Houston Matters

Houston Matters begins at 9 a.m. CT on 88.7FM or listen online. Join the discussion at 713-440-8870, [email protected] or @HoustonMatters.

On Monday's show: Fall is supposed to begin on Sunday, but it sure doesn’t feel like it here. We learn why from Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard.

Also this hour: Author Mary Ellen Curtin reflects on the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan, the Houston native who was the first Black woman from the South to serve in Congress. Jordan is the subject of Curtin's new biography, She Changed the Nation.

Then, we chat with Here & Now host Peter O’Dowd, who’s broadcasting from Houston Public Media next week.

Plus, we get an update on some projects to desalinate water in Texas.

And we recap Texans' win over the Bears in their home opener last night and get an update on the Astros from Bleav in Astros podcast co-host Jeff Balke.

Audio from today's show will be available after 11 a.m. CT. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, Stitcher and other apps.

On Friday's show: Houston's suburbs continue to boom while the population of the city itself has remained flat in recent years, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. We take a closer look at what the numbers have to tell us about our region's growth.

Also this hour: An area drive-in theater rolls its final credits. Our panel of “non-experts” weighs in on that story and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

Then Houston-area film critic Joe Leydon remembers his favorite James Earl Jones films.

And Prairie View A&M alum J.O. Malone, who founded Houston's National Black Film Festival, is trying his hand at supporting Black entrepreneurs with his venture BLCK Market.

On Thursday's show: The City of Houston appears likely to hike its tax rate, as it faces a budget shortfall and unexpected costs from multiple disasters. We learn more and find out what the increase might cost the average homeowner. And the council has delayed its push to require developers to build sidewalks or pay a fee for new construction.

Also this hour: On the anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s “moon shot” speech at Rice University, in which he challenged America’s scientific community to get to the moon and back, we ask you: what’s the next big “moon shot” that Greater Houston can achieve? What’s the one big challenge we should marshal our will, time, and resources to meeting? We welcome your suggestions at [email protected].

Then we learn about an area nonprofit that helps fund medical and mental health care services for Houston’s restaurant and bar workers. It’s called I’ll Have What She’s Having, and it’s holding a Rock & Roll Picnic on Sunday at the Last Concert Amphitheatre featuring music and a lot of food from a number of area chefs and restaurants.

And Houston poet Ayokunle Falomo talks about his new collection, called Autobiomythography of, ahead of a book launch tonight at Kindred Stories.

On Tuesday's show: We get the latest on what has become Hurricane Francine as the storm approaches the Louisiana coast and find out how related conditions might affect Galveston and the Greater Houston area.

Also this hour: We recap the presidential debate and discuss other developments in local, state, and national politics in our weekly roundup.

And we consider the future of physical retail space in Houston — where it works, where it doesn’t, and why.

Houston Matters begins at 9 a.m. CT on 88.7FM or listen online. Join the discussion at 713-440-8870, [email protected] or @HoustonMatters.

On Tuesday's show: As Tropical Storm Francine continues to travel up the Gulf Coast, we share the latest information on the storm, and what impact -- if any -- it might have on the Houston area.

And, as we keep an eye on the storm, cleanup still continues from the last one. We get an update on the second round of Beryl debris removal.

Also this hour: According to analysis of Census Bureau data, 21 percent of Houston’s population that's age 65 and older still works. That’s 192,000 Houstonians. Some choose to work longer, but others have no choice. We discuss how some seniors come to the conclusion about whether to retire and when.

Then we check in with Houston First CEO Michael Heckman about efforts to promote Houston’s tourism and convention business. And we seek out any developments surrounding the operation of the George R. Brown Convention Center, Jones Hall, and the Wortham Theater Center.

And we talk with acclaimed choreographer John Neumeier about his adaptation of The Little Mermaid. No, not the Disney story -- an adaptation of the original 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It's on stage at the Houston Ballet through Sept. 15.

Audio from today's show will be available after 11 a.m. CT. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, Stitcher and other apps.

On Monday's show: A disorganized system brewing in the Gulf of Mexico is on track to be named Tropical Storm Francine on Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Potential Tropical Cyclone Six is traveling up the gulf coast with maximum sustained winds at 50 miles per hour. The system could track just south of Houston by Wednesday. Meteorologist Eric Berger with Space City Weather updates us on the latest forecast.

Then, we review how METRO’s priorities have changed in the months since a new board chair took over and what it means as the transit authority plans next year’s budget.

Also this hour: Local restaurateurs discuss the economic impact climate change has on restaurants and chefs, ahead of a roundtable discussion on that subject organized by the James Beard Foundation on Wednesday.

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

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

On Friday's show: The Harris County Jail has finally passed a state safety inspection -- the jail’s first passing grade in nearly two years. However, state officials provided “technical assistance” during the inspection, leading some advocates to question whether the passing grade was warranted.

Also this hour: We remember longtime area college baseball coach Wayne Graham, who died this week. He won national championships at San Jacinto College and Rice. We mark his passing and then revisit our 2022 trip to the Rice baseball's pitching laboratory.

And this weekend, new episodes of Texas Country Reporter will begin airing with a new host who grew up in Greater Houston. We revisit our conversation with J.B. Sauceda from last December.

Then, from new grant money for the Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail line, to Simone Biles retiring one of her signature moves, we discuss The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And Kingwood hosts the fifth annual In a Pickle Festival this Saturday. We learn more and talk about why pickles and pickle-flavored foods are having a moment.

On Thursday's show: We get the latest on possible stormy weather in the region and learn about a new report on coastal flooding from NOAA and what it suggests for Galveston and other Texas Gulf Coast communities. Bob Stokes, President of the  Galveston Bay Foundation, joins us to explain.

Also this hour: Plastic waste is piling up in a Houston facility awaiting the promise of new "advanced" or chemical forms of recycling. Some say those methods could solve the world's mounting plastic waste problem while others worry it could create another set of environmental problems. So, are we truly on the cusp of solving our plastic problem -- or is it all just a waste?

Then, how vulnerable is Greater Houston’s economy to risks stemming from climate change? The directors of Rice University’s just-established Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience (CFAR) share their insights.

And we chat with Michael Moore, the president of Uptown Houston.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest in state, local, and national politics in our weekly political roundup.

Also: Local food writers discuss their favorite places for small plates and things to share in our latest installment of The Full Menu.

And we talk with actress Michelle Azar about her role playing the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a new play called All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, on stage at the Hobby Center this week.

On Tuesday's show: We discuss the economic and electoral impact Hispanics have on our region on on the heels of a summit on that subject from the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Also this hour: We offer Houstonians their monthly opportunity to vent about their pet peeves.

And Texas country star Pat Green talks with Ernie Manouse about his career and music.