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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 #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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