Houston Matters

On Friday's show: While Houston ISD voters are contemplating whether to approve a record-setting bond for their school district, Fort Bend ISD is revising plans for an over-budget bond approved there last year. We discuss both with Houston Public Media’s Adam Zuvanich and Natalie Weber.Also this hour: From a Missouri woman using an Apple AirTag to track a stolen campaign sign taken from her yard and shaming the thief on social media, to the Yankees' general manager saying his team's World Series drought should’ve ended in 2017, our non-experts discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.Then, we reflect on the life and career of Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon with reporter Mirin Fader, author of Dream: The Life and Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon.And we visit the Wings Over Houston air show at Ellington Field where a local pilot explains what it's like re-enacting the attack on Pearl Harbor flying vintage World War II aircraft.

On Thursday's show: A dust-up between Houston’s mayor and controller seems to have escalated in recent days. We walk through what’s going on with News 88.7 reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh.Also this hour: We visit an event raising funds for cancer research while celebrating children who are combatting cancer.Then, this month’s installment of The Bigger Picture examines the new film Saturday Night, about the behind-the-scenes chaos leading up to the first episode of Saturday Night Live back in 1975. Joshua Zinn discusses the film and the show's affect on live sketch and improv comedy in the Houston area.And classical music meets hip hop tonight as the Energy Corridor of Houston Orchestra teams up with Houston’s Fly Dance Company and Outspoken Bean.

On Wednesday's show: More polling results are in from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. We learn what they have to tell us about the upcoming election and opinions on the integrity of those elections.Also this hour: With early voting underway and a hyper-focus on the presidential election, we seek context and clarity about recent developments in politics in our weekly roundup.And choosing an electric provider in Texas can be quite complicated. We talk to one of those electric providers to learn how they operate and with the founder of a company that helps Texas residential electricity customers find the best plan.

On Tuesday's show: As we enter the final weeks of campaigning before Election Day, we check in with reporter Andrew Schneider on how the candidates for U.S. Senate are making their last appeals to voters.Also this hour: With early voting underway in the 2024 election, we revisit a conversation from 2022 about the television series, The West Wing, which inspired a whole generation to engage in the world of politics. But did it establish unrealistic expectations? We ask University of Houston political science professor Brandon Rottinghaus, who uses clips from the show in his classes.Then, we talk with content creator Felecia for the Win, who's the host of the PBS Digital series Roots of Resistance, which is produced by Houston Public Media and examines social movements that have changed life in America throughout our nation's history. The latest episode, which is out now on YouTube, delves into the age-old question: Is voting a privilege or a fundamental right?And we visit an event called Coffee with the Compos

 On Monday's show: A new report sheds light on how much lead is showing up in drinking water at Texas schools.Also this hour: Pulitzer Prize winner Richard Powers, author of 14 novels including The Overstory and The Echo Maker, talks about his work and his latest book, Playground, ahead of an event with Inprint tonight at 7:30 at The Alley Theatre.Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller talks about issues affecting pet health.And we get an update on sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: We get the latest results from an election survey from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs. And two Houston elected officials traded barbs on Thursday in the latest round of a political fight that’s been escalating over the last few months.Also this hour: Our non-experts consider The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And musician Big Mama Thornton will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this weekend. She recorded "Hound Dog" at Houston's Peacock Records, and it was a No. 1 hit three years before Elvis Presley put his mark on it. We reflect on her life and musical career.

On Thursday's show: We get updates on several stories happening in Fort Bend County, including the latest on the scandal involving County Judge KP George, and a wave of petitions by landowners wanted to de-annex from the city of Fulshear.Also this hour: Local entomologist Erin Mills of the Houston Botanic Garden answers listener questions about bugs and insects.And we learn about a play in Pasadena called Shelter in Place that sets some family drama against a background many Houstonians will find familiar -- an approaching hurricane.

On Wednesday's show: Senator Ted Cruz and his challenger, Rep. Colin Allred, took to the stage last night in their only debate of the campaign. We get reaction on each of their performances and discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We talk with Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter and author Mary Gauthier, who performs at The Heights Theater Oct. 18.

 On Tuesday's show: Exactly three weeks from Election Day, a new poll finds former President Donald Trump holds a five point lead in Texas over Vice President Kamala Harris, and Senator Ted Cruz is up four points in his race against Congressman Colin Allred. We discuss that and other findings in the latest pre-election survey from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs.Also this hour: How you feel about an issue may have a lot to do with how close you are to it -- not in terms of impact, just geography. Party Politics co-host Jeronimo Cortina discusses that concept in his new book, Proximity Politics.And we meet pianist Adam J. Ivey and hear him perform. His story illustrates how minorities who grow up in the inner city often don't have opportunities to learn classical music. He talks about overcoming that and being born deaf to become a performer and composer.

On Monday's show: We discuss environmental concerns raised by chemical leaks, fires, and other accidents following last week’s deadly leak at the Pemex chemical plant in Deer Park.Also this hour: Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers listeners' gardening questions.And we discuss Sunday's Texans game against the Patriots with Houston Chronicle reporter Jonathan Alexander.

On Friday's show: The U.S. Supreme Court’s latest term started this week. So far, highlights seem to be about what the High Court is not considering and speculation over what it might have to do if next month’s election results are disputed. We talk it over with a constitutional law expert.Also this hour: From questions still swirling around that blue alert that woke up Texas to teachers in Spring ISD being accused of giving children sleeping aid patches, our panel of non-experts mull over The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news.And we celebrate the joys of pinball machines and arcade games ahead of the Houston Arcade Expo this weekend. 

On Thursday's show: We meet Bryan Brown, the new president of the Energy Corridor District.Also this hour: We talk with Frank Lorenzo, the former CEO of Continental Airlines, which was based in Houston, about his new memoir. It's called Flying for Peanuts: Tough Deals, Steep Bargains, and Revolution in the Skies.And we tour the latest renovations at Jones Hall.

 On Wednesday's show: We talk to meteorologist Eric Berger of Space City Weather as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.And former Houston police officer Gerald Goines has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after being convicted on two counts of felony murder for his role in the Harding Street drug raid in 2019. Reporter Lucio Vasquez gives us the details.Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Then, we meet Houstonian Marcus Bridgewater, the personality behind Garden Marcus on social media. He discusses his passion for plants and his new book, Seasons of Growth.And, from the 1970s to the early 2000s, some radio stations were doing things a little bit differently -- including here in Houston. The documentary Runaway Radio tells the story of KLOL-FM, an iconic rock station and a different time in radio. Ahead of an Oct. 28 screening at the River Oaks Theatre, we revisit our conversation from March about the film.

On Tuesday's show: Have budget cuts affecting how kids get to and from school at Cy-Fair ISD contributed to recent accidents?Also this hour: We talk with Dean Gladden, the managing director of The Alley Theatre, who has just announced he’s retiring in June.Then, we talk with some people who participated in last week’s Week Without Driving challenge and learn what it says about mobility in the Houston area.Plus, Chef Chris Shepherd tells us about his love for the animated film Ratatouille, which he’s selected for the next screening in the Movies Houstonians Love series at the MFAH.And Brenda Valdivia reports on last weekend’s Southern Smoke Festival, proceeds from which benefit food and beverage workers nationwide.

On Monday's show: In the aftermath of Helene's destruction in the southeast, we get an update on efforts to improve Houston's flood resiliency from Dr. Tina Petersen, executive director of the Harris County Flood control District.Also this hour: We offer Houstonians their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves.And we consider how next year's Astros team might look different after their early playoff exit and recap the Texans game against the Bills with the help of Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: Former HPD officer Gerald Goines on Thursday had an apparent medical episode in his chair during closing remarks of the sentencing phase of his murder trial. As a result, the proceedings were delayed for the day. Lucio Vasquez updates us on the situation and the trial.Also this hour: Actor George Takei of Star Trek fame talks about his career and the concert in Houston on Saturday he's involved in where he'll tell his family's story of forced internment during World War II.Then, from the River Oaks Theatre reopening this week after a two-year hiatus, to the biggest ranch in Texas going up for sale, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we learn about a new six-part documentary series on PBS called Chasing the Tide, which chronicles a couple's 21-day trek along the Texas Gulf Coast. We talk with Jay Kleberg, who tells us more about his journey wife his wife, Chrissy, and the discoveries they made along the way. The six episodes air on Houston Public Media TV 8 each Sat

On Thursday's show: A third of Harris County residents have faced a hate crime, but most of them don’t report it, according to a new study from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. We find out why and dive a little deeper into the study's findings.Also this hour: A new book examines whether a particular golf ball was ever on the moon with astronaut Alan Shepard, who famously hit a couple of golf balls on the lunar surface. But, more importantly, it tells the story of the friendship between Shepard and his barber, Carlos Villagomez, to whom he gave the golf ball after returning to earth.Then, with the world's largest steam locomotive, Big Boy No. 4014, on public display in Houston Oct. 6-7, we learn a little about Houston’s train history.And we learn about the reopening of the River Oaks Theatre this week.

On Wednesday's show: We get reaction to the vice presidential debate and discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: In this month's installment of The Full Menu, Houston food writers talk about their favorite food trucks, pop-ups, and farmers market vendors that have expanded to brick-and-mortar stores.And, with the Astros back in the playoffs, we revisit the long-lost story behind their famous rainbow uniforms.

On Tuesday's show: It may be weeks before we fully know how much damage Helene caused in the southeastern United States, but we have an idea, because Houston has had its own history with previously unprecedented storms. We discuss how Houstonians can help and ponder the lessons Houston can learn from this disaster with Angela Blanchard, chief recovery and resilience officer for the City of Houston, who’s been through her share of storms and disaster recovery efforts.Also this hour: A new book from legal scholar, architect, and Houston native Sara C. Bronin examines what she considers a force for good: zoning. You know, something Houston doesn’t have. In Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World, she discusses how the process of developing fair and appropriate zoning can be used to properly plan development of a city.Then, we remember two major figures in the sports world who died Monday: former Houston Rockets star Dikembe Mutombo and baseball great Pete Rose. We consider how their respective post playing

On Monday's show: A decision will be made in the coming weeks over controversial proposed Bible-infused curricula for elementary students in Texas public schools. We learn why, ahead of the Jewish new year, a local Jewish organization is joining growing calls for the state board of education to reject the plan.MORE: Submit public comments on the curriculaAlso this hour: Storms aren't the only threat to the sustainability of the Texas power grid. We learn about the demand for energy from data farms mining cryptocurrency and what steps could be taken to deal with that.Then, we welcome your dog and cat care questions for veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller.And Jeff Balke previews the Astros playoff series against the Detroit Tigers.