Here’s what’s coming up on Texas Standard for Wednesday, July 12, 2023:
Abbott taps another ally as interim attorney general after first appointee steps down
Gov. Greg Abbott’s chief of staff is Texas’ newest temporary attorney general. Angela Colmenero takes over from another Abbott ally, John Scott, who was first appointed after Ken Paxton was impeached and suspended. The Dallas Morning News’ Lauren McGaughy joins us with an overview.
People in Dallas Jail are waiting longer for release as county struggles with tech
Dallas County is dealing with at least two major technology problems in its criminal justice system. That’s leading to significant delays in releasing inmates who have done their time – and as KERA’s Bret Jaspers reports, the jail is close to 90% capacity.
The corruption allegations swirling around San Jacinto County’s sheriff
After a mass shooting and an arrest earlier this year, the sheriff of San Jacinto County said residents could rest easy. But in the aftermath, an Associated Press investigation raises questions about the sheriff’s department itself, including longstanding complaints about corruption and dysfunction. Reporter Jake Blieberg joins us with the story.
Are Texas beaches potentially unsafe?
As the summer heats up, beaches are a popular place to cool off. But a new study from Environment America showed that 84% of Gulf Coast beaches had at least one day of unsafe fecal contamination in 2022 – a higher percent than anywhere else in the country. Environment Texas Executive Director Luke Metzger joins us with more.
Abilene volunteers serve Ukrainian refugees through soccer
For years, a group in Abilene has hosted summer soccer camps for resettled refugee children. But this summer, they took their game on the road. As KACU’s Heather Claborn reports, the volunteers just returned from Warsaw, Poland, where they held a soccer camp for Ukrainian refugees.
New center at Austin Community College introduces students to in-demand careers
More community colleges are offering hands-on experience in fields like manufacturing, firefighting or drone operation. Austin Community College has created a new center that also offers some virtual experiences in high-demand careers. KUT’s Becky Fogel visited the Make it Center, where she met a robot.
Republican Mayra Flores announces bid to retake South Texas congressional seat
Former U.S. Congresswoman Mayra Flores is running for the 34th Congressional District in South Texas. She won the seat in a special election last summer, becoming the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress, then lost it just a few months later in the midterms. Rice University political science professor Mark Jones joins us to discuss the race.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
