Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023:
Rio Grande buoy barrier stays in place – for now
A buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, placed there on the orders of Gov. Greg Abbott, will be allowed to remain in place for at least one more week. The obstacle, meant to prevent migration, is the subject of litigation between the state and the Justice Department, and will remain in place as a judge decides whether to compel its removal.
Houston Chronicle political journalist Jeremy Wallace joins Texas Standard with the latest.
Dallas hopes new funding will help clean up South Dallas brownfield sites
The City of Dallas recently got $1.5 million in federal dollars to start the first permanent brownfields program and to start assessing and cleaning up land in the targeted areas. How far that money will go — and how much success the program will have — remains to be seen.
KERA’s Nathan Collins reports.
Austin blogger and tarot card reader seeks out a meaningful life through the gig economy
Addie Broyles had written for a major Texas newspaper for 15 years when the pandemic hit. She was the daily’s food writer and spent her days in the world of print journalism. Then, COVID-19 arrived and shook up her plans.
We’ll hear from Broyles about what happened next.
How the prickly pear cactus inspired a scientist seeking alternatives to fossil fuels
In West Texas – an area known primarily for oil and gas –a team of scientists has given a whole new meaning to the term “green energy.” Engineers at The University of Texas at El Paso have discovered a low-cost way of generating hydrogen gas, inspired by a plant that’s native to the region. But can an innovation like this make a big difference?
Marfa Public Radio’s Zoe Kurland reports.
Deaf children in foster care aren’t getting the support they need
Life remains difficult for deaf children in foster care. Advocates say deaf children are undercounted, have limited communication options with caseworkers, and are frequently placed with families that do not utilize American Sign Language or comprehend deafness.
The Texas Tribune’s Neelam Bohra joins the Standard with the story.
New collection of oral histories shares what it was like being Black in early Dallas
Stories are more than entertaining tales; they encompass people’s experiences, forging emotional connections and fostering deeper understanding. For generations of Black Texans, stories have been conveyed through a rich oral tradition, linking them to their past. After slavery ended, Black families in Texas established farms, churches and schools.
The nonprofit Remembering Black Dallas has published “Our Stories: Black Families in Early Dallas,” capturing this history, and co-editor Judith Garrett Segura joins the Standard today.
Why Will Hurd didn’t make the cut for tonight’s Republican debate
Eight candidates for the GOP presidential primaries take the stage in Milwaukee tonight. Most notably absent among them: former President Donald Trump, the leading Republican contender. But some Texans might notice another missing voice: former U.S. congressman Will Hurd.
Washington Post political columnist and San Antonio native Karen Tumulty joins the Standard with more on why Hurd didn’t make the cut.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
