Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Measles outbreak spreads in rural West Texas
Health officials have confirmed 49 cases of measles in Gaines County, but the actual number could be as high as 300. The outbreak is tied to low vaccination rates: 18% of students in the area are unvaccinated, the highest in the state. Now, the virus has reached Lubbock.
For the latest, the Standard’s joined by Albert Pilkington, CEO of the Seminole Hospital District.
Bail reform debate heats up at the Texas Legislature
Lawmakers are weighing tougher bail restrictions, which supporters say would keep dangerous offenders behind bars. But opponents argue stricter policies could undermine the right to reasonable bail.
KERA’s Toluwani Osibamowo reports.
Texas’ population boom and the push for a metro growth strategy
Texas’ metro areas are home to 90% of the state’s population and drive its economy. With projections estimating 47 million Texans by 2050, policymakers are grappling with how to manage rapid growth. The new “Texas Metropolitan Blueprint” lays out a five-year action plan.
Steven Pedigo of UT’s LBJ Urban Lab and Cullum Clark of SMU’s Bush Institute join the Standard with the details.
TEA appoints new conservator for Houston ISD
The Texas Education Agency has assigned a new conservator to oversee Houston ISD’s school board governance and student outcomes – a position that was created even before the state took over the district in 2023.
The Houston Chronicle’s Megan Menchaca has more on what this means for HISD.
Black History Month: The ever-loving legacy of John L. Hanson Jr.
KUTX is celebrating Black artists, innovators and spaces that shaped Austin’s music scene.
Miles Bloxson profiles John L. Hanson Jr., whose contributions helped define the city’s sound.
Texas braces for extreme winter weather
Gov. Greg Abbott is warning Texans to prepare for what could be the coldest winter event in state history. What can Texans expect, and how should they prepare?
Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger joins us with the latest.
National Park Service cuts, reinstates jobs: What does it mean for Texas?
The National Park Service is laying off 1,000 probationary employees while reinstating 5,000 seasonal job offers that were previously cut. What does this mean for Texas’ national parks?
Cary Dupuy, Texas regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association, joins the show with her insights.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
