Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, October 7, 2021.
Republican Governor’s Border Rendezvous
In an attempt to deter migrants from crossing the Texas-Mexico border, Gov. Greg Abbott, flanked by nine other Republican governors, made another public appearance in the Rio Grande Valley. He was also there to again voice his disdain for the Biden Administration’s immigration response. John Moritz has been covering this for USA Today, where he writes about Texas government and politics. He joins us today.
COVID Questions
COVID-19 numbers in Texas look better now than they did a month ago. New cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are all down. But as we move forward, there are still plenty of questions about the virus itself, and living with it. And for answers, we turn now to Dr. Fred Campbell, associate professor of medicine at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio.
Redistricting & Democracy
The Texas Legislature is in the midst of redistricting, and this year’s draft maps include many more majority-white districts than white share of the population. The maps will likely help white people and the Republican Party maintain their dominance over state government, at least for a few years. And, as KERA’s Bret Jaspers reports, there are other ways gerrymandering undermines a healthy democracy.
Windows 11 & New Microsoft Hardware
Tuesday marked the official release of Windows 11, a major update to software from Microsoft that runs millions of PCs and tablets around the world. Unlike Google and Apple, who drop new versions of their software every year, Microsoft’s last milestone release came in 2015. So, if you’re a PC user, is Windows 11 a big deal? Should you upgrade? Our tech expert Omar Gallaga has some answers.
Hispanic Heritage Month part 4, George Sanchez
From the 1940s to 1960s, Mexican Americans challenged segregation in Texas public schools. One of the leaders in the movement was an influential civil rights champion and UT-Austin professor. From the Voces Oral History Center, Estrella Hernandez brings us the story of George Sanchez.
On The Porch: Life and Music in Terlingua, Texas
When you imagine a town built around music, Austin or Nashville might come to mind. But out in far West Texas, along the Rio Grande, Terlingua might make you rethink that. Abandoned after World War II, Terlingua went nearly uninhabited for the next three decades, and was even named in the national registry of Ghost Towns. But now, author W. Chase Peeler writes that *music has breathed new life into Terlingua – in fact, it’s become something of an oasis for musicians big and small.” Peeler joins us to talk about his new book, “On the Porch: Life and Music in Terlingua, Texas.”
SB 8 Local Activism in Lubbock
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Texas’ SB 8, the state law that bans abortions as early as six weeks. (State leaders quickly filed a notice of appeal). While SB 8 took effect in September, In Lubbock, abortions have been banned for even longer. In June, a local ordinance created a pathway for private citizens to sue anyone who helps someone get an abortion. Texas Tech Public Media’s Kaysie Ellingson introduces us to three Lubbock women who are keeping the fight for reproductive rights alive.
All this and Texas News Roundup, plus Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the talk of Texas.
