On Thursday's show: It got a bit heated at Harris County Commissioners Court this week. County Judge Lina Hidalgo dropped an F-bomb while criticizing commissioners about their loyalty to the county’s district attorney. News 88.7 reporter Andrew Schneider explains what it was all about and updates us on other recent developments from the county.

Also this hour: We meet astronaut Christina Hammock Koch, who will be the first woman to embark on a mission to the moon.

Then, the news that the PGA Tour will merge with its rival, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, we discuss the concept of "sportswashing," a tactic countries sometimes use to deflect attention from their track records on human rights.

And the Bryan Museum in Galveston has an exhibit about Black high school football in Texas on display through July 2. It's based on the book, Thursday Night Lights, and we revisit our 2017 conversation with its author, Michael Hurd.

Houston

On Wednesday's show: The presidential campaign field for 2024 is growing, while efforts to pass property taxes in Texas are stalled. We discuss those and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: In this month's installment of The Full Menu, Houston food writers discuss some of their favorite new restaurants of 2023 so far.

And Houston musician DJ Sun talks about adapting his most recent album, Loveletter, for a performance onstage Saturday at Miller Outdoor Theatre with the orchestra Aperio, Music of the Americas.

On Tuesday's show: We talk about Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut oil production and what that may mean for the oil and gas industry here in Houston and gas prices for consumers, especially during the busy summer travel months.

And we learn about Houston chef Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen, who won a James Beard Award for Best Chef in Texas.

Also this hour: A new book from Texas Monthly called Lone Stars Rising profiles 50 influential Texans who have impacted our state. A number of them, of course, are (or were) Houstonians.

Then, the Houston Chronicle’s Jhair Romero explains some concerns about how non-English speakers in Houston learn about emergencies.

And we discuss how the criminal justice system handles people accused of violent crimes who are indefinitely determined to be mentally incompetent to stand trial.

On Monday's show: Dr. Esmaeil Porsa, the CEO of Harris Health, makes his case for a $2.5 billion bond measure that would raise funds for a new LBJ Hospital and other public health services.

Also this hour: We offer listeners their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves about life in Greater Houston.

And we get an update on sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: Now that we know who is going to lead Houston ISD under the state takeover, how is it sitting with area educators? We get reaction from the Houston Federation of Teachers to a new superintendent and new board of managers running the district.

Also this hour: Andrew Schneider tells us about the legal limbo some Houston-area Afghan refugees find themselves in and how a bill in Congress could address it.

Then, from ERCOT’s new power grid dashboard, to a Galveston sinkhole swallowing an SUV, to an annual race down a hill chasing after cheese, we discuss intriguing developments in the news on this week’s The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

And the Houston School of Irish Music leads a gathering and performance this weekend of Irish musicians at the University of St. Thomas.

On Thursday's show: The Texas Education Agency has unveiled the new Houston ISD Superintendent and the nine members of the TEA appointed Board of Managers who will oversee the state’s largest public school district. We check in with News 88.7 reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh for details.

Also today: Hurricane season is here. NOAA’s lead hurricane forecaster joins us to discuss what to expect this year, and we get a refresher on what you need to know and prepare for ahead of a tropical storm or hurricane.

Then, we learn what it takes for immigrant students to become Americans. That's the subject of Making Americans, a book by teacher Jessica Lander. We talk with her and with Dr. Marie Moreno, former director of Las Americas Newcomer School here in Houston, which is featured in the book.

And we check out the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s new shark exhibit.

On Wednesday's show: The Texas Legislature has gone into overtime. We discuss what lies ahead in special sessions in the coming months and what to expect from the Texas Senate’s impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton in our weekly political roundup.

Also this hour: Anheuser-Busch has had a rough go of it lately, watching sales of Bud Light and some other products tumble after backlash to a marketing effort to appeal to a broader customer base by providing a transgender influencer with a customized can of beer to tout on social media. Corporations have had a hard time determining when and in what ways to engage in public discourse and in what ways not to. We seek advice for Houston-area companies large and small for how to navigate an increasingly strident and intense social media world that gives and takes away sales depending on what you do or don’t say.

And we learn about preparations being made for Houston to host World Cup matches in 2026.

On Tuesday's show: A new Frontline documentary, “After Uvalde: Guns, Grief & Texas Politics,” examines the aftermath of the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. The documentary tells the story of how some grieving families have been pushing to raise the minimum age to purchase assault-style weapons in Texas. We talk with host María Hinojosa about the film, which airs tonight at 9 on Houston Public Media, TV 8.

Also this hour: Houstonian Wes Anderson's new film Asteroid City hits theaters next month. We revisit a conversation with Anderson about how Houston has influenced his films. And we revisit a conversation with Jeff Goldblum, who has been a part of the ensemble of actors frequently in Anderson's films over the years.

Then, we discuss the long history and fight over disaster recovery funding for Houston after Hurricane Harvey. It’s been four years since Congress passed a bill authorizing $4.3 billion in aid to communities affected by the storm for flood mitigation projects. Houston and Harris County experienced half the damage from Harvey, but, to date, the city has been given none of that funding.

And we reflect on the last days of Sam Houston.

On Friday's show: Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee announced the county is suing the state of Texas over bills passed during the Texas Legislature specifically targeting Harris County elections. Menefee joins us to explain.

Also this hour: Summer is practically here, and many Houstonians will travel to beaches or more temperate places to escape the heat. And many will opt to rent a vacation property through Airbnb or VRBO instead of booking a hotel room. But what are the advantages and drawbacks of going that route?

Then, we mull over The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And we talk with actor Chad Coleman, who's visiting Houston this weekend for Comicpalooza.

On Thursday's show: We discuss what has and hasn't changed since the murder of George Floyd three years ago today and whether the activism that rose up after it backfired, at least here in Texas.

Also this hour: If the United States defaults on its debt, what does it mean for Houstonians and our local economy?

Then, the new film BlackBerry captures the rise and fall of the once-ubiquitous device. For a time, heads were buried in BlackBerry devices at NASA, the Medical Center, downtown – all over Houston. We revisit BlackBerry culture in the Bayou City on The Bigger Picture.

And Houston’s Kinetic Ensemble closes out its season with a concert featuring a world premiere by Bayou City-based composer Theo Chandler.