Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, July 31, 2024:
Texas can keep buoys in the Rio Grande for now
A ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals lifts the injunction that had prevented Texas from proceeding with a system of buoys in the Rio Grande. The barriers were installed to make crossing the river more difficult for migrants, and the state has faced challenges from the federal government and migrant rights groups.
Aarón Torres of the Dallas Morning News joins us with more.
Illegal crossings hit Biden-era low as migrants wait longer for entry
Immigration is a top issue for Republicans this election cycle, with former President Donald Trump criticizing President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for what he’s called “open” borders. But the number of illegal crossings right now has gone down in recent months – with levels right at about what they were when Trump left office.
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, who covers immigration for NPR, has more on what it means for both parties’ messaging:
Seniors died at higher rates after Beryl. Many went days without power in the aftermath
Hurricane Beryl carved a deadly path through Houston by wiping out power for more than 2 million Centerpoint Energy customers, and as Houston Public Media’s Colleen DeGuzman reports, it was most dangerous for the region’s senior population.
The two young Brits take San Antonio by storm on social media
Two young Brits have made a big splash on social media in the Lone Star State. Texas Public Radio’s Jerry Clayton caught up with them in San Antonio.
How has junk science law played out in practice?
When the Texas Legislature passed a junk science law in 2013, the measure was hailed as a positive step forward for the state’s criminal justice system. The law creates a pathway for convicted people to obtain new trials if they can show that underlying forensic evidence in their case was flawed.
But over 10 years after that law passed, how many people have been able to successfully use it? Kayla Guo from the Texas Tribune joins us with more.
Laredo’s first Olympian is going for gold in Paris
Jennifer Lozano, a 21-year-old boxing athlete, will make her Olympic debut this week. The Standard caught up with her back in March as she prepared for Paris.
Hold my beer: Get ready for the Texas Olympics
There’s quite a lot Texans seem to be pretty good at. Commentator W.F. Strong thinks maybe there should be a competition that would be open to all, while taking advantage of our state’s unique geography.
Plano nonprofit offers a home to unhoused young people — even as youth homelessness is on the rise
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness reports that more than 35,000 people under the age of 25 may be experiencing homelessness on their own across the U.S. on any given night. And several areas in North Texas are seeing an increase in young people experiencing homelessness.
But KERA’s Caroline Love reports that Plano does have a place for them to go.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Shelly Brisbin with the Talk of Texas.
