On Friday's show: Could power generated from solar panels have prevented the outages caused by last February's winter storm? Environment Texas seems to think so.

Plus: A new state law requires hospitals to be transparent about their pricing. What does this look like?

Also this hour: We discuss the challenges 3D printed guns (sometimes referred to as "ghost guns" because they have no serial numbers) present law enforcement.

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

And we talk with Lee David Zlotoff, the creator of the TV show MacGyver, about MacGyver the Musical, which is making its world premeire at Stages Houston now  through March 4.

On Thursday's show: Three months after the Astroworld festival tragedy left ten dead, the city of Houston and Harris County have established a task force to recommend safety procedures for future events. We talk with a member of that task force.

Also this hour: Dr. Brandon Green from the University of St. Thomas grew up in poverty and remembers struggling to find food even when he was in college. That's why he wants all universities to be stocked with food pantries for students.

Then, we learn how students and their professors at Rice University discovered a new species of wasp on campus and named it after a favorite watering hole. And we talk with Ashley Wahlberg, who's known as the Spider Lady of East Texas.

And we find out what playwright Chisa Hutchinson, who's Black, learned from writing a play from the perspective of a man who's joining a white supremacist group. The resulting work, called Amerikin, debuts on Friday and runs through March 13 at the Alley Theatre.

On Wednesday's show: Lovie Smith is officially the Texans’ new head coach – but what are we to make of the hiring after Brian Flores brought a discrimination lawsuit against the NFL?

Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup with the help of Renee Cross of the University of Houston and Mark Jones of Rice University.

Then, Mardi Gras is coming back to Galveston after it was cancelled in 2021.

And teen dating violence can be a touchy subject – but it doesn’t have to be, according to a local violence prevention educator.

On Tuesday's Houston Matters: It’s been a challenging start to the spring semester for students, teachers, and parents – and not just due to absences stemming from the pandemic. We explore the cumulative effect of COVID, teacher burnout, faculty and staff shortages, and political pressure on public education.

Also this hour: City Controller Chris Brown talks about issues related to the city's budget and finances.

Then, breast cancer rates tend to be harder on Black women than anyone else. We talk with a local oncologist and a breast cancer survivor about how to address that disparity.

And actor Jason Lee talks about his career and the book of photos of Galveston he recently published.

On Monday’s show: In light of some recent jobs reports on the national level, we ask Patrick Jankowski of the Greater Houston Partnership whether his local jobs forecast for 2022 needs to be adjusted.

Also this hour: As we do on the first Monday of each month, we invite our listeners to share their latest gripes and complaints about life in Houston.

And we get an update on the latest developments in Houston sports from Jeff Balke.

On Friday's show: We bring you the latest on winter weather around the state and in Greater Houston.

Also this hour: Mayor Sylvester Turner says he's committing $44 million to fight violent crime. But where will the money be spent?

And we learn about future plans to bring back the River Oaks Theatre, which closed last March.

Then, we discuss whether the implementation of underground stormwater tunnels throughout Greater Houston will help prevent flooding.

Plus, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week, including a new name for the Washington's NFL team and a groundhog's untimely passing.

And we learn about the history of something you might be wearing right now: blue jeans. That staple of American fashion is the subject of a new documentary called Riveted from the PBS series American Experience. It airs Monday, Feb. 7, at 8 p.m. on Houston Public Media, TV 8.

On Thursday's show: As an Arctic cold front has moved off the coast, it could bring parts of Houston some wintry precipitation and temperatures below freezing tonight. A winter weather advisory is in effect until noon Friday. But what happens elsewhere in Texas may influence how much of a test this is for our energy grid.

Also this hour: The British ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce, is in Houston this week. We find out why and discuss a wide range of topics.

And Exxon Mobil is moving its headquarters from Dallas to its Houston campus next year. We discuss what that could mean for the city and Exxon's employees.

On Wednesday's show: We learn about the blast of cold weather coming to Texas late Thursday and intro Friday.

Also this hour: We discuss the latest political news in our weekly roundup.

Then, local food writers discuss their favorite places around the city for date night in this month's installment of The Full Menu.

And we reflect on Boris Yeltsin's 1989 visit to a Houston grocery store.

On Tuesday's show: Harris County COVID cases are trending downwards. The city’s health authority, Dr. David Persse, joins us to talk about the latest data.

Also this hour: City Council Member Sallie Alcorn answers your questions about issues facing the city.

Then, we learn about Nourish, a program that teaches healthcare professionals more about nutrition than what they get in school. The program has also released a new cookbook.

And we visit Ship to Shore, an interactive ehibit telling the stories of immigrants who came to the U.S. through Galveston in the late 19th century.

On Monday's show: A federal judge has invalidated a recent sale of oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, saying the Biden administration did not adequately consider the costs to the world's climate. We learn more.

Also this hour: Taxpayers in the city may be paying for more than they receive in services from the county. We discuss a new study from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University.

Then, we learn how a football player from Greater Houston helped fully integrate college football and what his own daughter learned in telling his story. Maya Washington talks about her father, former NFL wide receiver Gene Washington, who grew up in La Porte and Baytown, and the book and documentary she made about him and his fellow Black teammates at Michigan State called Through the Banks of the Red Cedar. The film airs on Houston Public Media, TV 8 on Friday, Feb. 11, at 10 p.m.

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