Houston Matters

On Tuesday's show: Stormy weather is headed our way this morning. We get the latest details from Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard.

Also this hour: While DEI programs may be on the decline, that doesn’t mean businesses aren't interested in a diverse workforce. We consider how they can accomplish that.

And a pair of lunar landers from Texas are in space right now. One landed on the moon over the weekend, and a second is slated to land Thursday. That one, called Athena, is from the Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines, which welcomed longtime NASA chief flight director Gene Kranz to its mission control last weekend. We revisit our 2023 conversation with him about the lessons he learned from the Apollo missions.

On Monday's show: Following Friday's "economic blackout," we consider whether boycotts of this nature work as intended.

Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.

And we talk about the Houston Rockets as they're set to face one of the best, and one of the worst, teams in their conference this week.

On Friday's show: Infectious diseases expert Dr. Peter Hotez discusses the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas.

Also this hour: We consider name changes, particularly those related to controversial historical figures, and how much they really matter.

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

And the story of former Texas death row inmate John Henry Ramirez is told in the documentary short, I Am Ready, Warden, which is up for an Academy Award this Sunday. The Houston attorney who won his case before the U.S. Supreme Court tells the story of the legal battle for Ramirez’s religious rights.

On Thursday's show: We learn about recent actions taken by Houston City Council, including creation of the Office of Recovery and Resilience and a fund for homelessness. We also discuss a new METRO initiative focused on cleanliness, safety, and ridership.

Also this hour: The Houston-Galveston Area Council is seeking comments from the public about where to spend money to improve traffic and safety along the Washington Avenue corridor. A long stretch of the street is seen as part of the city’s “High Injury Network.” In other words, there are not a lot of good, safe pedestrian crossings. We learn more about the project.

Then, the classic 1980s teen drama The Breakfast Club turns 40 this month. In the latest installment of The Bigger Picture, we look back at the movie and consider ways education and the high school experience have changed since then.

And an ardent fan remembers Selena on the 30th anniversary of her last major concert at the Astrodome in 1995.

On Wednesday's show: The U.S. House approved a framework last night for a multitrillion-dollar plan covering energy, defense, immigration, and tax policy. We talk over what it means and what happens next as we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: We revisit our 2016 conversation with retired U.S. Secret Service agent Clint Hill, who served five U.S. Presidents and was in Dallas when John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963. He’s the agent who famously leapt onto the back of the presidential limousine and shielded First Lady Jackie Kennedy as the car raced to Parkland Hospital. In the conversation, he also recalls what happened the night before here in Houston. Hill died on Friday.

And filmmaker and Houston native Li Lu talks about the new film screening series she's launching called HTX MADE, which is hosting its first event Friday -- a screening of the documentary, The Strike.

On Tuesday's show: Measles alerts have been issued in San Antonio, New Braunfels, and San Marcos as an outbreak spreads across portions of Texas and other states. We talk with epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Troisi of UTHealth about the prospects of cases in Houston and who’s at risk.

Also this hour: As more Houston businesses dial back remote and hybrid work, what other benefits might entice good workers to stay? We learn about some of the latest employee benefit trends.

Then, we discuss whether school vouchers shifting funds from public schools to private ones might ultimately impact teacher pensions.

And we reflect on the music of Houston-based ska band Los Skarnales, who play Friday night at The Heights Theater.

On Monday's show: The Texas House has its own version of a school vouchers bill that would tie the value of education savings accounts to public school funding. We learn how it would work differently than a plan in the Senate and how the two houses might work out conflicts between them.

Also this hour: Three years into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, how does it all end, and what does it mean for Houstonians? We ask a pair of local foreign policy experts.

Then, Apple has announced plans to build an AI server manufacturing facility here in Houston. Columnist Dwight Silverman explains what the facility will be doing and updates us on other developments in consumer technology.

And the Astros got their first look at the automated ball/strike system as Major League Baseball tests out a new challenging system in spring training. Jeff Balke lets us know how it went.

On Friday's show: The union that represents more than 5,200 officers in the Houston Police Department is seeking higher salaries, improved benefits and the recruitment of more officers as it negotiates a new contract with the city.

Also this hour: Could converting old office buildings downtown into cohousing living offer an answer for cash-strapped Houstonians? We learn about a recent report examining the concept, and we visit CoHousing Houston, a similar concept being built in Houston's East End.

Then, from KFC moving its national headquarters from Kentucky to Texas, to the NFL rescinding Joe Mixon's fine for things he never said criticizing officials, to a kayaker briefly ending up inside a whale's mouth, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

On Thursday's show: The race to be the next top official in Fort Bend County is heating up -- even though the election is almost two years away. Our Fort Bend County bureau reporter Natalie Weber walks us through that and other recent developments in the county.

Also this hour: Houston recently hosted the U.S. premiere of The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks, a film about humanity’s past journeys to the moon. We learn about the film and experience, which is ongoing at Space Center Houston. 

Then, we learn about the world of collecting space memorabilia from Houstonian Robert Pearlman, one of the foremost authorities on space-related collectibles, who runs the website collectSPACE.

And we go behind the scenes of this month’s Brickfest Houston, which celebrated all things Lego.

On Wednesday's show: Despite reports citing multiple agency sources, widely expected NASA layoffs did not occur. The agency may still see some "probationary" civil servants let go and that reprieve may still be temporary. We discuss that news and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: You hear a lot about lawsuits in the news. Maybe you’ve been party to one or two. But then again, maybe you haven’t. We ask a couple of area lawyers how the process of suing works.

And, on the heels of Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary celebration this past weekend, we revisit a 2020 conversation with longtime cast member Nora Dunn.