Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, April 19, 2024:
A guide to voting in Texas’ spring elections
Local elections are scheduled in Texas for May 4, with early voting beginning on Monday. While turnout in these elections typically lags behind November elections, the outcomes can have a profound impact on communities.
Katya Ehresman, voting rights coordinator at Common Cause Texas, joins the Standard with more.
Teams from El Paso and Juárez face off in international celebration of baseball
Spring is baseball season, and perhaps nowhere is the game enjoyed more than on the Texas-Mexico border. Neighbors from both sides recently celebrated the beloved sport, as well as their deep cross-border connection.
KTEP’s Angela Kocherga takes us to an international game, right on the border:
Celebrate Earth Day with ‘Earthman’ Lanny Smith
“Earthman” Lanny Smith bills himself as a songwriter/eco performing artist/educator.
Today we’ll hear from him about the significance of Earth Day.
What the UK can teach us about the four-day workweek
United Kingdom workers had the opportunity to experience a shortened workweek, with some participating in a trial run of 32 hours instead of the typical 40.
The success of the trial led some companies to consider adopting the reduced work time permanently. Today, the Standard’s joined by Autonomy’s Jack Kellam, one of the organizations behind the pilot program.
Share your poems with Texas Standard
It’s National Poetry Month, and Texas Standard is collecting listener poems all through April.
Standard listener Jaci Elliott shares her own today:
A Dallas bookstore is tackling book deserts and encouraging a culture of reading
Dallas is a huge city, but big parts of it don’t have a bookstore. In fact, anywhere south of downtown is considered a book desert.
But KERA’s Zara Amaechi reports there are a few options – including one South Dallas bookstore that’s going a little further to encourage a love of reading.
Originally from Commerce, Texas, singer-songwriter Don Louis found himself at a crossroads when injuries forced him to abandon his football aspirations.
The setback marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life. Louis joins the Standard to talk about what it meant for him, and his new single “Long Time Comin’.”
Typewriter Rodeo
The gang delivers another custom poem. Reach out to Texas Standard with your topic suggestions!
Texas Tribune managing editor Matthew Watkins stops by with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
