Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, April 25, 2023.
Tarrant County’s elections chief is leaving. It could be a hard job to fill.
Tarrant County is looking for a new elections chief. Heider Garcia’s resignation was accepted today after the elections administrator resigned last week over conflicts with the county judge. As KERA’s Miranda Suarez reports, some are wondering who would want the job while elections workers face threats and support from county government isn’t guaranteed.
No, ballot shortages in Houston didn’t undermine Republicans
The GOP has claimed that paper ballot shortages in Harris County’s 2022 election were aimed at hurting Republicans. After digging into the data, the Houston Chronicle’s Jen Rice reports the narrative doesn’t add up. She joins us with the story today.
This bill could lead to the spread of colonias in Texas
A bill in the Texas House would weaken state laws preventing the spread of colonias: border settlements with substandard living conditions. Texas’ model subdivision rules have been around for over 20 years. As Texas Public Radio’s Carolina Cuellar reports, some fear what will happen if the bill weakening them passes.
They say they oppose wind and solar projects – on environmental grounds
Wind and solar projects have come to rural Texas in droves. But some have met with opposition from communities who fear the plants will change their way of life, and potentially cause environmental damage. The Texas Tribune’s Emily Foxhall joins us with more.
Would you spend a year in a 3,000 square foot hangar with three strangers, subsisting on freeze dried food, with limited contact with the outside world? That’s NASA’s plan to study the challenges of a mission to Mars. NASA’s Suzanne Bell shares more with us.
Children’s book inspired by creatures from South Texas legends
Corpus Christi author Diana López talks her new book “Los Monstruos: Felice and the Wailing Woman,” the first entry in a series aimed at middle grade children and inspired by the creatures of South Texas folklore.
These Girl Scouts are earning their badges under water
In the depths of Austin’s Lake Travis or San Marcos’ Spring Lake, Girl Scouts are becoming certified in scuba and doing environmental research. For the Texas Standard, Marissa Greene plunges into what it means to dive like a Girl Scout.
Texas House advances 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage
If you’re pregnant or just gave birth in Texas, mental health issues can impact your life. They were the second leading cause of death for mothers in 2019, according to a state report. But there are people working to change that. KERA’s Elena Rivera reports.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
