Austin Signal

It’s the first day of early voting in the Texas primaries and there are many statewide races for consideration: comptroller, lieutenant governor, governor, as well as lots of eyes on the Democratic and Republican races for U.S. Senate.We’ll have an overview, plus plenty more on the ballots in Travis, Hays and Williamson counties, as well. […] The post Early voting begins for the 2026 primaries appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A $25 million contract between the City of Austin and the Long Center is under scrutiny over how the public money is being spent. The contracts and the fees inside it are tied to the city’ cultural arts grants program, raising questions about transparency and oversight. We’ll dig into the details of the contract and […] The post Austin’s $25 million Long Center contract draws scrutiny appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Five years on from the winter storm that caused blackouts across much of the state of Texas, what’s been done to address the failures of the blackout? And is Austin and Texas ready for the next big winter test of the power grid? More about what has and has not happened since February 2021. There’s […] The post For couple affected by dementia, a love song keeps memories alive appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The University of Texas at Austin is restructuring departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The decision was announced today, but it’s a move that students and staff have been worried about for months. We’ll hear more about the departments affected. Police in Austin are still using license plate reader data months after city council […] The post UT Austin consolidates ethnic and gender studies departments appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Pregnant migrant girls are being sent to a South Texas shelter, where both the region and the facility lack the necessary care. The decision from the Trump Administration was made against objections from officials inside the administration. The story is a collaborative effort between The Texas Newsroom and The California Newsroom, and we’ll have from […] The post Probe finds pregnant migrant girls lack adequate care in Texas shelter appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An affordable housing complex planned for the Travis Heights neighborhood is one step closer to becoming a reality. Neighbors around the proposed site say they aren’t opposed to the idea – more so the scale of it. We’ll hear more about the complex and the neighborhood it could be built in. The Austin Independent School […] The post Travis Heights housing project scale draws some concerns appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The parents of an 8-year-old Austinite still missing after last July’s flooding in Texas have filed a lawsuit against Camp Mystic. It’s the fifth such lawsuit against the camp in the Hill Country where campers and counselors drowned in the floodwaters. We’ll have more about that lawsuit. Early voting in the primaries gets going next […] The post Parents of missing Austinite file lawsuit against Camp Mystic appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and members of the Austin City Council met with community members this week to talk about local Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and the city and police’s role in them. The meeting was billed as a conversation but turned into a shouting match that laid bare the community tensions around […] The post APD, councilmembers hear from public about ICE enforcement in tense meeting appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Teachers and students in the Round Rock school district say they’re seeing benefits from a statewide ban on cell phones in public school classrooms. The ban went into effect at the beginning of this school year, and some students say they feel more engaged inside the classroom and outside of it, too. We’ll have more […] The post Some students and teachers see benefits from cell phone ban appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said Immigration and Customs Enforcement needs to “recalibrate” its tactics, and he isn’t the only member of the Texas GOP to comment on the operations and the rhetoric around it. The messaging comes a few weeks before early voting begins in the Texas primaries ahead of the midterms. We’ll have […] The post Texas GOP reexamines ICE messaging amid crackdown controversies appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Student walkout demonstrations in the Austin area continued this week in protest of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Texas and across the country. The Austin Independent School District has come under fire from Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton over such actions. We’ll hear from some of the students who participated […] The post Austin area students stage walkouts over ICE actions appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Nighttime temperatures in Austin won’t be cold enough this week to warrant the opening of warming shelters, but last month’s prolonged freeze did highlight the lack of nutritious food being served at one refuge in town. We’ll hear from someone who’s taken shelter there and the people helping to fill the need. Travis County District […] The post Austin warming shelter’s lack of nutritious food draws concern appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

There are about 43,000 people experiencing homelessness in Texas, and more than 3,000 of them are Austinites. We’ll take a look at the programs and services helping people get back on their feet here in the city. https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/esperanza-community-austin-ged-classes-adult-education-texas/ Most people have gone down a one-way street before – and downtown Austin is full of them. […] The post Nonprofit starts new Austin music industry fund appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Local nurses led a peaceful vigil last night in Austin for Alex Pretti, the Minnesota ICU nurse shot and killed over the weekend by U.S. immigration officers. We’ll hear about the latest instance of local folks protesting ongoing customs and border patrol activities in Minneapolis. Three Austin ISD middle schools could get a fifth failing […] The post Austin nurses hold vigil for Alex Pretti appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations have been happening in Austin and Central Texas in recent week. During the past weekend’s weather event, local officials had to dispel rumors fueled by the operation. The lack of information and communication around these operations is causing panic and anxiety that can boil beyond social media. Gov. Greg Abbott […] The post Gov. Abbott targets new H-1B visa applications at state universities, agencies appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minnesota have caught the attention of the nation and the world in recent weeks. Meanwhile, such operations in Texas have been taking place at the same time. We’ll check in with folks from Elgin, just outside of Austin, to hear how it’s impacting them. The City of Austin paid […] The post City of Austin paid out $143 million in overtime in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An arctic cold front brought freezing precipitation to the Austin area over the weekend. Classes were cancelled today at UT Austin and most school districts in Central Texas. Still, the area made out much better this time than in ice storms of years past. We’ll have more about the situation locally and this week’s forecast. […] The post How the Austin area fared amid arctic front appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The forecast continues to evolve as an arctic cold front heads towards the Austin area this weekend. Temperatures are forecast to remain below freezing starting Saturday night in Central Texas and could stay that way through Monday. We’ll have the latest forecasts and updates from city officials. Austin Community College’s free tuition pilot program ballooned […] The post The latest on the freeze heading towards Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An arctic cold front is approaching Austin and Central Texas. The National Weather Service has already issued an Extreme Cold Watch and a Winter Storm Warning for the weekend. We’ll have more about the latest forecasts and the ways for you to be prepared. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations have continued in Central Texas. KUT […] The post Arctic front bears down on Austin, Central Texas appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Early voting for the upcoming primaries in Texas begins next month. Up in Williamson County, things are going to be a little different this election cycle. Voters there will no longer be able to vote at any polling site on Election Day. We’ll talk about why that is, and the impacts it could have. Protests […] The post Why bats in Austin may be living rent-free in your apartment appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Hundreds of private schools in Texas are being shut out of the state’s new school voucher program because of alleged ties to some organizations or foreign governments, and that includes dozens of schools in the Austin area. We’ll have more about the voucher program and its continuing rollout. Plus, hobbies can lead to rewarding experiences, […] The post Alleged outside ties shut some area schools out of voucher program appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A person was detained last week by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Kyle. The man had to be transported to the hospital, according to local police, and the KUT Newsroom is working to get more details on the story. An attorney for the student who was deported while flying back to Austin for […] The post ICE operations in Hays County lead to detainment, injury appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Complaints against Austin Police could be worked out through a new city program focused on mediation. We’ll hear more about what these types of guided conversations to address community concerns could look and sound like. There is a downtown fixture close to Rainey Street that has somehow avoided becoming yet another Austin skyrise – the […] The post New program aims to address complaints against Austin Police appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The Austin Police Department is changing its rules over how officers report people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The change comes after the detention and apparent deportation last week of a Honduran mother and her 5-year-old daughter.We’ll go over the changes and the reaction from Austin City Council members.And Austin voters could once again be […] The post APD changes ICE cooperation policy appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Text messages from officials in Kerr County reveal confusion amid the July 4 Hill Country floods last year. Information and misinformation spread amid the flooding that killed more than 130 people. We’ll talk about those messages.More changes are coming to I-35 as work continues on overhauling the highway at the center of Austin. We’ll dive […] The post Texts show officials’ confusion amid Hill Country floods appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Earlier this month, the CDC reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children. The change has flummoxed some parents and pediatricians in the Austin area. We’ll listen to some of the questions they’ve been asking. It’s been more than six months since deadly flooding killed more than 130 people across Central Texas and the Hill Country. Recovery is […] The post New CDC childhood vaccine guidance raises questions appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Demonstrations against ICE continued in Austin this weekend after an officer fatally shot Renee Nicole Good last week in Minnesota. We’ll hear about the activity around town and its aftermath. We’ll also hear about an Austin mother and her five-year-old daughter who were taken into ICE custody last week after police responded to a disturbance call […] The post Demonstrations against ICE continue in Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

People in the Austin area joined with many thousands of others across the country in protesting after an ICE officer fatally shot a woman this week in Minneapolis. Demonstrators gathered outside a Department of Homeland Security building in Pflugerville. We’ll bring you some of those voices. After a U.S. military operation in Caracas last weekend, […] The post Austinites join nationwide protests after ICE shooting in Minneapolis appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The state health agency in Texas has proposed new rules for hemp products. Those rules could mean higher fees for businesses, more testing for products, and could effectively outlaw access to hemp flower. We’ll look at what’s being proposed and how Texas business owners are feeling about it. Plus, after oak wilt claimed a tree […] The post New rules for hemp products proposed appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austinites aren’t the only ones who are bringing some change to the new year. The airport in Austin will be undergoing some modifications in 2026. More gates, more flights – and more construction.We’ll take a closer look at the changes happening at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Plus, a major milestone has been reached in the construction […] The post Austin-Bergstrom bringing big changes in the new year appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As we embark on the new year, many are expecting higher costs for the health care they need to live their best lives. That’s after Congress failed to extend subsidies to the Affordable Care Act during last year’s government shutdown and ahead of the new year deadline. We’ll talk about how Austinites and Texans will […] The post How Austinites may be affected with Affordable Care Act subsidies expired appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025, with the city experiencing the lowest number of murders this decade. We’ll talk about the trends, both locally and nationally, and discuss why the sentiment that crime is rising still persists. Also, the city has released an updated design plan for a revamped Sixth Street. What will […] The post Crime statistics for Austin trended downward in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The start of 2026 brings a bevy of new laws across the state, with a focus on taxes. Other new legislation focuses on artificial intelligence and how sheriff’s offices will work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. New toll lanes have opened on 183 North, and the additional access could mean increased traffic on your drive […] The post New year, new Texas laws on the books appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s the final day of 2025, and we’ve been taking some time to listen back and reflect on the year that was here in Austin. Austinites love supporting local shops and restaurants, but the hard truth is that running any kind of business is the city is a difficult and expensive pursuit. A look back […] The post Reflecting on the year in Austin as 2025 winds down appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

This year, Austinites reached out to 311 with 285,000 requests, covering everything from garbage and loud music to animal bites and scooters. We’ve got more about those requests — and some coyotes. KUT News launched a new desk in 2025: the Art Beat. We’re talking about the year in arts in Austin, including the return […] The post What Austin called 311 about in 2025 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s the last week of 2025, and we’re reflecting on the year of news here in Austin, including:Resolution in a decades-long cold case known as the Yogurt Shop Murders.The summer’s deadly flooding in Austin and Central Texas.School campuses set to shutter across the city. We’re also taking a look at the status of Austin’s housing […] The post Reflecting on the year of news in Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It’s been a busy year, and KUT’s multimedia team has been capturing the moments that defined Austin in 2025. So which ones stood out most?  Visuals Editor Deborah Cannon takes us through the year in photos. The Paramount Theatre is known for hosting unforgettable events — but have you ever wondered how audiences find their […] The post What it’s like to work as a Paramount usher appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

An Austin doctor is using vinyl records to help patients cope with serious illnesses and difficult treatments. KUT’s Olivia Aldridge has a look at how music is helping in the healing process. Texans have access to some of the best bird-watching opportunities in the country. We’ll go behind the scenes of an annual census of […] The post Austin doctor spins vinyl to bring music therapy to patients appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A library in Caldwell has become a beacon of hope for adults looking to get their GED or further their education — and volunteers are helping make that possible. The Texas Standard’s Sarah Asch has the story. A look back at major developments in the business world this year and how they’re shaping the Austin […] The post Caldwell library expands adult education classes appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Records in the divorce case for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have been unsealed after a judge’s order. We’re talking with the Texas Newsroom’s Lauren McGaughy to find out what that means for the case. Travelers at the Austin airport will soon have more options. KUT transportation reporter Nathan Bernier has the details on the newest […] The post Records in Ken Paxton divorce case are unsealed appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin has reached a four-year, $63 million contract deal with the city’s firefighters, ending months of negotiations with the Austin Firefighters Association. Calling all bird enthusiasts: Texas Standard’s Raul Alonzo explains what a bird count is, why it matters, and how you can take part. KUTX’s Confucius Jones, one half of hip-hop podcast The Breaks, shares […] The post Austin reaches labor contract deal with city’s firefighters appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin faces a high-stakes choice on funding parks over I-35, with city leaders split over how to move forward. It all centers on the question of which highway decks the should city commit to paying for. Catching up with longtime musician Robert Earl Keen, who’s gearing up for his Christmas shows here in Austin. Plus, from […] The post Austin faces a high-stakes choice on funding parks over I-35 appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The state of Texas is collecting information on transgender Texans using data from driver’s licenses — and it’s not clear what exactly that information is being used for. The Texas Newsroom’s investigative reporter and editor, Lauren McGaughy, has the story. The Trump administration is looking to make changes to federal policy that could affect how homeless […] The post State making list of trans Texans using driver’s license data appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The National Weather Service is forecasting warmer and drier-than-normal conditions for the Austin area this winter — but high-impact storms are still possible. What city officials and Austin Energy are doing to keep potential winter storm outages to minimum. Austin music legend Joe Ely has died at 78. Jeff McCord, KUT and KUTX’s former music director, reflects on […] The post How Austin is preparing to keep outages minimal this winter appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin Public Health has experienced some federal and city budget cuts this year, and the failure of Proposition Q means some of those holes won’t be filled. We look at the public health landscape in Austin. The old Faulk Central Library in downtown Austin became the Austin History Center, and has been redone after a […] The post A look at the public health landscape in Austin appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A new “bathroom bill” approved by Texas legislators has been in effect across the state for just over a week, requiring people to use public restrooms aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. But there are still questions about how the law will be enforced, and here in Austin, a lot of it […] The post ‘Bathroom bill’ in effect, but enforcement is unclear appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

The light-rail transit line long promised to Austinites could soon clear a major hurdle – and that could give new momentum to a project that’s been dragged down through legal and political resistance. The latest on where the project is headed. Months after a Texas A&M professor was fired for discussing gender identity in a literature […] The post Austin’s light-rail poised to clear major hurdle appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

A former Austin Energy employee has been accused of defrauding the city utility of nearly $1 million over the course of six years by falsifying credit card payments to contractors and paying fake vendors that had addresses tied to him or his relatives. The YMCA in downtown Austin wants to expand and renovate, adding housing, restaurants and […] The post Austin Energy employee paid nearly $1 million to fake vendors before resigning, audit says appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austinites and many others across Texas insured through Blue Cross Blue Shield could lose in-network access to Ascension Seton facilities on Jan. 1 unless the two sides can agree on a new contract. Austin has been a testing ground for autonomous vehicles: Zoox, Texla’s Robotaxi, Waymo. However, Waymo has now issued a software recall after videos […] The post Blue Cross policyholders could lose in-network care at Ascension appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

Austin nonprofit LifeWorks has helped nearly three dozen young Austinites stay housed through a cash-assistance pilot program. We hear the story of one person who said the money helped her at a critical time. In Williamson County, folks are looking into where its cities get their water and how they could better work together. Plus: […] The post LifeWorks program helps youth avoid homelessness appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.