Nathan Bernier, KUT News

You Can Soon Legally Sell These Foods From Your Home

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:45:48 +0000

Time to crack open your recipe books, food entrepreneurs. A bill signed into law by Governor Perry overhauls regulation of so-called “cottage food businesses” to allow people to sell more products directly to consumers from their homes or at farmers markets or festivals. The law takes effect September 1.

There are a few qualifications to the law, along with a list of banned foods, so here's an easy to digest breakdown of House Bill 910.

Perry Vetoes More Than Two Dozen Bills

Nathan Bernier, KUT News and Trey Shaar, KUT News — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:36:17 +0000

With just two days before the Sunday deadline for Rick Perry to veto bills passed by the state legislature, the Texas Governor has blocked more than two dozen pieces of legislation that passed both chambers and made it to his desk.

Public Integrity Unit

A Preview of Top Chef Paul Qui's New Restaurant in East Austin

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 21:46:53 +0000

It’s been more than a year since Austinite Paul Qui cooked up a win on Bravo TV’s Top Chef. It was especially sweet because the season was shot in Texas, including here in Austin. Paul Qui took home $125,000, and he could have followed the path of some of his predecessors by opening a restaurant in New York City or something like that, but instead he doubled down on his East Side King food stands in Austin.

Hearing on Texas Abortion Bills Thursday

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:18:09 +0000

People on both sides of the abortion debate are gearing up for a crucial hearing Thursday at the Texas Capitol. The Senate Health and Human Services committee will hear testimony on four bills that would likely make it harder to get an abortion in Texas, after Governor Perry on Tuesday added the issue to the special legislative session.

PolitiFact: How Democratic is Austin's Redistricting Council?

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 10:32:00 +0000

For the first time, the City of Austin is adopting an electoral system that will assign council members to specific geographic regions of the city. The process of creating those boundaries is, of course, political, and a Republican consultant claimed the first eight people chosen to draw new council districts are overwhelmingly Democrats.

Derek Ryan Tweeted, "Seven are D primary voters, only one has voted in an R primary." Is that true? Gardner Selby with the Austin American-Statesman's fact-checking project, PolitiFact Texas, came by to tell us what they found out. You can listen to our conversation with the player above and read the fact-check online.

A Tipsy Texan Watches Austin's Bar Scene Come of Age

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:18:59 +0000

Expert bartender David Alan was born and raised in Austin and remembers the years when bar patrons were perfectly comfortable with their margaritas and Lone Stars. Alan watched the city's drinking scene flourish over the past few years as craft cocktail bars opened and new distilleries took root.

Now, he's got a book to document the best of the best. Tipsy Texan: Spirits and Cocktails from the Lone Star State hit bookshelves Tuesday, and Alan came to KUT to talk about spirits of the Capitol City.

Will Gov. Perry Veto House Bill 5?

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:33:21 +0000

The future of high school graduation standards in Texas remains up in the air as Governor Perry considers whether to sign or veto House Bill 5. The legislation reduces the emphasis on standardized testing by lowering the number of end-of-course exams needed to graduate from 15 to 5. It also provides an alternative pathway to graduation that focuses on vocational education instead of college readiness.

Television Festival Aims to Unite Stars and Fans

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:50:02 +0000

It's year two of the ATX Television Festival, which is happening in Austin this weekend with panel discussions, premiere screenings and even some free public events. We spoke with one of the co-founders, who told us she started the festival because there was no venue to unite TV fans with the actors and producers behind their favorite programs.

Which Texas Counties Disproportionately Arrest Blacks for Pot Possession?

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:53:01 +0000

Fifteen law enforcement agencies across East Texas are facing criticism for arresting African-Americans on marijuana possession charges at rates much higher than whites.

The American Civil Liberties Union says Van Zandt County in particular is among the worst offenders in the nation. The ACLU of Texas says blacks make up less than three percent of the population in Van Zandt County, but they account for three-quarters of all marijuana possession busts.

After SoCo Food Park Closes, No Shortage of Alternatives

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:06:59 +0000

The food trailer park on South Congress just closed down, and a lot of people were upset about it. But there is still a big food-truck scene here in Austin with a wide range of cuisines; you just have to know where to look.

Aquarium Coming to Austin in November

Emery Reifsnyder, Nathan Bernier, KUT News and Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 21:56:09 +0000

A 22,000-square-foot aquarium will come to North Austin near U.S. 183 and Anderson Mill Road, in what was once a Lack's Furniture store. It is expected to open later this year, in November.

TEA Commissioner: Eastside Memorial Can Remain Open

Nathan Bernier, KUT News and Kate McGee, KUT News — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 00:47:09 +0000

The state's top education official has approved a plan by Austin Independent School District that will allow Eastside Memorial High School to remain open. The campus had faced closure after years of failing to meet the state's academic benchmarks and after the Austin school board voted to discontinue a contract it had with the South Texas-based charter school operator IDEA that aimed to reverse sagging outcomes.

Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams made the announcement Wednesday evening at a commencement ceremony for the 129 graduating seniors at Eastside Memorial.

Dell Says No to Icahn's Buyout Bid

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:54:32 +0000

One of the largest employers in Central Texas is rejecting a buyout offer from billionaire Carl Icahn.

A special committee of Dell’s board says it would rather investors accept a $24 billion buyout offer from company founder Michael Dell and private equity firm Silver Lake Partners. That plan would take the company private.

Icahn’s plan would have kept Dell as a publicly traded company.

PolitiFact: How Many Schools Offer $10,000 Degrees?

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 10:45:00 +0000

Since 2011, Governor Rick Perry challenged lawmakers to provide “a bold, Texas-style solution” to the challenge of affordable higher education: a $10,000 degree for Texas students.

In a recent press release challenging Texas schools to initiate the low-cost degree, Perry said that 13 schools in Texas already offer or are planning to offer such a degree.

We talked to Gardner Selby of the Austin American-Statesman’s PolitiFact Texas to check the accuracy of the claim. Listen to our conversation using the player above and read the fact check online.

APD: Guns Used in a Quarter of Violent Crimes

Nathan Bernier, KUT News — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:48:50 +0000

Guns were used in nearly a quarter of violent crimes and disorderly conduct cases in Austin from 2010 to 2012, according to an analysis by Austin police.

Crimes most likely to involve the use of a gun were murders and robberies. About 40 percent of murders and 38 percent of robberies involved firearms. More than 17 percent of aggravated assault cases involved the use of guns. Firearms were used in almost three percent of the 675 rape cases reported from 2010 to 2012.