Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, Nov. 13, 2023:
What’s changed (and what hasn’t) in school voucher push
Gov. Greg Abbott called a fourth special legislative session last week, after his push for school vouchers failed again.
The Senate quickly passed its version of the education savings account bill. The House, where lawmakers have been much more resistant, saw a panel advance the chamber’s version of the legislation.
The Texas Newsroom’s Sergio Martínez-Beltrán joins the Standard with the latest.
El Pasoans want an end to high-speed state police chases
El Paso residents are concerned about the growing number of high-speed chases in their city. Chases of suspected smugglers by state troopers often top 100 miles an hour and have resulted in multiple crashes and deaths. Bystanders also been injured.
KTEP’s Angela Kocherga reports from a meeting organized by DPS where El Pasoans said the chases are putting their lives at risk:
The biggest moments from Austin police officer Christopher Taylor’s murder trial
Jurors in the murder trial of Christopher Taylor could reach a verdict this week.
KUT’s Andrew Weber tells us they’ve so far been deadlocked on whether the Austin police officer committed the crime in the fatal shooting of Mike Ramos in 2020:
A Texas pastor leads the ‘Christian Zionism’ movement
Some of the most outspoken supporters of Israel are found in churches like Cornerstone Church, a megachurch in San Antonio with more than 10,000 members led by Pastor John Hagee, who’s a leader in a pro-Israel movement known as Christian Zionism.
Texas Monthly staff writer Josh Alvarez recently wrote about Hagee and how he harnesses political power in support of the Jewish state.
The Texas discovery of a new, dog-sized dinosaur
Dinosaurs in Texas may come as no surprise; the state has plenty of places where one can see the bones of some of giant prehistoric creatures. But the discovery of a new species in North Texas puts a twist on the tale: a dinosaur no bigger than a medium-sized dog.
The Perot Museum’s Ron Tykoski joins the Standard with the findings.
Looking back at San Antonio’s Chili Queens
San Antonio history is nothing if not unusual. One of its most curious periods is the 60-year one when the Chili Queens fed the city in open-air plazas.
Texas Public Radio’s Jack Morgan takes a look at the era of the Chili Queens.
Texans might not see as many new green spaces, thanks to a new state law
Studies have shown that there are positive health outcomes for folks living in cities linked to the amount of park and greenery space available. But the effects of a new law could hinder cities’ ability to procure new parkland.
KUT reporter Luz Moreno-Lozano joins the Standard with the details.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
