Houston Matters: episodes
50 recent episodes from the show's feed. Back to the show
ICE, policing, & civil rights (Oct. 13, 2026)
Oct 13, 2026 · 45 min
On Tuesday's show: ICE agents in an unmarked SUV struck a Houston man during a pursuit over the weekend. That incident comes just months after an ICE officer shot and killed another Houston man, thrusting Houston into the center of the national debate over ICE tactics. A longtime civil rights attorney discusses how federal agents identify themselves and what that means for the rights of anyone the
Limiting school takeovers (Oct. 12, 2026)
Oct 12, 2026 · 50 min
On Monday's show: A group of educators, lawmakers, and education experts are calling on the state of Texas to limit the power that appointed boards and superintendents have during the state takeover of public school districts. We learn what their 81-page report had to say. And dozens of Flock cameras have been decommissioned in western Harris County after residents raised security concerns. Also t
Essential Houston movies (Oct. 9, 2026)
Oct 9, 2026 · 49 min
On Friday's show: While Hurricane Isaias is heading far east of Texas, we take a closer look at the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and how it might affect weather here with the help of Eric Berger, meteorologist with Space City Weather. Also this hour: Our non-experts break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And Houston Chronicle arts editor Cary Darling considers the essent
HISD enrollment losses (Oct. 8, 2026)
Oct 8, 2026 · 45 min
On Thursday's show: Houston ISD has lost roughly twice the number of students district leaders had initially projected. We learn what the loss of nearly 10,000 in enrollment means for the district. Also this hour: We talk with organist Roger Sayer ahead of a performance this week at St. Luke’s Methodist Church. Sayer was the organist who collaborated with Hans Zimmer on the rousing score to the mo
The week in politics (Oct. 7, 2026)
Oct 7, 2026 · 50 min
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: In the latest installment of The Full Menu, local foodies talk about good places to get dishes with a comforting fall vibe. And we preview this week's Adventurous Electric Guitar Festival at Rice University and hear a performance from one of its participants, Houston musician Kelly Doyle. Wat
Dr. Renu Khator (Oct. 6, 2026)
Oct 6, 2026 · 50 min
On Tuesday's show: From core curriculum changes, to a centennial construction project, a lot is happening at the University of Houston these days. We talk with UH Chancellor Dr. Renu Khator about the state of the university system and the issues facing it, its flagship campus, and higher education as a whole. Also this hour: Pianist Daniel Anastasio, ahead a concert in Houston on Friday. And we ta
Money lost to vouchers (Oct. 5, 2026)
Oct 5, 2026 · 50 min
On Monday's show: Watchdog groups say Texas public schools lost nearly $300 million because of school vouchers. And Galveston ISD has a week to comply with a court order to display the Ten Commandments in its classrooms. We discuss those developments in public education. Also this hour: We offer listeners a chance to vent their pet peeves about life in our city. And we get an update on Houston spo
AI and jobs (Oct. 2, 2026)
Oct 2, 2026 · 50 min
On Friday's show: The Trump administration is seeking to ban diesel exports for 90 days to stifle rising fuel prices. But how might that hurt refineries and oil and gas companies in Greater Houston? Also this hour: We consider how the growth of AI is affecting jobs here in Greater Houston and what our future workforce will look like as the technology develops. Then, from Astros players criticizing
Prisons and punishment (Oct. 1, 2026)
Oct 1, 2026 · 50 min
On Thursday's show: Chris Brown, who serves as Mayor John Whitmire’s financial integrity director, has admitted to working 15-hour weeks for a $127,000 salary but defended his work at a tense city council meeting. Houston Public Media's Dominic Anthony Walsh tells us what happened and updates us on the latest developments from City Hall. Also this hour: A federal judge has ruled that Texas has to
The week in politics (Sept. 30, 2026)
Sep 30, 2026 · 50 min
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We learn how the Trinity River has shaped the politics, economy, and environment of Texas and Houston from Scot McFarlane, author of The River That Made Texas: A Forgotten History of the Trinity. And two local arts groups celebrate the works of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and novelist A
Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
Sep 29, 2026 · 50 min
On Tuesday's show: We remember former Houston health authority Dr. David Persse, who has passed away at age 66. And we get an update on the latest step toward a proposed desalination plant in Galveston. Also this hour: Ahead of Stand Down Houston, an event on Oct. 2 promoting education, career, home ownership, and other resources for veterans, we discuss benefits available to veterans in Greater H
New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
Sep 28, 2026 · 51 min
On Monday's show: We examine how the new flu season is shaping up. Also this hour: We discuss the future of commercial spaceflight, ahead of the latest SpaceX launch taking astronauts to the International Space Station. Then, we talk through the latest stories in the world of education, including how politicians statewide may address K-12 education if elected in November and how school districts l
Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)
Sep 25, 2026 · 50 min
On Friday's show: An error by the Texas Department of Public Safety has led to tens of thousands of voter registration applications being caught in a backlog. Natalia Contreras of Votebeat explains why, and a political analyst discusses what it means approaching the midterms. Also this hour: We discuss with a group of medical professionals how to mitigate health risks in youth sports, including co
Oversight of Flock cameras (Sept. 24, 2026)
Sep 24, 2026 · 50 min
On Thursday's show: City council members in League City are considering implementing a citizen-led committee to oversee the city's Flock Safety automated license plate reader system. We find out what that could look like. And we get an update on the ongoing power struggle between Fort Bend's interim county judge and the county attorney. Also this hour: A former Houston Chronicle photojournalist Me
The week in politics (Sept. 23, 2026)
Sep 23, 2026 · 50 min
On Wednesday's show: From the pushback from the press in Washington, to the latest from the campaign trail, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Houston native and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ben Moser talks about his latest book, which explores the history of anti-Zionist sentiment within the Jewish community both in Houston and around the world.
Data centers pause (Sept. 22, 2026)
Sep 22, 2026 · 50 min
On Tuesday's show: Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to pause permits for new data centers until state regulators complete an audit of those projects. The order was the latest in a series of moves against proposed data centers by Abbott, who has raised concerns about water and power usage before. But this week's order marked an escalation affecting m
Nuclear energy in Texas (Sept. 21, 2026)
Sep 21, 2026 · 50 min
On Monday's show: Gov. Greg Abbott announced last week that nearly $12 billion in Medicaid funding for Texas hospitals will be restored, ending a standoff with the federal government that began last December. We learn what the standoff was about, how it was resolved, and what it means for Houston hospitals and patients. Also this hour: Houston is often referred to as the energy capital of the worl
West side growth (Sept. 18, 2026)
Sep 18, 2026 · 50 min
On Friday's show: Gas prices have been climbing for months, but it's diesel that is setting records. The average price hit $6.31 a gallon this week, the highest level on record and nearly 70 percent higher than a year ago. We take a closer look at some of the reasons why. Also this hour: Jobs, housing, schools, health care, business -- it all continues to expand on Greater Houston’s west side. We
A 28th Amendment (Sept. 17 2026)
Sep 17, 2026 · 49 min
On Thursday's show: In what's being called the largest deregulation in the history the country's power industry, the Trump administration is repealing limits on greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's fossil fuel-fired power plants. Also this hour: Today is Constitution Day, and we want your ideas for a 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. What would you add to the nation’s most important l
The week in politics (Sept. 16, 2026)
Sep 16, 2026 · 50 min
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Houston filmmaker Alexandria Stapleton talks about her new documentary about the life and career of Houston-native WNBA star Brittney Griner. And Houston native Diane Ravitch was once a firm proponent of standardized testing and school choice, and she was a key figure in President George W. B