Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025:
Texas Senate passes voucher-like school funding bill
A bill that would allow public funds to be used for private schools passed the Texas Senate on Wednesday, just days after Gov. Greg Abbott made it a legislative priority. Senate Bill 2 now heads to the Texas House, where its fate is less certain.
Keri Heath, who covers education for the Austin American-Statesman, joins us to explain what’s next:
El Paso struggles to fill city staff vacancies
Nearly one in five city staff positions in El Paso remain unfilled, affecting basic services for residents. City leaders say hiring challenges linger from the pandemic, leaving departments stretched thin.
Elida Perez, senior reporter for El Paso Matters, joins us with a breakdown.
Buying a chicken for its eggs? It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.
More people are turning to raising their own chickens to offset the high cost of egg prices. Houston Public Media’s Gabrielle Dawkins reports it might not save as much money as hoped:
‘Day Without Immigrants’ puts focus on labor, protests deportations
This week, immigrants across multiple industries, including agriculture and the food sector, participated in “A Day Without Immigrants,” a nationwide demonstration highlighting their contributions to the economy while protesting mass deportations.
Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, joins us to talk about the movement’s impact.
WNBA offseason heats up with trades and signings
The WNBA season may be months away, but teams are making big moves: signing free agents, making trades and shaking up coaching staffs ahead of 2025.
ESPN’s Alexa Philippou helps us break down the latest.
San Antonio bakery prioritizes inclusivity by hiring workers with disabilities
A new café and bakery in San Antonio is making a difference by hiring employees with disabilities, providing an inclusive workplace in the food industry.
Texas Public Radio’s Jackie Velez spoke with Leah Myer, who lives with Down syndrome, and her family about the initiative. She files this report.
Why you should hold off on pruning your oak trees
Spring gardening season is around the corner, but experts say now is not the time to trim your oak trees. February marks the start of oak wilt season, a deadly disease that can devastate trees across Texas.
Demian Gomez, regional forest health coordinator with Texas A&M Forest Service, explains what to know.
Thousands of federal web pages disappear under new Trump administration
In the early days of Trump’s second term, thousands of pages from federal agency websites have disappeared, including resources on diversity, equity, inclusion, climate change, health data and U.S. history.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga wrote about the purge for CNET and joins us with more.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
