Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Friday, Jan. 13, 2023:
‘We are not healed’: The Colleyville synagogue hostage crisis, one year later
Sunday, Jan. 15, is the first anniversary of the hostage crisis at Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville. A gunman interrupted a worship service and held three congregants and the rabbi inside. After 11 hours, the four hostages had escaped with their lives, and law enforcement killed the gunman. A year later, two of the survivors say they want people to fight antisemitism in their own communities. KERA’s Miranda Suarez reports.
UT-Austin’s legislative wish list
Every two years, public colleges and universities in Texas submit an appropriations request to the governor’s office and the Legislative Budget Board outlining their funding requests for the Legislature. This includes funding for both basic functions and special initiatives, according to Megan Menchaca, who covers higher education at the Austin American-Statesman. She spoke to the Texas Standard about what UT-Austin officials are asking lawmakers for this year.
Food prices are up all over the grocery store, but the cost of eggs has almost hit the breaking point. In a month’s time they’ve doubled in price. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports on the steep increase:
The changing face of Chinatown: Could new, trendy restaurants replace beloved institutions?
Houston is a city for food lovers, and a big part of what’s put the city on the map is its rich Asian food scene. For decades, older establishments have anchored places like Asiatown along Bellaire Boulevard. But that’s no longer the case, as more Houstonians flock to newer, trendier eateries popping up across the city. Houston Public Media’s Sara Willa Ernst takes us to where new meets old and asks locals whether they think some places are getting left behind.
Over the past few years, something called Dry January – abstaining from alcohol for the month – has become an increasingly popular ritual in a culture where “wellness” is all the rage. But more and more people are thinking they might extend their Dry January into later in the year – and there may well be good reasons to do so. Kim Fromme, director of the Studies on Alcohol, Health, and Risky Activities Laboratory at the University of Texas at Austin, talks it over with the Texas Standard.
Gabriel Luna on “The Last of Us”
Gabriel Luna is no stranger to Hollywood’s action scene: He has been a superhero, a terminator and a CIA agent. Now, the native Austinite is taking on a post-apocalyptic role based on the award-winning video game “The Last of Us.” Luna spoke to the Texas Standard about his role in the HBO series, which premieres this Sunday.
The gang delivers another custom poem. Get in touch with your own topic suggestions!
The week in Texas politics
The Texas Tribune’s James Barragán offers up a political recap of the week that was in Texas politics:
– Texas House selects Rep. Dade Phelan as speaker for another legislative session
– Texas senators draw lots to determine how long their terms will be
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Michael Marks with the Talk of Texas.
