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Howdy! This is the West Texas Dispatch, the Big Country's radio show!

Karen Lindsey tells her story of overcoming sexual abuse and the power of forgiveness.

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It’s time for West Texas Roots, where we uncover the stories etched into the land, language, and lives of the people who’ve called this region home for generations.We join educator and cultural interpreter Jeremy Elliott at a sacred rock art site in the Concho Valley. As he walks us through one panel in particular—marked with symbols and solar alignments—he uncovers more than just ancient art. He explores the ways Plains people recorded language, marked time, and passed down their understanding of life, death, and ceremony.

This week, voters will decide who will serve in Abilene’s Place Five City Council seat. Kyle McAlister faced two challengers in the May election, and no one got enough votes to win outright. Now, McAlister and challenger Miguel Espinoza are in a runoff. We’ll hear from both of them.The 86th Legislative session passed more than a thousand pieces of legislation under the leadership of a West Texan. We’ll check in on some of the bills that will impact life, learning, and property for our part of the Lone Star State.West Texas Roots checks in from Paint Rock.AND, one of the biggest events of the year for Abilene is just around the corner. The Children’s Art and Literacy Festival brings Illustrator Matt Phelan to town next week. We’ll take a look at what’s new for this year’s CALF.

In the heart of West Texas, the Hall and Leppard families helped shape a legacy that started with two young men chasing opportunity in the oil fields. What began as a journey from Mississippi to Midland and Odessa would eventually lead to the founding of a Chevrolet dealership that’s still known across the region today. In this story, a relative recounts how hard work, family ties, and a kitchen table decision built what would become Lawrence Hall Chevrolet in Anson.

State lawmakers have advanced legislation that would force school districts to develop a cell phone ban for their students. We’ll get an update on how a local school district’s ban worked out this year, with the perspective of some students, a teacher, and the principal who made it happen.We’ll bring you the local reaction to the new American-born Pope.The U.S. has taken steps to protect the American cattle population from pests, which AG officials describe as a scourge. They’ve banned imports of live cattle, horses, and bison.West Texas Roots brings us the backstory of one of the biggest local car dealerships.And this week is the state championship for high school theater One Act Play. We’ll hear from a Big Country school that competed in Austin earlier this week.

Today we’re going to bring you a conversation with the executive director of the Betty Hardwick Center—a key source of mental health services for Abilene. Federal funding cuts will end services for a significant portion of their clientele.The International Rescue Committee has also been devastated by the loss of its funding. We’ll hear how the agency is working to keep providing some level of support to the refugees who have settled in Abilene.Dust storms may be costlier than you think. A recent study looks at the financial and health impacts of the increasingly common weather event.A West Texas Farmer shares his story of coaxing crops from local soil–and planting seeds of education in local minds.AND we have a suggested barbecue stop for your next road trip through the Panhandle.

Today we hear from a lifelong educator and farmer whose career spans classrooms, cutting-edge video conferencing that predates FaceTime, and decades of West Texas agriculture. From managing high school hallways to coaxing spinach out of dry soil, he’s seen—and sown—a lot of change. Now retired, he reflects on a lifetime of growing things, both in minds and in the ground.

The local real estate market is facing some major changes as federal cuts would eliminate 44% of the budget for housing vouchers. That would impact thousands of local households.The US Budget passed by the House makes some huge changes to Medicaid, slashing funding by hundreds of billions over the next decade and requiring recipients to work in order to keep their coverage. We’ll hear from a Brownwood doctor who shares his perspective on how this will impact rural West Texas.Abilene has suspended the practice of adding fluoride to the public water supply, and the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy is urging the CDC to stop recommending that it be added to municipal water. A local dentist explains why he thinks fluoride is key to protecting public health.On West Texas Roots, a West Texan recounts his father’s World War Two service, life along San Angelo’s Sherwood Way, and family memories that span from West Texas to Alaska.And the second season for the Flying Bison baseball team is underway.