Texas Standard for Nov. 2, 2022: The battle over election monitors in Harris County

With under a week before Election Day, state and local Republicans are sending out monitors to oversee how votes are being handled in Democratic Harris County. And Harris County leaders, concerned about voter intimidation, have asked the U.S. Justice Department to intervene with federal observers to monitor the monitors.

By Texas StandardNovember 2, 2022 9:20 am,

Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022:

911 calls, police audio show unheeded pleas from Uvalde students

Newly obtained 911 calls and police communications from the May mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde highlight the breakdown in communication that gave a gunman free reign in a classroom for over an hour. Texas Tribune reporter Zach Despart, who was part of the Tribune/ProPublica team that shared the story, joins us today.

Harris County Latino voters rank the economy, education and safety among their top priorities

Nearly one out of three Texans can claim Hispanic heritage, and while not all vote, those who do can sway elections. As a part of a statewide project by the Texas Newsroom, Andrew Schneider of Houston Public Media spoke with Latino voters in Harris County about their concerns as the midterm elections approach.

Where booze is on the ballot this November

It is an understatement to call alcohol laws in Texas a patchwork: Individual cities, counties and even precincts have a lot of autonomy when it comes to what kind of alcohol can be purchased locally – and when it can be sold. The rules can change every couple of years too, as voters variously decide to loosen or tighten regulations on alcoholic beverages. Continuing our look at local bonds and propositions across the state, the Texas Standard’s Michael Marks has more. 

Texas voters have been less willing to approve school bonds in recent years

For the past couple of elections, an unusually high number of school bonds have failed in Texas. School district leaders say new state laws have made it tougher for them to convince voters bonds are a good idea. This election, several districts are coming back to voters to ask them to reconsider. They say the security measures on those ballots are now more important than ever before. Camille Phillips of Texas Public Radio recently visited one of those districts: Judson ISD in San Antonio.

The battle over election monitors in Harris County

With under a week before Election Day, state and local Republicans are sending out monitors to oversee how votes are being handled in Democratic Harris County. And Harris County leaders, concerned about voter intimidation, have asked the U.S. Justice Department to intervene with federal observers to monitor the monitors. Where is all this headed? Texas-based reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske has been exploring that question for the Washington Post and joins us today.

‘Love Me Tenderizer’ sets the table for comedy and romance

We’ll hear from short film writer/director Jorge Corona.

Inflation is hitting zoo animals, too

Humans aren’t the only ones struggling to put food on the table. At the Fort Worth Zoo, zookeepers are making sure elephants, reptiles and penguins are fed amid rising food costs. Seth Bodine with The Fort Worth Report has more.

A fact-check with PolitiFact Texas

Sen. Ted Cruz singled out Democratic-led cities for ballot-counting delays. Is that a fact? Joining us from PolitiFact and the Austin AmericanStatesman is Nusaiba Mizan.

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

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