Houston Matters

On Wednesday's show: The U.S. House has approved ICE and border patrol money. Houston City Council is poised to vote on the mayor’s budget. And Senate candidate and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating FIFA over World Cup tickets. We discuss those and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: Estate sales draw collectors, bargain hunters, second-hand sellers, and curious neighbors...

On Tuesday's show: Information from ERCOT shows there are some hot spots in Texas where more large data centers want to open and join the state's power grid. We take a closer look at Houston Chronicle reporting on that story and find out where many of these new data centers hope to be.

Also this hour: We consider the factors that lead to youth homelessness in Greater Houston and how to address the problem.

Then, we revisit a conversa...

On Thursday's show: We get the latest on the City of Corpus Christi's attempts to delay its looming water crisis.

Also this hour: We revisit the original plans for Corpus Christi's desalination plant and how it's supposed to work.

Then, we learn how community land trusts strive to address both housing affordability and gentrification at the same time.

And Houstonian Kolbi Ferguson tells us he how trains for competitive weightlifting w...

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 KimoKawaii Anime Experience and Convention.

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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 a “perversion of our system of ...

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 recent years have gutted the...

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 County, which could...

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 ...

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 should probably start relocating now. W...

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 Frank, who served Massachusetts for mor...

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 a...

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's attitudes toward AI and data cent...

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 infrastructure that could easily be overlooke...

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 Greater Houston, but do you ever feel ...

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 County.

Also this hour: Former Astros...