Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters this week no one can guarantee there won’t be a “load shed event” – energy industry jargon for planned blackouts. With winter-storm warnings taking effect across large parts of North and Central Texas later Wednesday, many Texans are dubious of repeated pledges that the lights will stay on. Some are hoping for the best but bracing for worse, as the Texas Standard’s own Kristen Cabrera reports.
What we know about COVID vaccines for children under 5
Children and babies as young as six months could be eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine this month. NPR reports Pfizer-BioNTech is expected to file a submission for FDA emergency use as soon as this week. But the timeline for kids under five to receive a vaccine has been pushed back before. What does the data say now and what should parents and caretakers know? Jim Versalovic, pathologist-in-chief and co-lead of COVID command at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, joins us with more.
Texans nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize nominations are out, and the list includes several Texans – including a well known Houston-based vaccine specialist. Houston Public Media’s Sascha Cordner has more.
Inside Operation Lone Star, Greg Abbott’s rushed border deployment
Texas quickly moved up to 10,000 members of the Texas Military Department to the border for Operation Lone Star. Gov. Greg Abbott says he ordered the deployment to improve border security. But rampant complaints of pay discrepancies, equipment shortages, a lack of focused mission and low morale have dogged the deployment for months. Military Times reporter Davis Winkie joins us to discuss the report he co-authored with a Texas Tribune reporter.
Globalization decreases plant diversity
Globalization doesn’t just affect humans and our societies – it impacts the natural world too. A new study discusses how, as human beings have become more interconnected, plant communities have become less diverse. Joining us now to tell us more is the lead study author Barnabas Daru, assistant professor at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
Books on race and sex are disappearing from Texas schools
Across the U.S., a conservative push is underway to ban books dealing with racism or sexuality from school libraries. The fight is especially heated in Texas, notes NBC News reporter Mike Hixenbaugh. He reports now that books concerning these topics are disappearing from Texas schools in record numbers. Hear from him on today’s show.
Congressman Ronny Jackson, R-Amarillo, said unauthorized immigrants will have an easier time voting and getting healthcare this year than American citizens. Is that a fact? Nusiaba Mizan looked into this claim for Politifact Texas, based at the Austin American-Statesman, and joins us today.
All this plus the Texas state news Roundup and Social Media Editor Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
