Runoff election results show big changes for the Austin area

A shunned GOP candidate could regulate Texas oil and gas

Texas Republican leaders previously shunned Bo French for his racist social media posts. Now they want him to regulate the state’s oil and gas industries [https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2026-06-04/bo-french-texas-railroad-commission-oil-gas-election-republican]. The Austin City Council voted in May to annex a 2,600-acre site in the eastern part of the city. City leaders had planned the Dog’s Head development for months [https://austincurrent.org/2026/06/04/austin-dogs-head-development-endeavor-annexation/], but neighbors nearby only had a few days to make their voices heard about those plans. What happens to the dead animals the city picks up on the roads [https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-06-04/austin-tx-dead-animals-roadkill-landfill-311] here in Austin? In the latest from our ATXplained project, we meet some of the people handling that service with care. Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org [http://supportthispodcast.org] The full transcript of this episode [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/a-shunned-gop-candidate-could-regulate-texas-oil-and-gas#transcript] of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post A shunned GOP candidate could regulate Texas oil and gas [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/a-shunned-gop-candidate-could-regulate-texas-oil-and-gas] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

UT Austin begins removal of Cesar Chavez statue

The Austin ISD community came together Thursday night to discuss budget changes [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-06-05/austin-isd-teachers-parents-protest-millions-in-staff-and-programming-cuts] that include cutting more than 550 positions, including teachers, as the district is working on reducing a $181 million deficit. Christopher Taylor, a former Austin police officer, is suing the city and the Austin Police Department [https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2026-06-03/christopher-taylor-apd-lawsuit-austin-police-mauris-desilva] to try and get his job back after being acquitted in a fatal shooting. The University of Texas at Austin has begun the process of removing a statute honoring Cesar Chavez [https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-06-04/university-of-texas-ut-austin-removes-cesar-chavez-statue], following accusations of sexual abuse against the late labor leader. Plus: Ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals, where to catch the action and how Spurs fans in Austin are feeling [https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-06-04/austin-tx-san-antonio-spurs-watch-party-nba-basketball-finals]. And join KUT for our summer reading bingo challenge [https://www.kut.org/austin-field-guide/2026-06-05/austin-tx-summer-reading-challenge-bingo-kut]! Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org [http://supportthispodcast.org] The full transcript of this episode [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/ut-austin-begins-removal-of-cesar-chavez-statue#transcript] of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post UT Austin begins removal of Cesar Chavez statue [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/ut-austin-begins-removal-of-cesar-chavez-statue] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Austin ISD planning to cut hundreds of jobs

The Austin Independent School District is planning to cut hundreds of jobs in its upcoming budget [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-06-03/austins-isd-budget-cuts-teachers-librarians-police], including teachers, librarians and campus law enforcement. CapMetro’s Bikeshare system has been shut down since a fire Memorial Day weekend, with no timeline for resuming service. A forensic investigator is examining whether lithium-ion batteries caused the blaze [https://www.kut.org/transportation/2026-06-04/austin-tx-bikeshare-fire-electric-bike-batteries-investigation-capmetro] at a CapMetro facility. We’re coming up on the final weekend of the Kerrville Folk Festival. Let’s take a trip out to the Texas Hill Country [https://texasstandard.org/stories/kerrville-folks-festival-2026-hill-country-floods/] This year’s iteration of the folk music mecca has special meaning after last summer’s deadly flooding in the Texas Hill Country. Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org [http://supportthispodcast.org] The full transcript of this episode [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/austin-isd-planning-to-cut-hundreds-of-jobs#transcript] of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post Austin ISD planning to cut hundreds of jobs [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/austin-isd-planning-to-cut-hundreds-of-jobs] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Margaret Gómez, longest-serving Travis County commissioner, retires

New research finds 10% of Texans under 6 were recently uninsured [https://www.kut.org/health/2026-06-01/texas-kids-uninsured-research-health-insurance-children], the highest of any state in the country. We’ll have the latest data. We continue our Series of Lasts: stories from the final days of some Austin ISD campuses [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-06-04/2-lunch-ladies-serve-austin-isds-best-food-theyre-saying-goodbye-to-their-school-and-each-other]. Bring your appetite and some Kleenex as we sit for one last school lunch at Ridgetop Elementary. Margaret Gómez, the longest-serving Travis County commissioner in history, is retiring after 53 years [https://www.kut.org/austin/2026-06-03/travis-county-austin-tx-margaret-gomez-retires] working for the county. And: The Austin African American Book Festival [https://www.aaabookfest.org/]kicks off later this month, but they’ve got a special guest helping to start the festivities this weekend. Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org [http://supportthispodcast.org] The full transcript of this episode [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/margaret-gomez-longest-serving-travis-county-commissioner-retires#transcript] of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post Margaret Gómez, longest-serving Travis County commissioner, retires [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/margaret-gomez-longest-serving-travis-county-commissioner-retires] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

After two months in ICE detention, father is reunited with his family

A father who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a traffic stop in San Marcos has been reunited with his family [https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2026-06-02/deportation-san-marcos-hays-county-ice-detention-immigration]. Gerardo Reyes, who spent more than two months in detention, might still face deportation. Parents and staff from the Austin Independent School District are urging state legislators to increase funding for schools. We’ll hear from some of the folks who spoke out this week. [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-06-02/austin-tx-aisd-school-funding-texas-legislature-teacher-layoffs] Lou Diamond Phillips has been acting for decades, but his breakout role as Ritchie Valens in “La Bamba” was so iconic, it’s one he’s still largely associated with. Phillips’ latest film, “Keep Quiet,” recently screened in Austin [https://texasstandard.org/stories/lou-diamond-phillips-keep-quiet-movie-austin-dallas-tx/], where he was recognized with a city proclamation. Austin Signal is made possible by listeners like you. You can support our work by making a donation at supportthispodcast.org [http://supportthispodcast.org] The full transcript of this episode [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/after-two-months-in-ice-detention-father-is-reunited-with-his-family#transcript] of Austin Signal is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps. The post After two months in ICE detention, father is reunited with his family [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/after-two-months-in-ice-detention-father-is-reunited-with-his-family] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].