
Houston Matters
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Houston Matters is a radio program airing on 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.
Houston Matters
19h ago
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 volumes of our Houston Matters Mix Tape ..read more
Houston Matters
2d ago
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 adulthood if not addressed.
Then, we’re in a fast-changing, amped-up political and socia ..read more
Houston Matters
3d ago
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 inspired her new music, some of which she'll perform Sunday night at The Heights Theater ..read more
Houston Matters
4d ago
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 where he began a "creatively obsessive" correspondence with musician Ani DiFranco. A document ..read more
Houston Matters
5d ago
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 listeners’ gardening questions.
And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston s ..read more
Houston Matters
1w ago
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’ rights, according to reporting from Houston Landing.
Also this hour: We meet Jackson Sweeney, a ..read more
Houston Matters
1w ago
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 address the situation.
Also this hour: Late last month, Houston-based midstream energy giant K ..read more
Houston Matters
1w ago
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 ..read more
Houston Matters
1w ago
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 graduates from 2017 had earned enough to make a living wage six years later. And nearby districts ..read more
Houston Matters
1w ago
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 ..read more