Good morning! Here’s the Texas Standard rundown for Monday, Aug. 30.
The U.S. Eviction Moratorium’s Over, But It Never Protected Several Renters
A national eviction moratorium was set to expire in October, but a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision ended it early. That puts even more pressure on local officials to distribute millions of dollars in existing rent relief. But as Houston Public Media’s Jen Rice reports, some families are still getting evicted anyway.
Texas’ Six Week Abortion Ban
Continuing our look at the most consequential Texas laws set to take effect September 1, we’re discussing one you’ve probably already heard a lot about: a state law that bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, while effectively deputizing ordinary citizens to enforce the rule. Texas Public Radio’s Carolina Cuellar explores the law’s impact from the Rio Grande Valley.
Publishing Prize for Small Presses
A new book prize has been launched in North Texas. It’s a rare literary award because it was created to bring attention to small presses in America and Canada. KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports.
Elon Musk Wants to Sell Electricity
Elon Musk is tapping into another Texas venture, this time involving the state’s electric grid. Texas Monthly reports Musk’s company, Tesla, has filed to sell electricity on the retail market. The filing has yet been approved by the Texas Public Utility Commission – but if it is, Tesla Energy Ventures could be a standout among the 120 other suppliers on the electric retail market. Russell Gold has been writing about this for Texas Monthly and joins us today.
Hiking The Camino De Santiago
Taking a hike can be good for what ails you. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan says one San Antonio man took an extraordinarily long one: a month-long trek along the Camino de Santiago on the Spanish west coast.
It Was Ruled A Death By Mountain Lion. Was It Really?
Late last year, 28-year-old Christopher Allen Whitely left for work in a rural area southwest of Fort Worth – but he never showed up. The next day, after a friend filed a missing persons report, Whitely’s body was found in some dense brush near his girlfriend’s house. The conclusion that Whitely was killed by a mountain lion, although there’s much more to the story. Joining us now with more details is Morgan O’Hanlon, who wrote about this for Texas Monthly.
How The Refugee Resettlement Program Works
The admission of war refugees into the U.S. is a rigid process – one most people know little about. Now, following the Taliban’s takeover of the government in Afghanistan, thousands of Afghans are being relocated domestically. Here to talk about that process is Allison DuVall with Episcopal Migration Ministries, one of nine agencies in the United States who help resettle refugees.
All that, plus the Texas News Roundup, social media expert Wells Dunbar with The Talk Of Texas and lots more.
