Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024:
Judge remains furious at Texas’ shoddy approach to foster care
The judge overseeing the administration of Texas’ dysfunctional foster care system had the state back in court yesterday – and at one point, appeared ready to jail state officials in contempt.
The Texas Tribune’s Karen Brooks Harper joins us with more details from the hearing.
Austin’s old police chief’s back over public safety. Lots of folks aren’t happy.
Austin residents will soon see a familiar name returning to local government: Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo will take on a new position overseeing the police department at the end of this month.
It’s a surprising announcement considering the trajectory of Acevedo’s career, including a short stint in Houston. KUT News reporter Luz Moreno-Lozano shares more on the announcement and the backlash.
Benito the Giraffe finds a better home in Mexico
A giraffe named Benito, whose outdoor home in a park in Ciudad Juárez created a public outcry, is headed to his new home: a wildlife preserve in southern Mexico.
KTEP’s Angela Kocherga reports animal protection advocates on both sides of the border are celebrating:
Children at Risk’s annual ranking of Texas schools is out
For years, Houston-based nonprofit Children at Risk has released Texas school ratings. Its 2022-2023 findings are out now.
Joining the Standard with more on the report is Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of Children at Risk.
Mr. D’s BBQ serves great food across from a truck stop
Takis, Slim Jims, maybe a sandwich chain – that’s what often passes for road food. But in Texarkana, some sweet-smelling smoke is luring in professional drivers.
Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn says it’s worth the drive.
Families of Uvalde victims double down on call to ban AR-style rifles
After a sweeping federal report on the “cascading failures” of police response to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, the families of Uvalde mass shooting victims continue to call for a ban on AR-style weapons.
For more, we’re speaking with Alain Stephens, reporter for The Trace and host of the podcast The Gun Machine.
Groups file United Nations complaint over Texas’ anti-LGBTQ legislation
Texas lawmakers were behind one of every five of anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced nationwide in 2023, according to the Human Rights Campaign. Now organizations including the ACLU of Texas, Equality Texas and GLAAD are complaining to the United Nations, warning of “a systemic attack on the fundamental rights, dignities and identities” of LGBTQ people.
Ariel Dulitzky, director of the University of Texas at Austin School of Law Human Rights Clinic, joins the Standard with more.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
