Houston Matters

On Friday's show: A major storm system tore through the region last night, causing significant damage and leading to at least four fatalities from powerful winds and possible tornadic activity. We get the latest from our reporters in the field and Space City Weather's Eric Berger. Then: A judge ordered a new election for a seat decided in 2022. The Fifth Circuit heard Galveston County's defense of its redistricting plan. And House Speaker Dade Phelan has 11 days to convince GOP voters in a primary runoff to let him run again. We discuss recent election-related developments with News 88.7's politics and government reporter Andrew Schneider. Also this hour: Ernie Manouse chats with Martha Davis, the longtime lead singer for the American new wave band The Motels, whose ‘80’s hits, including Suddenly Last Summer and Only the Lonely were part of the soundtrack of many a Gen Xers’ youth. Davis and The Motels perform in Katy on Saturday night. And we talk about Houston's Salvadoran community and its food ahead of events in town next week celebrating a new cookbook all about it.

On Thursday's show: We learn what revelations are coming from an independent panel that’s reviewing the scandal involving Houston Police Department officers suspending thousands of criminal investigations because of a lack of personnel and resources. The committee shared its preliminary report with Houston City Council members on Wednesday. Also this hour: NPR reporter Sarah McCammon discusses her new book, The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church. Then, we discuss the role music can play in maintaining good mental health. And Cy-Fair ISD theater arts teacher and actor Kedrick Brown joins us. Brown was recently seen on the ABC series The Rookie and has also appeared on Black Lightning, New Amsterdam, Greenleaf and other shows. He talks about how he balances being a teacher and a professional actor.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We learn about Texas Letters, an anthology of letters written by people in solitary confinement in Texas prisons. Its creator, Damascus James, joins us ahead of a Brazos Bookstore event on May 19. And we listen back to a conversation with Rev. William Lawson, the founder of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston's Third Ward. He died Tuesday at the age of 95.

On Tuesday's show: We get an update on severe weather around the region over night. And, with the weather already warm and humid, there are plenty of mosquitoes pestering Houstonians outside. Has the mosquito season started earlier than previous years? And how can you minimize them around your home? Also this hour: U.S. immigration policy hasn't changed in decades, but could it after the 2024 election? We preview a symposium on that topic happening today at Rice University. Then, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Thornton Wilder has been dead for nearly 50 years. But, he has a new play making its world premiere now at The Alley Theatre. We learn the story of unearthing and completing The Emporium, which runs through June 2. And Houstonians are getting a second chance to experience what it’s like to be aboard the International Space Station. We revisit an immersive, virtual reality experience called The Infinite, which has returned to Space City this summer and runs through June.

On Monday's show: We discuss some recent developments at area school districts, including layoffs at HISD and Cy-Fair ISD voting to omit chapters about topics such as climate change and vaccines from textbooks. Also this hour: Will there ever be a point when we’ve had enough with flooding and simply leave Gulf Coast communities behind? Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gilbert Gaul discusses his book, The Geography of Risk. Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers questions about gardening. And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday’s show: Houston Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher discusses issues affecting Greater Houston and answers listener questions. Also this hour: Jean Becker, the longtime chief of staff for George H.W. Bush reflects on her career and what can be learned from the former president, particularly in an era of major political division. And we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

On Thursday's show: Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer weighs in on the sudden retirement of HPD Chief Troy Finner. Also this hour: We talk with actor Joe Pantoliano, aka "Joey Pants." The longtime actor, who's known for roles in The Sopranos, The Matrix, and The Fugitive, is in Houston to speak at an event with The Menninger Clinic. We talk with him about his life, career, and mental health journey. And, ahead of another Houston Symphony performance of Harry Potter music, we discuss the enduring impact of John Williams’ film scores and why symphonies have taken to performing concerts of his music in sync with the movies he’s written it all for.

On Wednesday's show: Late last night, Mayor John Whitmire announced in an e-mail to city employees that Houston Police Chief Troy Finner has retired, and that Larry Satterwhite has been appointed acting Chief of Police. This follows, of course, the revelation and ensuing investigations into many thousands of cases and incidents in which HPD officers for years used a code – “SL” – to indicate in police reports that they weren’t pursuing them any further due to lack of personnel. The final nail in the coffin for Chief Finner may have been an e-mail reported by ABC13 and other news outlets, which Finner apparently wrote in 2018, three years before he became the police chief, referencing the suspended cases problem. That timeline contradicts his previous statements about when he became aware of it. Finner said he didn’t recall the e-mail. We discuss this and other developments in local, state, and national politics, in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We preview this weekend's Big As Texas festival this weekend in Montgomery. And, ahead of a concert on Sunday of traditional klezmer music featuring renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, we revisit a 2021 conversation with the frequent Houston Symphony collaborator.

On Tuesday's show: Ever since the Whitmire administration struck a deal with the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, questions have swirled around how the City of Houston, already facing upcoming budget deficits, could pay for a $650 million settlement. On Monday, Houston Controller Chris Hollins, the elected chief financial officer for the city, expressed his view that, while it’s not up to him to decide how to pay it off, it would likely require tax hikes and budget cuts. Hollins joins us to explain why. Also this hour: University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus talks about his new book, Rick Perry: A Political Life. Then, local artist Abuela M’api Rainflowa explains how learning the truth about her ancestry led her on new journey of creative expression and activism for indigenous people. Her story is told in the latest episode of the PBS series The Express Way with Dulé Hill, which airs tonight at 8 on Houston Public Media, TV 8. And dancer and artist Li Cunxin talks about his life and career. He left his native China to dance with the Houston Ballet and eventually became a principal dancer with the company. When he decided to stay in the United States, he was detained in the Chinese consulate, setting off an international incident. His story is told in the 2009 film, Mao's Last Dancer, which was based on his autobiography. He was recently in Houston for a screening and conversation.

On Monday's show: While protests against the war in Gaza have been raging at some college campuses across the country in recent weeks, Houston has been relatively quiet. Why? Is Houston just not much of a protest city? Or are other reasons behind why demonstrations here often look a bit different? Maggie Gordon of Houston Landing discusses her recent article on the subject. Also this hour: We offer Houstonians their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves. And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: Meteorologist Eric Berger of Space City Weather recaps a busy week in weather, provides the latest on storms and flooding from Thursday and outlines what we can expect the rest of Friday and through the weekend. Also this hour: Patrick Jankowski of the The Greater Houston Partnership joins us to discuss the state of Houston’s global economy. Then, from the University of Houston using “Houston blue” uniforms, despite threats from the NFL, to rapper Kendrick Lamar confusing Joel Osteen and Haley Joel Osment, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we talk with the stars of The Alley Theatre’s production of Jane Eyre.

On Thursday's show: There have now been a few different city transportation and mobility projects halted – or even reversed – since Mayor John Whitmire took office in January. Are they just isolated projects in need of review, or are Houston’s years-long efforts to become more walkable and bikeable…over? We talk it over. Also this hour: We consider ways to minimize or eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health. Then, with Cinco de Mayo approaching, we discuss how holidays like it come to popularity and become about something completely different.

On Wednesday's show: Legal action continues in connection with the kidney and liver transplant programs at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center. In April, the hospital halted those transplants due to a “pattern of irregularities with donor acceptance criteria.” We get an update on the story and learn about a woman whose husband died while waiting for a liver transplant. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Then, in this month's edition of The Full Menu, food writers discuss their favorite underrated restaurants and hidden gems around the city. And Stages Houston is presenting a fresh take on a Shakespearean classic. Othello: The Remix blends hip-hop and a rotating stage to bring new life to the themes found in the Bard’s classic work.

On Tuesday's show: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration over revised Title IX rules that would expand discrimination protections to transgender students. Also this hour: On the heels of protests at college campuses over the war in Gaza, including some protests here in Texas, we discuss what a Supreme Court non-decision signals about the future of protests in Texas and other states. Then: The latest about changing guidance surrounding cancer screening. And this month’s edition of The Bigger Picture examines some of the social and political issues at play in the movie Civil War.

On Monday's show: We get an update on severe weather and flooding overnight around the region. And we explore how Southwest Airlines leaving Bush Airport will affect travelers. Also this hour: The city of Corpus Christi is pursuing development of the state’s first ocean desalination project. Turning ocean salt water into healthy drinking water would have some obvious benefits, but could it have a negative impact on the environment? And we learn about a desalination project here in Houston. Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers your pet care questions. And, on the heels of the NFL Draft, Jeff Balke reflects on how Houston sports teams have fared in drafts over the years -- who were some of the biggest successes and the biggest busts?

On Friday's show: The Harris County Jail continues to face challenges with overcrowding. And it’s not just the jail here. We learn how jails across the state are dealing with the same issue. Also this hour: For students going to college, picking where to go can be a complicated decision. And visiting all the campuses on your wish list might not be feasible. But what if they came to you? That’s what happened recently when Houston’s NRG Center hosted the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s National College Fair, where dozens of institutions from across the country got a chance for some face time with busloads of local high school students and others there with their parents. Then, from the Texans unveiling new uniforms, to a former college football star getting back a trophy he had to forfeit years ago, our panel of non-experts discusses The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And the local ensemble WindSync is celebrating its 15th anniversary at their annual Onstage Offstage Chamber Music Festival, which runs through the weekend. We reflect on the group's history and how it has changed over years.

On Wednesday's show: The Supreme Court of Texas has blocked implementation of Uplift Harris, the county’s guaranteed income pilot program for low-income households. And opening statements and testimony began in the first criminal trial of a former president. We discuss those and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We learn about the annual Frida Festival this weekend, a celebration of creative expression and of a legend of visual art, Frida Kahlo. And more than 40 years ago, a film hit theaters showcasing a slice of life in Houston in the 1980s. Urban Cowboy starred John Travolta and Debra Winger – along with Gilley’s dance hall in Pasadena and one very popular mechanical bull. We listen back to a 2020 interview with the late Mickey Gilley on his memories from the film and what it did for his career and his business.

On Tuesday's show: From the ongoing court challenge to the county’s income assistance program, to calls for more transparency in how the county hands out contracts for infrastructure projects, we discuss issues facing Harris County with its chief executive, Judge Lina Hidalgo. Also this hour: Term-limited Galveston City Council Member John Paul Listowski looks back on the island’s successes and challenges over the past six years.

On Monday's show: A new PBS documentary called Poisoned Ground tells the story of the Love Canal environmental disaster near Niagara Falls that led to the creation of the EPA's Superfund program. Much of the fight against that site was led by women, and we hear from one of them. And we learn how one of them inspired and mentored Houston activist Jackie Medcalf, who’s working to clean up superfund sites around this area. Also this hour: We discuss recent developments in the world of consumer technology with columnist Dwight Silverman. And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: The Anti-Defamation League recently conducted an audit of antisemitic incidents that showed a 45 percent increase in the region that encompasses Houston. We learn more about the audit and what kinds of incidents have been reported. Also this hour: From the Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail project gaining new momentum, to retired NFL player Jason Kelce losing his Super Bowl ring in a pool of Skyline Chili, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And a new book follows women who moved to Houston from Iraq, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan as refugees and are trying to move forward with new lives. We meet two of the women and talk with Kim Meyer, author of Accidental Sisters.