Houston Matters

On Tuesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Two local foodies talk about restaurants with good patios and refreshing food and drink for the summer in this month's edition of The Full Menu . And we preview the upcoming Houston Symphony concerts featuring music from the Final Fantasy video game series. https://www.youtube.com/live/443GGLyk...

On Tuesday's show: A new investigation looks into a number of use of force incidents by campus police in Texas school districts. Also this hour: We learn why local bars and restaurants are starting to do away with popular steak night traditions. Then, a new book goes beyond the stats and highlights to offer a portrait of legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan. And we go behind the scenes of the annual KimoK...

On Monday's show: The Atlantic hurricane season begins today. We get a reminder about what you need to know as we head into the season. Also this hour: We offer listeners a chance to vent about their  pet peeves  about life in our city. And we get an update on the Astros. Watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57fcRD32nJo

On Friday's show: The U.S. Department of Justice has created a new " Anti-Weaponization Fund " as a way to compensate victims of "weaponization and lawfare." Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, have filed a lawsuit to stop payouts from the fund from going to those attackers. Now, Houston Rep. Lizzie Fletcher has introduced a bill related to the fund, which she calls...

On Thursday's show: As NASA continues to work toward building a base on the moon, it has awarded some contracts to commercial companies to take the next steps there. We learn why one Texas company earned one of those contracts and a Houston-based one did not. Also this hour: On the heels of Tuesday’s runoff election and as we look ahead to November, we break down how Supreme Court decisions of rec...

On Wednesday's show:  Ken Paxton will take on James Talarico for a U.S. Senate seat in November. And there was a surprise -- at least to some -- in the Democratic primary for Harris County Judge . We pore over those and other results from Tuesday’s primary runoffs as we discuss the latest developments in politics. Also this hour: We learn about a new report that looks to the future of Fort Bend Co...

On Tuesday's show: Today is election day for the primary runoff races. We check in with Houston Public Media reporters at polling places across Greater Houston, recap what is on the ballot , and share what you need to know before voting. Also this hour: We visit the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center to learn about the adaptive sports and recreation services it provides Houstonians with disabilitie...

On Friday's show: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a below-average number of storms during the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, according to its annual forecast released Thursday. We learn what might be in store for us. Also this hour: A new study suggests a bleak future for the city of New Orleans due to sea level rise. The authors even suggest residents sho...

On Thursday's show: HISD Superintendent Mike Miles joins us to discuss the state of the district, changes in special education, and to address listener questions. You can send yours now to talk@houstonmatters.org . Also this hour: We meet the people behind a new free arts newspaper called the Houston Associated Experimental Press . And we revisit a 2015 conversation with former Congressman Barney...

On Wednesday's show: From President Trump endorsing Ken Paxton in the U.S. Senate primary runoff, to other primary votes happening across the county, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Prairie View A&M University , the state’s oldest public HBCU, is celebrating 150 years. Former Prairie View history professor Dr. Will Guzmán talks about the sc...

On Tuesday's show: The WHO has declared an Ebola outbreak in Africa a global health emergency. We talk with local epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Troisi of UTHealth about how concerned we should be about the disease spreading further, including to Greater Houston. Also this hour: We hear two conversations about artificial intelligence. First, a new study from the University of Houston examines people...

On Monday's show: Early voting begins today and runs through May 22 in the runoffs for the Texas primary races. We discuss that and Joe Panzarella's victory in a special election runoff to fill the District C position on the Houston City Council with Mark Jones , political science fellow at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. Also this hour: Sidewalks are a part of public infrastr...

On Friday's show: HISD officially outlined its plans to centralize special education services at its board meeting Thursday night. This came after draft documents were leaked regarding the plan, which prompted a civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. We find out what district leadership had to say. Also this hour: Road construction is unavoidable in a region as large as Gr...

On Thursday's show: Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to descend on Bolivar Peninsula this weekend for the annual gathering known as Jeep Weekend , and Galveston County officials are deploying hundreds of law enforcement officers in response to years of violence and arrests at the event. Houston Public Media's Julianna Washburn provides details on that other stories from across Galveston...

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We reflect on the life of aviator, engineer, and businessman Howard Hughes  and his impact on Houston. And poet Lupe Mendez talks about his new collection of poems, We Exist in the Whisper , which is all about efforts in the 1970s in Houston to skirt federal school desegregation laws. Watch

On Tuesday's show: Texas public schools saw a decline in enrollment this academic year. Outside of the pandemic, that is the first drop in nearly four decades, according to a report from Texas 2036 , a policy research group. And one particular group is accounting for an overwhelming majority of the loss. We take a look at the numbers and consider why. Also this hour: Houston is just over a month a...

On Monday's show: We learn why the U.S. Department of Education is investigating HISD and what it could mean for students and their families. And, after two Houston residents were identified as being among those on a cruise ship exposed to the hantavirus , we learn more about the virus and how it's transmitted. Also this hour: We discuss how we evaluate a student's success after graduation -- is s...

On Friday's show: Houston in recent days and weeks has been shaken by a string of devastating domestic violence homicides, including a murder-suicide involving the prominent owners of several local restaurants and their children. The head of the Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council contemplates what these stories reveal and what can be done to prevent them. And we examine what law...

On Thursday's show: After repeated delays, Houston City Council has approved an ordinance cracking down on apartment complexes with chronic health and safety violations. We learn what the ordinance does and get reaction from a local low-income housing advocacy group. Also this hour: We preview the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season and discuss how accurately hurricane forecasts often end up playin...

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup, including the results of the latest election survey from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. Also this hour: Foodies dish on their favorite restaurant options for both really beautiful and really ugly food that tastes great in this month’s installment of The Full Menu . And we reflect...

On Tuesday's show: Houston Mayor John Whitmire will propose an “ administrative fee " tied to garbage and recycling pickup that would start out at $5 per month for the first two years and would gradually ramp up to $25 per month. We discuss the city's long history that led to this potential move and the environmental effects of neglected trash pickup. Also this hour: We discuss the state of transp...

On Monday's show: Leaked documents have detailed proposed changes to special education at HISD, raising alarm among families of students with disabilities. We learn more from Houston Public Media’s education reporter Bianca Seward. Also this hour: We offer listeners a chance to vent about their  pet peeves  about life in our city. And we recap the Rockets' season after their first-round loss to th...

On Friday's show: We take a closer look at the forecast for heavy rain in Greater Houston throughout the day and into tonight as a Stage 1 flood alert has been issued. Eric Berger of Space City Weather brings us the latest details. And we learn about the latest of several HISD school officials appointed by the state to lead a district undergoing a state takeover, this time for Beaumont ISD. Also t...

On Thursday's show: The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on Wednesday about the Trump administration's move to end temporary protected status, or TPS, for migrants fleeing war and natural disaster. A local immigration attorney explains what's at stake. Also this hour: When it comes to homicides, Black women in America are killed at higher rates than women of any other race or ethnicity. We discu...

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: As the University of Houston prepares to host the first Conference on College Athlete Mental Health this week, we discuss what needs to be done to ensure players are healthy on and off the field. And we meet the folks behind Ice House Radio , an online radio station streaming from Houston ded...