Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
The Texas House has a new speaker
After weeks of infighting among Texas House Republicans over who would lead their chamber this legislative session, Dustin Burrows has won the role of House speaker.
We’ll speak with The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey about the new speaker’s priorities and what to expect this session.
State prisons face staff shortages
Texas prisons were so short-staffed in 2023, the state had to shuttle correctional officers to far-flung facilities where guard shifts couldn’t be filled locally. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s bill for hotels and travel meals that year came to nearly $14 million – double what it was the year before.
An investigation by the Houston Chronicle found that staffing shortages in Texas prisons have had rippling impacts across the state. We’ll speak with Eric Dexheimer, an investigative reporter at the Chronicle.
An education ecosystem is being built in Elon Musk’s image. It starts in rural Texas.
Over the past several years, Elon Musk has moved nearly all of his companies to the Lone Star State. Tesla is headquartered in Austin, while the Boring Company and SpaceX are located on a massive corporate compound in Bastrop County. Now, he’s turning his eyes to a vastly different venture: education.
Texas Newsroom investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy takes us to rural Central Texas, where the world’s richest man has started building an education empire.
We’ll then chat with Lauren for this month’s edition of The Drill Down, highlighting investigative reporting from The Texas Newsroom, to hear about their plans to dig into how Musk’s massive wealth and business ambitions are affecting his new home.
Top 10 Stories from Texas: Quotes from ‘Lonesome Dove’
Texas Standard is celebrating its 10th birthday in 2025, and we’re looking back on a decade of covering Texas with monthly Top 10 lists. We’re kicking things off this week with Stories From Texas – the best of our beloved series from commentator W.F. Strong.
It’s been clear since 2015 that W.F. hit on something special when he put together The Top 12 Quotes From ‘Lonesome Dove.’ But two words of warning: There may be a little grown-up language here – and if you’ve been under a rock in Ogallala for the last four decades, there might be a spoiler or two.
‘I Am Ready, Warden’ shares a story from death row
In 2004, Pablo Castro was killed during a robbery at a convenience store in Corpus Christi where he worked. John Henry Ramirez, a former Marine, was convicted of the crime.
A new film, “I Am Ready, Warden,” follows Ramirez during the last weeks of his life. It is also the story of two sons – Aaron, whose father died violently at Ramirez’ hands, and Izzy, whose father had spent most of his son’s life on death row. The film was directed by Smriti Mundhra, and produced by LA Times investigative reporter Keri Blakinger. We’ll speak with Blakinger today.
What’s in store for higher education at the Legislature?
From funding and restrictions on DEI efforts, to student protests, the eyes of lawmakers have been on the state’s public colleges and universities lately.
What could this year’s legislative session mean for those schools? We’ll talk to Austin American-Statesman education reporter Lily Kepner.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Shelly Brisbin with the Talk of Texas.
