Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, April 27, 2026.
Camp Mystic faces reopening doubts as flood hearings begin
Girls sleepaway camp Camp Mystic may not receive a license to reopen this summer after regulators cited more than 20 deficiencies in its emergency plans following last year’s deadly Kerr County floods. At the same time, Texas lawmakers are opening hearings into what happened and whether the camp or the state were prepared.
KUT News reporter Kailey Hunt joins Texas Standard to explain.
One way to beat rising beef prices? Buy the whole cow
Beef prices at grocery stores are near record highs, with ground beef and steak costing significantly more than in recent years. Some Texans are turning to ranchers and buying whole or half cows directly as a way to save money.
Michael Marks reports for Texas Standard and Harvest Public Media.
This week in Texas music history
Jason Mellard with the Center for Texas Music History traces the timeline.
Kyle residents struggle with steep water rate increases
Despite recent rain, Central Texas remains in serious drought and water is becoming harder to access and more expensive. In Kyle, residents say large rate increases last fall have made it difficult to keep up with household bills.
Leigh Walden reports for KUT News.
Will the World Cup mean more human trafficking in Texas?
Texas will host 16 matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston and Dallas. Law enforcement officials are preparing for a possible rise in sex trafficking, though research on whether trafficking increases during major sporting events remains mixed.
Saahithi Sreekantham reports for Houston Public Media.
UT students beat top schools in urban design contest
A team of graduate students from the University of Texas at Austin won the Urban Land Institute’s 2026 Student Urban Design Competition, beating entries from Harvard, Columbia and dozens more schools. Their project reimagined Austin’s Hancock Center as a mixed-use district called The GreenLink.
Michael Alada and Anushka Deshpande join the Standard to discuss their vision.
How Greg Abbott expanded the power of Texas governor
Greg Abbott has now served 11 years as governor and could surpass Rick Perry’s tenure if reelected this November. His time in office has reshaped how the governorship is used to drive policy and political priorities in Texas.
Megan Stringer, politics reporter for Axios, joins Texas Standard to explain.
