Program at state prison in Austin helps shelter dogs get adopted

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].

Austin City Council moves to regulate e-motorcycles

Have you encountered an e-moto on the streets of Austin? The high-speed electric bikes are capable of reaching motorcycle-like speeds, and the City Council is looking at stricter regulations [https://austincurrent.org/2026/05/28/austin-electric-motorcycles-regulation-emoto/]. Austin Current’s Sam Stark tells us more. The school year is over, but there’s no break for the many things the Austin Independent School District has to consider — including a budget deficit. How the money problems got so bad, and how they’re hoping to address it. [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-05-22/austin-isd-tx-budget-deficit-delayed-plan] The dog days of summer are creeping up on us, but Austin dogs have one less place to beat the heat after Yard Bar closed down [https://www.kut.org/business/2026-05-29/austin-tx-yard-bar-dog-park-closing] over the weekend. This is My Thing Podcast host Mike Lee talking with Yael Ouzillou on Doodling. [https://www.kut.org/life-arts/2026-05-19/this-is-my-thing-doodling] 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-city-council-moves-to-regulate-e-motorcycles#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 City Council moves to regulate e-motorcycles [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/austin-city-council-moves-to-regulate-e-motorcycles] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

State officials reject Austin ISD plan for failing middle schools

The Texas Education Agency has rejected Austin ISD’s proposal [https://www.kut.org/education/2026-05-28/austin-tx-texas-education-agency-rejected-aisd-plan-for-failing-schools] for three middle schools that have received consecutive failing grades — putting the entire district at further risk of a state takeover. The Austin City Council has approved guidelines for the construction and operation of a new natural gas plant [https://www.kut.org/energy-environment/2026-05-29/austin-tx-secret-vote-gas-plant-council-oversight] after the project was OK’d in a secret vote. Thousands of Austinites received a call or text this month urging them to seek shelter or evacuate immediately, but many weren’t even sure the message was legit. Now police say they will improve the alerts [https://www.kut.org/crime-justice/2026-05-28/austin-tx-apd-police-emergency-alerts-confusing-texts]. Plus: Exploded Drawing [https://exploded-drawing.com/] kicks off their 16th year of electronic music showcases. Texas Standard [https://www.kut.org/texasstandard] Adrianne Palicki reflects on ‘Friday Night Lights’ at 20 ahead of ATX TV Festival reunion. [https://www.kut.org/texasstandard/2026-05-29/adrianne-palicki-friday-night-lights-reunion-atx-television-festival] 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/state-officials-reject-austin-isd-plan-for-failing-middle-schools#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 State officials reject Austin ISD plan for failing middle schools [https://kutkutx.studio/austin-signal/state-officials-reject-austin-isd-plan-for-failing-middle-schools] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].