Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024:
Texas facing a middle-class housing crunch
While Texas leads the nation in building permits since the 2008 housing crash, the construction of homes is lagging behind the state’s rapid population growth. A report from the Texas Comptroller’s Office says Texas needs to add 300,000 more homes as of 2023, with the middle class feeling the brunt of this shortage.
Much of the data comes from Texas A&M’s Real Estate Research Center. Daniel Oney, the center’s director of research, joins the Texas Standard with the findings.
School safety heightened in Uvalde as classes return
As students return to the classroom, school safety is a major concern, particularly in Uvalde. This week, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District ramped up police presence at schools after unsettling social media threats targeted the district.
The heightened precautions come just days after an elementary student brought a BB gun to school on Monday. Texas Public Radio’s Kayla Padilla reports:
Hurricane Beryl exposes gaps in storm preparation laws for Texas seniors
Hurricane Beryl caused the largest power outage in CenterPoint Energy’s history, leaving Houstonians without power for days in sweltering heat. Thirty-eight people died, most of them seniors.
In this month’s installment of our investigative series The Drill Down, Houston Public Media’s Colleen DeGuzman and The Texas Newsroom’s Stella Chávez reveal what measures – if any – officials have taken to protect senior living facilities.
When should humans override AI in business decisions?
AI is no longer just the latest tech buzzword; it’s a critical part of how businesses operate today. A 2023 report by IBM found that 43% of CEOs use AI to help with strategic decisions.
But when should humans step in and override AI’s choices? Researchers at UT-Austin’s business school have delved into this question. Tech expert Omar Gallaga, who recently wrote about these findings, joins the Standard with more.
Horns-Aggies rivalry returns with Texas’ move to the SEC
College football season is here, and one of the most anticipated games is the revival of a rivalry over a century old: the Texas Longhorns versus the Texas A&M Aggies.
After a 13-year hiatus, the backstory behind this matchup might be bigger than Texas football itself. Danny Davis, who covers the Longhorns for the Austin American-Statesman, joins the Standard with more.
Houston sees record FEMA applications after Hurricane Beryl
In the wake of Hurricane Beryl’s devastation in Houston in July, over 650,000 Harris County residents applied for assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It’s the highest number of applications following any disaster in the county’s recent history.
Rebekah Ward, climate and environment reporter for the Houston Chronicle, joins us to shed light on the situation.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
