The Source

San Antonio and Austin are bookends to one of the fastest-growing regions in the nation. Growth and development are happening now. But are plans keeping pace? The Central Texas Alliance is a coalition of civic, business, academic and community leaders working to maximize opportunities and support the Austin-San Antonio corridor.

The war with Iran is in its sixth month. Service members are experiencing extended deployments and limited support. But how are their families dealing with the strain and the stress of the war. Who is supporting the military family during deployment, the bills get higher and the spouse is running the household alone?

The price Americans pay at the pharmacy can bear little resemblance to what a drugmaker ultimately receives. Between those amounts lies a complicated system of rebates, fees and insurance rules that can leave sick patients paying disproportionately high costs.

San Antonio researchers are investigating whether a drug better known as ecstasy can help people recover from post-traumatic stress disorder when combined with established psychotherapy.

How has the United States harnessed the power of Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and Big Oil against America's enemies and allies?The US government is escalating economic wars against Russia, China, and Iran. But also Canada and Mexico — using tariffs and trade. But could these efforts backfire?

When President Trump launched the war with Iran he said it would be over in four to five weeks. But it's been dragging on for six months. Trump ran for president with the promise of no more “forever wars,” but has the war with Iran become a quagmire that has no end in sight. What are the consequences of being locked in a war with no clear rational for fighting and no exit.

Persistently high grocery prices are forcing more San Antonio-area families to choose between food and other necessities, contributing to a sharp increase in food insecurity across South Texas.

A massive outbreak of foodborne illness linked to imported lettuce is intensifying questions about whether federal staffing cuts and weakened surveillance have left the United States less prepared to detect and contain contaminated food.

President Trump signed an executive order earlier this month to limit the vaccine schedule to 11 immunizations. Trump directed officials to review the timing and sequencing of vaccinations. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), heavily criticized the decision, warning that it lacks scientific backing, creates unnecessary hurdles for parents, and leaves children vulnerable to preventable diseases.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is criticizing President Donald Trump's plan to increase beef imports, warning that the effort to reduce grocery prices could come at the expense of Texas cattle producers.

Last week San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones lost the city council vote 5-6 to hold a city vote on funding the proposed downtown Spur arena. Jones joins "The Source" to discuss moving forward as the city is dealing with a budget shortfall.

The bulldozers have stopped in Big Bend for now. But for how long? And what does this mean for other culturally sensitive areas on the border slated for border wall construction? The Trump administration says the wall is needed to prevent illegal immigration, but critics say this pristine land is not a crossing point. The latest on the legal fight to save Big Bend.

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the United States continues to grapple with the wars, fear and political upheaval that followed. In "Toward the Turning," psychotherapist Scott Gibbs examines 9/11 as part of a destructive cycle of grievance, violence and retaliation between Islamist movements and Western powers. He argues that humanity must learn to coexist across profound cultural differences to escape this cycle of conflict.

Polling shows President Donald Trump is unpopular with independent voters — and the midterm elections could be a blue wave. But could Trump try to interfere with the election? He's used executive orders to attack voter eligibility, mail voting, voter databases and redistricting. How vulnerable are the midterms? How can we protect democracy?

Governor Greg Abbott is calling for the San Antonio electricity market to be opened up to private for-profit power companies. CPS Energy is the largest municipally owned electricity provider in the nation, and each year contributes about half a billion dollars to the city's general fund. CPS Energy joins us to explain what Abbott's proposal could mean for your power bill and for funding city programs.

San Antonio Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito is calling for renewed scrutiny of cybersecurity protections at the city's municipally owned water and electric utilities following attacks on water systems in Minnesota.

Texas history is more than just history. It's filled with myth— and amnesia—that provides a permission structure which fuels conservative politics. It also has a powerful influence on the nation as a whole. In his book Texas: An American History, Benjamin Heber Johnson shines new light on Texas history—while seeking to balance the dark chapters of Texas history and not letting them overshadow the achievements of the lone star state.

Over just the last 50 years, humanity as taken more out of the earth than in all the rest of human history combined. The wounds left behind by this extraction — mines, oil wells, quarries, poisoned rivers, hollowed-out industrial towns — now form the true map of our civilization and our age. What can we learn by confronting these ruins?

As record high temperatures continue to rise around the globe this summer, many communities are faced with a common challenge: how to stay safe from extreme heat.In the U.S., extreme heat has claimed more than 21,000 lives since 1999. UT San Antonio researchers are working to better understand extreme heat's impact and to develop strategies to protect the most vulnerable residents.

San Antonio District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte is rejecting Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones' call for a citywide vote on San Antonio's proposed $489 million contribution toward a new downtown Spurs arena.

Initially President Trump said the war with Iran would last four to five weeks. Now over five months later there is no end in sight. The war is acting like a tax on the U.S. economy: energy costs are rising, inflation has accelerated, and the federal government is spending tens of billions of dollars on military operations.

Should San Antonio have another vote on city funds for Project Marvel? San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones says a second vote is needed. She joins The Source to explain why. Also what's her response to Governor Greg Abbott wanting to open the San Antonio electricity market to private companies? And should San Antonio have a moratorium on data centers?

Three San Antonio City Council members are calling for a temporary moratorium on applications for new data centers, citing concerns about the rapidly growing industry's demands on water, electricity and impact on air quality in surrounding neighborhoods.

President Donald Trump has spent decades cultivating an image as a master dealmaker. A new book examines the techniques behind that reputation and what others can learn from both his successes and shortcomings.

We might live in a crowded city, but we also share the urban space with lot of animals.Raccoons, skunks, possums and even coyotes roam our streets. And we are part of their ecosystem. These creatures are ambassadors from nature — and reminders that this land isn't ours. How animals are adapting to cities and reshaping the natural World.

Federal cuts are threatening HIV testing, prevention and treatment programs across the country — and San Antonio organizations are being impacted. What could the loss of funding mean for free testing, access to PrEP and the outreach work of local nonprofits like BEAT AIDS? We examine whether decades of progress against HIV are now at risk.

A rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 1,400 people, as armed conflict and reduced international assistance complicate efforts to contain the virus.

Texas retailers stopped selling many popular hemp-derived THC products on Friday. But vendors can still put Delta-9 products on their shelves for now. What's next for the Texas hemp industry?

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has directed state senators to explore expanding religious expression in Texas public life, continuing a broader push by Republican leaders to increase religion's presence in schools and government.

What's known as "dark money" in U.S. elections reached a record-shattering $1.9 billion in recent federal election cycles, nearly doubling the previous record. This surge traces back to the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision. Now dark money has grown into a mysterious massive force, as billionaires and organizations exploit loopholes in campaign finance disclosure laws.

Flock cameras and license plate readers are rapidly expanding across Bexar County. They are deployed by local police departments, private businesses, and HOAs. Law enforcement officials say they help keep communities safer but there are concerns regarding mass surveillance, civil liberties, and data sharing.

Two data centers on San Antonio's West Side will be powered with on-site natural gas-fired and diesel generators. Nonprofit groups are saying these data centers are trying to avoid clean air regulations and laws — and will have a negative impact on San Antonio's air. The groups say they are preparing to sue over the projects.

World War II concluded with Japan's unconditional surrender after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What led to President Truman's order to deploy this new weapon? Was the first and only wartime use of nuclear bombs justified?

The Democratic Socialists of America are winning elections across the nation, including in San Antonio. There are three San Antonio City Council members who belong to the progressive party. The Republican Party is calling the DSA "communists." DSA supports universal health care, benefits for workers, opposition to billionaires and stopping data centers.

With a Super El Niño brewing in the atmosphere, there's concern about what the weather pattern means for the U.S. and the Southwest. Texas is already experiencing another summer of weather extremes: destructive rainfall and flooding followed by dangerous heat, with Tropical Storm Bertha now moving across the northern Gulf of Mexico.

Rising summer temperatures mean more Texans are spending time outdoors and are more likely to encounter venomous snakes in parks, wooded areas, along waterways and even in backyards.

In June the Republican-controlled State Board of Education approved new statewide reading requirements. Students in every grade are required to read Bible passages. Supporters say students need biblical literacy to understand Western literature. However, opponents say the selections disproportionately favor Christianity, particularly Protestant interpretations.

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is confronting major questions about the city's finances, growth and relationship with the federal government. Jones joins “The Source” Monday to discuss a projected $158 million city budget shortfall and the difficult choices it could force over services and spending.

Texas is confronting a widening gap between its long-term water supply and the needs of its growing population and economy. The state is projected to be in a water crisis in coming decades unless new conservation measures are installed and new water sources are created,

Texas is again facing severe flooding after heavy rainfall in the Hill Country and the region west of San Antonio. Evacuations are underway along with high water rescues and road closures.

Lone Star Beer has marketed itself as a Texas tradition dating to 1884, but a new book argues the familiar brand grew from two distinct San Antonio breweries operating in different eras.

Why are Texas school children as young as 10 years old ending up in trouble with the law? Data shows how districts across the state are arresting and citing children for common misbehavior. The children are left with lasting trauma as the Legislature rejects bills to raise the age of criminal responsibility and floods schools with even more police.

The New World screwworm is back in Texas. The lone star tick is on a tea. And the air is thick with blood-sucking mosquitoes. These are all parasites, and they are aggressively on the hunt for their next victim. We share the planet with these creatures, and we need to understand them to protect ourselves. Are they the villains of the animal kingdom or are they misunderstood?

The jailhouse informant can have quite an influence on the outcome of a trail. Frequently prosecutors rely on the accounts of prisoners who happen to hear incriminating claims of a defendant on trial. However, sometimes their testimony helps convict an innocent man in an effort to get a sweetheart deal. Investigative reporter Pamela Colloff tells the story of a classic jailhouse snitch and the lives he destroyed in her new book "Catch the Devil."

New generations of Americans are taking to the street in protest, demanding change and accountability. And they are discovering what protestors of the 1960s and '70s found out— protesting is hard, frustrating and requires sacrifice. But protest songs can help. Songs demanding freedom and justice go back generations and are also being composed today. We hear from Stephen Stacks about his new book The Resounding Revolution: Freedom Song After 1968.

From jazz to present-day pop, drum kits make up one of the most transformative musical inventions. In his book "Kick It," musician, professor and author Matt Brennan dives into the history of drums and drummers, and their impact on both creative culture and society as a whole.

Michael Jackson thrilled, Madonna wowed, Prince had doves cry and Lionel Richie couldn't slow down: it was 1984. This was a year the changed the music industry and American culture. And it was the last great year for American pop music.

'ET,' 'Star Trek,' 'Wrath of Khan,' 'Blade Runner,' 'Poltergeist,' 'The Thing' — these are just some of the now classic science fiction films that came out in the summer of 1982. What was it about that moment in Hollywood that made it open to fresh ideas and high concept films and what would it take to do it again?

When the July 4 flood tore through the upper Guadalupe River, ripping apart neighborhoods and destroying homes, the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country stepped up by helping families find shelter and new homes. How will Kerrville celebrate the Fourth of July on what will be the nation's 250th birthday — while also commemorating the lives lost one year earlier?

On July 4, it will be one year since the flash flood disaster that took the lives of 119 people along the upper Guadalupe River in one of the worst calamities in Texas history. How is the region recovering? What lessons have been learned? And what's being done to prevent this from happening again?

Can the new faultline in American political tribalism be broken down along the masculine question? Republican attacks against Texas Democratic candidate for Senate James Talarcio falsely claim he's vegan as a challenge to his masculinity. While others in the GOP say they want to repeal women's right to vote. What is the overarching strategy here?