Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
New records raise questions about Kerr County flood response
More than six months after the deadly July 4 floods, newly obtained text messages and emails are shedding light on how local officials responded as conditions worsened at Camp Mystic. The records suggest confusion and delayed recognition of the disaster’s scale, raising fresh accountability questions.
Lauren McGaughy, investigative reporter and editor for The Texas Newsroom, joins Texas Standard to explain what the documents reveal.
Uvalde victim’s sister removed from courtroom during trial
Emotions ran high in Corpus Christi as the sister of one of the teachers killed at Robb Elementary was escorted out of the courtroom during the trial of former Uvalde school district officer Adrian Gonzales. The interruption halted proceedings and underscored the ongoing pain surrounding the case.
Texas Public Radio’s Camille Phillips reports on what happened before and after the removal.
Alamo Drafthouse rethinks its no-phones policy
Alamo Drafthouse has long enforced a strict no-phones rule during movies. Now, changes to its dine-in service will require customers to use their phones to order food or request assistance. The shift is prompting mixed reactions from longtime fans of the theater’s etiquette-first approach.
KUT News’ Katy McAfee reports on what’s changing and why.
Women’s skateboarding group builds space and community
Most of us lead busy lives, so it can be difficult to find the time for our hobbies. But a group of women skateboarders in Austin take that challenge head on, one kick push at a time.
Keyla Holmes of the Texas Standard has more.
SpaceX launches pose risks to commercial air traffic
SpaceX test launches from South Texas have repeatedly sent debris into airspace used by commercial flights, according to a ProPublica investigation. The report documents near misses, emergency FAA airspace closures and questions about how aggressively regulators are overseeing private spaceflight.
Heather Vogell, who covers commercial spaceflight for ProPublica, joins Texas Standard with more.
How disability shaped survival during Winter Storm Uri
The 2021 winter storm exposed deadly weaknesses in Texas’ power grid, especially for people with disabilities. In her book “Disabled Power: A Storm, A Grid, and Embodied Harm in the Age of Disaster,” sociologist Angela Frederick documents how Texans with disabilities navigated power outages, medical risks and limited emergency support.
Frederick joins Texas Standard to talk about what preparedness must change.
Texas Supreme Court cases to watch in 2026
As the Texas Supreme Court enters a new calendar year, several major cases remain unresolved while new ones loom. Issues before the court include THC regulation, abortion access, transgender rights, and disputes involving SpaceX and Austin light rail.
Toluwani Osibamowo, who covers the courts for KERA, joins Texas Standard to preview what’s ahead.
