Houston Matters

On Tuesday's show: Don’t be fooled by today’s high. Winter isn’t over for the Houston area just yet. Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard shares the latest on cold weather headed to Houston in the coming days.

And we learn why HISD is joining a nationwide movement among school districts to take legal action against social media companies.

Also this hour: Food additives -- dyes in particular -- are coming under a lot of scrutiny these days when it comes to children's nutrition. We consider why and what parents should know.

And we talk with prolific voice actor Troy Baker, who was in town recently to take part in the AnimeVerse Fest.

On Monday's show: We learn how hospital facility fees are helping to drive up health care costs from Julian Gill, an investigative reporter with the Houston Chronicle.

Also this hour: With rising tensions with Canada recently, we examine Houston's relationship with Canadian industry, notably energy companies.

Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers questions about pet health.

And spring training is beginning for the Astros. We look at the season ahead with Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: The annual school rankings from Children at Risk are out. We learn what they have to tell us about Houston-area schools and school districts.

Also this hour: From Chevron planning layoffs of 15-20 percent of its workforce by the end of 2026, to a wildlife sanctuary helping spurned lovers get closure by feeding their exes’ names to wolves, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And, for Valentine’s Day, Houstonians share some of their favorite love songs in one of the volumes of our Houston Matters Mix Tape.

On Thursday's show: Government spending isn’t just under scrutiny in Washington. We find out what a new study suggests about how the City of Houston could be more efficient.

Also this hour: On Feb. 19, Houston's Chester Street Foundation is holding its third annual symposium to help those who work with kids spot and address childhood trauma. We talk with the organization's founder, a survivor of childhood trauma himself, about how a wide range of experiences can traumatize children and affect them in adulthood if not addressed.

Then, we’re in a fast-changing, amped-up political and social climate right now that has left some Houstonians’ stress levels at an all-time high. How can we better manage all that stress?

And we learn how research for a book about a 19th century distiller led Fawn Weaver to become the first African-American woman to own a major spirits brand, Uncle Nearest whiskey.

On Wednesday's show: We learn what a new report says about antisemitism in America.

Also this hour: Tariffs, school vouchers, and property taxes -- there’s a lot being debated at all levels of government these days. We seek context and clarity in our weekly political roundup.

Then, we talk with Grammy winning, Guatemalan born singer/songwriter Gaby Moreno, ahead of her performance at the Hobby Center Saturday night.

And Houston native singer/songwriter Kat Edmonson talks about how losing her mother inspired her new music, some of which she'll perform Sunday night at The Heights Theater.

On Tuesday's show: NOAA (and the National Weather Service within it) is among federal agencies under scrutiny right now by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. But Space City Weather meteorologist Eric Berger says “it would be a bad idea to take a hammer and start whacking NOAA and the National Weather Service.” He explains why and outlines how it might impact us here in southeast Texas.

Also this hour: We learn about artist Keith Wasserman's mental health journey, which included a period where he began a "creatively obsessive" correspondence with musician Ani DiFranco. A documentary called Dear Ani tells his story and about Wasserman's eventual friendship with DiFranco. The film is part of this year’s ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival.

Then, we learn about a new opera adaption of West Side Story from Houston Grand Opera.

And we meet the directors and members of Katy ISD’s Tompkins High School Honor Orchestra, which is performing at this week’s Texas Music Educators Association convention.

On Monday's show: The state’s energy demand is expected to grow a lot in the coming years, and grid improvements are needed to support it. But what’s driving all that demand, and who’s going to pay for it?

Also this hour: We learn how a Houston attorney unearthed a conspiracy to murder an American spy in 1993. We revisit our 2019 conversation with Michael Pullara about his book, The Spy Who Was Left Behind, about the murder of Freddie Woodruff.

Then, Meg Tapp from the Garden Club of Houston answers listeners’ gardening questions.

And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.

On Friday's show: Criminal charges against a former staffer of Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo will likely be dropped after Alex Triantaphyllis agreed to a pre-trial intervention deal. He is among three former staffers who were accused of steering an $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to a preferred vendor.

And we learn about the findings from HISD's audit of its special education department, which found thousands of violations of district policy and hundreds of violations of students’ rights, according to reporting from Houston Landing.

Also this hour: We meet Jackson Sweeney, an aerospace engineer from Pearland whose work is on board the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, which is set to land on the moon in the coming weeks.

Then, from HISD students staying home from school to protest Mike Miles, to the City of Houston’s budget deficit growing some more, to Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour coming to Houston for two shows this summer, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And ROCO, formerly the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, is in its 20th season, which includes a concert this weekend of world premieres about AI and last year’s solar eclipse.

On Thursday's show: Houston city officials are facing a looming budget crisis and will need to slash spending or dramatically raise revenue over the next year following a Texas Supreme Court decision on the city's infrastructure spending. The city is grappling with a $100 million price tag for required spending on streets and drainage and now faces a $330 million deficit in 2026. We learn how we got here, and City Controller Chris Hollins joins us to explain his proposed emergency task force to address the situation.

Also this hour: Late last month, Houston-based midstream energy giant Kinder Morgan announced plans to move ahead with a liquefied natural gas pipeline project extending more than 200 miles from Katy to Port Arthur. The company says the Trident Intrastate Pipeline could help power millions of homes and businesses. But not everyone is thrilled about it. We discuss the pipeline, projects like it, and the environmental and legal concerns they often raise.

Then, we visit the Eternal Gandhi Museum in southwest Houston. It's the first museum in the Americas dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy of nonviolent conflict resolution.

And we visit a weekly Mexican wrestling event in East Houston.

On Wednesday's show: From Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency items for the state legislature to address, to the debate over tariffs, to Elon Musk at the U.S. Treasury, we discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: Just in time for the Super Bowl, local food writers offer their suggestions for the best sports bars and pub food in town in this month's installment of The Full Menu.

And we visit the Lone Star Flight Museum.