Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, July 28, 2023:
Crews are battling a 300-acre wildfire in Hill County
In Hill County, located south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, firefighting crews are actively combatting a 300-acre wildfire. While a voluntary evacuation order issued on Wednesday has been lifted, authorities advise caution and vigilance as the fire continues to burn. As of Thursday night, the blaze was approximately 60% contained.
With insight into the current situation, the extent of damage and containment, and strategies to control the flames, we’re joined by Aaron Turner, spokesperson for the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Texas Gulf Coast cities could be underwater by 2050, report says
Within the next 30 years, the Texas coastline could look very different than it does today.
New research from Climate Central, a nonprofit organization that tracks climate change, indicates that some areas of Galveston Island, Beaumont and the barrier islands along the Texas coastline could move below sea level by 2050.
Climate Central’s vice president for communications, Peter Girard, joins us to discuss the findings.
New Dallas Fed report speaks to state of the Texas economy
Last week, the Dallas Federal Reserve released its latest Texas Employment Forecast, research that sheds light on the direction of the state’s economy by looking at the latest jobs numbers.
The Texas Standard’s Sean Saldana reports:
Major car builders team up to build a nationwide EV charging network
A coalition of seven major automakers plans to build a new charging network of more than 30,000 outlets throughout North America, beginning next year.
BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis are forming a partnership to considerably increase the number of fast-charging stations in the U.S. and Canada. The stations will follow the new National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure requirements, which call for 97% uptime for each charging connection, among other things.
Ars Technica automotive editor Jonathan M. Gitlin shares the details.
Texas Eclipse Festival: A once-in-a-lifetime celestial celebration in Burnet
Every 18 months, Earth experiences a total solar eclipse – the moment where the sky turns dark as the moon passes between the sun and our planet. This event attracts “eclipse chasers” from around the world who travel to witness the spectacle.
On April 8, 2024, Texas will be the prime location to witness a rare total solar eclipse. Such an event can only be seen from the same spot about once every 375 years – making this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Texans.
To celebrate this extraordinary celestial experience, the five-day Texas Eclipse Festival is coming to Burnet. Joining us to share more is festival co-founder Mitch Morales.
An Austin summer tradition: a free outdoor musical at Zilker Hillside Theatre
There’s a summer tradition in the Texas capital city: Just across the parking lot from Austin’s Barton Springs Pool, families and friends gather at the Zilker Hillside Theatre to enjoy a free outdoor musical.
Texas Standard intern Molly-Jo Tilton caught up with the two young Texans who trade off playing the title role in this year’s musical: Matilda.
A familiar sound signals summer in Texas: Cicadas’s buzz
There’s a sound many Texans have become all too familiar with this time of year – the buzz of cicadas. It might annoy you, or it could signal the start of summer. But either way, these insects are hard to miss.
KUT’s Haya Panjwani reports on what their signature sound is – and why we hear it when it’s hot:
Typewriter Rodeo: What My Grandmother Taught Me
Austin’s Typewriter Rodeo is a group of poets who use vintage typewriters at events and gatherings to compose personalized poems on the spot.
Today they deliver another custom poem. Reach out to Texas Standard with your own topic suggestions!
Texas Tribune reporter James Barragán stops by with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics, including the drama over political interference at Texas A&M, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin’s plans for statewide office, and a look at Democratic Rep. Greg Casar’s “thirst strike” in DC this week.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
