NTX Now

The North Texas Now team goes on a hunt for The State Fair of Texas' 1st place vest created by our very own Miranda! Plus, how many college students complete a degree and make a living wage? The Fort Worth Education Partnership is out with a new report looking at the college completion rate. FWEP CEO Brent Beasley joins us with the details. 

Parkland Hospital has one of the best burn units in the country. And a group of doctors from Ukraine recently made a visit to receive training on how to better care for battlefield injuries as Russia's invasion of the country stretches into its fifth year. Dr. Steven Orten is a plastic surgeon from Plano, and he joined us to talk about the ongoing training and how the collaboration is inspiring initiatives in other countries. 

Miranda and Ron breakdown the day's top headlines. Plus, two Dallas restaurants kept their coveted Michelin stars, and Goldee's Bar-B-Q in Fort Worth grabbed a new one. But now Texas cities have to answer a big question: Is being part of the Michelin system worth the cost? Dallas Business Journal digital editor Alexa Reed joins us to look at the future of the Michelin Guide in Texas.

Whether you'll be trick-or-treating or attending a house party for Halloween, you're almost guaranteed to see some kind of spider or spiderweb. We wanted to learn a little bit more about these creepy critters that have become synonymous with the holiday, so we called our local bug expert, Urban Wildlife biologist Sam Keischnick, or Sam the Bug Man. Sam visited us in our studio to dispel some misconceptions about arachnids. Also, a 12-year-old two time State Fair of Texas quilting champion tells us how she got into quilting -- and her advice for other craft lovers hoping to compete...

Data analyzed by KERA News finds that thousands of children are still paddled in Texas schools. While many states have banned corporal punishment in schools, Texas and 14 other states still allow it as a form of discipline. Dylan Duke joins us with details. Also, Texas public schools are expected to lose at least $227 million this school year thanks to the state's new voucher program. Dee Carney is the director of the Texas Center for Voucher Transparency at Our Schools Our Democracy, and with help from the nonprofit Every Texan, she calculated how much revenue districts in North Texas will...

For the 40th anniversary of David Byrne's 1986 film True Stories, writer Sean O'Neal tracked down a host of actors and crew to get their take on this quirky film's legacy. He caught up with Ron and Miranda to talk all things True Stories. 

According to the National Spine Health Foundation, about 100-million Americans suffer from chronic neck or back pain each year. It’s the No. 1 reason for physical pain and leads to hundreds of millions of dollars in lost workdays each year. In today’s Vital Signs, KERA’s Sam Baker talks with Dr. Michael Catino, an orthopedic surgeon with Texas Health Denton, about why back and neck pain is so widespread. Plus, Ron breaks down the day's top headlines. 

D Magazine's Brian Reinhart is somewhat of a steak connoisseur. When you hear how much he's spent on steak dinners in the past year, you'll understand why. He joins Ron and Miranda to talk about why he thinks most North Texas steakhouses are mediocre, and what makes a truly great steak. Plus, the week ahead on Think with Krys Boyd. 

An exhibit at the Latino Cultural Center called "No Te Dejes" focuses on the cultural and spiritual dimensions of the Mexican boxing community through photography and sculptural installation. The artist, David Hanes-Gonzalez, is currently living in Mexico City and tells us why boxing is so important, not only to him and his art, but Mexican culture. Plus, Brett Vito with the Denton Record-Chronicle covers college football and joins us to talk through some of the big games to watch this weekend. And our executive producer Stephen Becker has a recap of Thursday night's Cowboy's debacle. 

Goldee's Bar-B-Q in Fort Worth has just been awarded a Michelin Star, and it's the first for Fort Worth. Bud Kennedy writes about food for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and joins us to talk about what a well-deserved recognition this is. 

Ron and Miranda discuss their favorite stories from the week. 

An elder-living community in Fort Worth is once again facing the threat of a utility shutoff as its residents continue to live in filthy, unsafe conditions. McKinnon Rice of the Fort Worth Report has been following this story and joins us for an update. Also, the Friday news roundup looks at the fire at the State Fair and other big stories from the week.

This spring, Dallas is getting a new professional soccer team. We talk with USL Dallas's new president, Dale Petroskey, about whether there's room for so much soccer in North Texas. Plus, The State Fair of Texas has lowered its prices this year after attendance dropped and visitors complained last year. But it can still be pricey to go. KERA’s Alexsis Jones and Therese Powell found some ways to stretch your dollar with some free activities you don’t want to miss. 

Miranda and Ron breakdown the day's top headlines. Plus, a new generation of battery-powered aircraft is taking flight in Texas. Kristen Costello is the head of government and regulatory affairs at BETA technologies, an aerospace and defense company designing, manufacturing and selling these electric aircraft. She joins us to break down how this technology works. 

The civil suit brought against seven members of a Cornell University fraternity has turned the issue of domestic violence into a national conversation. As it happens, October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so we invited Jill Hassman with Tarrant County domestic violence service provider The Archway to talk about what the case can tell us about the problem.

When the Texas Longhorns beat Ohio State last month, Republican Bo French didn't join the celebrations. Instead, the candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner posted a photo on social media showing UT students of South Asian descent cheering in the stands. French suggested they were foreigners displacing Americans.The post went viral, drawing national attention and criticism -- including from fellow Republicans, who called the comments racist. Now, with Texas less than two weeks from the start of early voting, some Republicans and political experts warn the controversy could end up hurting other GOP candidates at the ballot box.The...

A unique concert, presented by Herd Here, is inviting audiences to think about wildlife, the environment and our place in it, through music. Brooke Sholl, a host at our sister station WRR and a cellist herself, joins us with a preview of a free concert this Sunday at the Trinity River Audubon Society. Also, how a Frisco native is helping take Abilene Christian University's soccer program to the next level. 

Miranda and Ron breakdown the day's top headlines. Also, Culturalyst is a new platform being launched by The Arts Community Alliance, or TACA, in partnership with the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture. The goal is to connect local artists and arts organizations with resources and their audience in one shared space. KERA News will also be integrating the platform as our new arts calendar. We speak with TACA's president and executive director Maura Sheffler and KERA's Vice President of Arts Anne Bothwell, for some insight on how this partnership will be utilized. And a note: TACA is a...

An influencer took to the web to criticize an upscale East Dallas restaurant, Oloyo, for its menu prices. The chef and restaurant owners clapped back online and the interaction went viral -- which has foodies questioning if they are getting their money's worth when food prices keep going up and up. We spoke with Desiree Gutierrez with the Dallas Observer about the controversy and her latest piece about it.

Opal Lee, known as the grandmother of Juneteenth, turns 100 years old today. KERA's Arts and Culture reporter Marcheta Fornoff sat down with us to talk about her legacy. Also, insurance costs are rising sharply for childcare centers. One reason has to do with laws meant to help survivors of childhood sexual abuse. KERA’s Sujata Dand explains. 

Our in-house nature correspondent tells us all about Tyler State Park. Plus, the first weekend of ACL 2026 is over, and it was a muddy one. KUT's Gabriel Valasquez Neira has the details. 

Ron and Miranda breakdown the day's top headlines. Plus, a Dallas County jury sentenced a man to life in prison this week for the rape and murder of a teenage girl 30 years ago. The death of 15-year-old Tamika Cromer was a cold case until a probation officer got a DNA sample from Steven Augusta Ridge. Ridge's conviction finally brings some answers to Cromer's family. KERA's Dallas County reporter Marina Trahan Martinez has been in the courtroom and joins us with the latest. 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and today we're learning about local non-profit Hope's Door New Beginning Center. CEO Megan Valdez joins us to explain how the organization brings hope and healing to survivors and their children. If you are experiencing domestic or family violence, you can call Hope's Door at 972-276-0057.

There are 13,000 license plate scanning Flock cameras in Texas. In North Richland Hills, a privacy advocate who asked for records related to the city’s use of Flock cameras received a bill for more than $2.3 million. Other Texas agencies are charging thousands of dollars for similar records, while some are refusing to release information they previously provided. Texas Tribune reporter Ayden Runnels has been tracking the growing battle over access to these records, and joins us with the latest. Also, Fort Worth has a new news outlet --  The Fort Worth Business Journal -- dedicated to the business and eco...

Sarah Blaskovich has been a prolific food reporter for some time, with her regular writings in The Dallas Morning News, as well as her podcast. She was recently named restaurant critic for the Morning News and joins us to talk about the restaurant landscape in North Texas and how she'll approach the job. Also, a look ahead at Think this week. 

There's a multitude of reasons to visit The State Fair of Texas, and near the top of that list is the food. And if you want to enjoy the food without the guilt, Denise Taylor says you can still stick to your diet while at the fair. She's a registered dietitian with Texas Health Arlington and joined KERA's Sam Baker with some tips. Plus, Ron and Miranda breakdown the day's top headlines. 

The Hall of State in Fair Park has an exhibit celebrating Texas Woman's University's 125th anniversary. It showcases everything from photographs to archival materials that have never been displayed before, including mementos from a historic visit by Amelia Earhart. TWU's archivist, Kimberly Johnson, walked us through the exhibit and shared some of the university's history.

Some notable races are playing out across North Texas this fall. KERA's Dylan Duke joins us to break them down. Plus, some of the country's biggest AI companies say they're losing control of their AI agents, with some breaking containment and hacking other organizations. A former Anthropic researcher has even called AI an existential threat to humanity. But are these concerns valid, totally overblown, or somewhere in the middle? We talk with the head of UT Dallas's Center for Machine Learning about whether AI can still be controlled.

Did you know the woman who invented Frito Pie was a Texas Women's University alum? We'll hear a little about her process of developing the Southern comfort food from TWU's archivist. Plus, Miranda and Ron share their favorite moments from the show this past week! 

NTX Now managing producer Bekah Morr joins Miranda and Ron to talk through some of the top stories from the past week. 

The Texas Legislature passed a law last year aimed at clarifying when doctors can legally perform abortions in medical emergencies, the one narrow exception to the state’s strict abortion ban. Physicians who advocated for the legislation are now working to ensure women and physicians know their rights. Also, the Stars season officially gets underway tonight in Dallas after a disappointing playoff run last year. Elite Prospect's national hockey writer Sean Shapiro has a preview of this season. 

Amber Guyger shot Botham Jean in his apartment when she mistook him as an intruder in hers. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison, 7 years ago today. Yesterday, she was paroled. Lee Merritt represents the Jean family and joined us this morning. Also, Fort Worth’s city landfill will soon become a source of renewable energy. City staff expect to have a renewable natural gas plant at the landfill in the southeast part of the city, turning the landfill’s gases into a valuable resource. 

Ron and Miranda breakdown today's top headlines. Also, in Texas, tens of thousands of voter registration applications have yet to be processed. They’re caught in a backlog after the Texas Department of Public Safety failed to send counties updated information on time. Among those whose registration was affected was Texas Standard reporter Sarah Asch. So she set out to fix that error and takes us along for the journey.

Two TCU professors have a new book about Etta Hulme, a trailblazing political cartoonist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. We talk with one of them about her legacy. Also, do you ever get so stressed or frustrated that you just want to scream? Well, now there’s a place for that in North Texas. It’s called the Yell Club. KERA’s Zara Amaechi checked out the group’s first meeting. 

Endometriosis is widely a mystery in the medical world. Doctors aren't always sure what causes this condition, or how the pain affects different patients. But a multimillion dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health is giving UT Dallas researchers the opportunity to understand those painful causes, and how to better treat them. Dr. Katelyn Sadler is an assistant professor of neuroscience in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and she joins us to explain how this research could help women across the globe. 

Nathaniel Ford is preparing to take over Dallas Area Rapid Transit or DART, as he faces new scrutiny tied to the transit agency he led for more than a decade in Florida. Florida’s attorney general has subpoenaed records from the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, as the agency confronts a nearly 39-million-dollar budget shortfall, layoffs and major service cuts. As KERA News reported previously his spending there, including tens of thousands of dollars in travel expenses, was well known by the DART board here. KERA’s Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela has been following the story and joins us. Also, while most poll...

Time for Three is a unique musical group -- three friends who got together in college and formed an unusual configuration consisting of two violins and a double bass. They've played clubs as much as concert halls, and this weekend at the Meyerson Symphony Center, Time for Three will play a work written especially for them along with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Kurt Rongey with KERA's sister station WRR 101 sat down with them. Also, Abilene's Lake Fort Phantom Hill is the latest of three-dozen Texas lakes that have been declared "infested" with Zebra mussels. As KACU's Caysson Higgins reports...

Ron and Miranda breakdown the day's top headlines. Also, the Trinity River can sometimes get a bad rep. That's largely because of industrial pollution and a label placed on the river in 1925. The Texas Department of Health dubbed it a "mythological river of death." But one author is trying to change people's perception of the Trinity. Scot McFarlane is the author of "The River That Made Texas: A Forgotten History of the Trinity." He joins us to talk through why the river is so vital to North Texas and beyond.

One in seven North Texans provides unpaid care for an older adult in their life, and the median cost for assisted care rose 44 percent in the last five years, making it unattainable for many middle-to-low-income families. Leea Thompson Fudge is a career nurse who has been an elder caregiver for other families, but even she found herself dealing with an emotional landscape that felt foreign when both of her parents needed care. She's now finding her way through it with the help of The Senior Source and their caregiver support group. Kimberly Knight, director of the caregiver support program...

KERA's James Hartley joins us to debrief a report provided to Arlington's city council about the impact of the World Cup on North Texas. Also, more changes are coming to downtown Dallas. The iconic Neiman Marcus flagship store officially closes its doors today after more than a century in business. And this comes after other big names announced they're leaving downtown, including AT&T, the Mavericks and the Stars. Nick Wooten covers real estate for The Dallas Morning News and tell us what might come next for the Neiman Marcus building.