(Photo: Derek Stokely, Houston Public Media)

The Houston Downtown Management District (Downtown District) is creating a new plan for the short- and long-term future of downtown. Plan Downtown looks as far as 20 years into the future to recommend development and design improvements for downtown Houston.

What kinds of things will the plan be looking at? What do you think downtown needs in the short and distant future? On this edition of Houston Matters, we take your suggestions and talk with Bob Eury, executive director of the Downtown District.

Also this hour…

Finding Help for Hearing Loss in Houston

Should health insurers be required to cover hearing aids for children? Currently, there are two bills in the Texas Legislature that would do just that – SB 552 and HB 490. However, there’s a campaign to change that called Let Texas Hear. We learn about what they’re fighting for. And then we take a closer look at other challenges the hearing impaired in Greater Houston face and what services exist to help them.

Dog and Cat Care

Once again, Houston Matters goes to the dogs…and cats. To help us sort through your questions about the health of your dog or cat, Dr. Lori Teller from the Meyerland Animal Clinic joins us.

Sports Monday

The Texans traded quarterback Brock Osweiler to Cleveland while the Dallas Cowboys are expected to release quarterback Tony Romo. Would he be a good fit in Houston? Would he be willing to come here? And the Rockets continue the second half of their season while the Astros continue Spring Training games in Florida. We discuss those and other developments in Houston sport with Jeff Balke, who writes for Houston Press and Houstonia Magazine.

Houston Matters offers a free daily, downloadable podcast here, on iTunes, Stitcher and various other podcasting apps.