Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025:
What we know about Texas ties to deadly New Year’s attack in New Orleans
We’re continuing to follow developments in New Orleans and Houston after what the FBI calls a terrorist attack on New Year’s morning. A white Ford pickup with Texas plates slammed into crowds on Bourbon Street before the suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, engaged in a gunfight with police and was killed. The attack left 15 dead and many injured. Investigators report the presence of a black ISIS flag and improvised explosives, and are searching Jabbar’s residence in Houston.
Lauren McGaughy of The Texas Newsroom joins the Standard with more.
Remembering Jimmy Carter and his impact on Texas
As the world reflects on the legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, who died at 100 on Dec. 29, his contributions to public service and diplomacy are being celebrated. Carter’s time in office left a mark on Texas, too.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports how the Lone Star State remembers the former president.
What’s ahead for Texas water infrastructure?
Despite recent funding measures aimed at fixing water infrastructure and exploring desalination, Texas remains plagued by drought, especially in West Texas. What steps should lawmakers prioritize in the upcoming session to address the state’s water crisis?
Jeremy Mazur, director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at Texas 2036, joins the Standard with a wish list.
Is this the end for Blu-ray players?
LG, one of the last companies still making Blu-ray players, announced last month that it would discontinue its two models. This signals another step toward the decline of physical media as streaming services dominate how we watch movies and shows. But with controversies over platforms removing content, some are turning back to discs.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga, who wrote about the death of discs for CNET, joins the Standard to discuss the implications.
New bee species discovered in Texas and Oklahoma
Scientists at the University of Oklahoma have identified a new bee species, Andrena androfovea, found only in Texas and Oklahoma.
James Hung, assistant professor at OU and co-author of the study, joins the Standard to discuss the discovery and its ecological significance.
The potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on Texas
President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise to impose tariffs on foreign goods has sparked concerns about their economic impact. Texans are no strangers to tariffs, but what lessons can history teach us about their effects?
Loren Steffy, who wrote about the issue for Texas Monthly, joins the Standard to break it down.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
