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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 — one we hope you’ll continue here, at home, at work, with family, with friends and neighbors. We hope to introduce Houstonians to one another, to celebrate our diversity, and to engage one another through stories and conversations that demonstrate depth and context. Just the sort of thing you count on from public media.

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27 episodes
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Avg 49 min
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Episodes 27

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Friday · 49 min
AI and jobs (Oct. 2, 2026)
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 fans who booed their playoff performance, to a new junior hockey team in Houston being forced to delay their debut, our panel of non-experts weighs in on The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we talk with filmmaker Mye Hoang, the director of a new documentary called 25 Cats from Qatar, which will be shown Sunday at River Oaks Theatre. The film tells the story of a Milwaukee woman who flew to Qatar to rescue 25 cats, bring them back to the United States, and get them adopted. It was not easy. Watch
Thursday · 50 min
Prisons and punishment (Oct. 1, 2026)
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 accelerate its timeline to install air conditioning in all state prisons by the end of 2029. The judge seemed to suggest the state was slow-playing the installation, which may fit an attitude about prison conditions built around the notion that people in prison are being punished not by doing time, but how they do that time. We discuss that and other observations about the ethics surrounding Texas prisons. Then, since we Houstonians tend to do a lot of driving and gas prices are so high these days, keeping our cars in peak condition is more important than ever. In that spirit, we welcome your long-term car care questions for Jeremy Robertson of Christian Brothers Automotive. And we talk with Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, who’s also a musician. He and his band The Hi-Seas will perform Friday night at the Continental Club. Watch
Wednesday · 50 min
The week in politics (Sept. 30, 2026)
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 Ayad Akhtar with events in the coming days. Akhtar will hold a reading on Oct. 5 of his latest novel, The Radiance, with Inprint Houston. And Houston's Shunya Theatre is staging a production of Disgraced, the play that won Akhtar the Pulitzer Prize for drama. We learn about both. Watch
Tuesday · 49 min
Child of a mail-order bride (Sept. 29, 2026)
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 Houston and how to access them. Then, we talk with Katya Suvorova, who grew up here in Houston, and is the author of the new book Ungrateful Immigrant Daughter: A Memoir From the Child of a Mail-Order Bride. And we preview this weekend's Festival Chicano at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Watch
Monday · 50 min
New flu season (Sept. 28, 2026)
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 like HISD exit from state control. And the Astros became the first team in MLB history to win their division with a .500 record. We talk about their chances against the White Sox in the playoffs. Watch
September 25 · 50 min
Voter registration backlog (Sept. 25, 2026)
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 concussions and CTE. Then, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and his son, filmmaker Nicholas Ma, talk about “American Revival,” a touring performance they're a part of that's coming to The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston. And we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. Watch
September 24 · 50 min
Oversight of Flock cameras (Sept. 24, 2026)
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 Meg Griffiths discusses her new documentary, The Life of the Party, which follows three Republican women elected to office in Texas as they navigate leadership, political identity, and the changing direction of their party. The film will be screened Sept. 28 at the MATCH. Then, for 30 years, the Bayou Land Conservancy has safeguarded Houston waterways by protecting the land that surrounds them. We chat with the organization's new director, Dr. Anna Weiss. And we escape the urban noise and sprawl to visit the Lake Houston Wilderness Park. Watch
September 23 · 50 min
The week in politics (Sept. 23, 2026)
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. Moser will discuss the book at a Brazos Bookstore event on Sept. 29 and during the Jaipur Literary Festival on Oct. 3. And we learn about the city's historic blue tiles and how they inspired some new Texans uniforms. Watch
September 22 · 49 min
Data centers pause (Sept. 22, 2026)
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 more projects than ever before. Also this hour: We revisit the first-ever National Women's Conference, a pivotal moment in feminism across the nation that took place here in Houston in 1977, and discuss the role our city plays in women-led movements and organizations. And we learn about Last Writers and its local chapter, which is enlisting medical students to help veterans record their life stories. Watch
September 21 · 49 min
Nuclear energy in Texas (Sept. 21, 2026)
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 world. But what role can the city play in the future of nuclear energy? That's the subject of a meeting here this week organized by the Texas Nuclear Alliance. Then, veterinarian Dr. Renee Poche of the Houston Humane Society answers questions about pets. And the major professional sports leagues and unions are concerned about threats to athletes associated with betting. We discuss that -- and the final week of the Astros’ regular season. Watch
September 18 · 50 min
West side growth (Sept. 18, 2026)
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 examine why Katy, Richmond, Fulshear, and other western communities keep growing. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we preview this weekend’s BIPOC Book Fest, celebrating underrepresented writers. Watch
September 17 · 49 min
A 28th Amendment (Sept. 17 2026)
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 legal document if you could? Let us know at talk@houstonmatters.org. Then, we revisit a conversation with retired NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore discussing his career, including the nine months he spent on the International Space Station when his mission was originally only supposed to last eight days. And we visit King Music Fest, a recent celebration of Elvis Presley in Pearland. Watch
September 16 · 50 min
The week in politics (Sept. 16, 2026)
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. Bush’s No Child Left Behind policies -- until she changed her mind. We find out why, which she addresses in her book, An Education. Watch
September 15 · 49 min
GOP candidate’s racist comments (Sept. 15, 2026)
On Tuesday's show: A candidate’s post of a photo featuring University of Texas students celebrating an upset win over Ohio State set off a public rift among Texas Republicans over the last few days. A member of the Houston Chronicle editorial board says condemnation of GOP railroad commissioner candidate Bo French's comments is not enough. Also this hour: The murder trial of Lindsay Clancy ended in a mistrial only last week, just weeks after the 25th anniversary of Andrea Yates killing her five children at their Houston home. While there are differences in those cases, how much has our understanding of -- and attitudes about -- postpartum depression and psychosis changed in that time? And what resources are available to new parents in Greater Houston in the weeks or months following childbirth? Then, an expert answers questions about basic home maintenance. And a dialect coach explains how he taught actors to nail the the Newfoundland accent for Stages Houston's production of Come from Away. Watch
September 14 · 49 min
Houston’s anthem (Sept. 14, 2026)
On Monday's show: The Texas Supreme Court blocked Galveston County from using a new precinct map in the November election. And Fort Bend County approved its budget and a lower tax rate amid a heated meeting as Democrats returned to court last week. We get updates on both stories from Houston Public Media reporters. Also this hour: On the anniversary of Francis Scott Key writing the words that would become the lyrics of The Star-Spangled Banner, we ask what words you would want included, what themes, concepts, characters, places and events you’d add to an anthem about Houston? Then, we get some advice on gardening in Houston. And we recap the Texans' season-opening loss to the Bills and check in on the Astros. Watch
September 11 · 49 min
Memories of 9/11 (Sept. 11, 2026)
On Friday's show: We look back at Sept. 11, 2001, 25 years later as we hear from Houstonians who were in New York the morning of the terrorist attacks there, in Washington, and in Shanksville, Penn. And we hear from different generations of Houstonians about how they remember the day and how it has affected them and their respective generations differently. And, from President Trump saying he’d give each American $5,000 if the GOP retains control of Congress, to ABC refusing to air Jimmy Kimmel’s interview with James Talarico, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. Watch
September 10 · 50 min
Expanding school vouchers (Sept. 10, 2026)
On Thursday's show: Texas Comptroller Don Huffines has requested legislators double the money behind the state’s private school voucher program to $2 billion. More than 100,000 students sit on the waitlist, but critics argue there is little evidence vouchers are delivering on their promises to justify expanding the program. Also this hour: We consider why the federal minimum wage hasn’t been raised in 17 years. Then, as the Taliban retook Afghanistan in 2021, The New York Times scrambled to evacuate people that worked for its bureau there and their families. They ended up here in Houston. Why, how, and what happened next is the subject of the new book, The Last Free Women. We talk with the co-authors, Rebecca Blumenstein and Diana Kapp, ahead of an event at Brazos Bookstore Friday. And, this weekend, Performing Arts Houston will present a concert at Jones Hall featuring the complete piano etudes of Philip Glass. Among the performers is Jiani Wu, an HSPVA alum and a current Rice University piano student, who performs and talks about Glass' music. Watch
September 9 · 50 min
The week in politics (Sept. 9, 2026)
On Wednesday's show: From this week’s GOP mid-term convention in Dallas, to the New Hampshire primary and other stories, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: We consider the challenges and importance of communicating with the public about science and scientific research as Rice University launches a new center dedicated to that mission. And we revisit a 2025 conversation with chef, food writer, and filmmaker Adán Medrano about his work honoring the plant-based cooking traditions of Texas-Mexicans. Watch
September 8 · 50 min
Houston real estate market (Sept. 8, 2026)
On Tuesday's show: After years of scarcity, there is now a much greater selection of homes for sale in the Houston market. Despite that, Houston Chronicle reporter Marissa Luck talks to us about why there still aren't many good bargains out there. And we take the pulse of the Houston real estate market with Theresa Hill, chair of the Houston Association of Realtors. For years during the pandemic, Houston homebuyers were told there just weren’t enough homes on the market to bring down prices. Now, buyers have a much bigger selection of homes to choose from – but they still aren’t finding major discounts. Also this hour: We offer listeners a chance to vent their pet peeves about life in our city. And we learn about Slime in the Ice Machine, a new video game featuring Houston as its setting. Watch
September 4 · 49 min
NASA’s new space telescope (Sept. 4, 2026)
On Friday's show: A Galveston County jury has sentenced James Elmore, 61, to 20 years in prison for his role in a decades-old "Texas Killing Fields" case that went unsolved for over 40 years. We get the details on his trial and sentencing. Also this hour: NASA just launched a new telescope. We learn what makes the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope different than others before it, like the Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope, and what the agency hopes to discover with new snapshots of the universe. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And members of the ensemble WindSync tell us about their joint performance with Musiqa tonight at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Watch

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