Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, July 26, 2024. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits Houston
Vice President Kamala Harris was in Houston yesterday to deliver a keynote address to the American Federation of Teachers. It was her third campaign stop since President Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential contest on Sunday.
Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider joins the show with a recap.
El Paso’s water management offers lessons for a hotter, drier Texas
Texas is getting hotter and drier, with more of the state potentially becoming arid like far West Texas. El Paso gets just 9 inches of annual rainfall compared to the statewide average of 27 inches.
How does the city manage its water supply? Robyn Ross looked into this for Texas Monthly, and joins the Standard with the findings.
UTSA developing AI tool to improve emergency care
The University of Texas at San Antonio is developing an artificial intelligence tool they hope will improve emergency care.
Will it work? Texas Public Radio’s Bonnie Petrie has more.
Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge to expand despite opposition
The Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, spreading over nearly 7,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle, is set to expand more than tenfold. It’s a critical conservation area for migrating birds and local wildlife.
However, not everyone is thrilled with the expansion. Brandi Addison, a reporter for the USA Today Network, explains.
Taco journalist Mando Rayo talks tortillas
The tortilla is the key element that sets any taco apart. It can make or break a taco and often serves as a snack on its own.
Do good tortillas always need to be made from scratch? Taco journalist Mando Rayo clears this up.
Sprinter Niesha Burgher prepares for Olympic debut
Niesha Burgher, a sprinter with strong Texas ties, hails from Saint Thomas, Jamaica. She attended Western Texas College in Snyder and is now at UTEP, where she set a new school record in the indoor 200 meters.
She’ll make her Olympic debut in Paris running for Jamaica. Texas Standard intern Adam Regalado reports on Burgher’s early passion for running.
The Tiny Minotaur is a social space in East Austin – and part of a rift between this universe and another. Learn about the inclusive, immersive fantasy club in this Sounds of Texas audio postcard.
The gang delivers another custom poem. Reach out to Texas Standard with your topic suggestions!
Texas Tribune political reporter James Barragán joins the Standard with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
