Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, Feb. 10, 2025:
Breaking down the week ahead at the Texas Legislature
As we do each Monday, The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins the show with a look at what’s on the legislative agenda.
This week: Gov. Greg Abbott has once again made bail reform an emergency item; what bills are on the table? Plus, school vouchers get a shoutout from President Trump; what’s next for that debate?
Veterans’ medical care in limbo amid federal workforce uncertainty
Texas is home to 1.4 million veterans, many of whom rely on VA health services. But new executive orders from President Trump affecting the federal workforce are causing concerns about potential cutbacks at the Department of Veterans Affairs, with some medical services already feeling the strain.
Steve Walsh of the American Homefront Project reports.
This week in Texas music history
Jason Mellard with The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University has the story of Leo Wright’s gig with Dizzy Gillespie.
Trump tariffs’ impact on the energy sector
President Trump is expected to unveil a new round of tariffs, this time targeting aluminum and steel imports. Previous tariffs on China, Mexico and Canada have had mixed results, and these new measures could send ripples across multiple industries. One sector bracing for the impact: energy.
Matt Smith, energy analyst for Kpler, joins us to break down what these tariffs could mean.
Measles outbreak in West Texas prompts health alert
Texas health officials are warning that more cases of measles could emerge after 10 infections were confirmed in Gaines County, near the Texas-New Mexico border. Seven people, mostly school-age children, have been hospitalized, and all those infected were unvaccinated.
Infectious disease expert Dr. J.B. Cantey of UT Health San Antonio joins us to explain the risks and response.
A year after the Smokehouse Creek Fire, recovery is still underway
Nearly one year ago, downed power lines sparked wildfires that ultimately burned more than 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle. The Smokehouse Creek Fire took three weeks to fully contain and claimed at least two people’s lives, 15,000 cattle and over 100 homes and businesses. The recovery effort is ongoing today.
Texas Monthly writer Emily McCullar, who recently covered the aftermath, joins us with more.
ICE presence in Austin raises concerns for Hispanic businesses
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted targeted enforcement actions in Austin last month, and Hispanic business owners say the impact has been immediate. Many fear the presence of ICE is driving away customers who are undocumented, hurting local businesses.
KUT’s Maya Fawaz and Greta Díaz González Vázquez report.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
