Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, July 17, 2023:
Workers rally to fight state bill ending water breaks
A state bill that overrides all ordinances is being challenged in court. Among the local rules the bill nullifies: requirements mandating water breaks for outdoor workers. Texas Tribune reporter Emily Foxhall has been following the story and joins us today.
What the heck’s happening with the Austin Police and DPS?
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson says he’s ended controversial plans where the Department of Public Safety augments Austin police patrols. Despite this, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he’s sending 30 more troopers to Austin, bringing the total to 130. So what’s going on? KUT reporter Andrew Weber joins us with an overview.
Supreme Court’s student debt decision may have scrambled the issue of standing
In the courts, the matter of standing is paramount: Does a plaintiff have enough interest in a particular matter to stand before the court to request legal intervention? Some legal experts say the Supreme Court tripped over the issue in their decision striking down President Joe Biden’s student loan debt cancellation. UT Law professor Stephen Vladeck joins us with more.
How energy companies and the Texas grid are faring this summer
Texas’ stubborn heat dome is spiking air conditioner use. How is the Texas grid, and the energy industry, handling this heat wave? Energy analyst Matt Smith joins us with his perspective.
This Houstonian longs to buy her ancestral home in Sawyer Heights
Megan Elise Ortiz treasures her grandmother’s home in Houston, a single-family house in the Sawyer Heights neighborhood – an area filling up with new condos. Ortiz considered purchasing it in 2015 when she moved back to Houston but decided to wait. In 2021, with home prices soaring in Texas, she wondered if she’d be able to make her dream come true.
Documentary puts legendary artist Jesse Treviño into focus
The artist considered by many to be San Antonio’s greatest died in February. But new ways to remember and honor Jesse Treviño are still in the works, including a documentary. Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan has the story.
The VA is facing a growing number of claims as a key deadline approaches
The Department of Veterans Affairs is receiving a rush of applicants ahead of a major deadline for the PACT Act. The law made more than 3.5 million veterans eligible for additional health benefits, including post-9/11 veterans who may be interacting with the VA for the first time. Steve Walsh reports for the American Homefront Project.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
