Houston Matters

On Friday's show: Mayor John Whitmire has announced a new push "to end homelessness." The plan calls for increased local funding and more collaboration between the city and county. Whitmire also wants to make it illegal to sleep in public spaces. We learn what all the plan entails.

Also this hour: From a lawsuit over off-duty officers carrying weapons in some area hospitals, to a new baby elephant at the Houston Zoo, our panel of non-experts contemplate The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And Houston native Attica Locke, who's got an extensive resume writing novels and for television, talks about incorporating Houston and East Texas into her writing, including her latest novel, Guide Me Home, the final installment of her Highway 59 trilogy, which centers around a Black Texas Ranger named Darren Mathews. She also discusses what it was like working with her sister, Tembi Locke, in bringing her memoir, From Scratch, to the screen for the Netflix series of the same name.

On Thursday's show: The State Board of Education is poised to vote on optional Bible-infused curriculum for Texas public elementary schools on Friday. We discuss whether it will be approved and whether it's constitutional.

Also this hour: We find out how the cruise ship industry is faring along the Gulf Coast.

Then, new public artwork on display at Discovery Green is part of Art Lab, a new mentorship program helping Houston-area artists learn how to create and install public art.

And we learn about the open mic poetry events from Write About Now, which recently included Houston Matters producer Laura Walker performing some of her work.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup, including the latest on President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominations.

Also this hour: The Battleship Texas Foundation gives us an update on efforts to establish a new, permanent home for the famous ship and museum.

And comedian Lewis Black, America’s ranter-in-chief, is coming around for one final standup performance here on Friday night, part of his “Goodbye Yeller Brick Road” tour. We share some highlights from his previous appearances on our program.

On Tuesday's show: What will HISD do now that no new bond money is coming? The district’s state-appointed board of managers has been mulling over options to pivot after voters this month rejected a massive bond proposal for school upgrades. The board also heard an earful from parents last week about what motivated that rejection. We talk it over with with Houston Public Media’s Adam Zuvanich.

Also this hour: We learn how indigenous groups are resurrecting their people’s ancient names for geographic places, including one tribal group’s name for what is now Houston. We talk with two members of the Atakapa-Ishak Nation and learn what their people once called our city.

And we reflect on the history of Houston’s Arte Público Press, the oldest publisher dedicated to Latino literature in the United States, with its founder and incoming leader.

On Monday's show: With Republicans poised to take control of the White House and both houses of Congress in January, and President-elect Donald Trump promising mass deportations, it’s reasonable to assume immigration policy is about to change and could have a profound impact on a lot of Houstonians. We learn how Houston-area immigrant rights organizations are preparing.

Also this hour: The city of Houston grew for a long time without zoning. But as more people move outside the city limits to communities that have more formal land use regulations, has the city taken this no-zoning system as far as it can go? We talk it over.

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

And we get an update on sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: Remember how Sen. Ted Cruz was supposed to be in a tough re-election race? The Texas Tribune’s Jasper Scherer joins us to share why Cruz’s campaign believes the senator ultimately won so easily and what it may signal for Cruz’s future prospects in the Senate and possibly, someday, the White House.

Also this hour: We learn how Hurricane Beryl affected the Texas coast.

Then, from Michelin Guide restaurant honors, to a ride-sharing service featuring armed drivers, this week’s panel of non-experts considers The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And jazz icons Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie might be best remembered for their music. But a new book called The Jazzmen explains how they overcame racism and discrimination to open America's eyes to their music and in the process "wrote the soundtrack for the civil rights movement." We talk with author Larry Tye, who'll speak Saturday during the Jewish Book & Arts Festival at Houston's Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center.

On Thursday's show: The Astrodome Conservancy, a nonprofit that advocates for the preservation of the one-time "Eighth Wonder of the World," has unveiled a $1 billion redevelopment concept for the Dome. We find out what the plan calls for, who would pay for it, who needs to buy in, and what may set the idea apart from past proposals for the Astrodome.

Also this hour: We discuss how physical media, such as vinyl records, DVDs, and books may be in a state of decline and renaissance all at the same time.

And, on the anniversary of the U.S. Army overturning convictions of Black soldiers that stemmed from the 1917 Houston Riots, we visit the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

On Wednesday's show: A recent survey asked Houstonians about their quality of life here. The question came from us here at Houston Matters, and we learn what they had to say.

Also this hour: We discuss some of the names already made public as likely members of President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration along with other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Then, in the latest installment of The Full Menu, Houston food writers share some of their favorite area restaurants to visit for special occasions.

And University of Houston film scholar Karen Fang talks about her new book, Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong. Wong was a 20th century Asian-American artist who worked on many famous films, including as the lead production illustrator for Disney’s classic Bambi.

On Tuesday's show: It’s been five years since the state funded free, full-day pre-K programs. So, how’s it going? We learn what new reports say about enrollment in and the evaluation of Houston-area pre-K instruction.

Also this hour: We talk with Houston engineer William Taggart, who says he knows how to fix the country's problems, which he outlines in his new book, Fixing America: An Engineer’s Solution to our Social, Cultural, and Political Problems.

Then, earlier this month, we heard from HISD Superintendent Mike Miles about chronic absenteeism in the district. We learn more about chronic absences across the rest of Texas.

And we learn how an aspiring local filmmaker captures the story of Houston in just three minutes. Elisha Luckett’s conceptual documentary A Town Called Houston is one of a number of short films featured as part of the annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival.

On Monday's show: Last week’s election doesn’t just mean a GOP sweep of Congress and the White House. Hardline Republicans gained seats in an even more conservative Texas House. We learn what that further shift right means for the next Texas legislative session.

Also this hour: On this Veterans Day, we learn about services provided by the Houston VA.

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

And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.