Here’s what’s coming up on Friday Forum for the week of August 21, 2026. Check below for updated story links and audio.
McKown set to retire after 17 years as McLennan Community College president
McLennan Community College will soon be looking for it’s a new president, just the fourth in the college’s 60 years, after President Johnette McKown announced she would retire in May.
Special election set to replace Texas Sen. Brian Birdwell, who resigned for Pentagon post.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has just set a date for a special election to fill Senator Brian Birdwell’s seat in the state Senate.
The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey reports that voters in Senate District 22 will be casting two votes for the seat in November 3rd’s election.
Birdwell represented District 22, which includes Waco, since 2010.
TEA accountability ratings came out last week. How did Waco-area schools do?
The Texas Education Agency rates schools on an A-F scale meant to show how well a campus is doing at fostering academic success.
Raquel Villatoro covers education for the Waco Bridge, including the annual accountability ratings. She joined Friday Forum to discuss those results.
Austin-area residents are pushing for data center bans. State leaders are divided on what to do next.
We continue this week with the fourth installment of KUT’s series, The Data Center Next Door.
Hundreds of new data centers are being planned across Texas and many of them are slated to be used for AI.
Communities across the state, made up of people of all political persuasions, have tried to stop these facilities from being built near them. But in many cases, local officials have very little power to do anything about it.
This week, KUT's Kailey Hunt, Katy McAfee and Leigh Walden take a look at the laws and regulations that have helped make Texas a focal point for data center development.
Families ask U.S. Supreme Court to rule on Texas’ Ten Commandments requirement for public schools.
Texas families are challenging the state’s new law calling for the 10 commandments to be posted in every public schoolroom.
KERA's Bill Zeeble reports families want to take it to the nation’s High Court.
