Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, July 5, 2023:
Will the third time be the charm for property taxes in the Texas Legislature?
A second special session of the Texas Legislature is underway, this one devoted solely to reducing property taxes. Will it be successful after the first session was a bust? The Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán joins us with an update.
Shooting in Fort Worth’s Lake Como leaves three people dead and eight wounded
Three people died and eight more were injured in a shooting that rocked Fort Worth’s Lake Como neighborhood over the holiday. Police haven’t said who opened fire or why, but KERA’s Christopher Connelly reports people in the neighborhood say the senseless violence doesn’t represent their community.
El Paso victims will speak this week at sentencing of Walmart mass shooter
Relatives of victims and survivors of the 2019 Walmart mass shooting will be in federal court this week for the sentencing of the gunman, who faces life in prison for murder and hate crimes. The El Paso district attorney says he’ll seek the death penalty when the gunman is tried in state court. KTEP’s Aaron Montes reports.
How the Legislature’s property tax cut proposals differ
The impasse over property taxes in the Legislature concerns how to cut them. One method involves increasing the homestead exemption. The other, called “tax-rate compression,” focuses more on schools and school districts. Richard Auxier with the Tax Policy Center joins us to help unpack the different approaches.
The second sacking of San Antonio
Most Texans believe that the Battle of San Jacinto settled everything – that once Mexican President Santa Anna was decisively defeated, we were rid of him forever. Commentator WF Strong reminds us that’s not what happened.
‘What an Owl Knows’ seeks to understand the enigmatic birds
What is it about owls that make them so fascinating across cultures and generations? Author Jennifer Ackerman takes a look in her new book, “What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds.” We’ll hear from her today.
How Houstonians without adequate air conditioning cope during heat wave
In Houston, summer heat has made it hard to stay cool for many – not just outside, but inside their homes. Reporter Sara Willa Ernst spoke with residents across the city whose AC units aren’t doing enough.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
