Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
New Texas Lyceum poll captures Texans’ views on economy and AI
The annual Texas Lyceum poll is out, offering insight into how Texans feel about the economy, how they’re engaging with artificial intelligence and more.
Joshua Blank, the Lyceum’s research director, joins the Standard with more on what Texans are saying.
Texas House moves forward with constitutional amendments
Despite threats from House Democrats to block any proposed constitutional amendments, several passed the chamber this week and could appear on the November ballot if the Senate agrees.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey reports on what made Democrats change their strategy and which amendments could go before voters.
What consumer spending says about how Americans really feel
Economists look to hard data to gauge the economy, but consumer spending habits can also offer clues about public sentiment.
Wall Street Journal columnist Telis Demos joins the show to explain why Americans are spending in seemingly contradictory ways – and what that says about how they feel.
A fight to protect Texas’ last clear streams
A new bill in the Texas Legislature seeks to preserve the state’s last 21 “pristine” stream segments: clear, undeveloped waterways with low phosphorus levels. But similar efforts have been blocked before by developers and homebuilders.
Inside Climate News reporter Dylan Baddour joins the Standard with the latest.
Houston’s hidden horror: the story behind Dean Corll
In the early 1970s, Houston was booming – and a serial killer went largely unnoticed. Lise Olsen of the Texas Observer chronicles the murders of more than two dozen boys in her new book “The Scientist and the Serial Killer.”
She joins the Standard to share how the case went ignored for so long.
UT System bans drag shows, but students push back
The University of Texas System has barred its campuses from sponsoring drag shows – a move mirroring Texas A&M’s attempt, which was blocked in court. So far, no lawsuits have been filed against UT’s ban, but students are finding new ways to protest.
Texas Standard intern Sarah Brager reports.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
