Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, July 11, 2024:
Over a million are still without power after Beryl. Are Houston utilities to blame?
Over 1 million Houstonians are still without power after Hurricane Beryl made landfall, frustrating many, endangering others and raising questions about utility preparedness.
New York Times Houston bureau chief David Goodman joins the Standard with more:
Texas State Aquarium balances marine conservation and hurricane challenges
Perched on the edge of Corpus Christi Bay, the Texas State Aquarium is a beacon of marine conservation and education. However, its idyllic setting faces challenges during hurricane season – testing the aquarium’s resilience while often calling on it to help at-risk Gulf creatures.
Texas State Aquarium CEO Jesse Gilbert joins the Standard to discuss this balance.
New Texas courts open this fall – and all its judges are appointed by Greg Abbott
Lawmakers created a new system of courts in Texas last legislative session, including one dedicated to commercial matters. These new business courts and an accompanying appeals court open on Sept. 1, and unlike most Texas judges who are elected, these judges are appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
For more, the Standard’s joined by Carliss Chatman, who teaches business law and ethics at the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Wearable tech heats up as Samsung, Meta, and Apple compete with new gadgets
As the smartphone category matures, companies like Apple, Samsung and Meta have ramped up their wearable tech gadgets – watches, earbuds, headsets and even rings. Samsung recently announced new products to compete with Apple’s earbuds and smartwatch, and Meta’s smart glasses have garnered praise.
What’s hot in wearables, and what’s next? Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the Standard to guide us through it all.
Communities of color disproportionately affected as experts predict intense hurricane season
As people in Houston and along the Texas coast recover from Hurricane Beryl, many are concerned about the rest of the hurricane season. Experts predict this will be one of the most intense seasons to hit the Atlantic, and research shows that communities of color are disproportionately affected by major weather events.
Robert Bullard, founding director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University in Houston, joins the Standard with more.
For these incarcerated women, high school diplomas offer hope
An adult education program is giving incarcerated women who dropped out of school a second chance to get their diplomas. The Goodwill Excel Center has campuses in several correctional facilities across Texas, including the Coleman Unit in Lockhart.
KUT’s Becky Fogel attended the 2024 graduation ceremony held there in late June.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
