West Texas Dispatch

May 20th, 2026

Early voting is underway in the runoffs for candidates trying to secure their spot on November’s ballot. We’ll check in on the race for the Republican nomination for Texas’s 19th Congressional District.We’ll also hear about the runoff in the U-S Senate race–and for the G-O-P contest for Railroad Commissioner.Today we’ve got our next installment of Minds on Trial. Today-we hear from an individual–and his loved ones–about what a difference Assisted Outpatient Treatment makes.We’ll tell you about the impact of gas prices on rural West Texas.It’s been more than a decade in the making. The doors are now open for Abilene’s new main branch library–and science center at Heritage Square. We’ll tell you all about the grand opening.And on West Texas Roots our story-teller recalls simpler times– spending childhood days in nature without digital distractions.AND another 40th birthday flashback…

May 13th, 2026

We continue to dig into the way Texas has worked to improve the way the criminal justice system deals with individuals experiencing a mental health crisis..today we go all the way back to the model that the Texas system followed.After years of planning, fundraising and building–Heritage Square will open its doors this week. We’ll hear from some of the key architects of this incredible project.The rising price of oil has given rise to theft in West Texas…and it’s a much more sophisticated crime than it once was.We’ll tell you about how Texas Tech students are protesting what they say is the death of academic freedom.And we’ll hear about the unique features -including a Pecan Farm- of a world-class recording studio near El Paso.

May 6th, 2026

Today we bring you the second installment of our series “Minds on Trial” with a look at how Texas has worked to solve the problem of not having enough resources for people experiencing mental health crises—and keeping those crisis from escalating into a dangerous situation.A four-way race is a hard one to win out right. We’ll wrap up the joint city and school general elections for you–and look ahead…to the runoffs.This week's West Texas Roots tells us how an airman and his wife fell in love with Abilene after being stationed at Dyess Air Force Base…and how names for certain farming equipment can cause confusion..And about a dozen West Texas high schools –including a few from the Big Country– will take their theater shows are competing for the U-I-L title in One Act Play…The lights come up on the Austin stage next week!

April 29th, 2026

Today on the show we kick off a series looking at how Texas is trying to change the way people in crisis interact with the justice system. We start by looking at the problem that the state has been trying to solve…and is leading the way on for other states.Housing remains a hot topic in the Abilene area–even for the universities! Only some of their students live on campus–and some students without that housing may not be sticking around.Abilene was on the front end of the big A-I Data Center surge–but communities across West Texas are considering whether or not to develop these projects…we’ll hear how it’s looking in Lubbock.Paul Fabrizio–regular commentator for this show–and local news for decades–is retiring from McMurry. We’ll ask him how politics and teaching about it has changed over his tenure.This week’s West Texas roots takes us back to when the Abilene Zoo was at Rose Park and why you shouldn’t keep giving polar bears salt blocks.And we’ve got another 40th Birthday flashback cued up.

April 22nd, 2026

He’s the mayor of Abilene. He wants to be mayor again, in this time of great change for the City. We sit down with Mayor Weldon Hurt, unopposed candidate for reelection.Inspectors recorded dozens of safety violations at a West Texas ICE detention facility. We’ll hear more about the report.Almost a third of Texas women aren’t up to date on their mammograms. A local partnership aims to provide this important screening for women in the Big Country.The work is done, and today the ribbons will be cut at two recreation centers in Abilene…we’ll hear about the facilities–and the what’s news.West Texas Roots brings us the story of a close encounter with a rattlesnake…and we hear from a KACU alumnus pursuing a graduate journalism degree…in today’s installment of KACU’s 40th Birthday Flashback.