Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Flood warnings ignored for years before Hill Country disaster, report finds
A new Texas Tribune investigation traces decades of failed flood-safety legislation in the Hill Country, even as lawmakers knew the risks along the Guadalupe River corridor.
Emily Foxhall joins the Standard to talk through what changed after last summer’s deadly floods, protections that never made it into law, and how Texas compares with other flood-prone states.
Fort Bliss data center project could reshape West Texas power and water use
The Army is planning a massive new data center complex at Fort Bliss as Texas continues to attract energy-hungry tech infrastructure projects.
El Paso Matters reporter Diego Mendoza-Moyers joins the Standard to discuss concerns over electricity demand, water use and how a wave of AI and cloud-computing projects could transform West Texas.
Texas prison overdose deaths surge as contraband pours inside facilities
Drug overdose deaths inside Texas prisons have exploded over the last several years, according to state officials.
KERA News’ Toluwani Osibamowo reports on the rise in contraband drugs inside correctional facilities — and the growing dangers facing incarcerated Texans.
‘Minds on Trial’ goes inside a rare Texas mental health courtroom
The latest installment of mental health podcast “Minds on Trial” takes listeners inside an Assisted Outpatient Treatment courtroom — a rarely-heard part of Texas’ mental health system.
KACU’s Josiah Wonnell reports on the judges, clinicians and families trying a different approach to mental health crises.
Apple’s next chip suppliers could have a Texas connection
Apple is reportedly considering sourcing more chips from Samsung and Intel as it looks to strengthen its supply chain and expand U.S.-based manufacturing.
Omar Gallaga joins the Standard with more on the possible Texas connection, and what it could mean for future Apple products.
A mother’s visions of life and death inspire her daughter to write a book
Dorie Burdett Pickle found it hard to believe that her mother, Carlie, was dying. Her mother’s vision of her own death brought her comfort — visions that her mother made Dorie promise she would write down into a book.
Oil theft is getting bigger, riskier and more organized in Texas
As oil prices climb, so does crude oil theft across the Texas oil patch.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports on how what was once known as “oil rustling” has evolved into a sophisticated and dangerous criminal enterprise.
Valley Fever cases are rising in West Texas, researchers say
A new UTEP study links a rise in Valley Fever cases in El Paso to extreme dust and wind events.
Researcher Gabriel Ibarra-Mejia joins the Standard to explain the illness, why cases are increasing and what Texans in dry regions should know.
