Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, June 22, 2021.
The Governor Vetoes Legislator Pay …
Using his broad veto authority, Gov. Greg Abbott followed through with his threat to veto funding for state lawmakers and their staff. Cayla Harris has been covering this and other measures Gov. Abbott vetoed over the weekend for the Houston Chronicle.
… And He Wants To Build A Border Wall
Gov. Abbott is also putting pieces into place to combat what he says is a crisis at the border. Central to his messaging is his call to build a wall to halt unauthorized crossings. Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider takes a closer look at Abbott’s proposal.
Celebrating Juneteenth in San Antonio
Juneteenth was celebrated in thousands of American towns on Saturday. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan found hundreds taking in a fish fry and live music in San Antonio’s Comanche Park.
Relief, Remorse For One Migrant Teen
The unprecedented arrival of Central American children in recent months has highlighted the United States’ complicated, overwhelmed immigration system. KERA’s Stella Chavez teamed up with Dallas Morning News reporter Dianne Solis to tell the story of one young migrant’s journey from Honduras to Texas to Indiana.
Think You Could Draw Better Voting Districts That The State? You Probably Can.
Texas lawmakers face a special session this summer to draw the state’s new electoral maps. But instead of compact, contiguous, equally populated districts, partisan gerrymandering has created many strange, unrepresentative maps. Could average citizens do a better job? Our guest says that with the right tools, they can. Adam Podowitz-Thomas is with Princeton University’s Gerrymandering Project and the school’s Electoral Innovation Lab. He joins us today.
Why Austin Got Major League Soccer And San Antonio Didn’t
On Saturday, the soccer-hungry city of San Antonio could only watch as a new Major League Soccer club up the road– Austin FC– made its home debut. The Austin club’s existence means that San Antonio will be shut out of the highest level of pro soccer in North America. How did that happen? Texas Public Radio’s Joey Palacios and the Texas Standard’s Michael Marks have the story.
Quiet Passage For Law Loosening Gun Silencer Sales
When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed several gun measures into law this session, permitless carry got the most attention. But another, less headline-grabbing, bill allows Texans to buy Texas-made gun silencers without a federal license. The Wall Street Journal reports that the measure is part of a strategy to sidestep federal authority when it comes to guns. WSJ reporter Elizabeth Findell joins us with more.
All this, plus the Texas news roundup, plus social media editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.
