Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
A pastor from Dallas is trying to get home from Israel
Rev. Dr. George Mason, a pastor from Dallas, is stuck in Jerusalem. Mason leads a nonprofit interfaith group called Faith Commons. He planned to lead a trip through both Israel and Palestine for about 30 people, until war broke out between the two nations. Mason spoke to the Texas Standard about his experience so far.
After defeating affirmative action at most colleges, activists’ next target is military academies
The next battle over affirmative action in higher education will take place at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. The same group of plaintiffs that successfully challenged race-conscious admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina now hopes to do the same at our nation’s military institutions.
Desiree D’Iorio reports for the American Homefront Project.
Central Texas finally got some much-needed rain last week, but much of the area is still in a drought. That’s led cities and counties to issue water restrictions, like limiting the number of days you can water your lawn. But do those restrictions work? KUT’s Maya Fawaz tries to answer that question, starting in a San Marcos neighborhood.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals exonerates James Reyos of Odessa murder
Forty years ago, James Reyos was convicted of murdering a priest in Odessa. He spent more than a decade in prison and was released in 1995 for good behavior. But he’s ended up behind bars a few times since then for parole violations.
Reyos was wrongly convicted, however. He never murdered the priest in Odessa, which the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals acknowledged last week.
The court ruled 9-0 that Reyos is “actually innocent” and granted him an exoneration. Now Reyos is seeking more than $2 million dollars from the state for all those years he wrongfully spent behind bars. Michael Hall has been covering this story for Texas Monthly and he joins the Texas Standard to talk about Reyos’ case.
Behind the legend of the Hairy Man of Round Rock
There are cryptids and then there are ghost stories. And then there are those legends that are somewhere in-between. As part of our ongoing “Tracking Texas Cryptids” coverage this October, Alexandra Owens tells the story of the Hairy Man of Round Rock.
Corpus Christi’s Galvan Ballroom broke from the norm in the segregation era
In South Texas in the 1950s, segregation was the norm. But a music venue in Corpus Christi did things differently – and welcomed players of all races. As part of our Hispanic Heritage month coverage, Dacia Garcia has the story of the Galvan Ballroom.
What is the border security agenda for the new special session?
Much of the focus this latest special session has been on education – but that’s not the only thing on the agenda. Gov. Greg Abbott also put border security on the table, with several specific items including increasing the penalties for entering the country illegally and for smuggling someone into the country.
Julián Aguilar, who covers the border for the Texas Newsroom, talks with the Texas Standard about the agenda.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
