Houston Matters

On Thursday's show: AI-focused data centers have increased the demand for memory chips that drive many electronics consumers use. And that is driving up prices we pay to get them. Technology columnist Dwight Silverman explains, and he offers advice for how to spot AI being used in campaign ads or social media posts.

Also this hour: As Johnson Space Center continues preparations for the next Artemis mission and America’s return to the moon, it reminds us that NASA’s long-term vision includes using the moon as a stepping-stone for future missions to Mars. But there is a lot to consider about what human beings spending extended time on the moon or Mars will mean. We talk that over with Rice University biology professor Scott Solomon, author of Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds.

Then, we discuss the role the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary plays in protecting birds that migrate through Texas.

And, as Olympic hockey games near their pinnacle this week, we talk with Chie Chie Yard, the first Houston native to play hockey in the Olympics. These days, she plans major events for the National Hockey League, and she is one of this year’s Houston Hockey Hall of Fame inductees.

Watch

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: We learn about a new initiative from the University of Houston-Downtown, which will guarantee admission for HISD graduates with a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

And we preview a concert from DACAMERA on Friday featuring the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, performing a work that explores the complex relationship between Mexican painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. It’s in conjunction with an exhibit about Kahlo on display now at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Watch

On Tuesday's show: Early voting begins today for the 2026 Texas primaries as Democrats and Republicans decide the candidates who'll be on the ballot for the November general election. Reporter Andrew Schneider tells us what we need to know about the races and voting.

Also this hour: It's no secret restaurants face a variety of challenges today. So, what do they need that they're not getting? We get some insight from two local restauranteurs.

Then, in testimony last week, Instagram’s CEO dismissed the notion that people become addicted to social media, saying critics should separate “clinical addiction” from “problematic use.” We ask local counselor, Dr. Thomson Ivins of the Council on Recovery, to weigh in.

And we learn about Houston Grand Opera’s upcoming concert, Giving Voice, which celebrates Black voices in opera, and we hear a performance.

Watch

On Monday's show: FEMA has released new draft flood maps for the Houston area. We discuss their implications with Jim Blackburn from Rice University’s SSPEED Center.

Also this hour: Veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers listener questions about their pets.

And, as Spring Training begins, we preview the Astros season.

Watch

On Friday's show: We learn what Mayor John Whitmire had to say in his second State of the City address yesterday, laying out his vision for the remainder of his term and promising not to increase taxes, despite the city's budget issues.

And the Houston Texans will soon have a new headquarters for their business operations, part of a planned 83-acre sports, retail, and entertainment district in the Bridgeland community in Cypress.

Also this hour: Five years after the 2021 winter freeze knocked out power across the state for several days, we reflect on some memories of that deadly event and discuss the lessons learned from its effect on the power grid.

Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And, ahead of Valentine’s Day, we talk about a different kind of date -- a “Doggy Date” courtesy of the Houston Humane Society.

Watch

On Thursday's show: Last week, the dean of the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences asked faculty he oversees to sign a document attesting they are not "indoctrinating" their students but are instead teaching them to think critically. One of those professors, Robert Zaretzky, responded with an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle saying he will not sign the document. He joins us to explain why.

Also this hour: Houston’s diversity shows up everywhere, including in foster care. We discuss how families navigate caregiving of children from different cultural backgrounds.

Then, we visit this year’s ongoing Mardi Gras celebrations in Galveston to learn how they’re different from what happens in New Orleans.

And, ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 17, we learn more about Chinese Americans’ cultural and economic impacts here in Houston. And we talk about some of the Chinese constellations in the night sky with an area astronomer.

Watch

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: We visit Fresh Houwse Grocery in Sunnyside, a farmer-owned store in a neighborhood that previously had limited access to fresh food.

And Houston author Saadia Faruqi explains why she wanted to use Hurricane Harvey as the backdrop for her latest young adult novel, Some of Us Are Brave, and how her own experiences during the 2017 storm continue to influence her writing. Faruqi will appear at a book launch on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. in Katy.

Watch

On Tuesday's show: We learn how the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies and changes to Medicare are leaving some Houston-area hospitals feeling squeezed. 

Also this hour: Ahead of a national energy expo next week in Houston, we learn how deals made there can affect energy policy, companies, and consumers.

Then, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America is kicking off an educational tour of the country with a free conference on Wednesday in Houston to help caregivers. We talk with one of the event's speakers, a neuroscientist and caregiver herself, about how to handle difficult behaviors among loved ones who are experiencing cognitive decline.

And many neighborhoods and areas around Houston have a certain reputation. But are those reputations correct and deserved?

Watch

On Monday's show: The state of Texas is cracking down on teachers and schools that support student protests over immigration enforcement. We talk with an attorney who represents school districts, and she outlines what they legally can and can’t do.

Also this hour: We discuss technology in the classroom -- or, rather, the lack of it, and why more teachers are finding students have greater success when there are no screens at all to stare at.

Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers questions about how to maintain the plants in your home or garden.

And we take a closer look at the Rockets season so far.

Watch

On Friday's show: The Texas Education Agency has warned school districts that facilitating student political walkouts could lead to a state takeover. This comes as the agency unveils a newly created enforcement role focusing on overseeing investigations into alleged misconduct by Texas teachers. We get the latest on this developing story.

Also this hour: We discuss how digital maps are increasingly being used to reveal patterns across Greater Houston, from the famed Houston arrow, to the Whataburger location map being used as a substitute for power outage tracking during major storms, to an ICE tracker map being developed by students at Rice University.

Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And we preview the latest in a series of concerts from The Apollo Chamber Players celebrating America’s 250th birthday and the centennial of what became Black History Month.

Watch