Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Monday, Sept. 22, 2025:
The story behind Welsh’s decision to step down as A&M president
Following turmoil surrounding a video that went viral featuring an argument between a student and professor, Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III stepped down from his role.
How did this all unravel so fast? Lily Kepner, who covers higher education for the Austin American-Statesman, joins us with the details:
USDA nixes analysis of trade report, concerning economists
A quarterly trade report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture no longer includes a written analysis to explain its data. The Texas Standard’s Michael Marks reports that has some economists worried about transparency.
This week in Texas music history
Jason Mellard with The Center for Texas Music History at Texas State University brings us the story of San Antonio opera singer Josephine Lucchese.
The story behind the indie bookstore boom
The return of nationwide bookseller Barnes & Noble, which almost went out of business, is being heralded as a case study in a corporate comeback.
Once upon a time, Barnes & Noble was seen as a major factor in pushing mom-and-pop booksellers out of business. And yet, since 2020, the number of independent bookstores across the nation has grown by 70% – with Texas a central player.
How’d that happen? Devan Markham wrote about this for Straight Arrow News and joined the Standard to discuss.
An energy update with Matt Smith
Regular guest Matt Smith of Kpler joins the Standard to discuss the latest on the energy market front.
Author draws from personal stories for latest novel
Award-winning author Rudy Ruiz grew up on the Texas-Mexico border. For years his writing has been influenced and grounded in Mexican-American culture. His award-winning books have primarily been works of fiction. But in his latest, “The Border Between Us,” Ruiz pulls from his real-life stories, stories his children would often beg him to tell.
Ruiz joins us to talk about the book.
Why voters in Odessa turned against the far-right local government
For two years, the city of Odessa was governed by a group Texas Monthly describes as “far-right hard-liner politicians” led by Mayor Javier Joven, the owner of a local roofing company who had run for office to help Odessa “publicly repent” for its sins.
Then last November, after years of the city council focusing on culture war issues, Odessa voters went in a different direction. Joven and his allies lost their seats.
Michael Hardy recounts this story, and what has been happening in the city for the past year, for Texas Monthly. He joins us with the details.
