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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

48:21

Diverse workforce (March 4, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/03/04

On Tuesday's show: Stormy weather is headed our way this morning. We get the latest details from Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard.Also this hour: While DEI programs may be on the decline, that doesn’t mean businesses aren't interested in a diverse workforce. We consider how they can accomplish that.And a pair of lunar landers from Texas are in space right now. One landed on the moon over the weekend, and a second is slated to land Thursday. That one, called Athena, is from the

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49:45

How effective are boycotts? (March 3, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/03/03

On Monday's show: Following Friday's "economic blackout," we consider whether boycotts of this nature work as intended.Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.And we talk about the Houston Rockets as they're set to face one of the best, and one of the worst, teams in their conference this week.

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49:45

Dr. Peter Hotez discusses the measles outbreak (Feb....

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/28

On Friday's show: Infectious diseases expert Dr. Peter Hotez discusses the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas.Also this hour: We consider name changes, particularly those related to controversial historical figures, and how much they really matter.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And the story of former Texas death row inmate John Henry Ramirez is told in the documentary short, I Am Ready, Warden, which is up for an Academy Award this Sunday. The Houston attorney who

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47:52

Washington Avenue safety (Feb. 27, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/27

On Thursday's show: We learn about recent actions taken by Houston City Council, including creation of the Office of Recovery and Resilience and a fund for homelessness. We also discuss a new METRO initiative focused on cleanliness, safety, and ridership.Also this hour: The Houston-Galveston Area Council is seeking comments from the public about where to spend money to improve traffic and safety along the Washington Avenue corridor. A long stretch of the street is seen as part of the city’s “High

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50:00

The week in politics (Feb. 26, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/26

On Wednesday's show: The U.S. House approved a framework last night for a multitrillion-dollar plan covering energy, defense, immigration, and tax policy. We talk over what it means and what happens next as we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We revisit our 2016 conversation with retired U.S. Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who served five U.S. Presidents and was in Dallas when John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963. He’s the agent who famously leapt

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49:12

Measles in Texas (Feb. 25, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/25

On Tuesday's show: Measles alerts have been issued in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos as an outbreak spreads across portions of Texas and other states. We talk with epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Troisi of UTHealth about the prospects of cases in Houston and who’s at risk.Also this hour: As more Houston businesses dial back remote and hybrid work, what other benefits might entice good workers to stay? We learn about some of the latest employee benefit trends.Then, we discuss whether school

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49:55

Tying vouchers to public school funding (Feb. 24, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/24

On Monday's show: The Texas House has its own version of a school vouchers bill that would tie the value of education savings accounts to public school funding. We learn how it would work differently than a plan in the Senate and how the two houses might work out conflicts between them.Also this hour: Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, how does it all end, and what does it mean for Houstonians? We ask a pair of local foreign policy experts.Then, Apple has announced plans to build an AI

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50:46

Cohousing in Houston (Feb. 21, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/21

On Friday's show: The union that represents more than 5,200 officers in the Houston Police Department is seeking higher salaries, improved benefits and the recruitment of more officers as it negotiates a new contract with the city.Also this hour: Could converting old office buildings downtown into cohousing living offer an answer for cash-strapped Houstonians? We learn about a recent report examining the concept, and we visit CoHousing Houston, a similar concept being built in Houston's East

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49:41

Conversations about space (Feb. 20, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/20

On Thursday's show: The race to be the next top official in Fort Bend County is heating up -- even though the election is almost two years away. Our Fort Bend County bureau reporter Natalie Weber walks us through that and other recent developments in the county.Also this hour: Houston recently hosted the U.S. premiere of The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, a film about humanity’s past journeys to the moon. We learn about the film and experience, which is ongoing at Space Center Houston. Then,

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52:30

The week in politics (Feb. 19, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/19

On Wednesday's show: Despite reports citing multiple agency sources, widely expected NASA layoffs did not occur. The agency may still see some "probationary" civil servants let go and that reprieve may still be temporary. We discuss that news and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: You hear a lot about lawsuits in the news. Maybe you’ve been party to one or two. But then again, maybe you haven’t. We ask a couple of area lawyers how the process of suing

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50:08

Food additives (Feb. 18, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/18

On Tuesday's show: Don’t be fooled by today’s high. Winter isn’t over for the Houston area just yet. Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard shares the latest on cold weather headed to Houston in the coming days.And we learn why HISD is joining a nationwide movement among school districts to take legal action against social media companies.Also this hour: Food additives -- dyes in particular -- are coming under a lot of scrutiny these days when it comes to children's nutrition. We consider

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47:30

Houston’s relationship with Canada (Feb. 17, 2025)

Houston Matters ·

2025/02/17

On Monday's show: We learn how hospital facility fees are helping to drive up health care costs from Julian Gill, an investigative reporter with the Houston Chronicle.Also this hour: With rising tensions with Canada recently, we examine Houston's relationship with Canadian industry, notably energy companies.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers questions about pet health.And spring training is beginning for the Astros. We look at the season ahead with Jeff Balke.

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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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