Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, July 25, 2022:
Biden’s immigration policies remain in limbo with Supreme Court
After the Supreme Court sided with a Texas court in refusing to reinstate a main facet of the Biden administration’s immigration strategy, the president’s policies are in flux. The policy in question prioritized the detention of people crossing the border and immigrants who pose a threat to national security and public safety. Fatma Marouf, director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Texas A&M University, joins with more.
The volunteer group providing water to migrants in record heat
Amid unrelenting heat, volunteers fill approximately 175 watering stations across Brooks County, Texas, some 70 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The water is a lifeline for migrants who are trying to avoid the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias. Sandra Sanchez, journalist at Border Report, went on a ride-along with the South Texas Human Rights Center, the organization who refills the water stations. She joins us with the story today.
We’re smack dab in the middle of summer – and the heat doesn’t look like it will let up anytime soon. Texas grid operator ERCOT has called several times for Texans to conserve power to avoid rolling blackouts, and many customers have seen higher-than-normal electricity bills. Between that and high gas prices, it’s been a tough summer for energy prices – especially for consumers. Joining us to take a closer look is Matt Smith, lead oil analyst for the Americas at Kpler.
Step into another dimension on a new Fort Worth art walk
There’s a new art walk in Fort Worth that is more than the usual stroll past sculptures and murals. Thanks to augmented reality, you can take this tour and see a new dimension in public art. KERA’s Jerome Weeks reports.
Companies scramble to nab Texas tax incentives before they expire
Electronics giant Samsung is laying out plans for a major expansion in Central Texas. Documents filed with the state show that the South Korean company might build 11 new facilities in the region – an investment that would cost hundreds of billions of dollars. Samsung made the proposals in applications for a state-sponsored tax break program. But the program is about to expire, creating a rush of companies seeking to reap incentives before the deadline. Nathan Jensen, government professor at the University of Texas at Austin, joins with more.
Three Texas cities chosen for XFL reboot
San Antonio, Houston, and Arlington have been chosen to host football teams in the latest reboot of the XFL. The cities will host teams from Seattle, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Orlando and Washington D.C. for the 2023 season. Texas Public Radio’s Dan Katz reports.
So Far From Care: The long road from Far West Texas to get an abortion
Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, people across the country are traveling long distances to access legal abortion care. But in far West Texas, that’s been the reality for years. As the challenges in the region become a model for much of the country, we’re sharing a special series from Marfa Public Radio highlighting stories from West Texans about their journeys to get an abortion. Today, we hear the first story, from Marfa resident JD DiFabbio:
Answering your COVID questions
The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising once again. And with increasingly contagious variants, it’s worth checking in on the status of the pandemic. For more, we welcome back Dr. Fred Campbell, associate professor of medicine at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
