Texas Standard For May 3, 2021

Mayoral contests in San Antonio and Fort Worth, a public camping ban in Austin and much more on the May 1 ballot. We’ll have more on some closely watched ballot propositions including voter approval of an ordinance in Lubbock that would ban abortions in that city – a move that’s almost certain to face a legal challenge. And: The great American road trip: running on fumes by the summer? Why some fear there could be gasoline shortages at the pumps. Also: At one of Texas’ top vacation destinations, detour signs as firefighters battle flames in Big Bend. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

By Texas StandardMay 3, 2021 9:36 am

Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, May 3, 2021.

Local Election Results Across Texas

Texans across the state went to the polls for municipal elections over the weekend. With a recap of some hotly-contested races, we turn to reporters in three Texas cities: Chris Cobler, editor and CEO of Fort Worth Report with a rundown of the mayoral race; KUT’s Audrey McGlinchy on proposed changes to City Hall and a controversial proposition banning public camping by unhoused Austinites; and in San Antonio, Texas Public Radio’s Joey Palacios with results of a proposition pertaining to police union bargaining.

Lubbock Abortion Vote

In more election news, Lubbock is now the largest “sanctuary city for the unborn” in the country. Voters passed an ordinance Saturday that attempts to outlaw abortion, but it’s mostly unenforceable under state and federal law. Texas Tech Public Media’s Sarah Self-Walbrick reports how local churches celebrated the vote Sunday morning.

Are Gas Shortages in our Future?

As COVID-19 restrictions start easing up, some people are looking at taking longer road trips. But according to some industry experts, you may run out of gasoline this summer and won’t be able to find any at the pumps. Why is that – and what else can we learn about the future of gasoline? We’re asking Matt Smith, director of commodity research for ClipperData.

Effects of Fire on Big Bend

Spring is traditionally one of the busiest times for Big Bend National Park. But for the past few weeks, visitors haven’t had access to some of the park’s most sought-out locale. A fire that started on the Chisos Mountains, near the center of the park, burned more than 1,300 acres over the course of two weeks. David Elkowitz, (ELL-ko-witz) deputy superintendent of Big Bend National Park, joins us with an update.

The Sounds of Texas: Heel To Toe

Lionel Sosa Profile

The murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year has inspired some major creative works around the country, including a large mural in San Antonio. As Jack Morgan of Texas Public Radio, the mural’s origin involves a small poster and a very big question.

6th Congressional District Special Election Results

Two Republicans were the top finishers in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Ron Wright of the southeast Dallas-Fort Worth area. Wright died of COVID-19 in February. His widow won the most votes to take over his seat on Saturday. Susan Wright was one of an astounding 23 candidates vying for the seat. And because no one earned more than 50% of the vote, the second-place candidate, state Rep. Jake Ellzey, will also move forward to a runoff. To help us understand what happened in this race and where it goes next, we turn to Rebecca Deen, chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Texas at Arlington.

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

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