Austin Energy is having some problems with its billing system. In 2009, the city-owned utility signed a contract with IBM to establish and maintain the system. It was supposed to go live in April 2011, but that didn’t go as planned. Now, Austin Energy is telling people to scrutinize their bills for errors that may have resulted in overbilling. Vicky Garza with the Austin Business Journal spoke with KUT’s Andy Uhler about the kinks that are bogging down business.

Kids Dive Into Writing Books at Camp

In this tight job market, where many adults are trying to rebrand their careers or discover the entrepreneurial side and start a business, a kid’s camp in Austin is helping children focus their muse — and maybe a career. KUT’s Erika Aguilar has the story.

Campaign Confusion over Primary Date

Texas state Senate maps were finalized this week after a protracted court battle on the state’s redistricting process. But House and Congressional district maps are still up in the air. KUT’s Andy Uhler reports on how district line confusion is affecting planning for campaigns.

UT Study Finds Fracking Doesn’t Directly Contaminate Groundwater

A new study by the University of Texas at Austin released this week reports there’s no direct link between groundwater contamination and hydraulic fracturing – a controversial method of extracting natural gas and oil from shale formations.

The research was done by UT’s Energy Institute. The report’s authors say contamination is often the result of above ground spills or mishandling of waste water, but not caused directly by fracking.

Another day of arguments in the Texas Redistricting Trial and a new primary date has still not been set. From Texas Public Radio, Joey Palacios reports that a day in May is currently being considered.

STAAR Test Raises the Stakes Too Fast, Lawmakers Say

Texas public school students have to take a new state test this year. But one major question is still up in the air: will it count towards their final grades? As KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports, pressure is growing on the Texas Education Commissioner to cut students a break.

Kicking the Habits

A group that serves people who want to kick their drug habits may end up helping them quit another one: smoking and tobacco use. As KUT’s Erika Aguilar reports one of Austin’s largest drug addiction treatment centers is going tobacco free.

The state’s transportation department is envisioning a future when business people, students and day-trippers will ditch the highway and hop a rail car from Austin to Houston. It’s a project being studied right now. But as KUT’s Erika Aguilar reports it’s got something in common with several other Central Texas rail projects.

Fact-Checking Gingrich on Texas School Prayer Case

A Texas judge figured into a recent Newt Gingrich victory speech. KUT’s Nathan Bernier spoke with Gardner Selby of the Austin American-Statesman’s PolitiFact Texas about Gingrich’s assertion that the federal government’s legislative and executive branches should remove judges who are believed to be abusing their power and acting out of sync with our culture.

New Austin City Website Still Ironing Out Kinks

It’s been a little over a month since the City of Austin launched its new website.  KUT’s Andy Uhler reports, the transition has not been without its snags.

The controversial Keystone XL pipeline would take oil extracted from sand pits in Canada to refineries in Texas. The pipeline was put on hold last month by the Obama administration amid environmental concerns. On Monday, a coalition of groups held protests across the state to voice their opposition for a different reason. They’re upset about what they say are more than 80 eminent domain cases filed in Texas by the company building the pipeline. For StateImpact Texas, Terrence Henry reports.

Affordable Care Act’s Impact on People with HIV and AIDS

One of the uncertainties about the health care overhaul passed in 2010 is how it will affect Texans living with HIV and AIDS. A provision of the Affordable Care Act will shift more low-income patients to Medicaid in a couple of years. But as David Pitman reports from Houston, there are questions about how those patients might fare once they are on Medicaid.

Texas Redistricting Case Update

KUT’s Matt Largey talks with Emily Ramsey of The Texas Tribune about the latest in the Texas Redistricting case.

Texas is the undisputed king of beef. There are almost twice as many cows in this state as the second largest beef producer: Nebraska. But 2011 — the driest year in Texas history — delivered a huge blow to cattle ranchers. Now, as KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports, there may be hope for the multi-billion dollar industry.

High Court May Revisit Pipeline vs. Landowners Ruling

In the next few weeks, the Texas Supreme Court is expected to decide whether it might have made a mistake. The court is considering whether to re-hear a case it decided last year on the rights of landowners in Texas – and whether pipeline companies can take their land by force. Dave Fehling reports for State Impact Texas.

Austin City Council Members are now considering the next step in approving or changing a proposed electricity rate increase. A public hearing yesterday went into the early morning hours as people told Council how they felt about the rate proposal. KUT’s Erika Aguilar reports.

Stem Cell Therapy Guidelines

KUT’s Ben Philpott talks with Emily Ramshaw of The Texas Tribune about The Texas Medical Board’s review of guidelines for stem cell therapy.

IDEA and AISD Teachers

A charter school operator from South Texas is moving into East Austin’s Allan Elementary School next school year. It’s the first step in a multi-year strategy that Austin ISD hopes will reverse years of academic setbacks. KUT’s Nathan Bernier reports on what that means for teachers at the campus.

This summer’s record-setting heat pushed the Texas power grid to the brink. Many of us sat comfortably in our air conditioning without realizing we were on the cusp of rolling blackouts.  Later today, a State House Committee will look into what’s being done to prevent that from happening again.

Weekend Rail Service

Weekend rail service on the Red Line could be coming to Austin. The City Council will vote today on whether to fund it year-round. That would cost almost $4.5 million for two years, but Capital Metro doesn’t have enough money to pay for it. Instead, the funding would come from money Capital Metro already owes the city.

The City of Austin will hold a second public hearing tomorrow on a proposed electricity rate increase. But Austin Energy’s proposal has changed in the last few weeks. KUT’s Erika Aguilar brings us up to speed.

Politifact Texas on Perry’s Claim about the Cost of Piracy

KUT’s Nathan Bernier checks in with Gardner Selby from the Austin-American Statesman’s Politifact Texas about Texas Representative Lamar Smith’s claim that illegal counterfeit and piracy cost the U.S. $100 billion and thousands of jobs per year. Smith was one of the authors of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

City Forums on Austin Public Health

The City of Austin wants your input on a plan to improve the overall health of the community. Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services is holding a series of forums to develop goals for improving public health. Filip Gecic with the city’s health department talks with KUT’s Matt Largey about the process of creating the comprehensive health plan that will set goals for specific health services to the community.

It’s been about two and a half weeks since Governor Rick Perry dropped his bid for the GOP Presidential nomination.  Last night, he made his first public appearance since the end of his campaign to a packed house at an annual Williamson County GOP event. KUT’s Ben Philpott reports on what Perry had to say after his first ever political defeat.

Drilling Deaths

We all know about the boom in oil and gas drilling. It’s bringing jobs and money into many parts of Texas, but it’s coming at a price.  For State Impact Texas, Dave Fehling reports how a disturbing number of the people who do the dirty work in the drilling business are getting injured….or worse.

Front Steps New Leader

The organization that runs the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH)  just emerged from a tumultuous year. Front Steps saw its executive director get hired and then fired a few months later. Now that a new leader is at the helm, Gretch Sanders reports on the path he intends to chart in the year ahead.