Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026.
Arctic weather forecast prompts statewide preparations
Texas emergency officials are preparing for a blast of arctic air expected to impact large parts of the state later this week. Forecasts call for plunging temperatures, possible snow in North Texas, and freezing rain farther south.
Eric Berger, meteorologist with Space City Weather, joins Texas Standard to walk through the timeline, risks, and how Texans should prepare.
Jail restraint deaths raise questions about oversight
The 2024 death of Anthony Johnson Jr. in the Tarrant County Jail, after a guard knelt on his back, was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation. New reporting shows it wasn’t the first time a jailer used similar restraints – or the first time a prisoner later died.
KERA’s Miranda Suarez reports on records revealing repeated patterns and unanswered questions about accountability.
Waco opens its first STEAM education center
Waco has unveiled its first dedicated STEAM center, transforming a longtime neighborhood recreation facility into a hub for science, technology, engineering, arts and math. City leaders say the space is designed to serve learners of all ages, from toddlers to retirees.
KWBU’s Molly-Jo Tilton reports on how the Bledsoe-Miller STEAM Center is reshaping educational access in East Waco.
Stories From Texas: LBJ’s humor as a political tool
As the anniversary of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s death approaches, W.F. Strong revisits a lesser-known side of the Texas president: his sense of humor. Beyond policy and power, Strong argues humor helped LBJ navigate turbulent political moments and connect with allies and rivals alike.
Walmart expands drone delivery across North Texas
If you live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, your next Walmart order may arrive from the sky. The retailer plans to roll out drone delivery at hundreds of stores, with Texas playing a major role in the expansion. Other companies are following suit, raising questions about regulation and airspace.
Wall Street Journal logistics reporter Liz Young joins Texas Standard to explain how drone delivery works and how big it could get.
Documentary explores life after the war in Afghanistan
A new PBS documentary examines how veterans and families continue to live with the impacts of the U.S. war in Afghanistan, years after the fighting ended. “American Sons” centers on a Marine from San Antonio while addressing grief, memory and rising suicide rates among service members.
Producers Laura Varela and Andrew Gonzales join Texas Standard to discuss the film and the stories behind it.
Talk of Texas: A writers reacts to Trump and Greenland
As part of the Talk of Texas project, listeners weighed in on the White House’s renewed push to acquire Greenland – including author Sarah Bird, who likened the situation to an absurd political Mad Lib.
Wells Dunbar sat down with Bird to discuss Greenland, writing in strange times, and when reality starts to outpace fiction.
