Houston Matters

On Friday's show: CenterPoint Energy appeared Thursday before the Public Utility Commission and faces a Texas Senate special committee on Monday to answer questions about its response to Hurricane Beryl. Reporter Andrew Schneider explains what the hearings entail. Also this hour: From exploding soda cans on Southwest Airlines flights, to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile getting in a bit of a pickle, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news with our panel of non-experts. Then, the Paris Olympics get underway today. A number of Houston-area athletes will be taking part, including gymnast Simone Biles, who will be back in the spotlight after stepping back from some events in the Tokyo games in 2021. But don't call it a "comeback." A new book called The Price She Pays explains why and explores the mental health challenges many female athletes face. And we meet Houstonian Jeffrey Louis, aka "Bboy Jeffro" who's competing in the Olympics in breakdancing.

On Thursday's show: Former HPD Chief Troy Finner is speaking out about a police department scandal ahead of a forthcoming final report about it. Also this hour: July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and we discuss the particular issues facing people of color when it comes to mental health and resources available. Then, this month’s installment of The Bigger Picture dives into conspiracy theories and theorists and the new film Fly Me To The Moon. And we check in with singer and guitarist Ray Benson of the band Asleep at the Wheel. He has a new single out this week, part of an album out next month that fuses Western swing and reggae.

On Wednesday's show: Has anything interesting happened in politics lately? We can't recall. So, we enlist the help of some local political analysts to discuss the latest developments in the news in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: While much of the fun things we have to do here in Houston take place indoors in air-conditioning, we have outdoor attractions, too. So, how do they keep things cool during Houston’s hot summer months? And we visit a sound sculpture from artist Steve Parker called “Invisible Music.”

On Tuesday's show: We’re expecting rain the rest of the week, with some potentially significant downpours and flash flooding possible. But Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard is characterizing the forecast as “tricky.” He joins us to explain. Also this hour: Layoffs, restructuring, and the state takeover of HISD may all be leading to a brain drain of experienced educators. Will Houston’s schools face a big teacher shortage come fall? Then, writer Jennifer Mathieu talks about her latest novel, Faculty Lounge. The story shows a "different side of school life" through a chain of events that begins when an elderly substitute teacher is found dead in the faculty lounge of a high school. Mathieu, who's a Houston-area teacher, wrote the 2017 novel, Moxie, which was turned into a Netflix movie in 2021. And we continue our summer series visiting area museums and attractions with a visit to the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

On Monday's show: Before President Biden's announcement over the weekend, the last time a sitting U.S. president dropped his re-election bid, he was a Texan. And when Lyndon B. Johnson did so in 1968, it was amid a period of somewhat similar turmoil. We discuss those parallels with Rice University political science professor Bob Stein, who was at the contentious 1968 Democratic National Convention. Then, former Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and our own Andrew Schneider reflect on the life and career of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, who died Friday. Also this hour: What are some of the biggest mistakes Houston has made over the years? What in your view is the single biggest whopper of a screwup we’ve made as a city? Then, columnist Dwight Silverman discusses recent developments in consumer technology, including last week's Crowdstrike glitch that messed with Houston airports, banks, hospitals, and media. And we get an update on the Astros from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: We check in with Houston Public Media’s Dominic Anthony Walsh about a pair of transportation developments: highlights from Thursday’s METRO board meeting, and the latest on the controversial TxDOT I-45 expansion project. Also this hour: We talk with some Houston-area restaurant owners about the impact Beryl and the derecho before it have had on their businesses and the restaurant industry overall. Then, from Astros mascot Orbit’s inspired reversal against booing Rangers fans at baseball’s All-Star Game, to Elon Musk’s announcement he’s relocating two more company headquarters to Texas, this week’s “non-expert” panel weighs in on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we visit a rehearsal for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston’s production of Ruddigore.

On Thursday's show: For some, that was it. Beryl was the last straw. They're considering leaving Houston (there’s even a “Leaving Texas Support Meet-Up” planned Thursday night for those considering leaving town). For others, there’s a growing sense of unease about how long to stay in a community continuously threatened by extreme weather. Last fall, a Houston Matters exclusive survey question posed by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston found a majority of residents say they’ve thought about leaving the area in recent years, with more than half of those folks citing extreme weather as the reason why. Meanwhile others are defiant and prepared to ride out any future storm. We discuss whether extreme weather, power outages, and other factors in recent memory have Houstonians thinking about leaving our city. Also this hour: New analysis places the economic impact of Beryl in the billions of dollars. But who pays for what? We talk it over with some experts. Then, the abstract expressionist paintings of Janet Sobel influenced Jackson Pollock. So, why isn't she a household name like he is? An exhibit at the Menil Collection aims to remedy that with the help of her grandson, who lives here. And the George R. Brown Convention Center will host DJ Screw Day on Saturday. We listen back to a 2022 conversation about DJ Screw, the Houston music pioneer who continues to influence H-town and hip-hop culture.

On Wednesday's show: From the Republican National Convention and the response to the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life, to the ongoing response in Houston to the slow recovery from Hurricane Beryl, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: In light of Saturday’s assassination attempt, we revisit our 2016 conversation with retired U.S. Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who served five U.S. Presidents and was in Dallas when JFK was killed in 1963. (He’s the agent who famously leapt onto the back of the presidential limousine and shielded First Lady Jackie Kennedy as the car raced to Parkland Hospital). And we learn about The Ensemble Theater’s production of Pullman Porter Blues, which is on stage through July 28. Cheryl L. West’s play tells the story of three generations of Pullman train porters from the same family, struggling to come to terms with one another, racial tension, and an uncertain future. (For a century, Pullman porters worked in sleeping cars on U.S. railroads, serving passengers by carrying baggage, shining shoes, and maintaining sleeping cars. They were named for George Pullman who, starting in the late 1860s, hired formerly enslaved people to work on his sleeper cars. At one time, the company was the single largest employer of Black Americans).

On Tuesday's show: We’re still recovering from Hurricane Beryl with a couple hundred thousand Houstonians still in the dark. How soon can Houston become 100 percent energized? And could there be some light for those facing economic hardships? Also, what actions are city council members taking in response to the storm? Also this hour: It's been a rough week for many Houstonians: Beryl, extended power outages, death and violence in the news. We explore how to take better care of ourselves mentally after these latest shocks to the system. Then, we discuss the history, challenges, and future of Houston’s Freedmen’s Town and efforts to preserve its legacy. We visit Project Row Houses as part of our ongoing summer series heading to Houston-area museums and attractions.

On Monday's show: More than two million customers who lost power during Beryl last week now have their electricity and air conditioning back. But a few hundred thousand still don’t. We have the very latest on recovery efforts after Hurricane Beryl, from CenterPoint Energy’s efforts to restore power, to how the storm has created challenges for area hospitals and exacerbated health issues over the last week, to how the storm might affect the local economy. Also this hour: Houston environmental researcher and attorney Jim Blackburn shares some of lessons we need to learn from Hurricane Beryl. And we remember longtime Houston columnist Ken Hoffman, who died Sunday. Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller joins us to discuss how pets navigated the storm and days since and to field listener questions. And Bleav in Astros podcast co-host Jeff Balke talks with us about the Astros at the All-Star break, how this season could, for some, have reverberations from post-Harvey 2017.

On Friday's show: We get updates on power restoration efforts and other goings-on in the region after Hurricane Beryl with Houston Public Media reporters. Also this hour: A medical expert discusses the effects of extreme heat on both our physical and mental health. Then, Texas native and author Jessica Goudeau talks about her new book, We Were Illegal, where she dives into some surprising family history. And we learn about the upcoming Texas New Music Festival.

On Thursday's show: Houston Public Media reporters share updates on how residents are doing in the aftermath of Beryl. Also this hour: We talk with the American Red Cross Texas Gulf Coast, Houston Food Bank, and Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston about their efforts to support Houstonians. Then, we discuss the effects of Beryl on local agriculture and the outlook for the future of farming in Texas with Froberg's Farm and Plant it Forward. And on the 10th anniversary of his film Boyhood, we revisit our 2014 conversation with director Richard Linklater.

On Wednesday's show: As Houstonians await power and assess the damage to their property, there are probably many unanswered questions that remain in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl--we try to cover some of them on our program with local experts. And we discuss developments in local, state, and national politics, including any related to the storm.

On Tuesday's show: We catch up with HPM reporters about what they're seeing around the region as the recovery from Hurricane Beryl begins. Also this hour: We talk with Fort Bend County Judge KP George about efforts in his county, which was hit hard by the storm. Then, we get updates from CenterPoint Energy and the City of Houston Office of Emergency Management. And Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston offers advice on how to help your plants recover from the weather.

On Friday's show: A legal challenge is under way in Louisiana over that state’s new law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in school classrooms there. That a suit was brought on behalf of Louisiana families came as no surprise to that state’s governor, Jeff Landry, who said before signing the bill: “I can’t wait to be sued.” But challenging the limits of Constitutional protections -- isn’t that what Texas usually does before anyone else? Lawmakers here certainly tried. We discuss that, the Louisiana law, and what the Texas Legislature might try again to do next session, with Houston Public Media’s politics and government reporter Andrew Schneider. Also this hour: We invite listeners to offer suggestions for how they might redesign a Houston road or freeway in some way. Maybe there are speed bumps you want (or don’t want), or there's a one-way street you wish wasn't, or there's a median you wish wasn’t there. Whatever it is, wherever it is, we want to know about it. You can share your suggestions now at talk@houstonmatters.org. Then, from uncertainty over the future of bike sharing in the city after BCycle shut down, to METRO trains losing their stripes, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And, with the explosion of streaming services -- and new films being available on them -- we discuss the state of traditional cinema and movie theaters.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the Supreme Court decision on presidential immunity and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We’ve been turning to area foodies for restaurant suggestions on our monthly conversation The Full Menu for ten years now. This month, they dish on restaurants past and present they’ve most enjoyed over the last decade. And we learn how a local pyrotechnic company puts on elaborate fireworks displays.

On Tuesday's show: Hurricane Beryl made landfall over the Grenadine island of Carriacou with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour – the strongest Category 4 storm ever seen in that area. The good news for us (as of late Monday morning) is that most models suggest the storm is not headed here. However, there is another tropical disturbance a few days behind it, and its ultimate track is anyone’s guess at this point. We discuss the arrival of serious storms just a month into the Atlantic hurricane season and what impacts, if any, they could have for us with Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger. Also this hour: Hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees were resettled in the United States after the fall of Saigon in 1975, including right here in Houston. Historian Erica Allen-Kim talks about her new book, Building Little Saigon, which examines the creation of “Little Saigons” across the country and how the community took root in midtown in the 70s and 80s. Then, 60 years ago today, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law. We consider how Houston changed after that landmark legislation. And we continue our summer series visiting area museums and attractions with a trip to the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

On Monday's show: Today is the final day the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down opinions before its summer recess. We review opinions handed down Friday as we await news of those final cases, including the one addressing former President Trump’s criminal immunity claim. Also this hour: We offer Houstonians their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves.

On Friday's show: We get updates on METRO's recent decision not to move forward with the University Corridor line and on the latest death of a Harris County jail inmate. Also this hour: We learn how a bankruptcy case in Houston may signal the future of live TV sports. And we remember Kinky Friedman, the entertainer, rancher, gubernatorial candidate, and dog lover died Thursday at age 79. Then, a college coach moves from one rival to another, while a hot dog eating champion banned from one July 4th competition heads to another – and it’s all happening in Texas, of course. We discuss on this week’s edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. And, after more than three decades in TV weather, KPRC Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley is retiring. His friend Ernie Manouse checks in with him ahead of his final newscast.

On Thursday's show: We preview this afternoon’s memorial service for 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray. Then, we discuss the politicization of tragedies and crimes like her murder, which has been talked about by candidates on both sides of the aisle. Also this hour: A number of recent stories surrounding behavior of doctors at Houston-area hospitals have raised some interesting medical ethics questions. A medical ethicist talks over the issues at the heart of those stories. Then, the new Pixar film Inside Out 2 introduces new emotions in the mind of its adolescent protagonist, including Anxiety and Embarrassment. In this month's installment of our film segment, The Bigger Picture, the parents on our team discuss navigating such emotions with their kids. And trans artist Jamie Diaz spent nearly 30 years incarcerated in a men’s prison. A pen pal exchange led to an 11-year friendship and a show in a New York art gallery. Her story is the subject of a new American Masters documentary short, called Love, Jamie.