Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Report: UT Austin leaders violated their own rules to quell protests
Law enforcement responded with force to pro-Palestinian protests at UT Austin at the end of the spring semester. In a new report released this week, a UT Austin committee found that university leaders violated their own institutional rules when calling police to respond to the protesters.
Audrey McGlinchy, who reports for our home station KUT News, joins us with more.
El Paso unveiling memorial to Walmart mass shooting victims
El Paso is unveiling a new memorial to mark the five-year anniversary of the Walmart mass shooting. The new memorial honors the 23 hate crime victims and is designed to empower the people of El Paso and the border region.
KTEP’s Angela Kocherga toured the site with the artist who created the memorial:
How one North Texas program tackles food insecurity
About 3 million Texas kids participate in the national school lunch program during the school year. But when summer break hits, some families are left in need of support.
KERA’s Zara Amaechi looks at one North Texas program that’s tackling food insecurity.
Museum chronicles the rich history of South Texas
South Texas has long been a culturally rich region – where the convergence of cultures produces an identity unique to the Lone Star State. The story of that convergence has been chronicled for decades at the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg.
As part of the kickoff of our Texas Museum Map series, we take a trip to the Museum of South Texas History.
Investigation finds at least 50 people died under care of prison healthcare provider
In the U.S., jails and prisons are obligated to offer medical services to inmates. And lately, a lot of counties have done this by contracting with private companies to provide healthcare. Turn Key, one of the fastest growing companies like this, operates in states such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.
But a new investigation by The Marshall Project and The Frontier found that at least 50 people who were under Turn Key’s care died over the past decade. The company has settled several lawsuits related to these deaths.
Carey Aspinwall, a staff writer for The Marshall Project, joins us to discuss.
This week in Texas music history
On July 29, 1916, Charlie Christian was born. The North Texan would go on to lay the foundation for electric guitar playing, influencing what would later be known as rock and roll. Jason Mellard with the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University shares the tale.
What’s ahead for U.S. gymnastics at the Olympics
Texas was well-represented at the men and women’s gymnastics team and all-around events that just concluded at the Paris Olympics.
For a quick rundown of the results and what’s still ahead, we’re checking in with Dvora Meyers, a writer focusing on gymnastics and the Paris Olympics.
The gang delivers another custom poem. Reach out to Texas Standard with your topic suggestions!
Texas Tribune political reporter James Barragán joins the Standard with a recap of the week that was in Texas politics.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Raul Alonzo with the Talk of Texas.
