Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Thursday, January 28, 2021. Listen on your Texas public radio station, or ask your smart speaker to play Texas Standard. We’ll have full posts for each story, including audio, a little later today.
While many Texans complain of the short vaccine supply, one city has been able to vaccinate 10% of its population so far: El Paso. Bob Moore, CEO and founder of El Paso Matters, a non-profit news organization talks to the Standard.
Smaller Texas counties are rolling out their COVID-19 vaccination plans. In Bastrop County, that means officials and community leaders need to address some unique hurdles. KUT Austin’s Ashley Lopez reports that includes issues with internet access, as well as fears among immigrant communities.
Counting homeless Texans could be a challenge this year thanks to additional COVID safety measures. Many communities have opted out of participating in the annual Point in Time count, but Lubbock will proceed. The decision could sacrifice important data, but as Texas Tech Public Media’s Kaysie Ellingson reports, it may protect already marginalized communities.
Growing Pains of Telegram/Signal
On January 6, the same day rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, the Facebook-owned messaging platform, WhatsApp, rolled out new policies that appeared to force users to share their data with WhatsApp’s parent, Facebook. Though WhatsApp has walked back the changes, millions of users left for other encrypted messaging services like Signal and Telegram. Tech expert Omar Gallaga is here to help us understand why an influx of new users isn’t all good news for Telegram and Signal.
By now you’ve likely heard that Elon Musk has become big on Texas. The SpaceX billionaire recently announced he’d moved to Lone Star State, which is also home to one of his SpaceX launchpads and, soon, a Tesla factory. Musk also has his eye on one of the state’s old-school cash cows too: fossil fuels. Sergio Chapa, who is following the story for Bloomberg News, talks to the Standard.
The distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to older adults across Texas is bringing with it the hope that the end is near for the loneliness that the isolation of the pandemic has required.
The passing of those who help make such music possible gets far less attention. But there are many well-known Texas musicians mourning the loss of Michael Acosta. Though the San Antonio-based craftsman been in declining health for some time, thru the years, Acosta was instrumental in helping many of the greats make great music. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan reports.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a disproportionate effect on rural communities. This is amping up calls among Democrats in Congress that President Biden pay specific attention to rural issues during the next four years. Liz Crampton has been writing about this for Politico, where she reports on agriculture.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.
