Houston Matters
1,043 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★ - 88 ratingsHouston 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.
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Episodes
The week in politics (Aug. 9, 2023)
August 09, 2023 13:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Wednesday's show: We discuss the politics surrounding Harris County Judge Hidalgo’s leave of absence and other developments in local, state, and national politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We talk with guitarist Andy Summers of The Police. He’s not just a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, he’s also a well-respected photographer and a fascinating guy. He performs at The Heights Theater on Friday night. And Spanish Harlem Orchestra, a three-time Grammy Award-winning Sa...
Persistent extreme heat (Aug. 8, 2023)
August 08, 2023 13:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Tuesday's show: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the top elected official for one of the largest counties in the United States, announced Monday she is taking a leave of absence to receive treatment for clinical depression. We learn more. Also this hour: Will this extreme heat ever let up? Can we take some solace in knowing it’s helping to hold back major storms? We talk it over with Justin Ballard, the new newsroom meteorologist at the Houston Chronicle. Then, a new study finds so...
Galveston redistricting trial (Aug. 7, 2023)
August 07, 2023 13:00 - 49 minutes - 114 MBOn Monday's show: A trial begins in federal court in Galveston today. Judge Jeffrey Brown will hear from local officials and advocacy groups who allege Galveston County Commissioners Court approved district maps that intentionally discriminate against Black and Hispanic voters. Also this hour: We offer listeners their monthly opportunity to share their pet peeves about life in Greater Houston. And we separate narrative from reality when it comes to the Houston Astros as we get an update o...
Myths in Texas history (Aug. 4, 2023)
August 04, 2023 13:00 - 49 minutes - 68.4 MBOn Friday's show: News 88.7's politics reporter Andrew Schneider joins us to share the latest in Ken Paxton’s criminal trial, and News 88.7 education reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh reviews developments at Thursday night's Houston ISD board of managers meeting. Also this hour: We discuss why some are so protective of certain mythologies and moments from Texas history – whether they’re accurate or not. Then, we ask this week’s “non-expert” panel to weigh in on this weekend’s Air Hockey W...
Gunfire-detection technology (Aug. 3, 2023)
August 03, 2023 13:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Thursday's show: Katy ISD voters will decide in November whether to approve a record $840.6 million in bond proposals, which the fast-growing school district west of Houston wants to use for new campuses and building renovations, security and technology upgrades, and improvements to its athletic facilities. Also this hour: We talk with a City of Houston transportation official about how her family’s been impacted by inequalities in transportation planning. Veronica O. Davis writes abou...
The mayor and HISD (Aug. 2, 2023)
August 02, 2023 13:00 - 55 minutes - 127 MBOn Wednesday's show: As Mayor Sylvester Turner and HISD Superintendent Mike Miles lock horns over plans to convert some school libraries to “team centers,” we discuss what the mayor and his successor can and can not do about what’s happening in Houston’s public schools. And we talk over other developments in politics in our weekly roundup, including the latest indictment of former Pres. Donald Trump. Also this hour: A conversation about the use of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of PTSD...
Issues facing Houston (Aug. 1, 2023)
August 01, 2023 13:00 - 50 minutes - 116 MBOn Tuesday's show: Political analyst Mark Jones of Rice University walks us through the findings of a survey about issues facing the city of Houston. Also this hour: News 88.7's Dominic Anthony Walsh joins us for a mid-year check-in on the major developments so far in 2023 in the world of education. Then, it’s time again for Houston Restaurant Weeks, the annual effort by many local restaurants to encourage you to dine out and raise money for the Houston Food Bank. In this month's install...
HPD’s report on the Astroworld tragedy (July 31, 2023)
July 31, 2023 13:00 - 47 minutes - 110 MBOn Monday's show: The Houston Police Department has released its report on the Astroworld concert tragedy in 2021 that left ten people dead. News 88.7's Lucio Vasquez walks us through what's in the 1,266-page report. Also this hour: We dig further into the troubles facing Texas A&M amid the revelation reported this week in the Texas Tribune that a professor was suspended for two weeks this spring under apparent political pressure after making an unspecified comment in a guest lecture that ...
New curriculum at HISD (July 28, 2023)
July 28, 2023 13:30 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Friday's show: A jury this week ruled in favor of SLB, the Houston-based company formerly known as Schlumberger, in a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by a former employee. Houston Chronicle energy reporter Amanda Drane has been following this lawsuit and joins us to explain the case and the ruling. Also this hour: Houston ISD is preparing for a lot of changes under its new state-appointed superintendent. Among them: at least a third of campuses will use a new curriculum built on what’...
Bookstores sue over book rating law (July 27, 2023)
July 27, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Thursday's show: Two bookstores in Texas are suing over a new Texas law that requires them to rate books on their appropriateness and prohibits "sexually explicit" material from libraries. One of those booksellers is Houston's Blue Willow Bookshop. Its owner, Valerie Koehler, joins us to explain her concerns about the law. Also this hour: App permissions, cameras and microphones, scanned payments – there’s so much of day-to-day life in Houston that’s built on digital information about u...
Voter opinion poll (July 26, 2023)
July 26, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Wednesday's show: We examine a new poll of voter attitudes and opinions as we draw closer to the November election. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Then, a new report from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research says a majority of Houstonians are cost-burdened by their rent. What does that mean, and how can renters deal with that? And we revisit the long-lost story behind the Astros’ famous rainbow uniforms.
Standoff at the border (July 25, 2023)
July 25, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Tuesday's show: Lots of extreme summer heat and little rain -- it's led to drought conditions in some parts of Greater Houston, such as Galveston County. Conditions there have led the county's Office of Emergency Management to put a burn ban into effect in unincorporated areas in hopes of preventing wildfires. Also this hour: Gov. Greg Abbott is refusing to remove buoys from the Rio Grande that the Justice Department says are illegal. Abbott says Texas has the right to defend its border...
Breathing the air in Houston (July 24, 2023)
July 24, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Monday's show: Saharan dust rolling in, smoke and haze arriving from Canadian wildlires, and the extreme heat and humidity -- is breathing the air in Houston generally worse for you these days? And is all of this a harbinger of what future summers will be like here with climate change? Also this hour: Bob Sanborn of Children at Risk says he’d give state lawmakers a grade of D+ or maybe a D- for what they did for kids and families this year during the legislative session. He explains why...
Exceptions to the abortion ban (July 21, 2023)
July 21, 2023 13:00 - 48 minutes - 110 MBOn Friday's show: There’s plenty of info out there about gun deaths but far less about gun-related injuries. Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin wants to change that. She thinks a "comprehensive gun violence injury dashboard" is needed and could help to reduce such incidents. She tells us more. Also this hour: Testifying has been emotional this week in Austin in hearings over a lawsuit filed on behalf of women in Texas who were denied abortions despite serious health complications duri...
988 hotline, one year later (July 20, 2023)
July 20, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 112 MBOn Thursday's show: A vote has been delayed twice now at Houston City Council over a Heights daycare center’s call for the creation of an alcohol-free zone within 300 feet of its facility in order to prevent future bars or liquor stores from opening nearby. We learn more about the story and why the vote continues to be delayed from News 88.7's Ashley Brown. Also this hour: It's been a year since the new 988 crisis hotline number was introduced. How effective has it been? Then, we talk wit...
Plans for HISD teacher pay (July 19, 2023)
July 19, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 116 MBOn Wednesday's show: Under a confidential new plan, the new state-managed leadership at Houston ISD plans to base teacher pay on test scores by the 2025-26 school year. We talk with News 88.7 education reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh about how the plan would operate and how he learned this information. Also this hour: Razor wire, a wall of buoys, accounts of migrants being mistreated -- reports from the border are prompting calls for federal intervention into the Abbott administration’s eff...
Bugs, insects, and animals galore! (July 18, 2023)
July 18, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Tuesday's show: We discuss efforts from two Texas Congressmen to urge the EPA to not let the state regulate its own carbon capture efforts. Also this hour: We talk with two Houston-area state representatives, Armando Walle and Lacey Hull, who landed on Texas Monthly's list of Best Legislators. Then, entomologist Erin Mills, of the Houston Botanic Garden, joins us to talk about insects and bugs. And we discuss the state of animal welfare in the region with the Gulf Coast Animal Welfar...
Police response times (July 17, 2023)
July 17, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 66.8 MBOn Monday's show: We get an update from TxDOT on the years-long I-69/610 project that is nearing completion. Also this hour: We discuss a recent Houston Chronicle investigation that found police response times were the slowest in decades. Then, Houston Chronicle Tech Columnist Dwight Silverman returns to talk about the latest developments in consumer technology. And we discuss Houston sports with Jeff Balke.
Challenging ban on gender-affirming care (July 14, 2023)
July 14, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Friday's show: We talk with Lynly Egyes, the legal director at the Transgender Law Center, about a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Also this hour: Texas beaches offer sun, sand…and polluted water. More of that than any other beaches across the country, according to a recent report. We learn more. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we visit the Brick Rodeo LEGO Fan Exhibition, held last weeken...
Supporting truck drivers (July 13, 2023)
July 13, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 114 MBOn Thursday's show: Concerns are being raised about some nearby development encroaching on unmarked graves at historic Olivewood Cemetery. Also this hour: Odds are pretty good just about anything you buy in Houston got here thanks to a truck driver. So, why are truckers so often underappreciated? We learn about some new fforts to support them. Then, many Houstonians who work in the energy sector know the search for underground oil and gas is a high-tech endeavor. But it wasn’t always that...
The week in politics (July 12, 2023)
July 12, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Wednesday's show: A property tax cut deal, a new candidate for U.S. Senate, and an acting state Attorney General resigning -- we discuss those and other developments in our weekly political roundup. Also this hour: Bradley Sullivan, a local Episcopal priest, talks about what led him to challenge the notion held in some corners of Christianity that he describes as "Believe in Jesus or go to hell." He discusses his own journey of rethinking that idea and his book, For the Hurt, the Blesse...
Property tax deal (July 11, 2023)
July 11, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Tuesday's show: Texas GOP lawmakers have reached a deal to cut property taxes. We learn what it took to achieve the compromise and what it might mean for property owners. Also this hour: Map all sorts of things within Houston’s city limits, and a shape has a tendency to form. It looks like an arrow. We learn what the “Houston Arrow” represents and why. Then, when hard jobs need doing, how do we balance the well-being of workers with meeting project deadlines? We discuss with a Texas co...
Findings from ITC fire investigation (July 10, 2023)
July 10, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Monday's show: An investigation from the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board says the fire that burned for three days at the ITC chemical storage facility in Deer Park in 2019 could have been prevented if proper measures were in place and if "gaps in relevant regulations" did not exist. Also this hour: When the pandemic began three years ago, more than a third of child care centers in Texas closed temporarily. Within two years, the equivalent of a third of those had clos...
Replacing Astroworld (July 7, 2023)
July 07, 2023 14:00 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Friday's show: Houston public school principals have until noon Monday to confirm whether their schools will opt into Superintendent Mike Miles' "new education system" program. News 88.7’s Rebecca Noel explains what was learned from Miles’ meeting with dozens of district principals on Thursday and what to make of some recent errors surrounding termination notices and paycheck delays. Also this hour: We discuss the disappearance of the Astroworld theme park and why so little of its ki...
Building skyscrapers in Houston (July 6, 2023)
July 06, 2023 12:00 - 51 minutes - 70.8 MBOn Thursday's show: The Biden administration has announced it's devoting $1 billion to develop clean hydrogen energy. What could that mean for the Houston area, which is expected to be home to a future hydrogen hub? Also this hour: We learn about the extraordinary measures structural engineers had to develop so that skyscrapers could be built on Houston's mushy soil. Joe Colaco, one of the engineers responsible for that -- a man who has worked on some of the world's most recognizable bu...
The week in politics (July 5, 2023)
July 05, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics. Also this hour: Houston food writers talk about their favorite places to get Mexican and Tex-Mex food in the city right now, in this month's installment of The Full Menu. And a new graphic novel called Last on His Feet tells the story of boxer and Galveston native Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion. His victory over the white former champion Jim Jeffries on July 4, 1910, was called...
Using Independence Day to end slavery (July 3, 2023)
July 03, 2023 14:00 - 47 minutes - 109 MBOn Monday's show: Heading into the Fourth of July holiday, we learn how abolitionists used Independence Day to make their case in pre-Civil War America. That story is the subject of Symbols of Freedom: Slavery and Resistance Before the Civil War by University of Houston history professor Matt Clavin. Also this hour: The Houston Chronicle's Lisa Gray and the Scurfield Group's Craig Hlavaty discuss some Houstonians' holiday-related gripes and pet peeves, gathered over the last month. And, o...
Campus diversity after affirmative action (June 30, 2023)
June 30, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Friday's show: We discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling striking down affirmative action in college admissions and where it leaves local institutions in their efforts to sustain diverse campuses. Also this hour: Alexandra Kanik of the Houston Chronicle discusses how Houston-area neighborhood demographics have changed from 2010 to 2020 – something she did a deep dive on earlier this month. Then, from Katy’s public schools back in the news over library books, to our extreme heat buckli...
Summer travel heats up (June 29, 2023)
June 29, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Thursday's show: Thanks in part to Independence Day falling on Tuesday next week, a lot of Houstonians will have an extra-long holiday weekend and plan to hit the road or take to the air over the next several days. AAA Texas is expecting record-breaking travel numbers. We talk with AAA's Joshua Zuber about what to expect and what other factors might be driving such high holiday travel in and out of the Houston area. Also this hour: On June 29, 2007, Apple released the first iPhone. Our ...
The week in politics (June 28, 2023)
June 28, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 114 MBOn Wednesday's show: The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected the “independent state legislature” theory. We discuss what the High Court’s 6-3 decision indicates and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: This month’s edition of The Bigger Picture focuses on Houstonian Wes Anderson’s new film Asteroid City and engaging young people in space. And, on the anniversary of the start of the Stonewall uprising, we reflect on the Anita Bryant protests, which were...
Staying in flood-prone areas (June 27, 2023)
June 27, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Tuesday's show: We check in with News 88.7 education reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh about the start of a series of “family events” Houston ISD has planned for Superintendent Mike Miles to share his vision for the district and to meet families district-wide. Also this hour: We learn more about a just-published Rice study, which finds a key factor in whether people move out of flood-prone neighborhoods or not has nothing to do with flood risk. It’s the racial makeup of their community....
Lawrence v. Texas 20 years later (June 26, 2023)
June 26, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 112 MBOn Monday's show: We discuss a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling where 8 of the 9 justices rejected a challenge from Texas and Louisiana over the Biden administration’s guidelines for who immigration officials can target for arrest and deportation. Also this hour: Attorney Mitchell Katine reflects on his involvement in Lawrence v. Texas, a huge step forward for gay rights in 2003. Then, Houston Chronicle Tech Columnist Dwight Silverman returns to talk about the latest developments in consu...
Revisiting a study on college athletes (June 23, 2023)
June 23, 2023 12:00 - 47 minutes - 65.3 MBOn Friday's show: News 88.7's Rebecca Noel joins us to talk about last night's HISD Board of Managers meeting, where they approved a budget for the coming school year. Also this hour: We check back in on the CLEAATS (College Level Aging Athlete Study), which aims to understand how participation in college sports and resulting concussions can impact brain wellness later in life. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we'll feature part of Eddie Robinson's ...
I was today-years-old when I learned… (June 22, 2023)
June 22, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBOn Thursday's show: We talk with Houston Chronicle reporter Eric Dexheimer about the 'dead suspect loophole' in Texas law and how the Legislature recently changed it. Also this hour: Author/essayist David Gessner shares his adventures around the U.S. that inspired him to write about the future of our climate. Then, we consider what bits of information or common wisdom some Houstonians may have been slow to pick up on about our sprawling region. What unexpected info did you learn when y...
Make Music Day (June 21, 2023)
June 21, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 67.7 MBOn Wednesday's show: We dive into the latest developments in local, state, and national politics with University of Houston political analysts Nancy Sims and Brandon Rottinghaus. Also this hour: Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia joins us to talk about the latest in the county and Precinct 2. And we celebrate the annual Make Music Day with a live performance in the studio, featuring singer-songwriter Ed Amash!
Police Chief Troy Finner (June 20, 2023)
June 20, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 68.3 MBOn Tuesday's show: Houston Police Chief Troy Finner joins us to talk about the latest going on with the department and tackling crime in the city. Also this hour: We revisit a Texas case that tested what happens when the public's right to know bumps up against an individual's right to privacy. Then, a conversation with Muhammad Ali biographer Jonathan Eig.
Shelby v. Holder ten years later (June 16, 2023)
June 16, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 67.4 MBOn Friday's show: We look ahead to what's going to be a very hot Juneteenth weekend with Eric Berger of Space City Weather. Also this hour: Ten years ago this week, the Supreme Court gutted a provision in the federal Voting Rights Act that required Texas and other southern states to get permission to make changes related to voting. We discuss what's happened since with law professor Charles "Rocky" Rhodes. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And Houston write...
Houston: Thriving amid the swamp (June 15, 2023)
June 15, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 66.9 MBOn Thursday's show: As temperatures rise this week we talk with HPM reporters about efforts to help the city's homeless population and what ERCOT is monitoring for our electric grid. Also this hour: We consider Houston's reputation as a humid, muggy, and perhaps somewhat inhospitable place with Dylan Baddour from Inside Climate News Then, we learn about a group of conservative, Christian mothers fighting to protect their LGBTQ+ children as featured in a new documentary by Independent L...
An historic week in politics (June 14, 2023)
June 14, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBOn Wednesday's show: Former Pres. Donald Trump's appearance in a Miami courthouse following his indictment last week was historic. But it wasn't the only story worth discussing in the world of politics this week. We discuss that and other developments in politics in an extended edition of our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Immersive experiences are all the rage in entertainment in recent memory. Whether it's walking through a three-dimensional recreation of a Vincent Van Gogh painting,...
The slow grind of transportation projects (June 13, 2023)
June 13, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Tuesday's show: The saga over the fate of Fairfield Lake State Park took a dramatic turn this weekend. Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners voted unanimously to condemn the park and pursue eminent domain in order to take over the 5,000-acre plot of land southeast of Dallas, so it can remain open for public use. We get an update on that story and on some rules state regulators are considering over where concrete batch plants are built. Also this hour: Trains stopped on tracks has made...
HISD under new management (June 12, 2023)
June 12, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Monday's show: The first days of Houston’s public schools under new management have been dramatic. A new superintendent has been installed. A new board of managers has been sworn in. New policies are going into place. And there's the same old protests about all of it. We assess the opening days of a new era for Houston ISD with the help of News 88.7 reporters Dominic Anthony Walsh and Rebecca Noel. Also this hour: Tonight at 9, Houston Public Media, TV 8 will air Buffalo Soldiers: Figh...
Voting rights in Texas (June 9, 2023)
June 09, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 115 MBOn Friday's show: The Supreme Court issued a surprise decision striking down Alabama’s Congressional maps for minimizing Black voters’ influence to one district. Could there be implications for Texas? We talk it over with Charles “Rocky” Rhodes, a law professor at South Texas College of Law Houston. Also this hour: Celebrated classical pianist Amy Yang performs June 20 at the Texas Music Festival on the University of Houston campus. It’s a homecoming, of sorts, for her. We find out why an...
Astronaut Christina Koch (June 8, 2023)
June 08, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Thursday's show: It got a bit heated at Harris County Commissioners Court this week. County Judge Lina Hidalgo dropped an F-bomb while criticizing commissioners about their loyalty to the county’s district attorney. News 88.7 reporter Andrew Schneider explains what it was all about and updates us on other recent developments from the county. Also this hour: We meet astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, who will be the first woman to embark on a mission to the moon. Then, the news that t...
The week in politics (June 7, 2023)
June 07, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes - 115 MBHouston On Wednesday's show: The presidential campaign field for 2024 is growing, while efforts to pass property taxes in Texas are stalled. We discuss those and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: In this month's installment of The Full Menu, Houston food writers discuss some of their favorite new restaurants of 2023 so far. And Houston musician DJ Sun talks about adapting his most recent album, Loveletter, for a performance onstage Saturday at Miller ...
Oil production and gas prices (June 6, 2023)
June 06, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 112 MBOn Tuesday's show: We talk about Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut oil production and what that may mean for the oil and gas industry here in Houston and gas prices for consumers, especially during the busy summer travel months. And we learn about Houston chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen, who won a James Beard Award for Best Chef in Texas. Also this hour: A new book from Texas Monthly called Lone Stars Rising profiles 50 influential Texans who have impacted our state. A n...
Houston pet peeves (June 5, 2023)
June 05, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 113 MBOn Monday's show: Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, the CEO of Harris Health, makes his case for a $2.5 billion bond measure that would raise funds for a new LBJ Hospital and other public health services. Also this hour: We offer listeners their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves about life in Greater Houston. And we get an update on sports from Jeff Balke.
Reaction to new HISD leadership (June 2, 2023)
June 02, 2023 12:00 - 47 minutes - 109 MBOn Friday's show: Now that we know who is going to lead Houston ISD under the state takeover, how is it sitting with area educators? We get reaction from the Houston Federation of Teachers to a new superintendent and new board of managers running the district. Also this hour: Andrew Schneider tells us about the legal limbo some Houston-area Afghan refugees find themselves in and how a bill in Congress could address it. Then, from ERCOT’s new power grid dashboard, to a Galveston sinkhole s...
New HISD leadership unveiled (June 1, 2023)
June 01, 2023 12:00 - 48 minutes - 111 MBOn Thursday's show: The Texas Education Agency has unveiled the new Houston ISD Superintendent and the nine members of the TEA appointed Board of Managers who will oversee the state’s largest public school district. We check in with News 88.7 reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh for details. Also today: Hurricane season is here. NOAA’s lead hurricane forecaster joins us to discuss what to expect this year, and we get a refresher on what you need to know and prepare for ahead of a tropical sto...
Texas Legislature goes into overtime (May 31, 2023)
May 31, 2023 12:00 - 49 minutes - 68 MBOn Wednesday's show: The Texas Legislature has gone into overtime. We discuss what lies ahead in special sessions in the coming months and what to expect from the Texas Senate’s impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton in our weekly political roundup. Also this hour: Anheuser-Busch has had a rough go of it lately, watching sales of Bud Light and some other products tumble after backlash to a marketing effort to appeal to a broader customer base by providing a transgender influen...
City suing streaming services, and HISD’s code of conduct (Aug. 8, 2022)
August 08, 2022 12:00 - 48 minutes - 112 MBOn Monday's show: Houston and two dozen other Texas cities are suing Netflix, Hulu, and Disney. We learn why those cities think those streaming services owe them money. Also this hour: Local organizers want HISD to reform the district’s code of conduct, saying it relies too much on law enforcement -- and too often for Black students. Then, we learn why a state program giving out life-saving drugs to treat opioid overdoses has been out of money for months and what it means for emergency re...