Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022:
Texas’ top election official is resigning. What’s next?
Texas Secretary of State John Scott is stepping down, ahead of the next Texas legislative session. What does the vacancy of the state’s top election official mean? Brandon Rottinghaus, political science professor at the University of Houston, has more.
Murder trial of former Fort Worth officer begins
The murder trial of former Fort Worth police officer Aaron Dean is underway. Dean is charged in the 2019 killing of Atatiana Jefferson, slain in her own home. KERA North Texas’ Miranda Suarez has more.
Houstonians demand action after carcinogens found near homes
Houston health officials are testing attic dust in Fifth Ward homes for the presence of toxic, cancer-causing dioxins. This comes after finding concentrations of dioxin in soil samples there near a contaminated rail yard. Houston Public Media‘s Katie Watkins has been talking with residents who are frustrated with how long it’s taking to clean up the site.
Texas is paying crypto companies to do nothing
The gold rush that brought crypto miners to Texas is slowing – but many miners are still here, counting on cheap energy to help them turn a profit. What’s changed is how some of them are making money. We’ll hear more from Delger Erdenesanaa, who covers energy for the Texas Observer.
Inside the ‘Vision Zero’ campaign to end traffic deaths
Over 42,000 people died in motor vehicle crashes last year. Nearly 5,000 were in Texas. In response, we’ve seen the rise of Vision Zero, a nationwide campaign with a goal of reaching zero traffic injuries and fatalities. Angie Schmitt, author of “Right of Way: Race, Class and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America,” has more.
The tech conference that centers Black founders, creators and builders
AfroTech is a tech conference for the Black community. Texas Standard’s Tiara Allen spoke with an attendee about the importance of equal access to healthcare and Black representation in the tech industry.
Horned Frogs on a hot streak: TCU’s playoff berth and Heisman prospects
Texas Christian University football went on a tear in 2022, going undefeated until an overtime loss to Kansas State for the Big 12 Championship on Saturday. The next day, the Horned Frogs became the first team from Texas to be selected for the College Football Playoff. For more on TCU’s season and their quest for the national college football championship, we’re joined by Steven Johnson, TCU beat writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Ted Cruz, the presidential race and the future of Texas politics
No one’s ever accused Ted Cruz of lacking ambition. Whether he runs for president again in 2024 could have major effects on Texas’ political hierarchy. Dallas Morning News political writer Gromer Jeffers has more.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
