Greetings to you – or to your “out of office” reply, at least! If you’re traveling for the holiday, AAA Texas says you’ll hardly be alone. Some 3.8 million Texans are expected to hit the roads this year. But whether you’re in the car, on a plane or doing your regular thing, Texas Standard will still be here for you. Never fear, we’ll still be putting away all the turkey and trimmings that we can. But we’ve also put together a special show on Thursday focused on mental health. You can read more about that below from the Standard’s newest hire, Caroline Covington. Then for Black Friday, we’ll get you started on your holiday shopping with a review of some of our favorite book segments from 2019. (Here are a few to get you started.) As always, below, you’ll see some of our top picks from the past week. Until next Wednesday, we’ll see you on the radio. Happy Thanksgiving!

- Laura Rice
@LauraRiceKUT

As Readership Falls And Mergers Rise, Local News Struggles To Find A Winning Formula

Investor-driven companies that own newspapers haven’t reinvested in journalism – exacerbating a decline in revenue already underway.

Some Texas Farmers Are Going All In On Hemp. But Could It Be The Next Emu?

Remember the buzz about ranching the flightless bird? You don’t? Well that’s because it fizzled – and some analysts fear the hype over hemp is similar.

Worried About Political Discussion At Thanksgiving? Here’s How To Prepare.

The first thing to do before gathering with family is to check in with yourself. "How are you doing in coping with everything – are you at a good place going into your family and knowing your family?"

Here’s How Thanksgiving Became A National Holiday

The culmination of a decades-long effort by a female writer, Thanksgiving’s declaration arrived as the nation hungered for unity amid the Civil War.

Last-Minute Loophole Could Undermine Texas Law Against Surprise Medical Bills (KUT Austin)
Defense Health Agency Confirms San Antonio’s Military Medical Jobs Are Safe For Now (Texas Public Radio)
Deported Father Fights For Custody Of His Three Texas Children (Houston Public Media)
2019 Dallas Homeless Youth Survey Shows Young People Are Eager For Opportunities (KERA)

I jumped at the chance to work on the special episode we’ve created for Thanksgiving, because mental health is my jam! I’ve been reporting on mental health for the last few years, and every time I think I have a handle on it, some psychologist or advocate or person living with mental health issues will say something that forces me to dive deeper into the subject. I recently reported a series of stories about mental health for Texas Standard; the most recent one was about the revamping of the state hospital system. But I’ve also looked closely at trauma and PTSD for other outlets like Kaiser Health News and Marketplace. Some people might think mental health is a heavy subject on any given day, including on Thanksgiving. But mental health isn’t just one thing; it’s a spectrum, and there’s a multitude of stories and perspectives about it. Myself, I think these stories are perfect for a day like Thanksgiving when people have the time to be a little more introspective. So even if you can’t catch the show on Thursday, visit the Texas Standard website on Thanksgiving or listen to the podcast. Happy holidays!

- Caroline Covington
@CarolineCovey

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