Texas Standard for April 19, 2022

Many Texas homeowners stunned by the increase in property tax valuations, as prices reflect a booming market. What happens next? And: Details of a pipeline leak that lasted only a few minutes but spewed as much methane as 16,000 cars would give off in a year. What’s known about what’s being called a “ultra-emitter” event? Also: Only days after his office set a new execution date for a Texas death row inmate, the DA in Nueces county withdraws the death warrant. We’ll talk to him and hear why the largely unexpected move. Plus: Home run or serious error? Houston’s Astros embrace high tech that could be a game changer.

By Texas StandardApril 19, 2022 7:35 am,

Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, April 19, 2022.

What’s up with property appraisals this year?

Property tax appraisals are coming in statewide – and many Texans are in for a sticker shock. With record increases for many, what’s different this year? For more on that we turn to Adam Perdue, research economist with the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Mays Business School at Texas A&M University.

A Texas pipeline leaked so much in one hour, it’s being called an ‘ultra-emitter’

Pipeline operator Energy Transfer released new details of last month’s line break on part of the unregulated portion of its Big Cowboy pipe, but said the cause of the break is still unknown. The Texas Railroad Commission is also conducting an investigation. Bloomberg reporter Aaron Clark joins us with more.

A Celebration of Earth Day with Music

Lanny Smith is a musician, an artist and an environmental educator in San Marcos. He leads the Planet Earth Project. Through songs and music, Smith hopes to awaken peoples’ consciousness and make us better caregivers to the planet.

Igor and the Red Elvises band leader laments war in his home country

Igor Yusov has vivid memories of growing up along Ukraine’s coast, under the constant shadow of Soviet rule.  After coming to America, Igor founded a musical group that riffs hard on Russian musical styles and cultural tropes. But as Texas Public Radio’s Jerry Clayton reports, it’s a challenging time to be leader of a band named “Igor and the Red Elvises.”

A high tech upgrade to one of baseball’s oldest practices takes the field in Houston

Between every pitch of a baseball game, the catcher and the pitcher communicate, usually through hand signals. This ritual has gone unchanged since baseball began – until now. Last weekend, Houston Astros pitchers and catchers used a new piece of technology to communicate. Chandler Rome, Astros beat reporter for the Houston Chronicle, has the story.

Where have Austin’s Indigenous people gone?

Texans spend a lot of time talking about how many new people move here. But most of us don’t talk much about the people who were here long before us. Whether you’re exploring Big Bend or just walking in your backyard, everything was once – and in some ways, still is – Indigenous land. KUT’s Lauren Terrazas tries to piece together some of Austin’s Indigenous history.

Why the Nueces County DA withdrew a high-profile death warrant 

In an 8-1 decision last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Texas cannot ban spiritual advisers from praying over or touching prisoners as they are executed. The court battle put the execution of John Henry Ramirez on hold. After SCOTUS ruled, Nueces County filed a motion for his next execution date. Then, in a rare move that surprised many, Nueces’ district attorney moved to withdraw the death warrant his own office had requested just days earlier. Nueces County DA Mark Gonzalez joins us to talk about what led to the decision.

All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.

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