Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, May 22, 2024:
An in-depth look at two Texas runoff elections
Early voting started this week for runoff races in primary elections in Texas. Voters can go to the polls to cast an early ballot through this Friday for election day on May 28. (If you voted in the Republican or Democratic primary on March 5, you can’t switch parties to vote in the runoff.)
The Denton Record-Chronicle’s Juan Betancourt joins the Standard to spotlight runoffs in two North Texas house districts.
Texas Republicans prepare for six-way election contest for state party chair
The 2024 Texas GOP Convention opens tomorrow in San Antonio. Texas Republicans will draft the party’s platform and select delegates to this year’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
They’ll also select a new state party chair, and as Houston Public Media’s Andrew Schneider reports, the race is both crowded and contentious.
Brownsville library reopens after nearby shooting
On Monday, the main branch of the Brownsville public library reopened after a fatal shooting last week.
Texas Public Radio’s Gaige Davila reports:
What does a school board member do?
Even though Texas school boards are technically nonpartisan, they’re increasingly swept up in political fights over things like library books and curriculum.
But while grappling with those issues are a part of the job – it’s just one part. KUT’s Becky Fogel reports on what board members do, through the lens of one Austin ISD trustee.
Uvalde murals memorialize the lives lost at Robb Elementary School
Around Uvalde today you will find 21 murals – one for each of the 19 students and two teachers killed two years ago in the shooting at Robb Elementary. Those murals feature the faces of each person killed, alongside some of their favorite things.
But even more murals were painted in the aftermath of the shooting, with some directly involving the community. The Texas Standard’s Laura Rice explains.
Comedian Vanessa Gonzalez on how Texas informs her comedy
What’s so funny about growing up in Texas? An episode of the new PBS docuseries “Roots of Comedy with Jesus Trejo” spotlights comedian Vanessa Gonzalez, a Laredo native, and how her Mexican American roots inform her work.
She joins the Standard for a talk today.
Texas state senators look to crack down on squatters
A squatter is a person who has illegally settled on someone else’s property, usually while the legitimate homeowner is away or while the house is vacant. It might appear that they’re criminally trespassing, but getting the police to remove squatters can be difficult.
Last week, a Texas Senate committee heard testimony about the issue. The senators on that committee are promising to pass a set of new laws that will crack down on squatters. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
