Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, July 7, 2022:
New report assesses law enforcement failures in Uvalde
A sobering new report released Wednesday details the response to the Uvalde school shooting that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers. For more on the latest, we’re joined by Tony Plohetski, investigative reporter for the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE-TV.
Justice Department looks into Operation Lone Star
The Department of Justice is investigating claims of civil rights violations under Operation Lone Star, the border security initiative backed by Gov. Greg Abbott and the state Legislature. The program has sent thousands of National Guard troops to South Texas, at a cost of billions of dollars. We’ll hear more from Perla Trevizo, who first reported the federal investigation for the Texas Tribune and ProPublica.
Despite historical elimination efforts, stickball & 🥍 empower Native Americans in DFW
Lacrosse is a popular sport in Texas and across the country. But most people don’t know that it comes from stickball – a game created by Indigenous communities. Native Americans in North Texas spoke to KERA’s Elizabeth Myong about how the two sports are still played today, despite efforts to eliminate stickball.
Could period-tracking apps be used to prosecute people seeking abortions?
The overturn of Roe v. Wade and return of abortion restrictions have tech and legal experts warning about privacy risks associated with period-tracking apps. Privacy advocates say data about monthly cycles, sexual activity or pregnancy status could be used as evidence that someone was seeking an abortion. How significant is the risk, and what can be done to ensure the privacy of your reproductive health data? The Standard’s own Shelly Brisbin looks into these questions.
Is the U.S. ambassador to Mexico siding with that country’s president over his own?
The fates of the U.S. and Mexico are entwined in many ways, with each one holding leverage over the other. That’s why some officials in the Biden administration are alarmed by some of the actions of Ken Salazar, the U.S. ambassador to Mexico. Salazar, a Biden appointee, says he has a close relationship with Mexico’s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. But that closeness may come at a cost. Maria Abi-Habib, the New York Times’ bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, joins us to discuss the implications.
45 endangered sea turtles hatch on Magnolia Beach
Last month, conservationists found something surprising in the waters off Matagorda Bay’s Magnolia Beach. Forty-five Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings had made it off the beach and into the inland waterway. Experts say it’s the first time the endangered turtles have been found there. Texas A&M professor Pamela Plotkin directs the Texas Sea Grant program, joins us with more on the discovery.
Home and auto insurance costs expected to rise
As if the rising cost of gas and goods weren’t enough, get ready to add another thing to your rising monthly bills: insurance costs. Premiums for home and auto insurance are expected to rise, according to major insurance companies in Texas. Asher Price, Austin-based reporter at Axios, joins us to talk about this trend.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
