Houston Matters

On Friday's show: We learn about some potential strong winds and even flooding in Greater Houston this weekend with the help of Justin Ballard, meteorologist for the Houston Chronicle.Also this hour: We talk about movies dealing with time travel. That's the theme of Moonlight Movies, a series of outdoor film screenings this month put on by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we preview this year’s Theater District Open House, where performing arts organizations open their doors for visitors to learn about what they do and to preview their coming seasons.

On Thursday's show: We broadcast live from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where we talk about the annual celebration of western culture with Chris Boleman, the event's president and CEO. We also discuss the future of water in Texas and how the need for it will affect the state's agriculture.Also this hour: We go shopping for Western wear inside the exhibitor hall at NRG Center. And we take an inside look at the annual calf scramble.Watch

On Wednesday's show: We examine how the races turned out in the Texas primary election and discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: In this month’s installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss some of their favorite restaurants around Houston to take a date or have a date night with a significant other.Watch

On Tuesday's show: We have the latest news on voter turnout during primary election day.Also this hour: Houston didn't make the headlines like Minneapolis or Los Angeles for aggressive immigration enforcement this past year, but it felt the impact. More than one in seven Houston-area residents personally know someone who was detained and potentially deported in 2025. We discuss new surveys from Rice University's Kinder Institute on how Houstonians' attitudes toward immigration enforcement are shifting.Then, retired astronaut Butch Wilmore joins us to talk about his career, including the nine months he spent on the ISS when his mission was originally only supposed to last eight days.Then, we discuss why the Trump administration wants to extend the Texas border wall through Big Bend National Park.And we learn about a Texas Tech University archaeology team’s recent discovery of a long-lost Spanish mission site, which sheds new light on missionary life in Texas during the 1700s.Watch

On Monday's show: Sunday’s mass shooting in Austin may have been an act of terrorism and a response to the U.S. and Israel’s military action in Iran, which has led that country to attack several Middle East neighbors. We discuss that and other reverberations from this weekend’s violence and implications in politics and on the oil and gas industry.Harris County commissioners recently voted to strip the county treasurer’s office of key functions and to pursue dissolving the office altogether. The move was made amidst legal troubles for County Treasurer Carla Wyatt. We get  the details from reporter Sarah Grunau.Also this hour: It’s the first Monday of the month. That’s when we set aside time to sweat the small stuff in another round of Houstonian pet peeves. Send yours now to talk@houstonmatters.org.And we discuss the Astros at spring training, how the automated ball strike challenge system is going so far, and preview the World Baseball Classic as some of the tournament’s games will be played at Daikin Park starting next week.Watch

On Friday's show: We learn about HISD's plans to close some of its schools, after a vote on the matter takes place.Also this hour: We discuss the homeschooling experience in Houston with Tess Harris, a former home school student and member of the Coalition for Responsible Home Education, and Amber Swirsky, a homeschool teacher, mother of five, and owner of The Homeschool Store.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we chat with Rich Levy, executive director of Inprint Houston, who’s presenting the next film in the Movies Houstonians Love series at the MFAH. We talk about the movie he wants you to see, Wim Wenders’ 2023 film, Perfect Days, and about his 30+ years at Inprint ahead of his retirement.Watch

On Thursday's show: Apple plans to build its Mac mini computers right here in Houston, and Wall Street Journal reporter Rolfe Winkler got an exclusive inside look. We talk with him about what is driving this move and what it means for the city.Also this hour: The deadline is next week for Texas public school boards to vote on whether or not to adopt a voluntary period for prayer and reading of religious texts during the school day. We discuss the law behind this, SB 11, and concerns over how it will be implemented.Then, we learn about CanCare, a local cancer support organization that pairs patients with survivors.And we reflect on the history of the Julia Ideson Library, which is celebrating its centennial with a performance of new music from ROCO on Feb. 28.Watch

On Wednesday's show: We recap last night’s State of the Union address and discuss other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Do you grunt when you get up after sitting too long? Do you feel achy after sleeping? Nearly a quarter of all U.S. adults suffer from chronic pain. We discuss how to manage it, and when it is a good idea to see a doctor or a specialist.And Houston-based singer and musician Kyle Cousins joins us and performs in studio. He’s one of a number of area musicians who will be showcased in a concert Thursday that wraps up this year’s ReelAbilities Houston Film and Arts Festival.Watch

On Tuesday's show: Texas rewards school districts for preparing students for life after graduation, tying college and career readiness to more school funding and higher performance ratings. But a new report shows many college prep classes are failing to live up to their promise. We talk with the researcher behind the findings.Also this hour: Amid concern about the fate of the former Garden Oaks Theater, we discuss historic preservation in Houston.Then, we talk with an area immigration attorney about Houstonians pursuing dual citizenship.And we preview Truth Be Told, a dance production Feb. 26-27 from Urban Souls Dance Company honoring the stories, ancestors, and cultural legacies that shape the Black experience.Watch

On Monday's show: We discuss how the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down many of President Trump’s tariffs might affect Greater Houston.Also this hour: We learn about Blackball, an exhibit exploring baseball in Houston Freedmen’s Town, from teams that barnstormed in sandlots, to players and teams in the Negro Leagues, to the eventual integration of Major League Baseball. And we learn about some of the notable Black baseball players from Houston's history from the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Then, from the rollout of school vouchers, to districts voting on prayer in school, to plans to close some HISD campuses, there is a lot going on these days in K-12 education. We bring together a panel of education reporters to discuss those and other subjects in the news.And we recap the Winter Olympics with Houston Chronicle sports editor Reid Laymance.Watch

On Friday's show: Texas is suing Dow Chemical Co., citing hundreds of water pollution violations at the company's facility in Seadrift along the coast south of Victoria. Dylan Baddour of Inside Climate News explains the lawsuit and how it could actually end up shielding Dow from tougher penalties.Also this hour: The nonprofit Sierra Club recently released its legislative scorecard for last year, measuring how well or how poorly state lawmakers supported various environmental needs, at least according to the organization’s own measurements. We discuss the ratings and whether such assessments ever move the needle on the state's environmental concerns.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And a new documentary called The Inquisitor explores the life and career of the late Texas Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. The film airs Feb. 23 at 9 p.m. on Houston Public Media, TV 8. In conjunction, we reflect on Jordan's contributions to the political landscape.Watch

On Thursday's show: AI-focused data centers have increased the demand for memory chips that drive many electronics consumers use. And that is driving up prices we pay to get them. Technology columnist Dwight Silverman explains, and he offers advice for how to spot AI being used in campaign ads or social media posts.Also this hour: As Johnson Space Center continues preparations for the next Artemis mission and America’s return to the moon, it reminds us that NASA’s long-term vision includes using the moon as a stepping-stone for future missions to Mars. But there is a lot to consider about what human beings spending extended time on the moon or Mars will mean. We talk that over with Rice University biology professor Scott Solomon, author of Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds.Then, we discuss the role the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary plays in protecting birds that migrate through Texas.And, as Olympic hockey games near their pinnacle this week, we talk with Chie Chie Yard, the first Houston native to play hockey in the Olympics. These days, she plans major events for the National Hockey League, and she is one of this year’s Houston Hockey Hall of Fame inductees.Watch

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We learn about a new initiative from the University of Houston-Downtown, which will guarantee admission for HISD graduates with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.And we preview a concert from DACAMERA on Friday featuring the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, performing a work that explores the complex relationship between Mexican painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. It’s in conjunction with an exhibit about Kahlo on display now at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.Watch

On Tuesday's show: Early voting begins today for the 2026 Texas primaries as Democrats and Republicans decide the candidates who'll be on the ballot for the November general election. Reporter Andrew Schneider tells us what we need to know about the races and voting.Also this hour: It's no secret restaurants face a variety of challenges today. So, what do they need that they're not getting? We get some insight from two local restauranteurs.Then, in testimony last week, Instagram’s CEO dismissed the notion that people become addicted to social media, saying critics should separate “clinical addiction” from “problematic use.” We ask local counselor, Dr. Thomson Ivins of the Council on Recovery, to weigh in.And we learn about Houston Grand Opera’s upcoming concert, Giving Voice, which celebrates Black voices in opera, and we hear a performance.Watch

On Monday's show: FEMA has released new draft flood maps for the Houston area. We discuss their implications with Jim Blackburn from Rice University’s SSPEED Center.Also this hour: Veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers listener questions about their pets.And, as Spring Training begins, we preview the Astros season.Watch

On Friday's show: We learn what Mayor John Whitmire had to say in his second State of the City address yesterday, laying out his vision for the remainder of his term and promising not to increase taxes, despite the city's budget issues.And the Houston Texans will soon have a new headquarters for their business operations, part of a planned 83-acre sports, retail, and entertainment district in the Bridgeland community in Cypress.Also this hour: Five years after the 2021 winter freeze knocked out power across the state for several days, we reflect on some memories of that deadly event and discuss the lessons learned from its effect on the power grid.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And, ahead of Valentine’s Day, we talk about a different kind of date -- a “Doggy Date” courtesy of the Houston Humane Society.Watch

On Thursday's show: Last week, the dean of the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences asked faculty he oversees to sign a document attesting they are not "indoctrinating" their students but are instead teaching them to think critically. One of those professors, Robert Zaretzky, responded with an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle saying he will not sign the document. He joins us to explain why.Also this hour: Houston’s diversity shows up everywhere, including in foster care. We discuss how families navigate caregiving of children from different cultural backgrounds.Then, we visit this year’s ongoing Mardi Gras celebrations in Galveston to learn how they’re different from what happens in New Orleans.And, ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 17, we learn more about Chinese Americans’ cultural and economic impacts here in Houston. And we talk about some of the Chinese constellations in the night sky with an area astronomer.Watch

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We visit Fresh Houwse Grocery in Sunnyside, a farmer-owned store in a neighborhood that previously had limited access to fresh food.And Houston author Saadia Faruqi explains why she wanted to use Hurricane Harvey as the backdrop for her latest young adult novel, Some of Us Are Brave, and how her own experiences during the 2017 storm continue to influence her writing. Faruqi will appear at a book launch on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. in Katy.Watch

On Tuesday's show: We learn how the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies and changes to Medicare are leaving some Houston-area hospitals feeling squeezed. Also this hour: Ahead of a national energy expo next week in Houston, we learn how deals made there can affect energy policy, companies, and consumers.Then, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America is kicking off an educational tour of the country with a free conference on Wednesday in Houston to help caregivers. We talk with one of the event's speakers, a neuroscientist and caregiver herself, about how to handle difficult behaviors among loved ones who are experiencing cognitive decline.And many neighborhoods and areas around Houston have a certain reputation. But are those reputations correct and deserved?Watch

On Monday's show: The state of Texas is cracking down on teachers and schools that support student protests over immigration enforcement. We talk with an attorney who represents school districts, and she outlines what they legally can and can’t do.Also this hour: We discuss technology in the classroom -- or, rather, the lack of it, and why more teachers are finding students have greater success when there are no screens at all to stare at.Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers questions about how to maintain the plants in your home or garden.And we take a closer look at the Rockets season so far.Watch