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Texas Matters is co-hosted by David Martin Davies and Yvette Benavides. The husband and wife team talk directly with policymakers and newsmakers in a lively discussion designed to shed light on issues too often overlooked by other media. About the Hosts David Martin Davies, Texas Public Radio’s news director, is a veteran journalist with almost 20 years experience covering Texas, the border and Mexico. In 2008, he won three regional Murrow Awards for stories that aired on Texas Matters. He was named the 2007 Radio Journalist of the Year by the Houston Press Club and was awarded a 2007 Lone Star Award for his feature reporting. Davies was also recognized by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters for his coverage of the U.S.-Mexico border. Davies has filed radio reports for NPR's Morning Edition, APM's Marketplace and BBC's The World. He is also a weekly columnist for the San Antonio Express-News. Yvette Benavides is co-host and co-producer of Texas Matters. She is also an English professor at Our Lady of the Lake University, where she teaches creative writing and Mexican-American literature. Yvette has had her poetry published in journals such as The Americas Review, Texas Observer and Mothering magazine, among others. Her articles have appeared in the San Antonio Express-News and Latina magazine. She is also a regular book critic for the San Antonio Express-News. Benavides has been a frequent contributor for NPR's Latino USA. Comments about the program or inquiries may be directed by e-mail to . Airs: 12:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Friday and 6:30 a.m. Saturday on KSTX 89.1 FM in San Antonio. Also at 6 a.m. Saturday on KPAC 88.3 FM in San Antonio and KTXI 90.1 FM in the Hill Country. See the stations list (right) for other air times around the state. Program Archive: Show #498, March 12, 2010 Segment 1: The Texas National Guard is on a five-year mission in Afghanistan to help farmers build a sustainable agricultural economy.The men and women of the Texas National Guard Agribusiness Development Team are trying to win the war by helping Afghan farmers with agriculture, irrigation, and animal breeding projects. In the process, the Texas ADT soldiers are also trying to survive in a place where danger lurks around every corner.Reporter Douglas Wissing was embedded with the Texas ADT forces in Afghanistan. Reporting for KUT in Austin Douglas Wissing brings us a four part series on the team’s mission in Afghanistan’s complicated war zone. Related Links: More reporting from Douglas Wissing Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 2: A national conservation group is suing Texas environmental regulators. The Aransas Project filed the federal suit to protect endangered whooping cranes. Jim Blackburn is the attorney for the Aransas Project. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 3: For over 100 years the Historic Herff Farm survived hostile attacks and Mother Nature’s fury.But now the old homestead in the Hill Country is facing a tougher battle against the developer’s bulldozer. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies has the story. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Show #497, March 4, 2010 Segment 1: After months of speeches and millions of dollars spent on political advertising, primary day has come and gone. But it was all just a warm-up for the general election campaign, which is now underway. So what did we learn from the election tallies?
Let’s check in with Quorum Report editor Harvey Kronberg to find out. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 2: Texas is the nation’s top producer of oil. But what would happen if suddenly every drop of the sweet crude just vanished? Not just from Texas but from the entire world. That’s a question explored by the National Geographic Channel in a special program called “Aftermath: World Without Oil.” Author Richard Heinberg is featured in the program. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 3: Texans are wild about wildflowers and this spring it looks like we are in for a treat. The forecast from the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin is for a colorful explosion of native blooms. Andrea DeLong-Amaya, is the director of horticulture at the Wildflower Center. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 4: Twisting rock and roll, country and conjunto music, the Texas Tornados produced an infectious sound. But can that magic be recreated now that two key performers have passed on? The surviving members of the Tornados announced yesterday they are giving it a spin with a new CD. Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davies has the story. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Show #496, February 26, 2010 Segment 1: It won’t be long now before it’s time to stop the speeches and start the counting of ballots. We’ll finally know who the winners are in the party primaries – unless there’s a run-off. Then the speeches will start again. Bob Moser is a political junky and is enjoying every minute of it. Moser is the editor of the Texas Observer, a magazine that specializes in investigative, political and social-justice reporting. You can read his blog and other Texas Observer articles online at texasobserver.org. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 2: Incumbent Lt. Governor David Dewhurst has no challenger in the Republican primary, but the Democrats have a battle royale going on. One leading candidate is Linda Chavez-Thompson. She is a retired labor organizer and a former leader of the AFL-CIO. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 3: Also seeking the democratic nomination for Lt Governor is Ronnie Earle, the former Travis County district attorney. Earle earned a national reputation for fighting for justice. His most notable and controversial case was the prosecution of former Sugarland congressman and U.S. House Majority Leader Tom Delay. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 4: Kathryn Borel set out with her father on a road trip through the finest French vineyards. The trip was an education about wine, as well those wonderfully complicated people: our parents. She documents the trip in her book, Corked: A Memoir.
It’s published by Grand Central Publishing. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Show #495, February 19, 2010 Segment 1: This week, Governor Rick Perry, Attorney General Greg Abbott and Agricultural Commissioner Todd Staples held a joint news conference where they announced a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency. The lawsuit is a bid to stop the EPA from regulating global warming pollution using the so-called “climate-gate” hacked e-mails to discredit the EPA. Supporters of climate change say the e-mails are disgraceful, but the science is sound. We will hear from both sides of the debate. First, we talk with Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 2: The Texas League of Conservation Voters is one of many organizations critical of Texas for filing the lawsuit. The TLCV is the state’s leading environmental organization dedicated to electing pro-conservation candidates. David Weinberg is the director of the TLCV. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 3: The Texas EPA lawsuit wasn’t the only climate change battle in the state this week. On Thursday, the conservative think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, issued a scathing review of possible cap and trade federal legislation that seeks to limit carbon emissions. The report says cap and trade will have a harsh negative impact on Texas industries, jobs and economy. Kathleen White is with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Read the report. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Segment 4: The liberal organization, Environment Texas, is firing back. Saying the Texas Public Policy Institute is only telling their side of the research. Alejandro Savransky is an organizer for Environment Texas. Audio Player Requires JavaScript Show #494, February 12, 2010 Segment 1: Harvey Kronberg,editor of the Quorum Report discusses, the latest polling in the primary races for Governor. The Quorum Report is an online newsletter dedicated to following Texas Politics.
Related Link: Quorum Report Segment 2: When Dallas public broadcaster KERA held a statewide televised debate for democrats running for governor, only two candidates met their requirements. That left lesser-known democrats who are on the ballot out of the big debate. Four candidates who were excluded are now suing KERA for $400 million dollars.Lawsuits like this are not uncommon, and legal precedent gives the debate host the ability to choose the candidates. Clement Glenn is one of the four candidates for governor left out of the democratic debate.
Segment 3: When republicans begin casting votes in the primary, in addition to deciding what candidates should run in the general election, they also are deciding five critical policy questions. Brian Preston is a spokesperson for the Republican party of Texas.
Segment 4: Texas has what it takes to be a national leader in solar power – but the state losing out on jobs and energy to other states in the Sunbelt. The Go Solar Texas coalition says the state needs leadership to take solar power forward. Lucy Midelfort is with the Go Solar Texas Coalition.
Segment 5: This year, the Chinese New Year will welcome the Year of the Tiger. Animal conservationists are hoping they can use the year to help save the tiger, an endangered species that’s plentiful in sanctuaries across the state. Sybille Klenzendorf is director of the World Wildlife Federation species conservation program.
Show #493, February 5, 2010 Segment 1: Early voting in the Texas primaries begins February 16, and candidates are looking to persuade voters anyway they can, but does that include lying? The Austin American-Statesman is putting claims to the test using the truth-o-meter. Gardner Shelby is the editor of Austin American Statesman’s Politifact Texas.
Related Link: Politifact Texas Segment 2: This week President Barack Obama released his proposed budget for the federal government. One item caught the eye of the Texas energy industry – dropping federal subsidies for exploration, drilling and extraction of oil and natural gas. Texas Rail Road Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones says if congress follows this recommendation it will have a negative impact on Texas.
Show #492, January 29, 2010 Segment 1: Andrew Wheat is a researcher at Texans for Public Justice and author of the study “Watch You Assets,” which examined the track record of job creation of the Texas Enterprise Fund. He found that the TEF is coming up short in the number of job corporations promised Texas they would generate after taking taxpayer dollars. Segment 2: Texas is missing out on billions of dollars from the federal government to develop a network of high speed rail systems. Out of $8 billion in federal rail funding, it seems Texas is getting just $4 million. Peter LeCody is the Executive Administrator for Texas Rail Advocates. He says in order for Texas to get billion dollar grants we need to follow the example of other states that are serious about rail like California and Florida.
Segment 3: Vicki Muller is a wildlife specialist at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. She is monitoring the endangered whooping cranes. There is an annual Whooping Crane Festival at Port Arkansas,February 25 though 28. Show #491, January 22, 2010
The states have to compete for the money and if Texas had decided to apply it could have received up to $700 million. But Texas is sitting this one out. Perry explains his position at a January 19 press conference at Cole High School in San Antonio. Also speaking to reporters is Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott. Segment 2: Michael Kirst is Professor Emeritus of Education and Business Administration at Stanford University. He is a former president of the California State Board of Education. His book is titled From High School to College: Improving Opportunities for Success in Postsecondary Education. Professor Kirst says for the majority of states "Race to the Top" makes a lot of sense.
Segment 3: Rick Perry says he’s getting a lot of support from Texas teacher organizations for his decision not to apply for “Race to the Top” funds. This is a new development, because the two haven’t seen eye to eye on education reform in the past. Holly Eaton Texas Classroom Teachers Association Director of Professional Development and Advocacy. Segment 4: While some are opposed to the Race to the Top because they see more regulation in the classroom as impractical, others are against the program for ideological reasons. Michael Quinn Sullivan heads Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. Show #490, January 15, 2010 Segment 1: The Texas GOP gubernatorial debate was held Thursday night at the Murchison Performing Arts Center in Denton. The candidates participating were the incumbent Rick Perry, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Deborah Medina. Here is a sample of the debate highlights. Segment 2: Whoever wins the primary could face democrat Bill White, the former mayor of Houston, in the general election in November. We wanted to see what he thought of the Republican debate.
Segment 3: Paul Burka is a reporter and blogger for Texas Monthly magazine. He writes in the February issue that Rick Perry is gearing up for a run for president in 2012. Show #489, January 8, 2010 Segment 1: Attorneys general in 13 states are objecting to the U.S. Senate’s version of national health care reform. And Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot is among that group who sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid saying changes needed to be made to the bill or face legal action. Abbott is also running for re-election in Texas. Segment 2: Abbott is facing challenger Democrat Barbara Ann Radnofsky in the general election. We spoke to her about why she’s running to be the state’s top lawyer. Show #488, January 1, 2010 Segment 1: It would take you a lifetime to explore all of the sights, scenes and historic points of the Unites States. Author Gary McKechnie only had 4 years to do it so he had to makes some tough choices – he picked the 101 most interesting places in the nation. He’s the author of the book USA 101: A Guide to America's Iconic Places, Events, and Festivals Segment 2: One of the many festivals that’s not covering in the book USA 101 is the International Festival at Round Top. Which is located half way between Austin and Houston. Texas Public Radio’s John Clare has more on the cultural festival.
Texas Public Radio’s Nathan Cone brought the band into our studios recently to play some tunes, and talk about how the effort to preserve their recorded past brought them back to the present. Extended interview with Hector and David Saldaña of the Krayolas:
The Krayolas Perform "Marie Leveau" in the Texas Public Radio Studios: "Marie Laveau" by The Krayolas from KSTX on Vimeo. Download songs from their TPR studio session:
Photos of The Krayolas in-studio performance:
Show #487, December 25, 2009 Texas Dance Hall MemoriesTexas dancehalls like Club 21 once peppered the farming communities of Texas. The German and Czech immigrants brought the dance halls with their old world customs. The dance halls were the original community centers of the original European settlements of Texas. They were a focal point for the men and women, when they weren’t trying to survive and conquer the Texas wilderness. Now the classic Texas dancehalls are in trouble. Many have been lost. Can they be saved for future generations?  |
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Texas is a big state with a growing, diverse population and as the population grows, the issues and challenges facing its residents multiply. Texas Matters is a statewide news program that spends half an hour each week looking at the issues, newsmakers and culture of Texas.
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Segment 3: In these tough economic times a growing number of Americans are losing their jobs. Many are looking for work as day laborers. Little is known about the world of the day laborers and their working conditions. Journalist Dick Reavis decided to write about the day laborer experience when he found himself looking for work as a day laborer himself at the age of 63. His book is Catching Out: The Secret World of Day Laborers.
Segment 1: President Barack Obama’s education program, called "Race to the Top," is putting billions of dollars up for grabs for states.
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Segment 3: The San Antonio-based band The Krayolas toured the state in the 1970s and 1980s, recording a string of regional hits in the process. But after a time, the band dissolved, and the various members moved on to other projects. Now, with the help of Texas Music legend Augie Myers, after a 20-year hiatus, The Krayolas are back with a new album, 
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