan Mike Bacsik breaks down how Texas got there and what it means for fans.

Texans have been hearing about plans for high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston for more than a decade now. As the state's population continues to grow, leaders say residents could need to get comfortable with different modes of transportation to ease the movement of more than 30 million people daily. Michael Morris , the director of transportation for the  North Central Texas Council of Gover...

As Halloween approaches, people are starting to celebrate the spooky season. Haunted houses are operating, and even haunted tours of cities. While Texas has a lot of haunted spots like the Millermore Mansion, Yorktown Memorial Hospital, and the USS Lexington, there’s a whole city that is filled with haunted spots and stories. Join us to learn about some of the ghost stories that originated from a...

Did you know that most of the United States' nuclear arsenal has passed through Texas? Whether it's the assembly of a nuclear weapon, the disassembly of one that's being retired, or just routine maintenance, the Pantex plant outside of Amarillo handles it all. Pantex was built during World War II, but since the Cold War, its mission has focused primarily on nuclear weapons. Plant historian Katie P...

Whataburger has been around since 1950 serving its customers a big burger that would make them say, “what a burger!” once they take a bite out of it. While expanding its footprint, they have curated a vast loyal fanbase and ultimately made itself known as a part of Texan culture. Texas is a huge state proud of its Buc-ee’s, HEB, Dallas Cowboys, Barbeque, and its best fast-food burger: Whataburger....

The Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros are both in the postseason in the same year for the first time since 2015. Texas takes on the A.L. East winners, the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Division Series, while Houston draws the Minnesota Twins . Jared Sandler of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas and the pre- and post-game host on the Rangers Radio Network, and John Lopez , co-host of In the Loop...

Texas  and  Oklahoma  will play in the Red River Rivalry on Saturday for the final time as members of the  Big 12 . The rivalry game will continue, but the universities will move on to the  SEC before the 2024 season. RJ Choppy  of  Shan and RJ  on  Audacy's 105.3 The Fan says he's not sure if Longhorns and Sooners fans fit in with the rest of the SEC, while Longhorns' play-by-play voice  Craig Wa...

Over the last two months, several Texas school districts have discussed putting an end to sending recapture payments, or “Robinhood money” to the state. In this week's episode of Texas Wants to Know, find out why two districts have voted not to send the money at all next year.

Next month, for the first time since March 2020, borrowers with federal student loans will make payments on those loans. Interest began to accrue a month earlier, on Sept. 1. This week, a 2021 college graduate explains how he's navigated the changing policies surrounding student loans, and Paul Goebel of the Student Money Management Center at the University of North Texas shares best practices for...