Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, March 25, 2025:
Texas Senate speeds up as legislative session nears crunch time
The Texas Senate is racing through bills, regularly suspending rules to push legislation forward. While some measures have bipartisan support, others are more contentious. As lawmakers hustle to get their priorities passed, what can we expect in the coming days?
Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider joins us this morning with a look ahead.
Fort Worth police failed to investigate jail deaths, and the state won’t act
Over the past few years, Fort Worth police were tasked with investigating more than 25 deaths in the Tarrant County Jail – but those investigations never happened. Now the state says there will be no consequences. Experts say independent reviews are crucial for transparency and for giving families answers about their loved ones.
KERA’s Miranda Suarez reports.
The Standard’s Top 10 musical moments
It’s Texas Standard’s 10th birthday, and all year long we’re celebrating by running down our top 10 moments in multiple categories. Today, our Laura Rice enumerates 10 of our favorite musical moments from our decade on the air.
It’s Sweet 16 time in the Standard’s Music Madness
The music ain’t over, either: We’re celebrating March Madness with a music tournament all our own. Get your vote in for the Sweet 16 today!
New idea touts nuke power to clean dirty frack water
Water scarcity is one of the big topics Texas lawmakers are tackling this session. One idea is to treat the briny wastewater that’s a result of oilfield fracking.
Dylan Baddour with Inside Climate News reports doing to would require massive amounts of energy – and now some propose using miniaturized nuclear power generation. He joins the Standard with his findings.
It’s OK to be a ‘Weirdo,’ says new graphic novel
“Weirdo” is a middle-grades graphic novel about a boy’s journey of self-discovery and acceptance. We’ll hear from author Tony Weaver Jr.
George Foreman, the fearsome heavyweight from Houston who became a beloved champion, dies at 76
Two-time heavyweight boxing champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, entrepreneur, and Houston’s own George Foreman died late Friday at age 76, and reaction from around Texas, and the world, poured in quickly.
Houston Public Media’s Matt Thomas takes a look back at Foreman’s decades of reinventing himself:
Texas and the politics of vaccine requirements
The number of measles cases in Texas continues to climb, and almost everyone infected with measles is unvaccinated. Meanwhile, Texas lawmakers are considering making it easier to opt out of getting vaccinated.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports on the politics of relaxing vaccine requirements.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
