On Monday's show: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo fired back at Houston Mayor John Whitmire over comments about her mental health and political future. We recap what they’ve each said in recent days and why.

Also this hour: After the shooting of a health care company executive in New York, Americans have shared many examples over the last week of health insurance claim denials. We learn about what leads to those denials, how the claims process works, and what resources exist for Houstonians to navigate that world.

Then, we catch up with comedian and Houston native Sheng Wang ahead of a Dec. 28 performance at Bayou Music Center.

And we get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: Houston is home to a lot of above-ground pipelines. So, you might be surprised by how limited regulations are surrounding their protection. Alison Young of Houston Landing discusses how September’s deadly Energy Transfer accident and fire in Deer Park was only the most high-profile of accidents involving vehicles crashing into pipelines.

Also this hour: With the holiday shopping season in full force, has consumerism become too rampant these days? We talk it over and explore how we can avoid letting consumerism get the better of us during the holidays.

Then, from Beyoncé's Grammy-nominated album Cowboy Carter inspiring a new history class at UH, to Cruise possibly getting out of the driverless car game in Houston, our non-experts discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And a new production at Stages Houston takes on the story of Pinocchio with a modern twist.

On Thursday's show: What will 2025 hold for Houston's economy? Patrick Jankowski of the Greater Houston Partnership shares his annual economic outlook.

Also this hour: We get the latest on efforts to address the problem of children having to cross railroad tracks to get to school after an HISD student was killed doing so this week.

Then, the Bayou City’s vibrant restaurant scene has built up over the years in no small part due to the rise of a generation of talented area chefs. Many of them have spent years in kitchens developing their craft and learning it at area schools, including the recently closed culinary school at The Art Institute of Houston. We revisit a conversation with one of the school’s alumni, Chef Ryan Lachaine, the co-owner and executive chef of Riel.

And with the news earlier this week that renowned poet Nikki Giovanni has died, we revisit a 2022 conversation with her when she was serving as a writer in residence at Prairie View A&M University.

On Wednesday's show: From the news that Tilman Fertitta could become the next ambassador to Italy, to a judge throwing out The Onion’s purchase of Infowars, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: The social media landscape has been changing lately as folks shift to and from X, BlueSky, Mastodon, Threads, and so on. Have we reached social media platform overload? How do the messages we receive vary in subject matter, tone, and intention, depending on the platform we use? And is any of this good for us? We talk it over.

And it’s a time of year when people are making and eating more pies than they might the rest of the year. Chef Carl Walker of Brennan's of Houston walks us through how to make a perfect pie crust and explains how serving in the Marine Corps turned him into a baking enthusiast.

On Tuesday's show: Houston City Council is considering potential regulations for short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo. News 88.7 reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh explains what they're discussing.

Also this hour: The Texans’ Aziz Al-Shaair has been suspended three games for his blow to the head of sliding quarterback Trevor Lawrence. It came the same week a new study was released finding longer ice hockey careers may increase the risks of developing CTE. Some point to the need for better athletic equipment (improvements in helmets, for instance) as a way to reduce those risks. Others believe the more equipment, the more likely athletes are to hit harder. We discuss that debate and whether better protective equipment, better rules, or changes in attitudes towards contact sports can really yield fewer injuries.

Then, the family of Austin Tice, a Houston journalist and U.S. Marine Corps veteran kidnapped in Syria more than a dozen years ago, is making a fresh push with the Biden administration to secure his freedom. The Tices planned to go to the White House on Friday to meet with the National Security Council. In light of developments in Syria and how they might affect this story, we revisit a 2014 conversation with Tice’s parents, Marc and Debra.

And Americana singer Robert Earl Keen brings his annual Christmas show to House of Blues on Dec. 19. We listen back to a 2014 conversation with him about his holiday shows and his foray into bluegrass.

On Monday's show: A year-long saga involving a former Superintendent at Fort Bend ISD appears headed to court. We learn why Dr. Christie Whitbeck is suing members of the district board.

Also this hour: We discuss the growing challenge -- and expense -- of getting homeowners insurance in Greater Houston.

Then Carol Burton from Urban Harvest answers questions about gardening.

And we discuss the Rockets' recent struggles on the road and get an update on Houston sports from Jeff Balke, how writes for Houston Press and co-hosts the Bleav in Astros podcast.

On Friday's show: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said he'll press for a statewide ban on sales of all consumable THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) products in the 2025 legislative session. We learn more about what Patrick has deemed one of his top priorities for the regular session.

Also this hour: How challenging is it to live in a big, noisy city when you're dealing with hearing loss?

Then, from the return of Enron (sort of), to more driverless cars hitting Houston streets, our non-experts discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And Dickens on the Strand, Galveston Island’s annual Victorian-themed holiday street festival, returns this weekend. We revisit a conversation from last year about the festival’s history and chat with the great-great-great grandson of Charles Dickens.

On Thursday's show: We get updates on some stories related to Houston city government, including the city retaining the ability to invest public funds in Israeli bonds after the city council did not take up an amendment to change the city's investment policy.

Also this hour: TxDOT wants to continue to oversee its own compliance with environmental policy, and critics say this gives them unchecked authority to approve unpopular projects. We get some perspective on the matter.

Then, we visit an exhibit on the Karankawa tribe in Texas. At the request of the tribe, the artifacts in the exhibit are not actual historical items -- they are recreations. What are the pros and cons of developing exhibits using such recreated artifacts?

And we talk with artist Vincent Valdez, who's doing a takeover of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston where his collection of paintings about American history will be on display.

On Wednesday's show: We get reaction to President Joe Biden pardoning his son, President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for the FBI, and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: In this month's installment of The Full Menu, food writers discuss some of their favorite new restaurants that have opened in the past year.

And there are many different ways we all experience the holiday season, depending on what’s going on in our lives. A new play illustrates some of them. We learn about Twelve Ways of Christmas at the Ensemble Theatre.

On Tuesday's show: Everyone wants our money right now. Black Friday gives way to Small Business Saturday, which gives way to Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday. Barbara Stewart from the University of Houston joins us to examine how those major events in the retail calendar went this year and how Americans' shopping habits are changing of late.

Also this hour: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) provided $1.9 trillion in stimulus for the nation as we tried to dig out from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those funds were billions of dollars that assisted municipal governments, colleges and universities, health systems, and other entities. Now that those funds are coming to an end, how will Greater Houston feel the effects? And how might other sources of funding fill in the gap?

Then, sex and intimacy are not always easy subjects to talk about. But Emily Jamea happened to grow up in a home where it wasn’t taboo and now works as a sex and relationship therapist here in Houston. She talks about that work and her book, Anatomy of Desire.

And, ahead of a performance in Houston next week, we revisit a conversation with musician Ben Folds about bringing piano to the Grunge era in the 90s and working with orchestras today.