Texas Standard for May 14, 2024: New novel ‘We Were the Universe’ stretches the psychedelic boundaries of grief and love

A new mother named Kit is navigating love and grief in the Dallas suburbs. The recent death of her sister and the stress of parenting makes a vacation to Montana more of a trip than she bargained for. That’s the premise of Lubbock-born Kimberly King Parsons’ debut novel, “We Were the Universe.”

By Texas StandardMay 14, 2024 8:51 am,

Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, May 14, 2024:

What we know about the third indictment in the bribery case against Henry Cuellar

The San Antonio Express-News reports a woman from Houston has become the third person to plead guilty in the alleged bribery scheme involving U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and his wife. 

The pair reportedly received $360,000 from the government of Azerbaijan. Texas Public Radio’s Pablo De La Rosa reports.

Inside the explosion of private toll roads in Texas

With enormous growth over the past two decades, more and more road projects have been farmed out to private toll companies – with many Texas commuters paying the price every day.  

A Dallas Morning News investigation looks at how we got here and the long-term toll on Texas. Reporter Yamil Berard joins the Standard with more.

Group teaches coastal Texans about the impact of LNG plants

Seven liquefied natural gas plants are developing across the Texas coast. A virtual town hall by Progress Texas held last week sought to educate people on how the plants would impact the health of communities located near the facilities.  

Texas Public Radio’s Gaige Davila reports.

What it means for Texans if House Speaker Dade Phelan loses his runoff

Dade Phelan is in the fight of his political life. On May 28, he could become the first Texas House Speaker in more than half a century to lose a primary.  

Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider examines the potential implications for House District 21 and for Texas if Phelan loses the GOP primary runoff to challenger David Covey.

Texas State professor and student reporters keep the stories of Uvalde victims alive

We’re nearing two years since the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. But for the families of the 19 children and two teachers killed at Robb Elementary School, it’s something they live with every day. 

A team of students at Texas State University are working with their professor to continue to tell the stories of Uvalde. Faith Mata lost her younger sister Tess Marie Mata in the shooting. She just graduated from Texas State and told student Elissa Jorgensen about what’s next for her.

New novel ‘We Were the Universe’ stretches the psychedelic boundaries of grief and love

A new mother named Kit is navigating love and grief in the Dallas suburbs. The recent death of her sister and the stress of parenting makes a vacation to Montana more of a trip than she bargained for. 

That’s the premise of Lubbock-born Kimberly King Parsons’ debut novel, “We Were the Universe.” She joins the Standard in a wide-ranging Q&A.

The case that could change the way Texas regulates in vitro fertilization

What began as a Denton divorce has grown into a larger battle over whether a frozen embryo can be defined as a person. Now the Texas Supreme Court is mulling whether to take up a case that could potentially impact in vitro fertilization in Texas the way it did in Alabama. 

Texas Tribune reporter Eleanor Klibanoff joins the Standard with more.

All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.

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