Houston Matters

On Thursday's show: A freeze is headed to much of Texas this weekend and could bring freezing rain, sleet, or ice to parts of Greater Houston. We check the latest forecast with Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard and discuss how to prepare.

Also this hour: On this month’s installment of our film segment, The Bigger Picture, we consider what the new movie Is This Thing On? has to say about separation and divorce and what Houstonians going through those challenges can glean from it.

And, as  Artemis II prepares to launch in the coming weeks, signaling the next stage in America’s return to the moon, we recall one quirky moment during the Apollo missions that involved a Houston barber, an astronaut, and a golf ball.

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On Wednesday's show: We dig into the politics surrounding President Donald Trump’s foreign policy pursuits in Greenland and Venezuela and share other observations a year into his second term as we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: NPR reporter Frank Langfitt talks about recent reporting he's been doing in Houston, talking with Venezuelans living here and others about the United States seizing that country's President Nicolás Maduro.

And entomologist Erin Mills with Enchanted Forest Nursery in Richmond answers your questions about Houston bugs and insects. Send yours now to [email protected].

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On Tuesday's show: We discuss the latest public health trends, including what we’re seeing this flu season, with Dr. Janeana White with the Houston Health Department.

Also this hour: What makes us click with some people better than others? And why is connecting with other people so important for humans? We discuss the science behind human connection with Houston-area journalist Kate Murphy, who's latest book is Why We Click. Murphy will discuss the book on Jan. 26 at Blue Willow Bookshop and on Feb. 11 at Brazos Bookstore.

Then, a local doctor offers safety reminders for household poisons.

And we visit Nuestro Ambiente, an exhibit at Architecture Center Houston telling the story of Latinos who have helped shape Houston’s built environment, from taco trucks to transit lines.

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On Monday's show: We mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a conversation about the state of civil rights here in Houston and across the country with the help of Christa Stoneham, president of the Houston Land Bank, Dr. Melanye Price from Prairie View A&M University, and Ian Haddock of The Normal Anomaly Initiative.

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

And we recap the Texans' season after a playoff loss Sunday to the Patriots.

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On Friday's show: More than 160 Texas faith leaders are urging school boards to reject a new state-organized prayer law. Rabbi Joshua Fixler of Houston's Congregation Emanu El explains why he and the other faith leaders say SB 11, which carves out time for prayer and Bible readings in public schools, threatens religious freedom.

Also this hour: We conclude our week-long Houston 2026 series with a look at the year ahead in transportation.

Then, from a unified Martin Luther King Day parade, to Matthew McConaughey trademarking catchphrases, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And we learn how a singing group of teenage girls from southeast Texas called The Melody Maids traveled the world to perform for troops from World War II to Vietnam. A new documentary tells their story, and a pair of screenings will be held on Saturday in Beaumont.

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On Thursday's show: The Houston Chronicle reports that HISD Superintendent Mike Miles helped connect a consulting firm with a Texas charter school network to complete a nearly $1 million contract. While the parties involved say Miles was not paid for his role, some experts say the arrangement raises some concerns. Reporter Nusaiba Mizan explains.

Also this hour: We continue our series looking at the year ahead with a discussion about education in Greater Houston.

Then, on the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia, we learn about Houston-area Wikipedia edit-a-thons.

And FIFA officials say the World Cup could bring $1.5 billion in economic activity to Houston. But who sees that money?

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On Wednesday's show: Early voting starts in a week for the 18th district Congressional runoff election. We discuss that and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup, from news in Washington surrounding the economy, Iran, and a Justice Department investigation into that fatal shooting by an ICE officer in Minnesota.

Also this hour: We continue our series looking at the year ahead with a discussion about the issues in health care facing Greater Houston.

And an upcoming series of performances called Free Rein from the contemporary music organization Musiqa and NobleMotion Dance combines music and dance with bioengineering to explore how creativity works in the human brain.

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On Tuesday's show: The Texans are moving on to face the New England Patriots after a decisive 30-6 victory over the Steelers Monday night. We recap the game and look ahead to the next round.

Also this hour: We continue our series looking at the year ahead with a discussion about the issues in energy and the environment facing Greater Houston.

Then, a new study explores links between sports betting and crime rates. It turns out, once a game starts, those crime rates go up -- even in some states, like Texas, that technically don’t allow sports betting. We learn more.

And, ahead of the My 15 Expo at NRG Center on Sunday, we learn about how quinceañeras have developed and grown over the years.

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On Monday's show: We talk with writer Salman Rushdie about his latest book, The Eleventh Hour. He speaks at an event tonight with Inprint Houston.

Also this hour: We begin a weeklong series looking ahead at issues facing Houston in 2026, beginning with immigration.

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

And we preview the Texans’ Monday night AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Steelers.

On Friday's show: We learn what took place at Houston protests in connection with the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis.

Also this hour: We find out why the state teacher's union is suing the TEA following investigations into teachers’ social media posts last fall.

Then, our non-experts consider The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And the series Movies Houstonians Love returns this weekend to the MFAH with a documentary decades in the making. The 2023 film Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird focuses on Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler Zavala, the duo behind the El Paso progressive rock band The Mars Volta. It’s culled from hundreds of hours of footage filmed across decades. Houston DJ and producer Gracie Chavez talks about why this film means so much to her.

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