By james art 
Here’s what’s coming up on the Texas Standard for Monday, November 4, 2024. Listen to your Texas public radio station or ask your smart speaker to play the Texas Standard. Check back later today for updated story links and audio.
A 400-acre wildfire near Bastrop State Park prompted evacuations
The Hudson Fire in central Texas prompted the voluntary evacuation of about 65 homes in Bastrop County. As of this morning, the fire is approximately 400 acres, with most of it uncontained.
Carrie Hines of the Texas A&M Forest Service joins Texas Standard with an update on the fire’s status, all reported injuries and more.
When faith and art meet in Marfa, politics takes a back seat
In the heart of Marfa, the First United Methodist Church has stood for more than a century, witnessing the city’s evolution into a vibrant arts destination. Yet as his congregation dwindled, a core group of dedicated members clung to a sense of unity. Their secret? Avoiding politics, even in the midst of a tight presidential race.
In the latest chapter of our faith and politics series, Marfa Public Radio’s Mitch Borden brings us this story.
What early voting looked like in Texas this election
Election Day is tomorrow, and while many Texans will be heading to the polls, millions have already voted. Texas Newsroom’s Rachel Osier Lindley reports on early voting, which ended Friday.
Why Texans Can’t Put Abortion – Or Other Civil Initiatives – On The Ballot
After the end of Roe v. Wade, some states are voting on whether to write abortion protections into their constitutions through citizen-led initiatives. These referendums have gained popularity even in states with Republican-controlled legislatures. But in Texas, there is no way for voters to get an initiative on the ballot themselves.
The Standard’s Sarah Ash reports on the history of direct democracy in Texas and why the state doesn’t have this avenue for citizen-led policy change.
Are Californians Pushing Texas Left?
The phrase “Not California, my Texas” has become a rallying cry for some Texas Republicans who worry about newcomers from blue states, especially California, influencing politics. But are these transplants actually shifting Texas to the left?
The political impact may not be as significant, says Matt Zdun of the Houston Chronicle. He joins the Standard to talk about how demographic changes are really changing Texas’ political landscape.
Robert Roberson and the Texas Death Penalty
The legal battle over death row inmate Robert Roberson continues, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton blocking Roberson from testifying before a Texas House committee. The bipartisan subpoena delayed Roberson’s execution and drew attention to questions about potentially exculpatory evidence in his case and others — renewing discussions about the role of the death penalty in Texas.
Texas Public Radio’s David Martin Davis examines how Roberson’s story could shape public opinion in the state.
Migrant families say the Texas National Guard took their dogs away
While false claims of Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs in Ohio made headlines this election season, a true story involving migrants and their pets is playing out on the Texas border.
KTEP’s Angela Kocherga reports that migrant families say members of the Texas National Guard have taken their dogs, causing concern and raising questions about the treatment of migrants and their companions.
Political changes in the Rio Grande Valley ahead of Election Day
The Rio Grande Valley has drawn national attention in recent election cycles with Trump’s surprise gains in 2020. and Republican victories in 2022. As Election Day approaches, what changes are we seeing in the Valley’s political scene?
Border reporter Gage Davila, who covers this for the Texas Observer, joins us to discuss the current shifts and what they could mean for tomorrow’s results.
All this, plus Alexandra Hart with the Texas Newsroom State Review and Wells Dunbar with Talk of Texas.