Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024:
Where do Texas Democratic candidates differ on key issues?
Texas Democrats say this is the year they’ll unseat U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz … but first come the primaries. There are nine Democratic candidates on the ballot, but the frontrunners right now are state Sen. Roland Gutierrez and U.S. Rep. Colin Allred.
The Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán reports.
Texas extremists make gains in pushing secession
A question about Texas seceding from the U.S. was kept off the GOP primary ballot this year. Still, it was the closest the Texas Nationalist Movement has come to putting the so-called “Texit” up for a vote in its nearly two decades of trying.
KERA’s Juan Salinas II has more on what’s behind the group’s momentum, and what role secession might play in state politics in the future.
TCU injuries led to losses and walk-on try-outs. Now the Frogs hope to win again
Texas Christian University’s women’s basketball team cracked the top 25 in the AP’s national rankings early this season. But after multiple players were sidelined due to injury, the team had to forfeit two games, and the Horned Frogs started a losing streak.
KERA’s Bill Zeeble reports the Lady Frogs held rare walk-on tryouts to refill the roster – and to try to restore the team’s winning ways.
What does the MLS referee lockout mean for the 2024 soccer season?
Major League Soccer referees have been locked out ahead of the start of the 2024 season, after Professional Soccer Referees Association union members voted against a bargaining agreement.
The soccer season kicked off with replacement refs, but the association said that the replacements are not fit to conduct upcoming games. KUT reporter Jimmy Maas joins the show with more.
How the feds took down a Russian ransomware ring
A coalition of law enforcement agencies announced this week that it has shut down a major Russia-linked ransomware operation called LockBit.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga tells us what the takedown can teach us about how ransomware rings work, and how this one got taken down.
Meet Texas (by way of Uganda) musician Jon Muq
“Flying Away” is the debut album by Uganda-born Jon Muq, who calls Austin home. And perhaps not surprisingly, his music is infused by Ugandan and Western sounds – including production from Black Keys guitarist Dan Auerbach.
Muq joins the Standard to tell us about his new LP and more.
Texas got a sex education update two years ago. Advocates say there are still gaps
It’s been two years since Texas implemented new health education standards for students, including information on contraceptives and sexually transmitted infections. But advocates of the change say the opt-in standards are decidely less than comprehensive.
KERA’s Elena Rivera reports some parents are looking outside of schools to find resources to fill the gaps.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
