KUT News

When Bishop Jakes was growing up in South Charleston, West Virginia, little did he know he was being indoctrinated with the entrepreneurial spirit. In 1995 he started TDJ Enterprises. He has written more than 40 books, many of them New York Times Best-sellers.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas)says the new tax law passed by Republican majorities in Congress will only result in tax cuts for "rich people in high-tax Democratic states," adding, "every taxpayer, their taxes are going down except rich people in Manhattan and San Francisco. Some of them, their taxes may go up." Is that true? We asked Gardner Selby of PolitiFact Texas. You can read his fact-check here: h...

A 26-year-old Austin resident who was brought to the U.S. illegally as an infant is concerned the program that allows him to work here won't be renewed by Congress. We spoke to Irving Calderon, an IT analyst at General Motors, about his concerns.

Amparo Garcia-Crow began writing "STRIP The Musical" in 2009, and the show’s finally ready to be seen. Strip tells the stories of Josephine Baker, Lenny Bruce, and Candy Barr, who all had their roots in burlesque. Choreographer Lynn Raridon and writer/director Amparo Garcia-Crow talk about the show.

Texas is over-reporting some of its maternal mortality data, adding another complication as the state tries to figure out why so many new mothers are dying. Plus, what would happen if a tie election occurred in Texas like it did in Virginia? And what's behind two doors that lead to nowhere at Austin's new Central Library. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend! Subscribe at http://w...

We're biased towards what we pay attention to, and we generally pay more attention to outcomes rather than process. Yet, if we really want to learn from our mistakes or our successes, we have to look at the process as well. On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke take on outcome bias.

In her newest book entitled ‘Cutting School’ Dr. Noliwe Rooks chronicles the making and unmaking of public education in this country.

In arguing against a tough new Texas immigration law, then-Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez said that Texas Department of Public Safety numbers show only 1.6 percent of crimes are committed by unauthorized immigrants. Is that true? We asked PolitiFact Texas reporter Gardner Selby. You can read the fact-check here: http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2017/dec/21/lupe-valdez/lupe-valdez-says...

"The Dinner Party Download," a public radio program by American Public Media that aired for years on KUT, is coming to an end. The last episode airs Friday night. Hosts Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam have a new book that encourages people to spend less time outside the home fussing over brunch or the perfect dish and more time spending time with friends over dinner. https://www.brunchish...

A look back at our favorite stories of 2017, including changes in the neighborhood around 12th and Chicon Streets, a new Muslim sorority at UT Austin, and a local man who successfully pushed an effort to amend the U.S. Constitution. That and more in this edition of KUT Weekend! Subscribe at http://weekend.kut.org

A new Spanish restaurant opened on South Lamar Boulevard this summer, promising to add to the city's limited selection of Iberian cuisine. Does it deliver? We asked Austin American-Statesman restaurant critic Matthew Odam. Read the review here: http://www.mystatesman.com/entertainment/dining/wanted-delicious-love-letter-from-spain-got-text/PVRsLss69vXisxMx3aPVaL/ Check out the menu here: http://el...

In her book, Rooks explores the questions many are asking: why are public schools more segregated now than in years past, and why are pubic schools failing.

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is noted as having said, "No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” But what does that mean for us today? On this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about how and why we change over time, and why it's important to have compassion for our former selves in order to become be...

The cousin of a teenager killed by an Austin police officer tries to keep his memory alive. Plus, how mental health care delivery in Austin is getting a shake-up. And a high school football team in a hurricane battered town plays for the state championship. Those stories in this edition of KUT Weekend! Subscribe at http://weekend.kut.org

Growing up in Houston, TX, Hurd remember attending black high school football games on Wednesday and Thursday nights. As he grew older – he wondered why there was a lack of information regarding these teams.

A viral story on a satirical website claimed a Texas morgue employee napping on a stretcher was accidentally cremated by a coworker who mistook him for a car accident victim. We asked Gardner Selby with PolitiFact Texas to explain. Read the fact-check here: http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/dec/14/worldnewsdailyreportcom/its-fake-news-texas-morgue-employee-cremated-while/

After taking off for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the folks at the Hideout Theatre are presenting a full week’s worth of holiday themed improv shows, leading up to their New Years Eve Holiday Extravaganza on the 31st. Owner/performer Kareem Badr and performer Courtney Hopkin talk about spending their holidays at the Hideout

Jeremiah Program offers one of the nation’s most successful strategies for transforming families from poverty to prosperity two generations at a time. Jeremiah’s proven, holistic approach begins with establishing a supportive community for determined single mothers to pursue a career-track college education. Through a combination of quality early childhood education, a safe and affordable place to...

Over the last sixteen years, the Blue Genie Art Bazaar has become something of an Austin tradition. The art show and sale features art by some 200 regional artists, all available for purchase for your holiday gift-giving needs. Kevin Collins, one of Blue Genie’s founding members, talks about the bazaar's history and goals.

The debate over land use in Austin, how it all dates back to a U.S. Supreme Court case from the 1920s, plus how language used in the overhaul of zoning rules can leave some people feeling excluded. Plus, why pecans are so scarce this year. Those stories and more in this edition of KUT Weekend! Subscribe at http://weekend.kut.org

When it comes to mindfulness there is clear evidence that practicing it can be beneficial, but perhaps not for everyone all the time. It might even have some adverse effects on memory. In our final piece in our series on mindfulness, Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about mindfulness and memory.

There's been an ongoing debate for years in education about what has been a staple of the school landscape: homework. Do students get too much? Too little? What's the history of homework and the role it plays in school? In this episode of KUT's podcast "Higher Ed," KUT's Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger discuss all things homework and talk about possible alterna...

La Pastorela is a centuries-old Christmas play, and its tradition has been kept alive for many years in Austin by Teatro Vivo. This year’s production of the play features (among others)Sean Moran and Eva McQuade, and is directed by Alexis Arredondo.

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee were legendary stars of stage, television, and film, a beloved and revered couple cherished not just for their acting artistry but also for their lifelong commitment to civil rights, family values, and the African American community. In this revealing book - they look back on a half- century of their personal and political struggles to maintain a healthy marriage and to cr...

“When White reporters cover race: News media, objectivity, and community (dis)trust.” That University of Wisconsin research article got the attention of University of Texas at Austin Associate Journalism Professor George Sylvie. He has studied, among other things, diversity administration, leadership and diversity-influenced content. The article argues for a more flexible practice of some basic te...