Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott talks property taxes and border security at inauguration for third term
Guests gathered at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday for the inauguration of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The lawmakers were sworn in to serve their third terms – both were elected to their current roles in 2014 – and both gave speeches that touched on their priorities for the next four years. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, who covers state politics for the Texas Newsroom, reports.
Migrant communities affected by Biden policy call North Texas home
Migrants from countries affected by the Biden administration’s new immigration policy have been putting down roots in North Texas for many years, and those roots continue to deepen. They say life in the U.S. is difficult, but as KERA’s Stella Chavez reports, they also say it’s a life they’re willing to work hard for.
Prison hunger strike supporters face state retaliation
Prisoners in Texas are refusing food in protest of being kept in solitary confinement. Outside of the prisons, those who are helping to organize the strike are facing retaliation from the state. Texas Public Radio’s Paul Flahive has more:
What is a ‘constitutional sheriff’?
It is common for law enforcement officers to take an oath before putting on the badge, swearing loyalty and a commitment to uphold the law. But what happens when a law enforcement officer decides his or her commitment to the Constitution supersedes a commitment to enforce statutory laws of the state or federal government? The Texas Tribune reports some 50 Texas sheriffs, and numerous elected officials have attended trainings on the unsupported notion that sheriffs can singlehandedly overrule state and federal law. Jessica Pishko, a freelance journalist covering the criminal justice system, joins us.
In 2023, Texas Monthly Magazine celebrates 50 years of publication. There have been a lot of firsts in that time, including the appointment of the first BBQ editor at any publication in the nation, Daniel Vaughn. But Texas Monthly has been talking BBQ since its third issue. The February 2023 issue includes reflections on the history of BBQ, from legendary pitmasters to a big change in the state’s favorite cut of meat. Today, Vaughn is with us to share that history.
GOP claims of Election Day mismanagement, fraud don’t explain Democrats’ 2022 sweep of Harris County
Democrats swept the November elections in Texas’ most populous county, Houston’s Harris County. But in the wake of problems at many polling locations on Election Day, nearly two dozen Republican candidates are seeking a do-over. Still, Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider says a surge in registration and long-term demographic trends gave the Democrats an edge that new elections would likely not erase.
A lot has been written about the way Texans pronounce certain place names. Think Gruene, Refugio and Mexia, to name a few. But commentator W.F. Strong noticed some Texans also use words you’re not as likely to hear in other parts of the country.
Fact-check: Is Biden coming for your gas stove?
A Consumer Product Safety Commission member’s suggestion that the agency could ban gas stoves was the start of the latest culture war battle, with conservatives seizing on the narrative as an example of government overreach. So, is the administration really planning to make gas stoves a thing of the past? We check in with Nusaiba Mizan of the Austin American–Statesman, who has the PolitiFact check.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Shelly Brisbin with the Talk of Texas.
