Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Listen on your Texas public radio station, or ask your smart speaker to play Texas Standard. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Analysis finds extreme heat inside Texas prisons
Texas sets temperature standards for county jails and even animal shelters. But state prisons have no enforceable heat limits – despite documented heat-related deaths and triple-digit temperatures inside some facilities. A new Texas Newsroom analysis, conducted with data fellows at UT Austin, compares prison conditions to standards elsewhere and examines a pending lawsuit over air conditioning.
Lauren McGaughy and Christian McDonald join Texas Standard to discuss the findings.
Houston hip-hop pioneer Michael ‘5000’ Watts dies at 52
Houston’s music scene is mourning the death of DJ Michael “5000” Watts, founder of the Swishahouse record label and a key figure in spreading the city’s chopped and screwed sound. Watts helped launch artists including Mike Jones, Slim Thug and Paul Wall.
Lance Scott Walker, author of “Houston Rap Tapes” and “DJ Screw: A Life in Slow Revolution,” joins Texas Standard to reflect on Watts’ legacy.
Austin exhibit spotlights Black-owned businesses
A new photography exhibit at Austin’s Central Library celebrates Black-owned businesses and their role in preserving the city’s cultural history. The show pairs archival images with personal artifacts, highlighting both entrepreneurship and community resilience.
Stephanie Federico reports for KUT News’ Art Beat on how the exhibit honors legacy while documenting ongoing change.
Kerr County still grappling with mental health fallout from floods
A new assessment finds that last year’s July 4 flooding in Kerr County sharply increased mental health needs, particularly among children. Researchers estimate the number of youth experiencing serious emotional disturbance may have quadrupled in the aftermath.
Austin Dickson of the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and Andy Keller of the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute join Texas Standard to discuss the findings and next steps.
Former Texas police chief calls ICE tactics dangerous ‘theater’
Former Austin and Houston police chief Art Acevedo is criticizing current federal immigration enforcement, arguing that recent operations risk undermining trust in law enforcement. In a recent opinion piece, Acevedo described the crackdown as political theater rather than effective policing.
He joins Texas Standard to discuss training standards, public trust, and what he believes should change.
