Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024:
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s legal team is asking a Harris County district judge to dismiss his securities fraud charges, claiming his right to a speedy trial has been violated. The case has been in progress for over eight years, and the trial is set to start on April 15.
Texas Newsroom investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy joins the Standard with more.
Veterans can lose their gun rights if they can’t manage their finances. Is it time for a rethink?
Congress is considering whether to override a VA policy that critics say deprives some veterans of gun ownership rights: one where vets can lose their guns if they can’t manage their finances.
Texas Public Radio’s Carson Frame reports for the American Homefront Project.
Fort Worth reports few violations of confidential police chase policy
High-speed police chases can be unpredictable and dangerous. Agencies have policies that govern those pursuits, but Fort Worth police have kept those rules secret – even as chases ending in injury or death make headlines.
KERA’s Toluwani Osibamowo reports the police departments that do share their policies try to balance transparency and public safety.
Mozilla Monitor promises to keep your online data private – for a fee
A new tool from the makers of the Firefox web browser promises to keep your personal data out of the hands of brokers who buy and sell names, addresses and demographic information.
Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the show with more on Mozilla Monitor.
Eagle Pass on edge after becoming center of immigration standoff
State officials are preventing federal Border Patrol agents from accessing a riverfront park in Eagle Pass, saying the Biden administration is not being tough enough on illegal crossings. Now, Gov. Greg Abbott is vowing to expand his aggressive border operations.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports the standoff is attracting far right activists and putting many in Eagle Pass on edge.
Swing player and pianist Ernie Mae Miller born in Austin in 1927
This week in Texas music history, we meet an Austin woman who ranged from swing jazz during World War II to boogie-woogie piano in the swinging 1960s.
Jason Mellard with the Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University has more.
Dr. Phil is back, and he’s broadcasting from the Metroplex
From his Hollywood studio, Phil McGraw – aka Dr. Phil – would dispense tough love and life advice, often to folks who found themselves in desperate or outrageous situations.
His daytime talk show ended in 2023, but McGraw’s not done: He’s launching a whole new network from studios in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Dallas Morning News business reporter Irving Mejia-Hilario joins the Standard with the story.
How to navigate the new FAFSA form
College applicants across the country have used the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for financial aid for decades. A new version of the application was finally released in December, after a delay in rolling out the changes.
Andrew Woodward of Texas A&M University-Central Texas joins the show with an overview of the new form.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
