Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023:
The latest on Texas’ ice storm
What exactly is causing the power outages we’re seeing throughout Texas? Is it one issue – or a perfect storm? Mose Buchele covers energy and the environment for KUT Austin and joins us with more.
Property taxes and how they fund education
State leaders have vowed to cut property taxes this session – but as that money goes toward public school funding, parents and educators are concerned tax cuts could affect schools. KERA’s Bekah Morr breaks down those concerns and how school funding works in Texas.
The fast-growing North Texas county without a homeless shelter
Collin County has over 1 million residents and is growing fast. But the county does not have an emergency homeless shelter, despite a growing need. KERA’s Caroline Love has the story.
Why the rocky outlook for streaming services?
Streaming services are canceling long-running shows, shelving titles that haven’t even aired yet, and combining forces – as in the case of Paramount and Showtime. Why is the future so fuzzy for TV providers? Our tech expert Omar Gallaga has some ideas.
Most Texans approve of their public schools, report says
The Charles Butt Foundation’s 2023 Texas Education Poll found that Texans are generally satisfied about the state of public education but have some concerns as well. Audrey Boklage, vice president of Learning & Impact at the foundation, shares more.
Marfa art exhibit honors the railroad’s Chinese laborers
The U.S. railroad industry relied on immigrant laborers – mostly from China – to lay track. Many lived and worked in the West Texas desert for a couple years. When the job was done, few people were concerned about telling their story. Now an exhibit in Marfa by artist and Rice University professor Kenneth Tam tells their story.
How fracking could tap green energy sources
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, unlocks deposits of oil and gas. But what if fracking could be used to tap an overlooked source of renewable energy? Houston Chronicle business columnist Chris Tomlinson talks about its potential in unlocking geothermal energy.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
