Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, April 25, 2022.
How Mexican governors reacted to Greg Abbott’s border inspections
The governors of the four Mexican states bordering Texas are trying to strengthen ties with Gov. Greg Abbott. Each of the four met with Abbott when he created a backlog of cargo trucks at international bridges by requiring state inspections along with federal security screenings. Gov. Abbott has since dropped the inspections, claiming he reached agreements with Mexican governors to secure the border. KTEP’s Angela Kocherga reports on how the Mexican leaders are trying to avoid another costly border shutdown.
San Antonio’s South Side hit hardest by COVID-19
A recent investigation by the San Antonio Express-News shows San Antonio’s predominately Latino communities in the city’s South Side have been ravaged by COVID-19. These parts of the city are also some of the poorest in San Antonio. Laura Garcia, health reporter for the Express-News, joins us with an overview of the investigation.
A trio of African American cultural centers are coming to Fort Worth
Three new cultural centers and museums are in the works in Fort Worth. All three will feature African American art and history. But as KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports, they’ll still be very different.
Will the Ike Dike be enough to stop the next disaster?
Construction on the hurricane protection barrier along parts of the Texas Gulf Coast known as the “Ike Dike” is expected to begin in 2024. The $30 billion-plus project has been years in the making. But environmental experts worry the barrier may be too little too late. Tristen Baurick has been reporting on this for Times-Picayune’s nola.com where he is an environmental reporter. He joins us today.
Answering questions about COVID and kids under 5
COVID-19 vaccines for kids under five may not be approved until June. In the meantime, parents and caretakers continue to try to navigate the pandemic without that extra layer of protection. Many have questions for their pediatricians. To help answer those questions we’re talking to Dr. Alefiyah Malbari, Division of Ambulatory Pediatrics head at the Dell Medical School at UT-Austin.
‘Chicanx Utopias’ traces the evolution of representation in pop culture
Popular culture is a more than disposable ephemera – from protests to representation and more, pop culture mirrors and often drives societal change. In his new book, “Chicanx Utopias: Pop Culture and the Politics of the Possible,” author Luiz Alvarez highlights moments of struggle and progress through art, music, television and film.
Passion and partisanship fueling interest in school board races
School board meetings nationwide became politically-charged battlegrounds during the pandemic. Much of the tension has now shifted from concerns about COVID to debates about what’s being taught in classrooms, making local school board elections more contentious than ever. From Lubbock, Texas Tech Public Media’s Sarah Self-Walbrick reports.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.
