Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, October 26, 2021.
State’s Plan for Vaccinating Kids, Ages 5-11
The Texas Department of State Health Services has provided details on how they plan to roll out pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11. For more on the details we’re joined by Dr. Louis Appel, president-elect of the Texas Pediatric Society.
Texas Mayors and Infrastructure Bill
For the past several months, Joe Biden’s administration has sought to pass two funding packages: the smaller Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which will finance bridges, roads, transportation projects, and broadband across the country; and the larger Build Back Better bill, which aims to fund social programs like child and elder care. Monday, a bipartisan coalition of mayors from Texas’ most populous cities called on Congress to pass both. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker is a member of “Texas’ Big City Mayors.” She joins us today with her take on the federal infrastructure bills.
Tonight’s the first game of the World Series, where the Houston Astros are looking to win their second championship in five years, this time against the Atlanta Braves. As Houston Public Radio’s Paul DeBenedetto reports, the team has a lot to prove.
Jeff Bezos’ West Texas-based space company is planing to build a space station. The idea behind Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef station is to accommodate all sectors of the space industry: docks for cargo and tourist vessels, resources for tech companies and research labs, and living quarters for folks who might just be passing through. For more on the project, we’re turning to Loren Grush, reporter for tech website The Verge.
It’s the second week of early voting for eight constitutional propositions on the Texas ballot. There’s also a very important local item for Austinites to consider: Proposition A. Voters are deciding if they want to tie the number of police officers to the city’s population. The group behind Prop A has said this ratio is one “safe” cities use to staff their police departments. So naturally, KUT’s Audrey McGlinchy set out to learn where this number comes from.
“Legends of the Hidden Temple” Reboot
Many of us still fondly remember the TV shows we grew up with. Among the Nickelodeon generation, “Legends of The Hidden Temple” has been talked about for more than 20 years since it first aired. Now it’s back with a new host: comedian, actor, activist and Texas native Cristela Alonzo. She joins us to talk about it today.
The Justice Department recently launched an investigation into reports of abuse in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Allegations include physical and sexual abuse, the overuse of prescription drugs and prolonged isolation in five youth prisons operated by the state. None of this should come as a surprise, Texas A&M University-San Antonio history professor Bill Bush argues. He writes Texas juvenile institutions are immune to reform because abuse is embedded in their very structure. We’ll hear from him today.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.
