Sustained heavy rains have brought flooding to many areas of Greater Houston today. On Wednesday’s edition of Houston Matters, we’ll bring you the latest on road conditions, weather conditions and emergency response across the region from News 88.7 and local officials.

For the latest, follow News 88.7, Transtar and Harris County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management on Twitter.

(Above: Flooding along I-45 at Main St. in Houston on Jan. 18, 2017. Photo: Gail Delaughter, Houston Public Media)

Also this hour (weather permitting)…

A Nation Engaged

President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office on Friday (Jan. 20, 2017). We’re asking you to share what you want President Trump to know about Houston. It’s part of NPR’s A Nation Engaged project. You can share your ideas now on Facebook and Twitter @HoustonMatters.

We hear you what you want the new president to know about your city and the issues it faces, and we’ll hear what some Houstonians had to say during a recent live event on this subject held at Houston Public Media on Wednesday, Jan. 11. The event was past of HPM’s DiverseCity project, exploring the city’s diversity.

Plus we discuss those answers with Brandon Rottinghaus, political science professor at the University of Houston, and Andrew Schneider, politics and government reporter for News 88.7.

Political Round Up

The Texas Legislature is back in session. Donald Trump held his first press conference as President-elect. And a date has been set for the criminal trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. We check in on those and other developments in the world of politics with Andrew Schneider, politics and government reporter for News 88.7.

 

Writer Chanelle Benz

Houston writer Chanelle Benz has released her new collection of stories. It’s called The Man Who Shot Out My Eye Is Dead. On Thursday night (Jan. 19, 2017), she’ll hold a book signing at Brazos Bookstore. Houston Matters’ Michael Hagerty talks with Benz about her work.

Houston Matters offers a free daily, downloadable podcast here, on iTunes, Stitcher and various other podcasting apps.