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Houston Matters

Houston Public Media

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

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All Episodes

49:40

School board changes (May 6, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/05/06

On Tuesday's show: Wet weather continues across Greater Houston the next couple of days. We find out what may be in store from Eric Berger of Space Center Weather walks us through the forecast.And is the tide turning in local school board battles over library books and gender identity policies? We get an update on some changes to the makeup of the school boards at Katy ISD and Fort Bend ISD and what that might mean for those districts.Also this hour: The Trump administration wants to incentivize

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50:13

Houston police get a raise (May 5, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/05/05

On Monday's show: Houston Mayor John Whitmire says he’ll unveil his proposed budget, and even as it includes a new deal with the police union giving officers more money, it’ll be a balanced budget. We get reaction to that police officers union agreement.Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.And Jeff Balke recaps the Rockets' Game 7 loss to Golden State in the NBA Playoffs and reflects on the accomplishments of the season.

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50:15

Happy Houston (May 2, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/05/02

On Friday's show: Two bills related to abortion passed the Texas Senate this week. One seeks to clarify when doctors can perform abortions if medically necessary under the state’s near-total ban. The other would allow anyone who mails or delivers abortion pills to someone in Texas to be sued for $100,000. Both bills must now clear the Texas House. Eleanor Klibanoff of The Texas Tribune provides details on both measures.Also this hour: A recent report ranked Houston as one of the unhappiest cities in

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49:52

Hospital prices (May 1, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/05/01

On Thursday's show: Despite federal and state regulations, hospitals in Texas are failing to provide real transparency in pricing for medical services they provide. We discuss a new report from health economist Vivian Ho.And we remember our colleague, longtime Texas radio newsman Matt Thomas, who died on Wednesday after a brief illness.Also this hour: We talk about efforts to deal with what’s known as the “corridor of cruelty,” an area in Houston that has become a dumping ground for abandoned stray

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50:00

The week in politics (April 30, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/30

On Wednesday's show: This week marks President Donald Trump's 100th day in office. We reflect on everything that's happened so far and discuss the latest developments in local, state, and national politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Corinna Lain, a legal scholar and former prosecutor, has done extensive research on how the use of lethal injection became widespread in this country. We examine what studies on the bodies of the executed can tell us about capital punishment and other

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50:44

Forecasting the economy (April 29, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/29

On Tuesday's show: Last week, two economists spoke out about the impact of Trump economic policy on Houston. One said to expect a recession by the summer. But the other offered a much sunnier forecast. Could they both be right? Or both be wrong? Do economists really know what they're talking about? We talk it over.Also this hour: Many industries face an uncertain future with the back-and-forth on tariffs. What about the energy industry in Houston? And how is the Texas Legislature playing a role in

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49:30

When being tough on crime goes too far (April 28, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/28

On Monday's show: Depending on where you live in Greater Houston, you may be closing in on an election day. We provide a rundown on some of the municipal election decisions being made today in Fort Bend County. And we get an update on Texas public school funding from the Texas Legislature.Also this hour: We discuss “tough on crime” policies that are so tough they’ve caught just about everyone off guard.Then, do we really need all this smart technology? Just how connected should your fridge really

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50:17

Grading Texas schools (April 25, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/25

On Friday's show: We dig deeper on the Texas Education Agency's grades for Texas schools for the 2022-2023 school year, which were just released after a 19-month legal battle between the TEA and districts that sought to prevent their release. The agency gave HISD a C grade for that period.Also this hour: A local union wants to see an increase in the minimum wage for Houston hotel and airport workers, arguing they’re not seeing the benefits of the area’s growing number of visitors. We learn more

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49:30

Independent bookstores (April 24, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/24

On Thursday's show: A group of Harris County Democratic Party officials are criticizing Houston Mayor John Whitmire over his participation in a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican. In a recent City Council meeting, the mayor also inflated the number of accused murderers on Houston streets as lawmakers consider bond reform. And Houston Public Works expects to raise water bills to fund a $4.2 billion overhaul of the East Water Purification Plant. Reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh updates

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49:39

The week in politics (April 23, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/23

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. This week, Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina of Party Politics offer their insights on stories from the local, state, and national level.Also this hour: Today is the 40th anniversary of New Coke, the change in flavor of Coca-Cola, which was one of the most infamous corporate marketing blunders of the 20th century. But hey, we all make mistakes. We revisit a 2024 conversation about some of Greater

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49:20

Houston’s higher STI rates (April 22, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/22

On Tuesday's show: A challenge on religious grounds to a requirement that health insurance providers cover HIV prevention medications was heard at the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday. Legal expert Seth Chandler explains the case, which stemmed from Texas.Also this hour: Houston has higher rates of sexually transmitted infections compared to the rest of Texas, according to Harris County Public Health. We discuss how local public health professionals are fighting STIs and misinformation.Then, on this

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46:50

Legacy of Pope Francis (April 21, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/21

On Monday's show: With the passing of Pope Francis, we talk about his time in the role and the legacy he leaves behind.Then, we discuss SB3, a bill designed to ban THC in Texas, and what comes next after it passed the Texas Senate.Also this hour: On this day in 1836, Texas forces won the Battle of San Jacinto, concluding the Texas Revolution. We revisit a conversation about the original Texans who sought independence from Mexico and sparked the revolution. And we revisit a conversation about the

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51:16

Luring film production to Texas (April 18, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/18

On Friday's show: A bill to greatly expand efforts to lure film and TV production to Texas using incentives paid for by sales tax revenues has passed the Texas Senate and now heads to the House for consideration. We learn more about Senate Bill 22 and what it might do for film and TV production in the state.Also this hour: From backlash over this week’s celebrity-studded, all-female, Blue Origin spaceflight, to prospects getting slimmer for a Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, to a human

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50:15

House passes school vouchers (April 17, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/17

On Thursday's show: In a vote early this morning that followed hours of debate, the Texas House gave initial approval to a billion-dollar private school voucher bill that stands to transform education in Texas in the years to come along with a $7.7 billion public school funding package.Also this hour: We talk with Houstonians supporting women who run for office, regardless of party. And we meet Dr. Jennifer Feltman, an expert on medieval art and architecture, who was one of only a handful of

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50:32

The week in politics (April 16, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/16

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We chat with Houston Chef Michelle Wallace, owner of B'tween Sandwich Co. She was a competitor on Season 21 of Top Chef, where she was named fan favorite.And Houston author Huda Fahmy tells us about her latest graphic novel, Huda F Wants to Know? It's the latest in her series about a young Muslim girl, loosely based on herself, growing up in America. The previous installment, Huda F Cares? was a

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50:24

Boston Marathon bombing survivor (April 15, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/15

On Tuesday's show: Texas lawmakers are looking to make changes in how cash bail is set, with an eye on Harris County. But opponents of Senate Bill 9 say it will further clog the county's courts. Neena Satija of the Houston Chronicle explains.Also this hour: After she survived the Boston Marathon bombing, former Houstonian Rebekah Gregory fought to save her badly injured leg. We learn why she eventually chose to let go and have it amputated and about how she rebuilt her life to help others affected

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51:10

Student visas revoked (April 14, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/14

On Monday's show: At least 115 students and recent graduates in Texas have had their legal status changed by the U.S Department of State over the last few weeks, according to data compiled by Inside Higher Ed and Texas Newsroom partners around the state. Those students are among more than 600 people nationwide caught in a recent wave of visa revocations.Also this hour: Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers listeners' gardening questions.And Jeff Balke previews the return of the Houston

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51:08

Voter thoughts on Houston issues (April 11, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/11

On Friday's show: A new poll sheds light on Houston-area voters’ attitudes on the issues facing the city. We learn what voters had to say about their views on where the city is headed, the biggest problems it faces, Mayor John Whitmire’s performance, and some initial polling on the candidates running for the 18th Congressional District, the seat left vacant when Congressman and former Mayor Sylvester Turner died.Also this hour: From the National Weather Service stopping language translations of its

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50:50

11th Street redesign (April 10, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/10

On Thursday's show: We get updates on recent developments at Houston City Hall, including concerns about the fate of the redesign of 11th Street in The Heights as Mayor John Whitmire's administration reviews it. And we learn about reactions to the direction the mayor has gone with street projects over the last 15 months.Also this hour: Members of the group WindSync discuss their Onstage Offstage Chamber Music Festival, featuring contemporary solo works and a performance with the Houston Youth

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50:00

The week in politics (April 9, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/04/09

On Wednesday's show: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is officially running against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn next year. Also, Gov. Greg Abbott has called a special election in November for the 18th Congressional District, leaving some Houston residents without a representative in Congress for another seven months. And Fort Bend County Democrats are calling for County Judge KP George to resign after his arrest. We discuss those and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We

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