Blog

By Lily Kepner and Tony Plohetski Austin American-Statesman Originally published June 17, 2026 The University of Texas’ firing of a respected journalist and general manager of public radio station KUT reverberated from Austin to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, raising questions about the station’s increasingly fraught relationship with UT. University officials terminated Debbie Hiott on Monday (June 16) over her planning of the station’s inaugural community festival. Days before the festival was set to take place, UT leaders ordered KUT to scale back its plans over security concerns, prompting the station to move some events off campus. Some worried that the university was [...]

By Mose Buchele and Nathan Bernier KUT Originally published June 26, 2026 Austin Energy says Austin City Council members have taken secret votes for years on matters involving the publicly owned utility, and that those votes don’t appear in any public record. The disclosure only came after KUT News reviewed more than 1,000 City Council meetings and challenged the utility’s claim that such votes “ARE indicated in council minutes.” Last month, the council took what appears to be its first documented secret vote on Austin Energy, approving the purchase of gas-powered electric generators estimated to cost more than $1 billion. The [...]