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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

48:56

School rankings (Feb. 14, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/14

On Friday's show: The annual school rankings from Children at Risk are out. We learn what they have to tell us about Houston-area schools and school districts.Also this hour: From Chevron planning layoffs of 15-20 percent of its workforce by the end of 2026, to a wildlife sanctuary helping spurned lovers get closure by feeding their exes’ names to wolves, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And, for Valentine’s Day, Houstonians share some of their favorite love songs in one of the

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49:53

City efficiency (Feb. 13, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/13

On Thursday's show: Government spending isn’t just under scrutiny in Washington. We find out what a new study suggests about how the City of Houston could be more efficient.Also this hour: On Feb. 19, Houston's Chester Street Foundation is holding its third annual symposium to help those who work with kids spot and address childhood trauma. We talk with the organization's founder, a survivor of childhood trauma himself, about how a wide range of experiences can traumatize children and affect them in

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48:52

The week in politics (Feb. 12, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/12

On Wednesday's show: We learn what a new report says about antisemitism in America.Also this hour: Tariffs, school vouchers, and property taxes -- there’s a lot being debated at all levels of government these days. We seek context and clarity in our weekly political roundup.Then, we talk with Grammy winning, Guatemalan born singer/songwriter Gaby Moreno, ahead of her performance at the Hobby Center Saturday night.And Houston native singer/songwriter Kat Edmonson talks about how losing her mother

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49:39

Importance of NOAA (Feb. 11, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/11

On Tuesday's show: NOAA (and the National Weather Service within it) is among federal agencies under scrutiny right now by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. But Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger says “it would be a bad idea to take a hammer and start whacking NOAA and the National Weather Service.” He explains why and outlines how it might impact us here in southeast Texas.Also this hour: We learn about artist Keith Wasserman's mental health journey, which included a period

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49:51

Paying for power grid improvements (Feb. 10, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/10

On Monday's show: The state’s energy demand is expected to grow a lot in the coming years, and grid improvements are needed to support it. But what’s driving all that demand, and who’s going to pay for it?Also this hour: We learn how a Houston attorney unearthed a conspiracy to murder an American spy in 1993. We revisit our 2019 conversation with Michael Pullara about his book, The Spy Who Was Left Behind, about the murder of Freddie Woodruff.Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers

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51:52

Special education at HISD (Feb. 7, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/07

On Friday's show: Criminal charges against a former staffer of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will likely be dropped after Alex Triantaphyllis agreed to a pre-trial intervention deal. He is among three former staffers who were accused of steering an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a preferred vendor.And we learn about the findings from HISD's audit of its special education department, which found thousands of violations of district policy and hundreds of violations of students’

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49:39

City budget crisis (Feb. 6, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/06

On Thursday's show: Houston city officials are facing a looming budget crisis and will need to slash spending or dramatically raise revenue over the next year following a Texas Supreme Court decision on the city's infrastructure spending. The city is grappling with a $100 million price tag for required spending on streets and drainage and now faces a $330 million deficit in 2026. We learn how we got here, and City Controller Chris Hollins joins us to explain his proposed emergency task force to

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50:17

The week in politics (Feb. 5, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/05

On Wednesday's show: From Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency items for the state legislature to address, to the debate over tariffs, to Elon Musk at the U.S. Treasury, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Just in time for the Super Bowl, local food writers offer their suggestions for the best sports bars and pub food in town in this month's installment of The Full Menu.And we visit the Lone Star Flight Museum.

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49:40

How tariffs could affect Houston (Feb. 4, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/04

On Tuesday's show: Tariffs threatened against Mexico and Canada are on hold for a month, while new tariffs imposed on China have taken effect. And those have led to tariffs imposed by Beijing on certain goods from the United States, including on crude oil and LNG. We consider the potential economic impact of tariffs on Houstonians, the Greater Houston economy, the state of Texas, and consumers in general.Also this hour: One recent analysis found that fewer than one-fifth of HISD high school

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50:00

State of the State (Feb. 3, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/03

On Monday's show: Gov. Greg Abbott delivered his annual State of the State address on Sunday. We recap what he had to say.Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.And we get an update on Houston sports.

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49:29

Immigration uncertainty (Jan. 31, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/31

On Friday's show: We learn how immigration arrests and policy changes in the early days of the Trump administration are creating chaos and uncertainty in Houston. And we learn what a new survey suggests about Texans’ attitudes about immigration.Also this hour: We learn about the latest trends here in the Houston area related to human trafficking and efforts to prevent it.Then, from the latest test score results for Houston ISD, to an enormous mammoth skull unearthed in Central Texas, to another

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49:42

Updating the abortion ban (Jan. 30, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/30

On Thursday's show: Prosecutors are dismissing charges against two of three former Harris County staffers over a COVID-era contract process gone wrong. We learn the latest in a nearly three-year-long saga.Also this hour: Could the Texas Legislature tweak the state’s abortion ban this session in order to protect mothers at risk? Recent comments from Lt. Governor Dan Patrick hint at the possibility. But was that just talk?Then, we learn about Camp Logan, a play on stage now at Houston’s Ensemble

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49:48

The week in politics (Jan. 29, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/29

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: How much of our modern politics is about actually debating issues and how much is just good old fashioned theater? And if it's the latter, is that really anything new? We talk it over.And how do you capture the smells of a city (at least the good ones)? We visit the Color Factory and its exhibit of scents that define Houston.

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49:08

Annual homeless count (Jan. 28, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/28

On Tuesday's show: An annual count of homeless people in the Houston area takes place this week. We learn about the purpose of the Point In Time count and what trends and public policy shifts tell us about homelessness today.Also this hour: The annual Houston Autoboative Show runs Wednesday through Sunday at NRG Center. We get an update on the auto industry in Greater Houston.Then, we revisit a conversation about the challenges of living in Houston without a car.And a new season the series "Mo"

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49:47

Paying for NRG Stadium upgrades (Jan. 27, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/27

On Monday's show: We learn why Harris County taxpayers are on the hook for any upgrades at NRG Stadium and what that might cost.Also this hour: Earlier this month, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory outlining how alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing at least seven kinds of cancer and called for alcohol labels to include warnings about that. But drinking is a big part of American culture in so many ways. What do we do with this revelation? Then, columnist

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50:00

Immigration and kids (Jan. 24, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/24

On Friday's show: We discuss how the new Trump administration and new policies on immigration enforcement might affect children and families, especially here in Houston. Also this hour: After this week's snow, should we consider investing in other infrastructure to better handle future winter weather? Or is that the wisest approach for events that aren’t supposed to occur very often here?Then, from a "once in a generation" snow storm, to a Trump Burger location coming to Houston, we break down The

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49:43

Proposed state budgets (Jan. 23, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/23

On Thursday's show: We learn about proposed state budgets being presented at the legislature.Also this hour: Pres. Donald Trump signed an executive order this week to keep TikTok operating in the United States for 75 days. The debate over the platform has underscored a disconnect between the people who use it and the people who develop policy about it. Is it all about speech versus safety or is there something else at play here?Then, the new film The Brutalist follows an architect who emigrates to

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50:00

Winter storm day two (Jan. 22, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/22

On Wednesday's show: Roads remain icy, and extreme cold continues across Greater Houston. On the second day of the winter storm. We bring you the latest forecast, road conditions, and an update on Houston airports.We also discuss how our elected leadership has handled this week’s storm and recap a busy first 48 hours for the new Trump White House in this week’s political roundup.

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49:15

Snow day in Houston (Jan. 21, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/21

On Tuesday's show: Snow is falling and piling up around Greater Houston, and as long as the power stays on and you can stay inside it is indeed a winter wonderland in the Bayou City. We talk with a meteorologist to find out how much snow we may still get, how long it will be here, and what you should and should not do in the meantime.We also check in on road conditions with TxDOT, find out when Houston’s airports hope to re-open, and discuss how to make sure your pets safely enjoy the snow.

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49:39

Winter weather preview (Jan. 17, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/01/17

On Friday's show: Wintry weather may be headed our way early next week. Just exactly what, how much, and when is still a bit up in the air. We learn the latest from meteorologist Eric Berger from Space City Weather.And we learn about security measures planned for this weekend's Chevron Houston Marathon.Also this hour: With a new session of the Texas Legislature underway, what might happen to improve the state's power grid?Then, from the possibility of wintery weather next week, to potential

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