Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022:
Spending bill to keep government operating hit snag over Title 42
We’re just a day away from the deadline to get a federal funding bill passed. What happens if a deal isn’t reached, and what would a government shutdown look like? Mark Jones, political science professor at Rice University, has more:
What this cold snap means for people experiencing homelessness
As temperatures begin to drop due to a blast of arctic air making its way through the state, Texans are making preparations to stay warm. One area of particular concern: Texans experiencing homelessness. Kyle Taylor, an Irving City Council member and the CEO of Irving Cares, offers his perspective.
Her son died in custody of the Dallas sheriff. She still doesn’t know what happened
Shamond Lewis died in the custody of the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department about three months ago. His mother, Sophia, still doesn’t know what happened. As KERA’s Bret Jaspers reports, people with severe mental illness make up a significant portion of jail populations, and the criminal justice system often struggles with how best to treat them.
What were the top video games of 2022?
Did you play Elden Ring or Splatoon 3? How about God of War: Ragnarök? Which video games did you discover in 2022, and which did critics say were the very best this year? The Texas Standard’s tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the show to talk about what people were playing this year.
Caregivers who help support disabled Texans are leaving their jobs in droves
An investigation by the Austin American-Statesman found that the Texas “waiver system” – a set of six Medicaid-funded programs created in the 1980s as an alternative to institutional care – is jeopardizing the safety of thousands. Built on the backs of low-paid, overworked and often under-trained caregivers, the system is collapsing from historic underfunding and lax oversight. Statesman data reporter Caroline Ghisolfi has more.
This Texas Folklife fellow is exploring sauerkraut
We’ll hear from Julie Gossell, one of Texas Folklife’s 2022 Community Folklife fellows, who’s been exploring traditional sauerkraut making in the Texas hill country.
A BBQ joint in Jarrell keeps John Mueller’s legacy alive
A year after the passing of a legendary barbecue pit master, there’s a smokehouse in Jarrell keeping his spirit alive. Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor, Daniel Vaughn, joins us today to talk about the legacy of John Mueller.
Protesters oppose I-35 highway expansion project
The Texas Department of Transportation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the I-35 Capital Express South project in Austin last month. Among the crowd there: protesters who say the project will do nothing to address congestion. Adam Greenfield, executive director of Rethink 35, opposes the highway expansion and tells us why today.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.