Matt Largey | KUT

Projects Editor
  • Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon/KUT

Matt Largey is the Projects Editor at KUT. He previously worked at WBUR in Boston. His work has appeared on many national radio shows. He's won numerous awards for his reporting, including a national Edward R. Murrow award in 2013. He’s originally from Maine, but has lived in Austin since 2006. While it might sound hard to believe, he thinks Maine and Texas are remarkably similar.

Ways to Connect

Across Age, Class And Politics, Susan Burneson Found A Friendship That Lasted Decades.

By • Sep 15, 2020
Courtesy of Susan Burneson

Age, class and politics can be big barriers to people seeing eye to eye. But Susan Burneson moved past those obstacles to form a friendship that began with genealogy.

Susan told her story for our Common Ground project, where we asked people to write about their experiences overcoming differences with others.

Who's Running For Austin City Council? Join Us For A Series Of Forums To Hear From The Candidates.

By • Sep 14, 2020
An empty city council dias with flags in the background.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Five seats on the Austin City Council are up for election this November.

What do you want the candidates to be talking about as they try to earn your vote?

Analizamos A Quién Ponemos Al Aire En Las Noticias Locales De KUT. Estos Son Los resultados.

By • Sep 10, 2020
KUT's Jerry Quijano hosts "All Things Considered".
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Read this story in English.

We're Analyzing Who You Hear In KUT's Local News. Here's A Look At The First Half Of 2020.

By • Sep 10, 2020
KUT's Jerry Quijano hosts "All Things Considered".
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

More than two years ago, KUT started to keep track of the demographics of the sources we use on-air in our local news coverage. The goal is to see how we’re doing in our effort to reflect all of our community in the stories you hear. We’ve focused on gender, race/ethnicity and expertise.

We want to make sure we’re not overrepresenting any one group.

¿Tienes Dudas Sobre Las Elecciones Durante La Pandemia? Envialas A Nuestro Proyecto “Texas Decide”

By • Sep 1, 2020
A woman wears a mask outside a polling place during the runoff elections on July 14.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Read this story in English.

Nadie ha visto una elección como la de 2020 en mucho tiempo. 

Las primarias de este año fueron una especie de ensayo para las elecciones generales. Podemos esperar que muchas más personas voten en las elecciones del 3 de noviembre en Texas, y la gente que dirige las elecciones está haciendo planes para mantener a los votantes seguros durante la pandemia. 

Have A Question About How The Election Will Work During The Pandemic? Ask Our Texas Decides Project.

By • Aug 27, 2020
A woman wears a mask outside a polling place during the runoff elections on July 14.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

No one has seen an election like 2020's in a long time. 

This year's primaries were a kind of rehearsal for the general election. We can expect far more voters to cast ballots for the Nov. 3 election in Texas, and the people who run elections are making plans for how to keep voters safe during the pandemic. 

Time Can Pull Us Apart. Laraine Kentridge Lasdon Found The Pandemic Helped Bridge That Distance.

By • Aug 25, 2020
Laraine Kentridge Lasdon in her backyard.
Michael Minasi / KUT

Time can be the thing that pulls people apart. Especially now, it seems like it's easy to lose track of how long it has been since you called that friend of yours to check in. 

Laraine Kentridge Lasdon found that the pandemic helped her cross that divide. 

Ena Ganguly Stopped For Chocolate. She Found An Unexpected Kindness From A Stranger.

By • Aug 18, 2020
A woman with a black top stands in front of some trees in the background.
Michael Minasi / KUT

Chocolate can bring people together — as Ena Ganguly found when she stopped at a store in her hometown.

Earlier this year, we put out a call for your stories about overcoming differences — true stories about finding common ground.

Texas Is Among The States Being Warned Of Possible Vote-By-Mail Problems

By • Aug 14, 2020
A U.S. Postal Service worker delivers mail in Austin in March.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Texas is among the states the U.S. Postal Service has warned about potential problems with delivering mail-in ballots this fall.

3 Months With The In-Laws. How Bad Could It Be? It Turned Out To Be A Bridge For Danielle Patterson.

By • Aug 11, 2020
A pregnant woman in a navy blue dress stands in front of a picket fence, with one hand on her belly.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

There's something about working hard alongside someone else that brings us closer together. That's what Danielle Patterson discovered when she spent a day sweating in the sun with an unexpected partner. 

Earlier this year, we put out a call for your stories about overcoming differences — true stories about finding common ground.

The Deadline To Register To Vote In The 2020 Election Is Coming Up. Here's How To Do It.

By • Aug 10, 2020
A voter enters a polling place at the North Austin YMCA on March 3, 2020.
Julia Reihs / KUT

Oct. 5 is the last day to register to vote before the Nov. 3 election in Texas. Here’s what you need to know to register.

An 'Act Of Kindness ... I Never Forgot': Zenobia Orimoloye On Moving To Texas As A Black Woman

By • Aug 4, 2020
Zenobia Orimoloye outside her home.
Michael Minasi / KUT

Doing a small kindness for someone in need might seem like a simple thing, but it can leave an impression that lasts decades.

That's what happened for Zenobia Orimoloye in the early 1990s, shortly after she moved to Austin. 

Earlier this year, we put out a call for your stories about overcoming differences — true stories about finding common ground.

So You Want To Vote By Mail In Texas? Here's How To Do It.

By • Jul 30, 2020
Residential mailboxes
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that "lack of immunity" to the coronavirus is not a disability under state law that would qualify someone for a mail-in ballot. In the same ruling, the court acknowledged that county election clerks have no duty to question or investigate the disability of voters who claim it.

But if you’re curious about how you would even go about voting by mail (or if you’re eligible), here’s how it works.

When Ilene Haddad's Hair Got Braided, Cultures Also Intertwined

By • Jul 28, 2020
A woman in a red top and glasses smiles in front of a flower garden.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Earlier this year, we put out a call for your stories about overcoming differences — true stories about finding common ground.

Working with the Austin Public Library and The Library Foundation, we collected the submissions and helped writers shape their stories into pieces to read for the radio.

Austin's Pandemic Curve Might Be Flattening. But What Does That Mean For Us?

By & • Jul 23, 2020
Some people wear face coverings while exercising along the Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail in Austin.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Nearly a month after face masks were mandated and bars closed, Austin’s COVID-19 situation appears to be plateauing. New cases are down over the past week or so. Hospital admissions have leveled off.

Avani Chhaya Was Bullied In School. Years Later, She's Found Peace With Her Tormentor.

By • Jul 21, 2020
A woman in glasses and a blue shirt stands in front of the front door to a home.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Earlier this year, before all of this began, we put out a call for your stories about overcoming differences — true stories about finding common ground.

Working with the Austin Public Library and The Library Foundation, we collected the submissions and helped writers shape their stories into pieces to read for the radio.

Esto Es Lo que Necesitas Saber Para Votar Hoy En Las Elecciones Primarias De Texas

By • Jul 14, 2020
Voters wait in line at the Ben Hur Shrine Temple in Austin on March 3.
Julia Reihs / KUT

Read this story in English.

Hoy es la última oportunidad que tienen los votantes de participar en las elecciones primarias del 14 de julio. Se suponía que esta segunda vuelta se realizara en mayo, pero se pospuso debido a la pandemia. 

Today Is Election Day For The Primary Runoffs In Texas. Here's What You Need To Know To Vote.

By • Jul 13, 2020
Voters wait in line at the Ben Hur Shrine Temple in Austin on March 3.
Julia Reihs / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

It's Election Day for the primary runoffs and the special election to replace state Sen. Kirk Watson, who announced in February that he was not seeking re-election. The runoffs were supposed to be in May, but were postponed because of the pandemic. 

The CDC has some simple guidelines to follow to protect yourself from the coronavirus if you plan to vote in person.

A Former Prosecutor And A Defense Attorney Run Off To Lead Travis County's Domestic Violence Court

By • Jul 13, 2020
Incumbent Judge Dimple Malhotra (left) is competing against Margaret Chen Kercher for the Democratic nomination for County Court Law No. 4.
Via the campaign websites

If you’re voting in the Democratic primary runoff in Travis County on Tuesday, you’ll see a race somewhere in the middle of the ballot for a judgeship for something called County Court at Law No. 4.

There are two candidates in the runoff: Dimple Malhotra and Margaret Chen Kercher.

Questions About Health Care Disparities During The Pandemic? Join Us For 'Now What?' On July 8.

By • Jul 3, 2020
A sign tells Spanish speakers the city number to call for information on COVID-19.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Our Now What? discussion series, exploring what we need to know about COVID-19 moving forward, continues Wednesday, July 8, with Dr. Jewel Mullen, the associate dean for health equity at the Dell Medical School, and an associate professor in the school’s population health and internal medicine departments.

Guía Indispensable Para Las Elecciones Anticipadas En Texas

By • Jun 29, 2020
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Read this story in English.

La votación anticipada en Texas para las elecciones primarias del 14 de julio comenzó este lunes. Se suponía que la segunda vuelta fuera en mayo, pero se pospuso debido a la pandemia. 

Early Voting Ends Today For Texas' Primary Runoffs. Here's What You Need To Know.

By • Jun 28, 2020
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

Early voting in Texas ends Friday for the July 14 primary runoff elections. The runoffs were supposed to be in May, but were postponed because of the pandemic. 

The CDC has some simple guidelines to follow to protect yourself from the coronavirus if you plan to vote in person.

De Nuevo, Texas Reporta Un Número Récord De Casos De COVID-19. Esta Vez Son Casi 5,500

By • Jun 24, 2020
People are tested for COVID-19 at a drive-thru testing site in South Austin.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Read this story in English.

Texas reportó más de 5,000 casos nuevos de coronavirus este martes, ya que los hospitales en algunas partes del estado empiezan a mostrar signos de tensión para mantenerse al día con la nueva propagación del virus.

El total de 5,489 casos del martes es un nuevo récord en un mes de cifras récord. Y por duodécimo día consecutivo, el estado ha reportado un número récord de hospitalizaciones por coronavirus: 4,092.

Texas Is Reporting A Record Number Of New COVID-19 Cases Again. This Time Nearly 5,500.

By • Jun 23, 2020
People are tested for COVID-19 at a drive-thru testing site in South Austin.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

Texas reported more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, as hospitals in some parts of the state begin to show signs of straining to keep up with the renewed spread of the virus.

Questions About Protecting Yourself From COVID-19? Join Us For A Livestreamed Discussion.

By • Jun 12, 2020
Jeff Levine places a face mask over the statue of Steve Ray Vaughn at Auditorium Shores during the coronavirus pandemic.
Gabriel C. Pérez / KUT

On our next edition of Now What?, KUT's weekly livestreamed discussion series in partnership with UT Austin and the Dell Medical School, we'll talk with Darlene Bhavnani, an epidemiologist at Dell Med.

What Do You Want To Know About Contact Tracing? Join Us For A Livestreamed Discussion.

By • Jun 9, 2020

This week on Now What?, KUT's weekly livestreamed discussion series in partnership with UT Austin and the Dell Medical School, we'll talk with Dr. Parker Hudson, who leads the contact tracing team at UT Health Austin.

Contact tracing is the work of idenifying and isolating possible cases of a disease like COVID-19. Austin has hundreds of people working to find out who people with confirmed cases have come into contact with and warning those folks to stay isolated and get tested. 

¿Fuiste A Una Protesta En Austin La Semana Pasada? La Ciudad Quiere Hacerte La Prueba Del COVID-19

By • Jun 8, 2020
Demonstrators face off with law enforcement in downtown Austin in solidarity with nationwide demonstrations and protests in honor of George Floyd of Minneapolis and, locally, Mike Ramos.
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon / KUT

Read this story in English. 

Funcionarios de Salud Pública de Austin dicen que las personas que participaron en grandes aglomeraciones de gente recientemente -como las protestas contra la violencia policial- deben anotarse para hacerse la prueba del COVID-19, incluso si no tienen síntomas.
 

Thousands Rally In Austin For Economic Justice And An End To Police Violence

By • Jun 8, 2020
Thousands rallied at Huston-Tillotson University in East Austin to protest police violence on June 7, 2020.
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon / KUT

Thousands gathered at Huston-Tillotson University in East Austin on Sunday to rally against police violence against black people and systemic racism. It was at least the 10th day of protests in Austin over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25, the latest in many police killings of unarmed black people nationwide. Protesters are also demanding justice in the killing of Mike Ramos, a Hispanic and black man, by Austin police April 24.  

Have You Gone To A Protest In Austin Over The Past Week? The City Wants To Test You For COVID-19.

By • Jun 5, 2020
Demonstrators face off with law enforcement in downtown Austin in solidarity with nationwide demonstrations and protests in honor of George Floyd of Minneapolis and, locally, Mike Ramos.
Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon / KUT

Lee esta historia en español. 

Austin Public Health officials say people who participated in recent large gatherings — like protests against police violence — should sign up to get tested for COVID-19, even if they don’t have symptoms.

The city is expanding eligibility for people without symptoms to get tested for free at drive-thru sites.

What Does The Data Say About What's Coming Next For COVID-19? Join Us For A Livestreamed Discussion.

By • May 29, 2020
People venture out on South Congress as the state relaxes rules on bars and restaurants.
Michael Minasi / KUT

What can data tell us about where the pandemic is headed next?

Join us for the next episode of our weekly livestreamed interview series, Now What?, at noon on June 3 when we’ll talk with Lauren Ancel Meyers, a mathematical epidemiologist at UT Austin.

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