Austin Signal

Every weekday, Austin Signal is the go-to place for the news of the day. Hosted by Jerry Quijano, the show covers news, music, sports, culture, and more from around Central Texas. KUT reporters break down stories from their beats, update you on breaking news, and more. Listeners will hear familiar voices from across KUTX, Texas Standard, and KUT/KUTX podcasts covering interesting stories and topics important to the Austin area.

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Episodes 244

Austin writing data center rules, Great Austin Shake Off, Dolly Parton tributes
2d ago · 25:15
The Austin City Council has kicked off a long process focused on creating new rules and requirements for large-scale data centers. Some council members say it’s imperative to get a leg up, before any future construction takes hold. The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees is at risk of being taken over by state-selected […]
Evictions at Community First Village, KUTX artist of the month, Future Front Fest
2d ago · 26:34
Over the last five years, the Community First Village — which has drawn national attention as a new model to get people off the streets — has drastically increased the number of evictions filed against residents. Paige Plaisance, KUTX’s Artist of the Month for August, melds a killer voice with the sounds of swampytonkin’. The […]
Austin considers data center regulations, Dolly Parton’s guitar, New UIL heat rules
4d ago · 25:32
The Austin City Council is considering some regulations around data centers. That includes defining where they might be built, and how they’re categorized by size and demand on resources. There are new rules for students participating in outdoor UIL competitions designed to protect kids from the brutal Texas heat. We’ll tell you what’s changing. Some […]
Father and son to be deported, city council lobbying, mother’s ICE detention
5d ago · 22:43
A father is choosing to self-deport to Mexico with his 5-year-old son after the pair was detained by ICE agents this month in North Austin. He’s making the decision to leave with his son, rather than risk losing custody of him.The Austin City Council changed the way lobbying activities are reported this year, relying on […]
UT liberal arts changes, Waterway pollution report, KUT summer reading party
6d ago · 25:00
School is back in session on the UT Austin campus, and it’s far from business as usual for students and staff in a newly consolidated department.Programs with decades of history on the 40 Acres — including Mexican American and Latina and women’s, gender and sexuality studies — are no more. The punishing heat only makes […]
Austin-San Antonio passenger rail, No Wrong Door program, Weekend arts events
9d ago · 22:33
A passenger rail link between Austin and San Antonio is now being presented with two very different paths forward. Union Pacific says its freight railroad still doesn’t have capacity to do it — and the other option comes with a price tag exceeding $13 billion. A new city initiative, No Wrong Door, is looking to […]
City Council term limits, Big Bend border plan protest, Austin Sketch Fest
10d ago · 24:48
Austin City Council members are usually limited to two four-year terms, but a few folks have attempted to represent their district for a third time. Now Paige Ellis is vying to do the same. Conservation advocates were in Austin this week, voicing opposition to border construction in the Big Bend region. Former state officeholders and […]
First day back for AISD, data center regulations, Longhorn Football preview
11d ago · 23:55
Students and staff in the Austin Independent School District are back in class this week. 10 campuses in the district closed their doors for good over the summer, but one school had to open back up to serve students from a damaged school. We’ll tell you why.We’ve been reporting on and learning more about data […]
New city 911 office, Austin fire chief retiring, Goth culture in Texas
12d ago · 23:19
The city’s system of 911 call-takers will be moving from the Austin Police Department into a standalone office in an effort to improve response times. The City Council approved the move as part of the city’s $6.6 billion budget — though not everyone agrees on the plan. Austin’s Fire Chief Joel G. Baker is retiring […]
Reaction to AISD school ratings, Giant Adirondack chair, Books set in Austin
12d ago · 23:47
Classes start tomorrow in the Austin Independent School District, fresh off news last week that two of its middle schools registered a fifth failing state accountability rating. That has opened the door to possible state intervention, but some folks are asking that the positive gains Austin schools have made also be considered in the whatever […]
UT curriculum changes, Cesar Chavez Street input, Restaurant inspection scores
15d ago · 25:06
UT Austin wants to change the assigned classes required of future undergraduates. It’s the first such change in more than two decades. The city of Austin is gathering feedback about the possibility of renaming Cesar Chavez Street after the labor leader was accused of sexual assault. How you can make your voice heard. Have you […]
Two Austin schools receive fifth failing ratings, opening door to state takeover
16d ago · 26:16
Two struggling Austin middle schools have received a fifth consecutive failing accountability rating from the Texas Education Agency, opening the door to a state takeover of all the schools in the district. Houston ISD, the biggest school district in Texas, has been under state mandate for a few years. How it’s going so far. The […]
Could Austin land an NHL franchise?
18d ago · 25:55
The city of Austin is nearing decision time on its upcoming fiscal budget. The first draft called for cuts to public health programs, parks and other services. The City Council has spent weeks shaping the version that’ll soon be approved. Proponents of data centers say they can be a boon to the areas they’re built […]
Summer rains replenished Jacob’s Well — for a few weeks
18d ago · 24:43
UT Austin is implementing some new rules for getting around on campus ahead of the new school year, but the changes aren’t impacting every set of wheels. An update on the ongoing negotiations affecting CapMetro bus drivers and transit workers. The Austin school district is facing the looming threat of a state takeover because of […]
How to get the best view of the Perseid meteor shower in Austin this week
19d ago · 23:29
Austin ISD classes start next week, and after announcing a change in how students will be shuffled to and from campuses, the district has backtracked on bus hubs for middle schoolers. The proposed development of Dog’s Head in Southeast Austin continues to move forward, despite what some feel is a lack of public input. That’s […]
How Austin became obsessed with being weird
22d ago · 26:18
Gov. Greg Abbott is pitching the idea of eliminating what he calls “city monopolies” on providing electricity, a plan focused in part on Austin Energy. He claims a move like this could lower customer rates, but how has deregulation played out in other parts of the state? “Austinhenge” this weekend is a darn good chance […]
UT Austin officials say new mobility plan is coming as cyclists worry about potential bike ban
23d ago · 25:17
Changes are coming to where people can and cannot ride electric bikes and scooters on the UT Austin campus. An invasive aquatic plant is expressing itself in some local waterways after it was essentially eradicated close to a decade ago. An annual movie festival all about the intersection of film and music is, for the […]
Competing interests for the Dog’s Head development
25d ago · 26:02
We’ve been learning a lot about the Dog’s Head development over the past months, including the future plans a developer would like to see there; how little neighbors knew about the idea as it picked up steam; and the competing interests curious about the project. How those sides sought support from the city. What are […]
Austin’s Bikeshare program set to return
25d ago · 23:17
CapMetro’s system of electric-assisted bicycles will soon be back on Austin’s roadways — but it will be returning in phases, starting small. We’ll have the latest on Austin’s Bikeshare and the fire that hindered service. We’re a couple weeks removed from the World Cup, but FIFA, the organization behind the tournament, has remained in the […]
The origin story behind Austin’s ‘Master Pancake’
26d ago · 23:31
For years now, Austinites have been able to hail a driverless Waymo — but they’ve only been available to call for it through one specific rideshare company. That’ll soon be changing. We’ll have the details. Recent polling is shedding more light on just how tight the margins will be in this fall’s race for the […]
Activists call for better mental health resources in wake of teen’s shooting by police
29d ago · 25:17
Plans for high-voltage transmission lines have hit a snag after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his allies this morning called for a halt to the proposal. The power lines are meant to help meet growing energy demand in West Texas, but the plan faced fierce opposition this week at a public hearing at the state capitol. […]
What to know as Delta-8 ban goes into effect Friday
1mo ago · 26:31
A ban on Delta-8 products takes effect tomorrow and Austin police say possessing certain products could now be a felony. We’ll explain why the law is changing, what it means for consumers and how local businesses are preparing. One new affordable housing development in East Austin is moving forward with just one parking space. It’s […]
Activists call for Garza to prosecute officers in teen’s shooting death
1mo ago · 27:01
Activists are demanding that Travis County District Attorney José Garza prosecute three Austin police officers who fatally shot a 17-year-old last week. We’ll have more on that. Midland ISD in West Texas announced it would be suing the state over the recapture school finance system also known as Robin Hood. Will Austin ISD follow? Plus, data centers are popping […]
Delta-8 possession will soon be a state jail felony
1mo ago · 25:31
There’s the possibility of a CapMetro strike shutting down virtually all fixed-route bus service in Austin, but how much control does the agency have over negotiations? Texas is banning Delta-8 THC and a broad class of similar cannabis compounds starting Friday. These products have been sold for years in Texas. More about what’s set to take effect. The […]
“There is this sense of helplessness,” UT Professor talks about faculty fears following his tenure denial
1mo ago · 22:26
Extended Interview: UT Austin professor Chaar López, a scholar on border surveillance, was denied tenure without a stated reason, despite positive reviews and recommendations. He talks about what this means for his future, and the chilling effect it has had on faculty across the country. At the core of the conversation, the loss of academic […]