Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, March 7, 2024:
What’s the state of Texas’ Panhandle fires?
Several fires are still burning across the Panhandle, decimating livestock and ranchland and leading to at least two deaths.
Where do things stand regarding current conditions and containment? We’ll get some answers from Juan Rodriguez, public information officer for the Texas A&M Forest Service.
State approves Boca Chica State Park land swap with SpaceX
Despite objections from several Brownsville and Rio Grande Valley residents, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department voted on Monday to move forward with a plan to swap land within Boca Chica State Park to the company SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk.
Texas Public Radio’s Gaige Davila joins the Standard with the details.
Why the feds want to stop Kroger and Albertsons from merging
In 2022, Kroger announced plans to acquire Albertsons in a deal worth over $24 billion. Since then, federal regulators have been evaluating the deal; last week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit to try to prevent the merger.
Grocery Dive editor Jeff Wells joins the show with more.
Spurs trade San Antonio for Austin in their I-35 series
The San Antonio Spurs dominate a territory that spans multiple countries and cultures. They’ve recently played regular season games in Mexico City, and this month they’ll have two games in Austin.
Spurs CEO R.C. Buford joins the show to talk about San Antonio’s I-35 series.
How Thomas Haden Church became an ‘Accidental Texan’
Actor Thomas Haden Church has a face that you’d no doubt recognize, from the blockbuster “Spider-Man” movies or the indie hit “Sideways.”
His latest film is called “Accidental Texan,” and that title also describes Church’s journey to the state. He joins the Standard today.
What was behind the Facebook and Instagram outage this week
Facebook and Instagram users lost access to their feeds for several hours on Tuesday. Facebook parent company Meta said later that the problem was technical – not the result of hacking or sabotage.
The outage reminds us just how integral these services have become in many of our lives. Tech expert Omar Gallaga joins the Standard with his thoughts.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
