KUT News Now

After Prop Q fallout, Austin cuts $95 million from budget- KUT News Now

The City of Austin cut $95 million from its budget [https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-11-20/austin-tx-city-council-budget-cuts-prop-q], shrinking funding to parks, homelessness services and more after voters rejected Prop Q. We’ll get into how these cuts may impact you. With recent rain and an overnight flood watch in Travis, Williamson, and Hays counties, many residents are reminded of the July 4 floods and the ongoing efforts to rebuild. Plus, art groups seeking affordable studio space find sanctuary [https://www.kut.org/life-arts/2025-11-21/austin-creative-alliance-affordable-studio-space-artists-central-christian-church] in a downtown Austin church. We’ve got more on how they secured the space and what that means for the arts community. Also, Jason Mellard shares a new story from the archive of Texas music history [https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/ornette-coleman-five-spot-new-york-jazz-history/]. The post After Prop Q fallout, Austin cuts $95 million from budget- KUT News Now [https://kutkutx.studio/kut-news-now/after-prop-q-fallout-austin-cuts-95-million-from-budget-kut-news-now] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Texans consider ACA enrollment options amid rising premiums – KUT News Now

Open enrollment for insurance plans purchased through the Affordable Care Act marketplace started this month. Millions of Texans currently use a marketplace plan, and here in Austin, folks are navigating uncertainty as premiums rise and federal subsidies expire. State officials finally released a hoard of documents and emails between Elon Musk and Gov. Greg Abbott’s office [https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-11-19/texas-governor-abbott-elon-musk-emails-redacted] – and a majority of the information was redacted. We’ve got more about the files and the story from The Texas Newsroom. The Paramount and State Theatres in downtown Austin are raising funds for a major restoration [https://www.kut.org/life-arts/2025-11-19/paramount-theater-stateside-austin-tx-restoration-shine-on-campaign] that will include updated seating and new spaces. We hear more about what they’ve got planned for the future. The post Texans consider ACA enrollment options amid rising premiums – KUT News Now [https://kutkutx.studio/kut-news-now/texans-consider-aca-enrollment-options-amid-rising-premiums-2] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Texas appeals as its redistricting map is temporarily blocked – KUT NEWS NOW

A federal court has ruled that the redistricting passed by Texas Republicans – a map that was set to eliminate one of Travis County’s two Democratic-held seats – cannot be used in next year’s midterm elections. [https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-11-18/new-texas-congressional-map-favoring-republicans-blocked-by-federal-court]The ruling was quickly appealed by Gov. Greg Abbott. We’ll get the latest from The Texas Newsroom. We’ll also hear from Congressman Lloyd Doggett, who plans to run for reelection following the ruling from the federal court. [https://www.kut.org/politics/2025-11-18/austin-tx-lloyd-doggett-reelection-congressional-maps] And: Travis County commissioners are facing a lawsuit over a 9.12% property tax increase they approved in September amid a disaster declaration. [https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-11-18/travis-county-tx-austin-lawsuit-property-tax-increase-july-flood] The post Texas appeals as its redistricting map is temporarily blocked – KUT NEWS NOW [https://kutkutx.studio/kut-news-now/texas-appeals-as-its-redistricting-map-is-temporarily-blocked-kut-news-now] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Austin City Council works to finalize budget after Prop Q failure, KUT NEWS NOW

Austin City Council members are working to finalize a city budget [https://www.kut.org/austin/2025-11-17/austin-tx-city-council-budget-revision-cuts-prop-q]– and they’ll have to find ways to trim after voters resoundingly rejected a proposed tax rate increase that would’ve generated more than $100 million. The Austin Independent School District will vote this week on shuttering campuses [https://www.kut.org/education/2025-11-14/austin-tx-isd-school-consolidation-plan]and reassigning some students to different schools after releasing its final version of the plan last week. We have more about what’s changed and what’s the same. Plus: Bats eat tons and tons of pests each night, and farmers are hoping they can play a bigger role on their properties. [https://www.tpr.org/news/2025-10-29/at-this-texas-pecan-orchard-bats-handle-most-of-the-bug-control] The post Austin City Council works to finalize budget after Prop Q failure, KUT NEWS NOW [https://kutkutx.studio/kut-news-now/austin-city-council-works-to-finalize-budget-after-prop-q-failure-kut-news-now] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].

Whooping cough cases rise in Austin

Whooping cough – particularly dangerous to infants and young children – is a growing concern, with Austin continuing to confirm cases amid a statewide surge [https://www.kut.org/health/2025-11-17/austin-texas-whooping-cough-pertussis-cases-spike]. Texas teens faced more barriers to getting an abortion than other age groups after the state’s six-week abortion ban went into effect in 2021. A new study looks at the impact on Texas and surrounding states [https://www.kut.org/health/2025-11-14/texas-abortion-bill-effects-minors]. Plus: We chat with a couple of the folks behind the new book “Austin’s Music Scene.” [http://thunderhouse.co/] The post Whooping cough cases rise in Austin [https://kutkutx.studio/kut-news-now/whooping-cough-cases-rise-in-austin-2] appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts [https://kutkutx.studio].