Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Wednesday, July 8, 2026. Listen on your Texas public radio station, or ask your smart speaker to play Texas Standard. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
He pushes to prosecute voter fraud. Did Ken Paxton commit it himself?
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has spent years making election integrity a centerpiece of his public agenda. Now, new reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune examines whether Paxton himself may have violated state voting laws by using an address where he did not live in multiple recent elections.
Zach Despart, investigative reporter for The Texas Tribune and ProPublica, joins the Standard with more.
Texas takes the driver’s seat
For decades, California has been the nation’s largest auto market, giving it outsized influence over everything from vehicle design to emissions policy. But new data suggests Texas has overtaken California — a shift that could reshape how automakers think about the American market.
Austin American-Statesman reporter Andrea Guzmán joins the Standard with the story.
Catholic Church declares breakaway society to be in schism
The Vatican has formally declared the Society of Saint Pius X to be in schism following years of tension over church authority and recent unauthorized bishop consecrations. The decision carries implications for traditionalist Catholic communities around the world, including congregations in Texas.
Christopher Altieri, managing editor of Crux, joins the Standard with more.
A NATO alphabet, Texas style
Last we heard from him, our commentator W.F. Strong was churning out a regional NATO alphabet — think “Alamo, Brisket, Chili” in place of “Alpha, Bravo, Charlie.”
Now, W.F. is back with plenty of listener suggestions to this work-in-progress in today’s Stories From Texas.
‘Power Surge’ looks back at Hollywood’s 1990s boom
Before streaming transformed entertainment, Hollywood experienced a period of blockbuster growth fueled by media conglomerates, franchise filmmaking and changing audience tastes. A new book explores that turn-of-the-millennium era and the business decisions that shaped modern filmmaking.
Thomas Schatz, professor emeritus at UT Austin’s Radio-Television-Film department and author of “Power Surge: Conglomerate Hollywood and the Studio System’s Last Hurrah,” joins the show with more.
World Cup ticket-buyers urged to beware
As Texas hosts World Cup matches, tickets are selling for thousands of dollars on resale platforms. Now, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into reports of so-called “ghost ticketing,” where buyers allegedly pay for seats that never materialize.
Houston Chronicle senior reporter Megan Menchaca joins the Standard with the story.
