Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022:
Lawmakers criticized for gun violence on third anniversary of the mass shooting in El Paso
Today marks three years since a shooter opened fire at an El Paso Walmart. Ultimately, 23 people were killed in the massacre, which authorities say was a racially motivated attack. As El Pasoans mark the grim anniversary with vigils and memorials, the alleged shooter still sits in a jail cell, yet to stand trial. The Texas Newsroom’s Julián Aguilar joins us to explain why that is and how May’s massacre in Uvalde echoes what happened in El Paso.
Republicans are eying South Texas. What do fundraising numbers say?
After former President Donald Trump made gains in 2020 in several Rio Grande Valley counties, Republicans have continued to target Latino voters in the region. One measure of how well they’re doing: new fundraising numbers. Mark Reagan, who covers the border for the McAllen Monitor, joins us with more.
Is Houston more flood resistant five years after Hurricane Harvey?
The fifth anniversary of Hurricane Harvey is August 17. A storm most Texans will never forget, Harvey destroyed over 150,000 homes across greater Houston and left one-third of the region under water. In a story from Houston Public Media’s new podcast Below the Waterlines: Houston after Hurricane Harvey, Matt Harab looks at how the city is working to become more flood resilient – and how the lives of those impacted by Harvey have changed.
WWII veteran decorated with six medals in San Antonio
A veteran of the Allied air war over Italy and the Balkans during World War II was decorated for his service at a ceremony in San Antonio last week, just days before his 98th birthday. Texas Public Radio’s Jia Chen has the story behind the long wait for LT. Gerald Teldon.
Almost 600 Texas youths are trapped in a juvenile prison system on the brink of collapse
Texas’ juvenile justice agency is so understaffed right now, teens in custody report spending nearly 24 hours locked in their cells, using water bottles to go to the bathroom. A substantial number are also self-harming themselves or have been placed on suicide watch. Texas Tribune criminal justice reporter Jolie McCullough joins us with the story.
New book traces the ‘Rise of the Black Quarterback’
In football, the lead player on the field is the quarterback – so what that person looks like is important. In the NFL, for decades, that person was white. NFL senior writer Jason Reid tracks the changes through history and its greater impact in a new book, “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What it means for America.” We’ll hear from him today.
The White House’s big deficit cut – and why it merits an asterisk
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says, “We’ve cut the deficit by a record $1.5 trillion this year.” Is that a fact? Joining us with a fact-check is Nusaiba Mizan with PolitiFact Texas, based at the Austin American-Statesman.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
