Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, May 28, 2025:
Texas could soon require Ten Commandments in every classroom
The House passed a bill mandating the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms. If the Senate signs off, Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to make it law.
Houston Public Media politics reporter Andrew Schneider joins Texas Standard with more.
Texas backs off law that overwhelmed rural polling places
A 2023 law expanded polling place requirements – but many small counties couldn’t keep up. Now a new bill that rolls back those mandates is headed to the governor.
Natalia Contreras, reporter for VoteBeat Texas, joins the Standard with the story.
War in Ukraine intensifies as global tensions rise
Massive Russian attacks on Kyiv, Trump’s criticism of Putin, and Germany lifting limits on weapons for Ukraine are reshaping the global response to the war.
Jeremi Suri, historian and professor at the University of Texas at Austin, joins the show with an update:
Corpus Christi’s water future looks uncertain as Tesla builds nearby refinery
Corpus Christi is already under drought restrictions, with city officials warning their main water sources could dry up by 2027. And with Tesla planning a new lithium refinery in the region, that outlook’s more uncertain.
Texas Observer reporter Justin Doud joins Texas Standard with more.
Van Cliburn contestants tackle a brand-new challenge piece
Every competitor at the Van Cliburn Piano Competition plays the same new work, written this year by one of the judges, to show off their interpretation and creativity. KERA’s Bill Zeeble reports.
The ‘Queen of the outlaws’ left her mark on Wild West Texas
Belle Starr was a legendary figure of 1800s Texas, known for her brushes with the law and reputation as a pistol-packing outlaw. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies reports.
Military gear floods the border. Is it helping?
Combat vehicles and surveillance towers are now common sights along the Texas-Mexico border as part of a military buildup ordered by President Trump. But critics say it’s unclear if they’re effective. Carlos Morales reports for the American Homefront Project.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
