Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Kamala Harris is coming to Houston today – here’s why
Vice President and presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris is visiting Houston to address an American Federation of Teachers meeting today.
Erica Smith of Houston Public Media joins Texas Standard with more on what to expect.
When Houston Police Chief Troy Finner retired, the department was embroiled in a scandal involving the suspension of over 200,000 cases. Finner went public with this earlier this year, leading to his ousting.
Now, in a series of interviews with the Houston Chronicle, Finner says there’s more to the story. Chronicle reporter Matt deGrood joins the Standard with the story.
Houston City Council pressures Office of Emergency Management to prepare better and respond faster to storms
Flood insurance rates are soaring, but people in cities with plans to mitigate flooding risks are eligible for discounts, thanks to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program.
Now the Houston City Council has approved a plan that would increase those savings for residents. Houston Public Media’s Dominic Anthony Walsh reports the discounts could go into effect by next April.
Monday, a Texas Senate select committee will hold its first hearing to investigate how utilities performed or failed in the wake of Hurricane Beryl – and the spotlight will undoubtedly be on CenterPoint Energy.
Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reports on how CenterPoint’s resiliency plan stacks up against a state like Florida, which seems faster at restoring power after storms.
California is going big on solar batteries. Should Texas follow their lead?
While parts of Texas enjoy unusually cool weather this July, many Californians are just seeing a brutal heatwave end, with cities like Palm Springs hitting 124 degrees.
Like Texans, Californians worried about power blackouts, but this time, the power stayed on thanks to an unusual energy source: solar batteries. Omar Gallaga wrote about the trend for CNET and joins the Standard today.
Waco’s ready for its star turn in the Central Texas independent filmmaking scene
When you think of the Central Texas film scene, Austin probably comes to mind. But a huge production studio is set to open to the east in Bastrop Country. Another studio’s in the works in San Marcos.
The organizers of the Waco Independent Film Festival hope to attract more of the industry a little further north. The biggest portion of the fest wrapped up earlier this week, but Will Burney reports that doesn’t mean its impact is over.
Lubbock axed funding to a community arts event because it featured LGBTQ content
Lubbock’s City Council voted this week to cut funding for the First Friday Art Trail. The trail brings an array of art installations, performances and exhibits to downtown streets and attracts thousands of people every month.
At the meeting, some concerns were brought up about the art trail featuring LGBTQ themes. Five council members supported the decision to pull the funds, arguing that tax dollars shouldn’t support things they deem inappropriate. KTTZ Lubbock reporter Brad Burt joins the Standard with more.
Victims’ families are still fighting for answers after the 2018 Santa Fe school shooting
The 2018 Santa Fe, Texas, school shooting killed 10 people and injured 13. Like many school shootings, it drew national attention before the news cameras left.
The shooter was declared incompetent to stand trial, leaving the community with few answers. They sought answers elsewhere, with a trial for the shooter’s parents beginning next week. Michael Matranga is working with Santa Fe survivors and joins the Standard with more.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
