Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023:
Retired teachers count on Texas voters for first cost-of-living increase in years
The Texas Legislature has set aside about $3 billion to increase retired teachers’ pensions. It’s the first move to increase monthly benefits in years – but it won’t happen unless voters approve Prop 9 on the ballot this November.
KUT’s Becky Fogel reports that retired educators living in and around Austin say the cost-of-living adjustment is long overdue.
Auto workers’ strike hits Arlington plant
Five thousand union workers walked off the job Tuesday at the General Motors plant in Arlington. The facility builds trucks and full-size SUVs, some of GM’s most profitable vehicles.
The Arlington strike is the latest in a series of targeted job actions against the big three U.S. automakers (GM, Ford and Stellantis/Chrysler). Some 45,000 UAW members are currently on strike. Automotive reporter Micheline Maynard joins the Standard with the latest.
Collin County has no public hospital to serve uninsured residents. Faith groups are filling the gap
Where do Collin County residents without health insurance go to see a doctor? Dallas County residents can go to Parkland, the county’s public hospital. But folks in Collin County don’t have that option.
KERA’s Caroline Love says faith-based groups are stepping up.
W.F. Strong shares his uncensored thoughts
Book bans have been in the news a lot lately.
Texas Standard commentator W.F. Strong reminds us today that such attempts at censorship are nothing new.
What does the rise of donor collectives mean for college sports?
The rise of so-called donor collectives is shaking up the world of college sports recruiting. These groups of wealthy supporters send large sums of money to student athletes in exchange for a few small tasks. They can play a big role in recruiting top players, which raises some questions about equity in collegiate athletics.
New York Times investigative reporter David. A Farenthold joins the Standard with more.
This week in Texas music history
Oh boy: A historic anniversary for Buddy Holly arrives this week. Jason Mellard with The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University takes us back.
A new festival focuses on Texas’ frightening films
Over the years, Texas has become a favorite setting for filmmakers seeking to scare the daylights out of fans. (And not all those films include a character named Leatherface, either.)
Now Garland plans a celebration of Texas’ role in the horror film genre. The Standard will learn more from Kelly Kitchens, director of the It Came From Texas Film Festival.
Feds finally rip into Texas’ paper license plate problem
Octavian Ocasio was recently sentenced to 53 months in prison, plus three years of parole. Ocasio called himself the “used car king of New York” – until two years ago, when FBI agents arrested him at a Long Island Buffalo Wild Wings.
Ocasio pled guilty to fraudulently ordering and selling Texas temporary buyer tags – those paper license plates that have become a much more common sight in recent years. Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Limehouse joins the Standard to talk about whether the arrest will mean fewer fake plates on the roads.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
