Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
Pressure from the right builds on college campuses
The Trump administration is pushing universities to adopt new policies on race and gender discussions in exchange for federal funding preferences. UT and Texas A&M are weighing changes that could reshape classroom norms.
Jessica Priest of the Texas Tribune joins the Standard with more.
AI-powered lotto scams target Texans
A familiar con – fake promises about winning the lottery – is getting a high-tech upgrade. Scammers are using AI to spoof caller IDs and craft convincing messages, costing Texans millions.
Dave Lieber, columnist for The Dallas Morning News, joins Texas Standard with the story.
Travis County faces lawsuit over tax hike
After voters rejected a city tax increase, Travis County approved a 9% property tax hike – and now faces a lawsuit. What’s behind the legal challenge, and what does it mean for taxpayers?
Katy McAfee of KUT News reports.
VA rules complicate care for male breast cancer
Male veterans with breast cancer say they’re being denied benefits under a new VA interpretation of the PACT Act. The agency claims men’s breasts aren’t “reproductive organs,” sparking controversy.
Jay Price of the American Homefront Project reports.
Austin ‘scream club’ lets it all out
A new group brings together Austinites with the aim of howling together over Lady Bird Lake.
Dallas Texans: The NFL team that flopped
In 1952, the Dallas Texans played one disastrous season in the NFL. It was a saga of bad luck, bad management and wild stories. Sportswriter David Fleming revisits the chaos in his new book “A Big Mess in Texas: The Miraculous, Disastrous 1952 Dallas Texans and the Craziest Untold Story in NFL History.”
He joins the Standard with the story.
DACA recipients caught in ICE arrests
Recent ICE operations in Texas have swept up immigrants with DACA protections, raising legal and political questions.
Isabela Dias of Mother Jones has reported on some recent, high-profile cases and joins Texas Standard with more.
