Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Lubbock LGBTQ community mourns one of their own as politicians target transgender Texans
Transgender Texans have been the target of conservative state lawmakers for years. Most recently, Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton have called for investigations into families who provide gender-affirming healthcare for trans youth. Texas Tech Public Media’s Sarah Self-Walbrick reports the LGBTQ community in Lubbock is processing that news while mourning the recent murder of a local trans woman.
Could COVID-related expulsions at the border be coming to a close?
The future of a Trump-era immigration order authorizing rapid expulsion of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border over COVID concerns is in doubt. A federal appellate court recently upheld the order, known as Title 42, but banned Border Patrol officials from expelling families to countries where they could be tortured or harmed. Immigrant rights advocates see the ruling as a step towards dissolving Title 42, which the Biden administration has kept in place during the pandemic. And as COVID-19 precautions are relaxed, advocates are asking how much longer Title 42 needs to be in place. Elissa Steglich, co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas at Austin, joins us with more.
How the 2022 SXSW Film Festival lineup accounts for COVID protocols
For many Texans, the 2020 cancellation of the massive South by Southwest festival in Austin was when the pandemic began hitting closer to home. Last year’s festival was virtual. But this year, the crowds will be back in person for the first time in three years. The Texas Standard’s Laura Rice has more.
What you should know about Apple’s new slate of products
Apple unveiled a batch of shiny new products this week, ranging from a new budget-priced iPhone to high-end Mac computers. The new Mac also comes with a high-powered processor. designed by Apple itself. Our tech expert Omar Gallaga watched the product rollout event, and is here to tell us what’s new.
The Texas progressives that won primaries and forced runoffs
“Democratic Insiders Keep Bashing Progressives, but Progressives Keep Winning Key Elections.” So reads the headline in The Nation looking at the political landscape heading into the midterms. John Nichols, national affairs correspondent for The Nation, joins us with his perspective.
Addiction experts warn: Texas push for online betting is a public health gamble
Sports betting is big business, with online bettors wagering millions of dollars on sites like DraftKings and FanDuel. Sports betting is still illegal in Texas, though lobbyists and some lawmakers argue legalization would boost Texas’ economy. The Standard’s Caroline Covington reports others fear such a move could come with serious public health consequences.
How violence in the stands between rival Mexican football clubs turned deadly
A weekend soccer match between the Querétaro and Atlas football clubs – two teams in Mexico’s top league – turned deadly after a riot broke out in the stands. Brutal fighting between fans of the respective clubs reportedly left dozens of people injured and several others dead. The exact numbers are unknown, as state officials have denied that any deaths took place, although eyewitnesses contradict that. Jon Arnold, a Dallas based reporter who covers soccer in North America, has more.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.