Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, Aug. 10, 2026:
Trump calls Abbott’s data center pause a mistake
Gov. Greg Abbott recently announced Texas would pause new data center approvals until state regulators complete a review of their energy and water use. Now President Trump has weighed in, calling Abbott’s decision a mistake.
Texas Tribune enterprise and investigative reporter Taylor Goldenstein joins the Standard with more on the implications.
What Dog’s Head residents in Austin think of Amazon’s new mixed-use development
A large parcel of land in southeast Austin near the airport has been dubbed Dog’s Head, since the curve in the Colorado River there resembles just that. Home to some scattered residences and industrial uses, Dog’s Head is now set to be the site of a massive mixed-used development that will be anchored by Amazon.
KUT News’ Luz Moreno-Lozano met with some neighborhood residents and reports their thoughts on the plan.
This week in Texas music history: Buck Owens is born
On Aug. 12, 1929, country singer Buck Owens, pioneer of the Bakersfield Sound, was born to a sharecropping family in North Texas. Jason Mellard with Texas State’s music history center brings us his story.
Tarrant County cities rethink growth as available land shrinks
Arlington, Mansfield, Keller and Haltom City are looking for new ways to attract businesses as vacant land becomes harder to find. With some communities more than 90% built out, local officials are turning to redevelopment, infrastructure investments and other strategies to keep their economies growing.
Fort Worth Report senior business reporter Eric Garcia joins the Standard with more.
Critics question Houston ISD gains under state takeover
Supporters of the state takeover of Houston ISD point to improved accountability ratings and student outcomes. But new reporting raises questions about whether some of those gains came at the expense of students placed in coursework below their academic level.
Daniel Dawer, a doctoral student in education policy and planning at UT Austin and co-author of a Texas Observer piece, joins the Standard with more:
Texas goth scene builds a culture beyond the music
Texas has become home to a growing goth and darkwave scene, producing bands including Twin Tribes, Rosegarden Funeral Party and Urban Heat. The subculture has also supported clubs, shops and other businesses, including an Austin venue marking 25 years.
Texas Standard reporter Charlie Sharpe looks at how goth culture has taken root across the state.
War in Iran one of several factors affecting energy prices
As the war in the Middle East drags on, so does uncertainty in the energy industry. Iran recently laid out a list of demands in order to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. But passage through the strait is not the only variable affecting prices at the pump.
Kpler energy analyst Matt Smith joins the Standard with more:
