Houston Matters

On Friday's show: Famous actors are all around in New York and Los Angeles. It’s a bit of a bigger deal when they roll through Houston. And when they do, it’s usually not to promote a television show or film. The motivation is usually something else entirely.On this special edition of Houston Matters, we revisit conversations with four actors who came to town with something on their minds and shared those messages with us (along with talking about their lives and careers).We discuss mental health with actors Sean Astin and Joe Pantoliano. We review the fascinating life and career of one-time Houston Art Car Parade grand marshal Cheech Marin of Cheech and Chong fame. And we chat with actor, comedian, game show host, and reality TV judge Howie Mandel about his career, but also about -- we kid you not -- controlling cholesterol.

On Wednesday's show: In what has become a sort of tradition in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, the Houston Matters team gives thanks to you for listening and supporting this program -- and to each other for the work we’ve done this year.Coming up on this special edition of the show, we revisit some of our favorite segments from the past year. We hear conversations about traveling around Houston by foot, and crafting the ultimate Houston sandwich. We visit the Galveston Seawall and this year’s Afro Hair Summit Expo. We bring you an in-studio performance by an Indian sitar maestro, and host Craig Cohen waxes poetic about the impact The Muppets had on his life.Along the way, members of the Houston Matters team explain why they picked each of these stories and conversations to share and why they’re thankful for the people who produced them.

On Tuesday's show: State regulators have approved a request from CenterPoint Energy to bill taxpayers $2.9 billion to strengthen the Houston-area power grid against extreme weather. We learn details of the company's “resiliency plan” from Claire Hao of the Houston Chronicle.Also this hour: Beyond extreme weather, flooding, or climate change, the next big environmental challenge facing Texas might actually be under our feet. We learn why some of Houston’s booming suburbs are literally sinking and discuss what can be done to stop it.Then, this month’s edition of The Bigger Picture examines what the new adaptation of Stephen King's The Running Man has to say about media shaping narratives.And Houston writer Kathryn Haueisen, herself a descendant of Mayflower pilgrims, explains what we often get wrong about the history of the first Thanksgiving. Her historical fiction novel, Mayflower Chronicles – The Tale of Two Cultures was an attempt to shed some light on those misconceptions.Watch

On Monday's show: Two inmates died inside the Harris County Jail last week, according to a spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, bringing the jail’s in-custody death total to 18 this year. We learn the latest on these cases.Also this hour: A new study examines what has come to be known as the carbon "hoofprint” of cities, a measure for how bad beef is for the environment. It turns out the pounds of CO2 emitted per pound of meat at retail varies widely from city to city. Put another way: the carbon footprint of a hamburger is, in fact, bigger in Houston than it is in Chicago. We learn more about the study and talk with some area farmers trying to raise cattle in manner that minimizes this effect.Then, we discuss the latest developments in consumer technology with columnist Dwight Silverman.And we talk over recent developments in Houston sports with Jeff Balke, co-host of the Bleav in Astros podcast.Watch

On Friday's show: A new study suggests more than 1.4 million more Texans will lose their health insurance in 2026 once Affordable Care Act subsidies expire as premiums double or even triple.Also this hour: Just in time for holiday travel, we welcome your questions about the rules of the road for Sgt. Stephen Woodard from the Texas Department of Public Safety.Then, from Houston having two of the deadliest roads in America, to a movie about the life of Mattress Mack going into production, our non-experts weigh in on the The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news.And this weekend marks 62 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We revisit a conversation with the late Secret Service agent Clint Hill about his memories of that day and the day before, which the president spent here in Houston.Watch

On Thursday's show: Houstonians can no longer rent scooters late at night after the Houston City Council enacted a nighttime curfew for both electric and foot-powered scooters amid concerns about safety.And we learn about plans at Humble ISD to implement a school marshal program that would allow employees to carry firearms on campus.Also this hour: In a car-dominant state, the agency responsible for building Texas highways says the state needs more public transit options to deal with its continued growth. We learn more about the draft plan from TxDOT and consider how we should anticipate the future transportation needs of Houstonians.Then, we embark on a hunt for Houston’s hidden history with the book, Lost Treasures of Houston.And we visit the Houston Geological Society’s annual Gem, Jewelry, Mineral, and Fossil Show.Watch

On Wednesday's show: The U.S. House is poised to vote today on whether to release the Epstein files. We discuss that and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We learn about the role forensic genealogists play in solving cold cases.And CNN news anchor Bianna Golodryga discusses growing up in Houston as the child of Russian Jewish refugees and how that influenced Don't Feed the Lion, the new book she has co-authored to help children deal with antisemitism.Watch

On Tuesday's show: The Trump administration plans to overhaul federal funding for housing. We learn how that might affect Houstonians living in long-term housing and put many at risk of returning to the streets.Also this hour: We discuss the potential for a state takeover of Spring ISD if grades don’t improve this year at Dekaney High School.Then, Houston native Debbie Allen received an honorary Oscar over the weekend for her work as a choreographer, producer, director, and actor. We revisit a conversation with her about how the creative scene in Houston helped her succeed in the performing arts.Plus: The documentary Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy came out on Netflix Monday. The film offers an intimate look at the life of Tejano legend Selena Quintanilla-Perez and her family band through a wealth of candid footage captured by the singer’s sister. A Houston historian and Selena superfan reflects on some of his memories of watching her perform her last concerts in Houston.And, with the ever-growing presence of AI in our lives, we learn how musicians are using new technology in their work.Watch

On Monday's show: We get some insight into the goings-on in and around Fort Bend County, including a new Tesla battery factory and broadband expansion.Also this hour: We revisit a conversation about some Houston connections to the Jonestown Massacre, which took place 47 years ago.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller gives us the lowdown on the dangers of pets getting into Halloween candy as she answers your pet care questions.And we discuss the Texans' latest win over the Titans and their upcoming Thursday matchup against the Buffalo Bills.Watch

On Friday's show: A new survey from Texas Southern University examines which racial and socio-economic groups are most aware of the state's new school voucher program and which are most in support of it, with some surprising results.Also this hour: Filmmaker Ken Burns talks about his latest effort, The American Revolution, which debuts Nov. 16 on Houston Public Media, TV 8.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we learn about The Good Medicine Indigenous Music Festival this weekend and hear a musical performance from its organizer.

On Thursday's show: We hear what some local businesses connected to the hemp industry have to say about the component of the proposed government spending bill that could ban almost all THC-containing hemp products nationwide. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in the back-and-forth prioritization of cars and light rail trains in downtown.Then, we talk with popular social media science communicator Hank Green, who was in Houston recently to launch the Thought Leader Series at Space Center Houston.And an aspiring filmmaker shares his harrowing experience with a disease that affected his ability to think and why he wanted to document it as a film, My Missing Mind.Watch

On Wednesday's show: The federal government shutdown could end as soon as tonight. Did it accomplish anything? We consider that question and what the Senate deal, if passed by the House, could do to the burgeoning hemp industry in Texas and all the other recent developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We check out an immersive art installation at the recent AfroTech Conference.And we take a closer look at Houston’s comedy scene, beyond standup, as we talk with improv and sketch performers around town.Watch

On Tuesday's show: Children at Risk has released its annual list of the top public schools in Houston. The organization's CEO, Bob Sanborn, walks us through the rankings.Also this hour: Houstonians played a big role in the Gemini missions, which were stepping stones in America’s 1960s journey to the moon. The program that preceded Apollo is the focus of Jeffrey Kluger’s new book, Gemini: Stepping Stone to the Moon, the Untold Story.Then, we visit Texas Children’s Hospital to learn about the first immunotherapy center dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer.And, on Veterans Day, we hear local Air Force veteran Ty Mahany’s story about an encounter with a World War II veteran and discover what he learned about engaging fellow veterans in conversations about their service.Watch

On Monday's show: Houstonians woke up to a chill in the air this morning, and it will be back with us overnight. Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard joins us to discuss our wild swings in temperatures.Also this hour: Today is the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps. We hear from a Houstonian and retired Marine who served in the Pacific theater during World War II.Then, we discuss how to keep your garden in good shape amid the fluctuating temperatures and into Houston’s version of winter with the help of  Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston.And we recap Sunday's Texans game, the team's biggest comeback win in 12 season, and we look at the strong start to the Rockets season.Watch

On Friday's show: After elections this week, we take a closer look at the shifting politics of school boards with the help of Houston Chronicle reporter Elizabeth Sander, who has been covering the politics of suburban school districts over the last year.Also this hour: New data suggests Houston isn't facing the effects of inflation as badly as other cities, but that’s cold comfort for Houstonians still struggling financially. We discuss what studies sometimes miss about Houston's economy.Then, from shutdown-prompted cancellations at Houston airports, to Tom Brady investing in a Texas company that cloned his late pit bull, our non-experts weigh in on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we check in with musician Rhett Miller, the longtime lead singer of the alt-country/rock band The Old 97s, fresh off a pair of performances at McGonigel's Mucky Duck.Watch

On Thursday's show: Houston City Council is considering a measure that would effectively prohibit homeless people from sidewalks in a sprawling area around a new homeless services center in the East Downtown neighborhood. The addition of a new zone to the so-called civility ordinance across the Greater East End would mark the third expansion of the rule over the past year. We get the latest details from Houston Public Media's Dominic Anthony Walsh.Also this hour: Attorney and law professor Joyce Vance talks about the erosion of democratic norms and how citizens can push back on that, which is the subject of her book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual For Keeping A Democracy. Vance will speak at a Houston event on Nov. 13.Then, we talk with comedian Steve Hofstetter ahead of his appearance Friday at The Secret Group.And we meet the new director of Houston Grand Opera,James Gaffigan.Watch

On Wednesday's show: On Election Day, Democrats won high-profile races in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York, while back here in Houston, closely watched races for Congress and Houston City Council are headed to runoffs. We discuss election results and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Dining out has been getting more expensive. So, we turn to our gaggle of foodies and seek their suggestions for the best low-cost eating options around town on this month’s edition of The Full Menu.And gifted and talented programs in Texas schools can take many forms. An education expert explains how those programs have evolved to embrace more than just academic prowess.Watch

On Tuesday's show: HISD Superintendent Mike Miles joins us to discuss issues facing the state's largest school district, from addressing food insecurity among students as SNAP benefits end amid the federal government shutdown, to kids reading books in HISD elementary schools.Also this hour: We talk with the co-authors of Frontera: A Journey Across the US-Mexico Border, a coffee table book designed to cut through the stereotypes and political rhetoric about the border by offering a close-up view of the communities along its entire length, from Texas to California.Watch

On Monday's show: We learn about renewed efforts in Texas to mine for minerals and metals needed for renewable energy, microchips, or military technology.Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.And we discuss the latest developments in Houston sports with Jeff Balke.Watch

On Friday's show: Houston has seen explosive growth over the past decade, primarily in flood plains. Houston Chronicle reporter Yilun Cheng explains some potential connections between development in the flood plain and donations to political campaigns.Also this hour: We meet Marine Corps veteran Steve Jimenez, who found relief from depression, anxiety, and a general lack of purpose after leaving the military in beekeeping. He founded Hives for Heroes, an organization to help his fellow veterans get into beekeeping. Jimenez is among several veterans involved in agriculture featured in an upcoming episode of the PBS series After Action.Then, from a mixed bag for Houston in Wallet Hub’s rankings of the country's best Halloween experiences, to fluctuating candy costs this Halloween, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we learn how Sugar Land is celebrating Día de los Muertos.Watch