Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.
Court weighs Texas redistricting fight
A federal court in El Paso is hearing a challenge to the state’s new congressional map, with plaintiffs arguing it dilutes minority voting power. In its defense, Texas cites a 2019 Supreme Court ruling limiting federal oversight of partisan gerrymandering.
Andrew Schneider, state politics reporter for Houston Public Media, joins the Standard with more.
Dallas ICE shooting sparks deeper questions
A deadly shooting at a Dallas immigration detention facility is the latest in a disturbing pattern of politically charged violence. From the 2017 attack on a congressional baseball game to recent assassination attempts, experts warn of escalating rhetoric fueling real-world harm.
Blaise Gainey of The Texas Newsroom reports.
Los Lonely Boys and the Texican sound
Three brothers from San Angelo blended rock, blues and Tejano into a Grammy-winning style they call Texican rock and roll. As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, Amberlyn Negron with the Voces Oral History Center shares their story.
Are Texas schools readying students for work?
Texas touts strong high school readiness rates, but only about a third of graduates earn a degree or trade credential within six years. What’s behind the gap, and how are districts responding?
Wilborn P. Nobles III, workforce readiness reporter for The Dallas Morning News, joins the Standard with more.
7-OH delivers a debilitating, opioid-like high – and it’s on shelves across Texas
The Texas Legislature spent a lot of time this year debating how to regulate THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – but it’s not the only drug easily found in stores. 7-OH isn’t legal to sell in Texas, and the FDA wants to ban it – but Chris Tomlinson didn’t have any problems finding it.
The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News business columnist joins us to describe his first-hand experience with the powerful Kratom derivative.
A formula for saving millions of lives
Public health failures during COVID-19 exposed weaknesses in the health care system. Former CDC director Dr. Tom Frieden offers a three-part strategy for improvement in his new book, “The Formula for Better Health,” which aims to prevent future crises and improve individual well-being.
Dr. Frieden joins the Standard with more.
What’s happening under I-35 in Austin?
Drivers may notice towering walls and heavy machinery along I-35 in downtown Austin. They’re part of a massive project to sink main lanes below ground level, requiring deep shafts and extensive tunneling.
KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports on what’s coming and why it matters.
