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Houston Matters

Houston PR

Houston Matters is a radio program airing weekdays at 9 am on Houston Public Media News 88.7 FM in Houston. During each hour, we’ll investigate the issues and ideas, people and places that make Houston…well…Houston! We’ll talk about current events, politics, education, health care, the environment, business, transportation, arts and culture, literature, sports and leisure. But we also hope that what we do each day on Houston Matters serves as the beginning of a conversation — one we hope you’ll continue here, at home, at work, with family, with friends and neighbors. We hope to introduce Houstonians to one another, to celebrate our diversity, and to engage one another through stories and conversations that demonstrate depth and context. Just the sort of thing you count on from public media.

Location:

Houston, TX

Genres:

News

Networks:

Houston PR

Description:

Houston Matters is a radio program airing weekdays at 9 am on Houston Public Media News 88.7 FM in Houston. During each hour, we’ll investigate the issues and ideas, people and places that make Houston…well…Houston! We’ll talk about current events, politics, education, health care, the environment, business, transportation, arts and culture, literature, sports and leisure. But we also hope that what we do each day on Houston Matters serves as the beginning of a conversation — one we hope you’ll continue here, at home, at work, with family, with friends and neighbors. We hope to introduce Houstonians to one another, to celebrate our diversity, and to engage one another through stories and conversations that demonstrate depth and context. Just the sort of thing you count on from public media.

Language:

English

Contact:

713-440-8870


Episodes
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The week in politics (Feb. 12, 2025)

2/12/2025
On Wednesday's show: We learn what a new report says about antisemitism in America. Also this hour: Tariffs, school vouchers, and property taxes -- there’s a lot being debated at all levels of government these days. We seek context and clarity in our weekly political roundup. Then, we talk with Grammy winning, Guatemalan born singer/songwriter Gaby Moreno, ahead of her performance at the Hobby Center Saturday night. And Houston native singer/songwriter Kat Edmonson talks about how losing her mother inspired her new music, some of which she'll perform Sunday night at The Heights Theater.

Duration:00:48:52

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Importance of NOAA (Feb. 11, 2025)

2/11/2025
On Tuesday's show: NOAA (and the National Weather Service within it) is among federal agencies under scrutiny right now by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. But Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger says “it would be a bad idea to take a hammer and start whacking NOAA and the National Weather Service.” He explains why and outlines how it might impact us here in southeast Texas. Also this hour: We learn about artist Keith Wasserman's mental health journey, which included a period where he began a "creatively obsessive" correspondence with musician Ani DiFranco. A documentary called Dear Ani tells his story and about Wasserman's eventual friendship with DiFranco. The film is part of this year’s ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival. Then, we learn about a new opera adaption of West Side Story from Houston Grand Opera. And we meet the directors and members of Katy ISD’s Tompkins High School Honor Orchestra, which is performing at this week’s Texas Music Educators Association convention.

Duration:00:49:39

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Paying for power grid improvements (Feb. 10, 2025)

2/10/2025
On Monday's show: The state’s energy demand is expected to grow a lot in the coming years, and grid improvements are needed to support it. But what’s driving all that demand, and who’s going to pay for it? Also this hour: We learn how a Houston attorney unearthed a conspiracy to murder an American spy in 1993. We revisit our 2019 conversation with Michael Pullara about his book, The Spy Who Was Left Behind, about the murder of Freddie Woodruff. Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers listeners’ gardening questions. And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.

Duration:00:49:51

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Special education at HISD (Feb. 7, 2025)

2/7/2025
On Friday's show: Criminal charges against a former staffer of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will likely be dropped after Alex Triantaphyllis agreed to a pre-trial intervention deal. He is among three former staffers who were accused of steering an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a preferred vendor. And we learn about the findings from HISD's audit of its special education department, which found thousands of violations of district policy and hundreds of violations of students’ rights, according to reporting from Houston Landing. Also this hour: We meet Jackson Sweeney, an aerospace engineer from Pearland whose work is on board the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, which is set to land on the moon in the coming weeks. Then, from HISD students staying home from school to protest Mike Miles, to the City of Houston’s budget deficit growing some more, to Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour coming to Houston for two shows this summer, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And ROCO, formerly the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, is in its 20th season, which includes a concert this weekend of world premieres about AI and last year’s solar eclipse.

Duration:00:51:52

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City budget crisis (Feb. 6, 2025)

2/6/2025
On Thursday's show: Houston city officials are facing a looming budget crisis and will need to slash spending or dramatically raise revenue over the next year following a Texas Supreme Court decision on the city's infrastructure spending. The city is grappling with a $100 million price tag for required spending on streets and drainage and now faces a $330 million deficit in 2026. We learn how we got here, and City Controller Chris Hollins joins us to explain his proposed emergency task force to address the situation. Also this hour: Late last month, Houston-based midstream energy giant Kinder Morgan announced plans to move ahead with a liquefied natural gas pipeline project extending more than 200 miles from Katy to Port Arthur. The company says the Trident Intrastate Pipeline could help power millions of homes and businesses. But not everyone is thrilled about it. We discuss the pipeline, projects like it, and the environmental and legal concerns they often raise. Then, we visit the Eternal Gandhi Museum in southwest Houston. It's the first museum in the Americas dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of nonviolent conflict resolution. And we visit a weekly Mexican wrestling event in East Houston.

Duration:00:49:39

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The week in politics (Feb. 5, 2025)

2/5/2025
On Wednesday's show: From Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency items for the state legislature to address, to the debate over tariffs, to Elon Musk at the U.S. Treasury, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Just in time for the Super Bowl, local food writers offer their suggestions for the best sports bars and pub food in town in this month's installment of The Full Menu. And we visit the Lone Star Flight Museum.

Duration:00:50:17

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How tariffs could affect Houston (Feb. 4, 2025)

2/4/2025
On Tuesday's show: Tariffs threatened against Mexico and Canada are on hold for a month, while new tariffs imposed on China have taken effect. And those have led to tariffs imposed by Beijing on certain goods from the United States, including on crude oil and LNG. We consider the potential economic impact of tariffs on Houstonians, the Greater Houston economy, the state of Texas, and consumers in general. Also this hour: One recent analysis found that fewer than one-fifth of HISD high school graduates from 2017 had earned enough to make a living wage six years later. And nearby districts saw numbers only slightly better. But is that the best way to evaluate the success of someone's education long term? Then, we discuss how to set healthier boundaries at work and in our relationships. And we revisit our trip to Moody Gardens in Galveston.

Duration:00:49:40

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State of the State (Feb. 3, 2025)

2/3/2025
On Monday's show: Gov. Greg Abbott delivered his annual State of the State address on Sunday. We recap what he had to say. Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city. And we get an update on Houston sports.

Duration:00:50:00

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Immigration uncertainty (Jan. 31, 2025)

1/31/2025
On Friday's show: We learn how immigration arrests and policy changes in the early days of the Trump administration are creating chaos and uncertainty in Houston. And we learn what a new survey suggests about Texans’ attitudes about immigration. Also this hour: We learn about the latest trends here in the Houston area related to human trafficking and efforts to prevent it. Then, from the latest test score results for Houston ISD, to an enormous mammoth skull unearthed in Central Texas, to another second ticking off the Doomsday Clock, this week’s non-experts weigh in on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we discuss the future of remote work after the Trump administration ended its telework policy for federal workers and the City of Houston recently did the same.

Duration:00:49:29

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Updating the abortion ban (Jan. 30, 2025)

1/30/2025
On Thursday's show: Prosecutors are dismissing charges against two of three former Harris County staffers over a COVID-era contract process gone wrong. We learn the latest in a nearly three-year-long saga. Also this hour: Could the Texas Legislature tweak the state’s abortion ban this session in order to protect mothers at risk? Recent comments from Lt. Governor Dan Patrick hint at the possibility. But was that just talk? Then, we learn about Camp Logan, a play on stage now at Houston’s Ensemble Theatre, based on racial tensions during a riot here in Houston more than a century ago. And we revisit a conversation with NPR’s Sarah McCammon about why many Christian Americans like her are leaving the evangelical church, which is the subject of her book, The Exvangelicals.

Duration:00:49:42

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The week in politics (Jan. 29, 2025)

1/29/2025
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: How much of our modern politics is about actually debating issues and how much is just good old fashioned theater? And if it's the latter, is that really anything new? We talk it over. And how do you capture the smells of a city (at least the good ones)? We visit the Color Factory and its exhibit of scents that define Houston.

Duration:00:49:48

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Annual homeless count (Jan. 28, 2025)

1/28/2025
On Tuesday's show: An annual count of homeless people in the Houston area takes place this week. We learn about the purpose of the Point In Time count and what trends and public policy shifts tell us about homelessness today. Also this hour: The annual Houston Autoboative Show runs Wednesday through Sunday at NRG Center. We get an update on the auto industry in Greater Houston. Then, we revisit a conversation about the challenges of living in Houston without a car. And a new season the series "Mo" arrives on Netflix Jan. 30. We revisit a 2018 conversation with Mo Amer, its star who grew up in Houston.

Duration:00:49:08

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Paying for NRG Stadium upgrades (Jan. 27, 2025)

1/27/2025
On Monday's show: We learn why Harris County taxpayers are on the hook for any upgrades at NRG Stadium and what that might cost. Also this hour: Earlier this month, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory outlining how alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing at least seven kinds of cancer and called for alcohol labels to include warnings about that. But drinking is a big part of American culture in so many ways. What do we do with this revelation? Then, columnist Dwight Silverman talks about the debate over the TikTok ban and other developments surrounding consumer technology. And we discuss the latest developments in sports, including the Astros trading reliever Ryan Pressly to the Cubs.

Duration:00:49:47

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Immigration and kids (Jan. 24, 2025)

1/24/2025
On Friday's show: We discuss how the new Trump administration and new policies on immigration enforcement might affect children and families, especially here in Houston. Also this hour: After this week's snow, should we consider investing in other infrastructure to better handle future winter weather? Or is that the wisest approach for events that aren’t supposed to occur very often here? Then, from a "once in a generation" snow storm, to a Trump Burger location coming to Houston, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we talk with Marty York, one of the actors who was in the 1993 movie The Sandlot as its anniversary tour comes to town Saturday night.

Duration:00:50:00

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Proposed state budgets (Jan. 23, 2025)

1/23/2025
On Thursday's show: We learn about proposed state budgets being presented at the legislature. Also this hour: Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order this week to keep TikTok operating in the United States for 75 days. The debate over the platform has underscored a disconnect between the people who use it and the people who develop policy about it. Is it all about speech versus safety or is there something else at play here? Then, the new film The Brutalist follows an architect who emigrates to the United States and faces both challenges and opportunities in a new country that’s not always very welcoming. On this month’s edition of The Bigger Picture, we talk about the film and then meet a local success story from Houston’s immigrant community. And, ahead of a show tonight at Cullen Performance Hall, Drew Lynch talks about overcoming a stutter by taking up standup comedy.

Duration:00:49:43

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Winter storm day two (Jan. 22, 2025)

1/22/2025
On Wednesday's show: Roads remain icy, and extreme cold continues across Greater Houston. On the second day of the winter storm. We bring you the latest forecast, road conditions, and an update on Houston airports. We also discuss how our elected leadership has handled this week’s storm and recap a busy first 48 hours for the new Trump White House in this week’s political roundup.

Duration:00:50:00

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Snow day in Houston (Jan. 21, 2025)

1/21/2025
On Tuesday's show: Snow is falling and piling up around Greater Houston, and as long as the power stays on and you can stay inside it is indeed a winter wonderland in the Bayou City. We talk with a meteorologist to find out how much snow we may still get, how long it will be here, and what you should and should not do in the meantime. We also check in on road conditions with TxDOT, find out when Houston’s airports hope to re-open, and discuss how to make sure your pets safely enjoy the snow.

Duration:00:49:15

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Winter weather preview (Jan. 17, 2025)

1/17/2025
On Friday's show: Wintry weather may be headed our way early next week. Just exactly what, how much, and when is still a bit up in the air. We learn the latest from meteorologist Eric Berger from Space City Weather. And we learn about security measures planned for this weekend's Chevron Houston Marathon. Also this hour: With a new session of the Texas Legislature underway, what might happen to improve the state's power grid? Then, from the possibility of wintery weather next week, to potential renovations at NRG Center including an NHL regulation ice rink, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

Duration:00:49:39

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Houston’s legislative priorities (Jan. 16, 2025)

1/16/2025
On Thursday's show: As the legislature kicks off this week, we get a sense of what some of the City of Houston's priorities are to achieve with lawmakers from reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh. Also this hour: Gov. Greg Abbott recently appointed Justice Jimmy Blacklock to serve as the new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court. We learn what we should know about the conservative ally of the governor from Charles “Rocky” Rhodes of South Texas College of Law Houston. Then we learn how a local business is working to help people who’ve begun gender-affirming care to adjust to their physical changes and navigate the medical system. And the classical world has long been dominated by male composers. We chat with conductor and pianist Mary Box, executive director of Montrose Project, which is dedicated to helping increase the visibility of orchestral music composed by women.

Duration:00:50:40

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The week in politics (Jan. 15, 2025)

1/15/2025
On Wednesday's show: We recap the start of the Texas Legislative session, discuss Trump cabinet confirmation hearings, and other developments in political in our regular Wednesday roundup. Also this hour: The COVID 19 pandemic revealed the size of America's digital divide -- the gap between people who can access and use digital technology and those who can't. In the years since, have we managed to bridge that gap in Houston? And we revisit a recent conversation about a new book examining whether a particular golf ball was ever on the moon with astronaut Alan Shepard, who famously hit a couple of golf balls on the lunar surface. But, more importantly, it tells the story of the friendship between Shepard and his barber, Carlos Villagomez, to whom he gave the golf ball after returning to earth. A discussion of the book and a screening of a related documentary will be held on Saturday at the Lone Star Flight Museum.

Duration:00:50:10