Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024:
Ken Paxton sues chemical giants over PFAS safety
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against chemical companies 3M and DuPont, accusing them of misleading the public about the safety of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” found in products like Teflon and Scotchgard. These household staples have raised health concerns over decades of use.
Alejandra Martinez, who covers the environment for The Texas Tribune, joins the Standard to explain.
Judge halts The Onion’s bid for Alex Jones’ Infowars
A federal bankruptcy judge in Houston has blocked The Onion from completing its purchase of Alex Jones’ website Infowars. The satirical outlet bid for Infowars as part of Jones’ bankruptcy case, filed after he was ordered to pay $1.5 billion in damages to Sandy Hook families.
John Wayne Ferguson of the Houston Chronicle has the story:
EA makes accessibility in gaming open source
Accessibility in gaming has advanced in recent years, with major players like Microsoft and EA leading the charge. EA recently made 23 of its accessibility patents freely available to help developers create more inclusive games, from adaptive controls to features for visual or hearing impairments.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the Standard with more.
Reviving tintype photography in Waco
Matthew Nixson is bringing an old art form back to life in Waco with Holliday Tintype, offering the vintage photography style to a modern audience. KWBU intern Cole Gee reports on this unique revival.
Trade schools thrive as electric vehicle demand grows
As college enrollment declines, trade schools and community colleges are booming – particularly programs focused on servicing hybrid and electric vehicles.
The Texas Standard’s Kristen Cabrera spoke to instructors and students about how they’re gearing up for this growing field.
What teachers want from the 2025 Texas Legislature
The Texas Legislature’s last attempt to pass education savings accounts, or vouchers, failed despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s push. With the 2025 session approaching, debates over school funding, teacher pay and testing are expected to reignite.
Dax Gonzalez from the Texas Association of School Boards shares insights on what’s at stake.
At Austin City Council’s public comment periods, usually residents are bringing issues to light – sometimes remotely, after COVID changed the way council meets. But what if some speakers don’t sound quite human?
KUT’s Luz Moreno-Lozano reports on one potentially AI-generated voice taking the mic during council meetings.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
