Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Can desalination solve Texas’ water future?
As record heat grips parts of Texas, attention is turning to long-term water supplies. A proposed desalination plant on Corpus Christi Bay could become the nation’s largest, but questions remain about its financing, partnerships and public oversight as the project moves forward.
Inside Climate News reporter Arcelia Martin joins the Standard with more.
The military’s growing fleet of sea drones
Unmanned drones are expanding beyond the skies and into the world’s oceans, where they’re taking on missions ranging from surveillance to search and rescue. As the Pentagon invests billions in autonomous maritime technology, these vessels are expected to play an increasingly important role in future military operations.
Steve Walsh reports for the American Homefront Project.
Texas Top 10 musical moments
As part of KUTX and Texas Standard’s Texas 250 initiative — taking your input on name the top 250 Texas songs — KUTX’s Matt Reilly is running down 10 big moments in Texas music history.
How AI is changing social work
Artificial intelligence has become a common tool for social workers, but many practitioners say the technology is outpacing the ethical guidance available to support its use. New research explores how professionals are using AI and where they see both opportunities and risks.
Elisa Borah of the University of Texas at Austin joins the Standard with the findings.
Inside the final weeks before an execution
A new podcast follows the final weeks before a Texas death row inmate’s scheduled execution, offering an inside look at the legal, emotional and logistical race against time. The series examines the realities of the state’s capital punishment system through one case.
The Marshall Project’s Maurice Chammah joins the Standard with more.
What a road trip revealed about America
Author Lauren Hough set out from Austin in a well-worn van to see the country beyond the headlines. Her latest essay collection, “Monster of a Land,” blends travel writing, memoir and social observation to explore belonging, division and the people she encountered along the way.
Author Lauren Hough joins the Standard with her story.
Exploring a possible link between pesticides and Parkinson’s
New reporting examines why the Rio Grande Valley has unusually high rates of Parkinson’s disease and whether long-term exposure to agricultural pesticides could be a contributing factor. The investigation also highlights the experiences of families living with the disease.
Public Health Watch’s Daisy Yuhas joins the Standard with more.
