The Source

New York Times bestselling author and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins "The Source." He brings a bold, clear-eyed look at how the autocracies of China and Russia are challenging the current global order, and how America's future depends on successfully confronting these threats.

After the Texas Legislature failed in the special session to pass a bill to restrict minors' access to THC products, Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order putting these limits in place. But what is Abbott calling for? And how soon will they go into effect? Is this going to be enough to keep THC out of the hands of teens in Texas?

We love our cars, but do we understand how much they are costing us? The lifetime cost of driving in the U.S. is estimated at almost $800,000—including maintenance, insurance, fuel, parking, and depreciation. And then there's the cost in lives. Cars have killed 60 to 80 million people since their invention—that's more than the deaths of WWI and WWII combined. Is there a better way?

How do we deal with deep loss and grief? For local author and poet Cyra Sweet Dumitru, it was journaling and writing poetry that helped find a way to recovery.The author joins us with the Children's Bereavement Center to discuss her time as a volunteer at the center and how that helped her heal from a very personal death loss in her life.

Hannah Arendt came of age in Germany as Hitler rose to power, before escaping to the United States as a Jewish refugee. Arendt's time as a political prisoner, refugee and survivor in Europe informed her groundbreaking insights into the human condition, the refugee crisis and totalitarianism. A PBS documentary” Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny” takes a closer look at one of the most fearless political writers of modern times who still inspires us today.

Texas lawmakers approved legislation, House Bill 7, allowing private citizens to sue manufacturers, distributors, and providers of abortion-inducing drugs, including mail-order pills, for at least $100,000 in damages. The bill aims to restrict access to medication abortion by creating a private right of action and has been described as a potential model for other states seeking to curb abortion access.

Ric Galvan, the youngest member of the San Antonio City Council representing District 6, is currently 25 years old. The unabashed progressive from the city's West Side has become a dependable ally for Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones as he questions the benefits of Project Marvel and prevent cuts to social services in a tightening city budget.

Texas is now making it easier for parents to exempt their children from school vaccination requirements. This comes just after the state saw the worst measles outbreak in a generation that took the lives of two children. Meanwhile Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is limiting eligibility for the covid vaccine—just as the virus is spreading once again.

It was a time when Americans were afraid to speak out. A swirling political and cultural hysteria was part of life. Anyone who questioned American policy was targeted and ruined. Books were taken from libraries. School teachers were being scrutinized. It was the Red Scare. In post-World War II America being called a communist was a serious charge. America was willing to abandon freedoms because of alleged conspiracies. Clay Risen joins us to discuss his new book "Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America."

In Houston, from 1970 to 1973, Dean Arnold Corll raped, tortured and murdered a minimum of twenty-eight teenage boys. He was known as the Candy Man. The full story has never been told until now. Investigative reporter Lise Olsen has uncovered new information about the killer and his victims. Her new book is The Scientist and the Serial Killer: The Search for Houston's Lost Boys.

We think of the surrender of Robert E. Lee as the end of the Civil War, but the end really wasn't clear at the time. The Galveston News reported Lee's surrender as a positive development for the Confederacy and encouraged Texans to fight on. How did Lincoln's peace take hold? How did a divided nation come together? Michael Vorenberg's new book is Lincoln's Peace: The Struggle to End the American Civil War.

The Amazon rainforest is known as the “lungs of planet Earth,” but what happens when deforestation in Brazil continues? One journalist tried to alert the world to this coming crisis. Dom Phillips was writing the book “How to Save The Amazon” when he was murdered. His colleagues refused to let Phillips' work die—and they completed his book.

After President Trump ordered Texas to immediately redistrict its congressional map to deliver five additional Republican congressional seats, California Democrats responded with their own redistricting scheme. How does gerrymandering work? Why is this allowed? What does this mean for a viable democracy?

Electricity costs have risen 5.5% in the past year, nearly double the national inflation rate. And they are projected to continue to climb. According to a new study, one driver of higher power bills is how the public is subsidizing the energy bills of some of the largest Tech companies in the world. Meanwhile cheap renewable energy (like solar and wind) is being outlawed by the Trump administration.

The race is on to get humans to Mars. But what will they find? Not little green men, despite that's what many believed about the red planet. In the early 1900s it was thought that Mars was inhabited and was home to a utopian society in the grip of a planet-wide drought. How did Mars mania grip the nation, influence pop culture and give us cause to stare into the night sky and wonder?

Last summer, 273 people were killed, and 596 were seriously injured in DUI-alcohol related crashes in Texas. And there were 327 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes over Labor Day weekend in Texas in 2024, causing 10 deaths and 36 serious injuries. Texas law enforcement agencies this week are launching “Drive Sober, No Regrets,” a campaign to keep drivers from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joins "The Source" to discuss whether the city should have its own referendum to commit public funds to Project Marvel, a proposed downtown development that would include a new home for the San Antonio Spurs.

As a new academic year begins for Texas schools, one major change is coming: House Bill 1481, which takes effect this fall. It aims to create phone-free classrooms across the state. The legislation is designed to protect students from digital distractions and online harm. Maurine Molak of David's Legacy Foundation has been a driving force behind the new law.

The Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas in San Antonio has a team in the area impacted by the flooding along the upper Guadalupe River. They have been serving dozens of families dealing with the devastating loss of kids following flooding disaster in Kerrville and surrounding areas.

California Democratic lawmakers are moving forward with a plan to redistrict the Golden State in a move to counter the Texas Republican redistricting effort.

Former County Judge and former San Antonio Mayor Nelson Wolff explains his support for Project Marvel. Wolff is encouraging the San Antonio City Council to move forward with an agreement with the Spurs organization.

The organ transplant is a modern medical miracle that saves lives, but it is losing critical public confidence. Now Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is calling for reforms.

On Thursday the San Antonio City Council will vote on competing paths on Project Marvel. Mayor Jones joined TPR's The Source to explain why she wants the council to wait before agreeing to a term sheet agreement with The Spurs organization.

Have you ever wondered about that weird expression that grandma used to say? Martha Barnette, co-host of the radio show and podcast A Way with Words, likely knows the history of that expression. Barnette has spent her life being a word detective, and in her new book, "Friends with Words: Adventures in Languageland," she shares that story. During her two decades on the show, Martha has seen that people of all stripes are curious about etymology, they revel in slang, are surprised by regional vocabulary, delighted by idioms, and eager to share that weird phrase Grandma always used to say.

It's a decision that can save your life. Colon cancer screening is crucial because it allows for early detection and removal of precancerous polyps, preventing or significantly improving outcomes for colorectal cancer, which is a leading cause of cancer deaths. When colorectal cancer is detected early, it's often highly treatable and curable.

The Wild West gunfighter is a stock figure in dime novels and cornball westerns—but what is the reality of the six-shooter packing outlaw?The new book by Bryan Burrough, The Gunfighters: How Texas Made the West Wild, separates myths from truths about the violence of the Wild West. Many of the bloody shootouts happened in the streets of San Antonio.

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is using the National Guard to remove all homeless people from the streets of Washington D.C. Trump has also signed an executive order targeting the unhoused across the nation. What is the impact of this policy? And how could we see this same sort of action unfold in San Antonio?

As Texas democratic state representatives continue their quorum breaking walk-out, pressure is mounting brought by Republican Governor Greg Abbott and Senator John Cornyn.

San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones joins TPR's The Source to discuss Project Marvel and the possibility of hitting pause on the negotiations for a new downtown home for the Spurs and the development of a sports and entertainment district.

Nearly two months after 13 people lost their lives in devastating flash floods near Loop 410 and Perrin Beitel, Bexar County is moving towards a new flood warning system. A joint effort with the county, the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio River Authority, NextGen will detect rising waters at low-water crossings across the area.

Polling shows that many of President Donald Trump's policies are not popular, and the Republican party would likely lose control of Congress after mid-terms. But according to The Brennan Center, Trump is taking steps to avoid that outcome — by undermining the midterm election in a number of ways.

Potentially life-saving public sector assistance for food, healthcare, and supporting a family is now more difficult for people in need to navigate. Trump's Big Beautiful Bill creates new obstacles and requirements for people to qualify for SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid. These include longer applications, increased eligibility/work requirements, in-person interviews, and shorter periods before they have to recertify to continue receiving benefits.

The proposed overhaul of Texas' congressional map is designed to give the GOP five new seats after next year's midterm election. But will that map actually give President Trump what he wants? The newly drafted boundary lines would give Republicans at least some new seats. But an analysis of the tentative redistricting plan suggests the plan could backfire.

The United States and Mexico are neighboring nations that for decades have shared an economy. But under President Donald Trump that relationship is getting shaken and stressed. What does the future hold for U.S. Mexico relations under Trump?

Parkinson's disease affects nearly a million Americans — and as our population ages, that number is growing. But there's hope. New research and cutting‑edge treatments, from deep brain stimulation to breakthrough medications, are changing lives.

A new documentary film titled “The Walkout,” created by the Know Your Neighbor initiative of the H. E. Butt Foundation, revisits the historic 1968 Edgewood High School student walkout. The film will premiere on August 2 at the Edgewood Performing Arts Center, the Edgewood Fine Arts Theatre.

There's opposition to plans for the proposed Guajolote Ranch housing development, north of Grey Forest, near Helotes. The proposal for a wastewater treatment plant concerns many that it could contaminate drinking water for the city of San Antonio.

When the flooding hit the upper Guadalupe River, FEMA arrived and is providing essential financial assistance and recovery support. However, the agency ‘s response is facing serious criticism for delays in rescue deployment, a dysfunctional call center, and the fact that only a fraction of the FEMA staff was deployed—compared with responses under previous administrations.  All this while the Trump administration is calling for the dismantling of FEMA. Has FEMA been watered down?

In "Gulf Coast Demise? Climate Change, Conservation, and Saving the American Sea," author John B. Anderson provides scientific documentation of the ongoing demise of the United States Gulf Coast and a call to action.

Right now 25% tariffs with Mexico are in effect. That goes up to 30% on Friday. And many people are "Tariff-ied" about what it could do to the San Antonio economy. Job losses, higher prices, and reduction in investment are scenarios that are in the cards. Mexico is looking to make a deal but there's no sign of reaching a compromise in the near term.

As the effects of climate change intensify, they cause an increase in the cost of everything from electric bills to insurance premiums to your groceries. And those costs under the Trump administration's climate policies are spiking. How can consumers advocate for environmental policies that result in lower costs even as the current administration works to dismantle U.S. climate policies?

Following the devastating flooding along the Upper Guadalupe basin, two journalists talk about coverage of natural disasters in their parts of the country—from major fires in California to landslides due to extreme weather in the North Carolina. We're joined by Erin Stone, Climate and Environment Reporter for California NPR and Flood and Disaster Reporter Laura Hackett from Blue Ridge Public Radio.

Food banks have already directly felt the impact of federal funding cuts, including the termination of pandemic-era programs that provided $1 billion annually to combat food insecurity. Anti-hunger advocates are particularly concerned about the cuts to SNAP, arguing that for every meal the San Antonio Food Bank distributes, SNAP provides nine. As a result, families will be forced to ration food or lose benefits entirely.

In the United States, Coca-Cola is typically sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. However, Coca-Cola is introducing a new line of its namesake cola in the U.S. that will be sweetened with cane sugar. This new line is not replacing the existing high fructose corn syrup version but rather offered as an additional option. What does science tell us about the health risks of high fructose corn syrup?

Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender who operated a vast network of sexual abuse and trafficking of underage girls. He died in jail under suspicious circumstances. Controversy surrounding former President Donald Trump includes his past friendship and social ties with Epstein. Now the Republican-controlled Congress is blocking the release of records in the Epstein investigation.

Texas is experiencing a home insurance crisis. This has led to skyrocketing insurance premiums, making homeownership increasingly unaffordable for many Texans. This is due to increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, rising costs of materials and labor, and the impact of inflation. Some insurers are leaving Texas leaving more homeowners exposed to risk.

A report from the Texas Reliability Entity shows that the ERCOT grid is increasingly reliable. And that's mostly because of solar and battery storage additions to the state's energy portfolio. That directly contradicts President Trump's Department of Energy. Also, at the summer heat comes back, ERCOT expects to approach record peak demand this week. And the state's booming solar and storage will keep the power on—just as GOP politics takes aim at renewables.

Via metropolitan transit is moving on the development of mass transportation. There are the Green and Silver advanced rapid transit lines. The Better Bus Plan looks to boost frequency on key routes. What is Transit Oriented Development (TOD)? What is the long-term vision for VIA?

The July 4th flash flood that hit Kerr County and community along the upper Guadalupe River is one of the worst natural disasters to hit modern Texas. The sudden downpour of so much rain prompts the question—Did Climate Change play a role? Author and climate scientist Kate Marvel takes a look.

The nature of war has changed. Ukraine has developed new technologies and strategies in fighting off the invasion of Russia using low cost drones. They are making tanks and heavy artillery almost obsolete, while being able to launch pin-point attacks deep inside of Russia. How capable are drones? Is the United States learning how to use and defend against these new tech weapons?