Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024:
Federal COVID dollars for schools go away as Texas districts struggle
Over $19 billion in federal COVID funds for Texas schools are expiring at the end of September, as districts across the state stare down enormous budget deficits.
Texas Tribune education reporter Jaden Edison joins the Standard with more.
Houston ISD mulls $4.4 billion bond proposal
A big decision is looming for Houston ISD’s state-appointed board of managers: whether to put a $4.4 billion bond package on the November ballot.
Houston Public Media’s Adam Zuvanich reports on the proposal and the obstacles it faces.
A judge has ruled Google has a search monopoly. What’s next?
A federal judge ruled on Monday that Google holds a monopoly in the online search and text-based search advertising markets.
Could big changes be ahead for the tech industry and the way we use online tools like Google Search? Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the Standard with more.
Inside the Susanna Dickinson Museum
Susanna Dickinson was a survivor of the battle of the Alamo. Get a tour of this Austin landmark from its former education coordinator, Jeanne Henry, as part of the Standard’s Texas Museum Map.
Researchers confirm Permian Basin well leaks are injected wastewater
Researchers have released a new study confirming what many Permian Basin residents have suspected: the salty water spewing from sealed oil wells is wastewater from oil extraction.
Oil companies pump 630 million gallons of wastewater into the ground daily, raising concerns that these leaks may be just the beginning. Inside Climate News reporter Dylan Baddour joins the show with more.
‘Sing Sing’ shakes up prison movie genre and eyes Oscar buzz
The new film “Sing Sing” is getting rave reviews, with critics hailing it decidedly different than the average prison movie. The film tells the story of inmates at New York’s Sing Sing prison putting on intricate plays, but it defies expectations in many ways.
Texas-based producer Monique Walton and director Greg Kwedar join the Standard with more.
New DNA requirements add hurdles for asylum seekers at U.S. border
Migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. face a new obstacle at the southern border: Since 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has collected DNA samples from migrants over 14 years old. This involves a mouth swab, and the data is stored indefinitely in an FBI database.
Melissa del Bosque, reporter and editor for The Border Chronicle, joins the Standard with more.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
