Texas Wants to Know

Nearly two years ago, lawmakers passed a bill that allows most Texans to carry a gun without a permit. But experts say that doesn't mean gun owners are free of responsibility to themselves and those around them. "I mean, we love to carry them. We love to be able to say that we have the Second Amendment that is part of our DNA," said Alex Del Carmen , the dean of the school of criminology at Tarlet...

With more than 3.9 million, Texas is home to more Black residents than any other state. Yes, Texas is the second-most populous state in the U.S., but California has the most multiracial Black residents and New York has the most Hispanic Black residents. The Lone Star State is home to the most non-Hispanic, single-race Black residents. The single biggest reason? Slavery. But there's nuance to the a...

This February marked the third straight year in which many Texans were iced in for at least three days. Students lost several days of school, a lot of businesses closed, and the roads were a mess. So what can the state do to better prepare if this trend continues? To find out, host Baylee Friday spoke to Denton County Emergency Management Director Eric Hutmacher , Alliance AFT President Rena Honea...

Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black achievement, but it's also a time to reflect on the past and learn from it. Redlining is a form of financial discrimination, a term first coined in the sixties that had already been happening to the Black community for years. This discrimination prevented Black people from getting loans and other financial help, which created a domino effect in othe...

Super Bowl LVII is just over a week away, but Texas residents won't be able to place bets on the game -- at least not legally. Some state lawmakers are working to change that, but they could face political hurdles just to get their bills to a floor vote. State Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) has filed SJR 17 , which would create a Texas Gaming Commission and allow for legalized casino gambling in...

Twenty-six percent of rural hospitals in Texas are at risk of closure, according to a report issued late last year by the firm Kaufman Hall . The number is up 10% from 2021 and the risk is due in part to pandemic relief money running out. The Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals defines a rural hospital as one in a community of fewer than 60,000 people. Henderson pointed to a closur...

Social media has been an integral part of our lives for years now. While there are benefits to using social media there are also some negative effects, especially for young people. Before the start of Texas' 88th legislative session, Rep. Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) proposed House Bill 896, which would ban minors from using social media. On this week's episode of Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Fr...

In the aftermath of the February 2021 winter storm that knocked out power to two-thirds of the state and killed more than 200 Texans, lawmakers and regulators vowed that the grid would not fail like that again. So, have they made good on their promise? Energy consultant and former advisor to the chair of the Texas Public Utility Commission Alison Silverstein and NBC 5 senior investigative reporter...

When we hear the phrase, "Don't California my Texas," culture and politics are some of the first things that come to mind. But one of the more tangible things that could be imported is the housing market. "I think there's a rational factor and then maybe a not-so-rational factor," said Dr. Cullum Clark, the director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, of the sentiment towards Cal...

While some people happily prepare for the season, others get anxious about family gatherings, stress over finances, or overthink every detail about their holiday function until it loses its enjoyment. On this episode of Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday talks to lead mental health counselor at Parkland Health, Jeanette Dominguez , licensed professional counselor and lecturer at the Universit...

The Dallas Cowboys host the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday in one of the biggest rivalries in the NFL. But how did the Eagles surpass the Giants and the Commanders as Dallas' primary rival? Baylee Friday of Texas Wants to Know teamed up with Sabrina Boyd-Surka and Brian Seltzer, the hosts of the Philadelphia podcast, The Jawncast , to try to figure out how the tension between the teams spilled ou...

Christmas trees and mistletoe everywhere you look with the smell of peppermint and freshly baked goods prancing across your nostrils. This winter wonderland isn't at the North Pole but in North Texas. On this episode of Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday travels to Grapevine to figure out how Grapevine was officially named the Christmas Capital of Texas. She talks to Daniel Horsch, the Direct...

From putting up a tree to leaving cookies and milk for Santa, there are plenty of Christmas traditions many Texans partake in. But there are other regional and cultural customs that make the holidays unique. In Texas, some of the prevailing customs are from Hispanic, indigenous and German cultures. This week on Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday explores holiday traditions from different back...

Dallas has about three miles of subterranean tunnels and sky bridges that crisscross the city, but aside from a few food courts beneath office highrises, they're largely vacant. If that's the case, why are they there in the first place? And what is the future of the empty space? Baylee Friday gets a tour of the tunnels from Dallas software developer Michael Sitarzewski , who took an interest in th...

Two H-E-B openings in Collin County this fall drew crowds who waited outside for hours to be among the first inside. The stores marked the grocer’s long-anticipated arrival in Dallas-Fort Worth. But what’s with all the hype around a grocery store? University of Texas business marketing professor Leigh McAlister tells Baylee Friday what sets the chain apart from its competitors and H-E-B Executive...

Nov. 7 marked the 22nd anniversary of the last day without a traffic-related death on Texas roadways. The Texas Department of Transportation has launched a campaign called "End the Streak" to encourage people not to drive distracted or under the influence in an effort to put the state on a path to safer roads. Kenna Mitchell with TxDOT and Daniel Armbruster with AAA Texas tell Baylee Friday the th...

From taking books off library shelves to private school vouchers, issues surrounding public schools have taken a place near the center of the debate leading up to the 2022 midterms. And with Election Day just days away, we examine those two topics through the prism of two Texas school districts. In Keller ISD , parents are divided over 41 books that have been removed -- a second time -- for furthe...

People are getting into the spooky spirit to celebrate Halloween. While some only have decorations up for the month of October, others in North Texas deal with spirits 365 days a year. On this episode of North Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday talks to Debbi Davis who is an innkeeper at the infamously haunted Miss Molly's Hotel in Fort Worth. She also talks to TCU parapsychology professor Ti...

Crime is an issue that's been used to mobilize voters by both parties in elections for years. In this episode of The Homestretch, a limited-series politics podcast from Audacy, host Doug Sovern explores how candidates are running on crime in 2022. The Homestretch is available wherever you listen to podcasts and new episodes drop weekly through the midterm elections. Subscribe here .

The midterm elections are just three weeks away and one of the groups with growing influence in Texas is Latino voters. But J.R. Gonzales of the Texas Association of the Mexican American Chambers of Commerce says its important candidates don't treat Latino voters as a monolith. "Hispanics in this state, in this country, come from 22 different countries of origin, 22 different countries, and 22 dif...

When fall arrives everyone in North Texas is excited to attend the State Fair of Texas. Fun rides, deep-fried food fun and good family fun. What most people don't think about are the hundreds of young people participating in the youth livestock shows On this episode of North Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday talks to the Senior Vice President of Agriculture & Livestock at the State Fair...

Dallas residents will vote on a proposition in November that could inject hundreds of millions of dollars into Fair Park. What would that mean for the park’s future and how does it affect its uncomfortable past? On this episode of North Texas Wants to Know, host Baylee Friday talks to Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua, Fair Park First CEO Brian Luallen, and Dorothy Hopkins and Felisa Conner wit...

A Fort Worth muralist inspired by his daughter and a Dallas digital artist who's explored a range of artistic outlets open up about what motivates them and why Latinx representation is important in the art community. "I'm never apologetic about my art. I am very proud of what my heart kind of develops on its own. I don't want to create guidelines, expectations or demands of it." digital artist Pri...

Tens of millions of people in the United States speak Spanish, but that number is not reflected in the health care system. One North Texas nonprofit, the Cuidado Casero Foundation , is working to change that by helping aspiring nurses fund their education. Host Baylee Friday talks to the foundation's president and executive director, Doricelys Martinez, about the challenges facing Spanish speakers...

In a post-pandemic world, with streaming services dominating the cinema sphere, could movie theaters ever reign supreme again? North Texas is dotted with historic theaters that have been renovated either to screen films or as event spaces.  Host Baylee Friday talks to Jason Reimer , creative director and co-owner of the Texas Theatre and Talented Friends, partner of Aviation Cinemas, about the rol...