Search results for

We stopped by the old railroad depot in downtown Abilene where Waylan Bolin shared the history of one of Abilene's sweetest spots, Candies by Vletas.

He’s the mayor of Abilene. A few years ago, it was a slow growing somewhat sleepy town. But with the biggest construction project in the US taking place within those city limits…it’s sleepy no more. We’ll sit down with Mayor Weldon Hurt.West Texas will serve as a testing ground for the upcoming census. We’ll hear about efforts to prepare for the 2030 count.A nonprofit organization is encouraging Texas Tech’s leaders to protect freedom of speech for its faculty. We’ll tell you more about their request aimed at ensuring academic freedom on Texas Tech’s campuses.West Texas Roots brings us the history of Abilene’s oldest restaurant.And we’ll tell you all about an experiment coming to Abilene that aims to connect folks from one of the nation’s most conservative cities–with people from one of the most liberal cities on the West Coast. The Party Line goes live soon in downtown Abilene!

This week we took a trip to Abilene’s oldest restaurant, The Dixie Pig Diner, which was established in 1931. Stay tuned to hear how this Abilene staple came to be, and how they’ve stayed true to the classic dining experience.

America’s strikes on Venezuela have captured a lot of attention this week. Texas congressional delegation has had a mix of reactions to the complicated political and diplomatic situation. We’ll take a closer look at historical context, as well as the reaction from West Texas, and what it might mean for the state’s oil industry.There’s a whole lot of symptoms this time of year. From the flu to seasonal allergies lots of folks are feeling a little under the weather. We’ll check in on how it’s hitting West Texas.The state is working to add to public lands in the Big Bend region. The new area won’t be open for years… but state officials are working to get the public earlier access to it.We have the next installment of the Bloodwork series - with a look at the personal experience of being a plasma-donor.The Abilene Philharmonic is preparing to perform its first concert of 2026. The audience will enjoy a piano concerto and the work of Tchaikovsky. David Itkin shares his thoughts on the concert, which is coming up next week.

This week on West Texas Roots, we met Sarah Kader, one of the owners of Free Play Arcade in downtown Abilene, to hear how a seventh-generation Texan came to find the Abilene community home. From enlisting in the US Air Force to bringing ageless retro fun to the downtown scene, stay tuned to hear her story. This was recorded in historic downtown Abilene.'

One of our favorite segments for West Texas Roots is a surprising love story…and was picked up by our friends at the Texas Standard. Take another listen to the re-mixed version of Randy Billing’s story.

On this week’s installment of West Texas Roots, we talked to Karen Martin, a longtime horse trainer who was paralyzed in an accident, and continues to ride while pursuing a career as a licensed professional counselor. To hear her powerful story, stay tuned.

Hunting Season is underway. And officials are asking hunters to help watch for the spread of the New World Screwworm.We’ll hear about efforts in West Texas to preserve indigenous history –which has traditionally passed down through families–and a new effort in the South Plains to gather Native tribes for an event that highlights their traditions and art.We’ll bring you some advice for approaching the holiday season with grieving loved ones.…and the maestro has become the man of letters. Longtime Abilene Philharmonic conductor David Itkin has a new book detailing a life of art and travel…with a little drama sprinkled in.

This week we talked to the folks at the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature about Thanksgiving in Abilene, Texas, the Storybook Capital of America.

It’s almost time to cast your ballot in the Republican and Democratic primaries. Early voting polls will be up and running across Texas next Tuesday.Some recent polling shows Ken Paxton pulling ahead of incumbent Senator John Cornyn… but Cornyn has the advantage in fundraising. We’ll take a look at the race for the nomination.West Texas has been a solid-red voting region for decades. The region’s Democrats are looking to draw lessons from the recent upset in the state senate special election.Officials are considering new proposals to build housing in Abilene. But some community members think there just isn’t enough being done about the growing affordable housing crisis in the city…And the Food Bank of West Central Texas provides millions of pounds of food assistance to more than a dozen communities in the Big Country. They’re working on making their support even more accessible. We’ll check in on mobile food pantries and other efforts.