Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Thursday, April 23, 2026. Listen on your Texas public radio station, or ask your smart speaker to play Texas Standard. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Houston revises police policy tied to ICE cooperation
The Houston City Council has voted to revise a measure it passed just two weeks earlier involving cooperation between local police and federal immigration agents. The move came after pressure from state officials including Gov. Greg Abbott, who threatened the loss of state funding.
Dominic Anthony Walsh, city hall reporter for Houston Public Media, joins Texas Standard to explain.
Can World ID prove you’re human online?
As AI tools become more common, new systems are emerging to verify whether someone online is actually a person. World ID is one such platform, aimed at helping users and businesses confirm identity in a digital world shaped by bots and automation.
Omar Gallaga, tech writer for CNET, joins the Standard to discuss.
Texas energy fights are increasingly political battles
Austin Energy gets power from wind, solar and gas sources across Texas, reflecting how interconnected the state’s grid has become. But many of the biggest fights over energy now happen at the Texas Capitol, where policy decisions shape the future of power.
Andy Uhler reports for Phases and Stages, a podcast from the University of Texas Energy Institute.
Austin student archers head to national tournament
Nearly 200 young archers from Austin are competing in Salt Lake City at one of the nation’s biggest youth tournaments. The growing sport is teaching students focus and discipline while helping some rise to elite competition.
Nathan Bernier reports for KUT News.
David Lowery talks new film ‘Mother Mary’
Texas filmmaker David Lowery returns with “Mother Mary,” a new film starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel that blends dark spectacle with a haunting relationship story. The director also reflects on growing up in North Texas and whether more Texas stories are ahead.
David Lowery, writer and director of “Mother Mary,” joins the Standard to discuss.
Who owns Galveston’s towering Texas Heroes monument?
A long-standing monument on Galveston Island honoring Texas heroes has become the center of a surprisingly basic dispute: who owns it. Questions over responsibility have grown more urgent as the structure needs maintenance and neither city nor state appears eager to claim it.
Chris Gray, reporter for Chron.com, joins the Texas Standard to explain.
