Houston Matters

On Friday's show: We learn what Mayor John Whitmire had to say in his second State of the City address yesterday, laying out his vision for the remainder of his term and promising not to increase taxes, despite the city's budget issues.And the Houston Texans will soon have a new headquarters for their business operations, part of a planned 83-acre sports, retail, and entertainment district in the Bridgeland community in Cypress.Also this hour: Five years after the 2021 winter freeze knocked out power across the state for several days, we reflect on some memories of that deadly event and discuss the lessons learned from its effect on the power grid.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And, ahead of Valentine’s Day, we talk about a different kind of date -- a “Doggy Date” courtesy of the Houston Humane Society.Watch

On Thursday's show: Last week, the dean of the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences asked faculty he oversees to sign a document attesting they are not "indoctrinating" their students but are instead teaching them to think critically. One of those professors, Robert Zaretzky, responded with an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle saying he will not sign the document. He joins us to explain why.Also this hour: Houston’s diversity shows up everywhere, including in foster care. We discuss how families navigate caregiving of children from different cultural backgrounds.Then, we visit this year’s ongoing Mardi Gras celebrations in Galveston to learn how they’re different from what happens in New Orleans.And, ahead of the Chinese New Year, which begins Feb. 17, we learn more about Chinese Americans’ cultural and economic impacts here in Houston. And we talk about some of the Chinese constellations in the night sky with an area astronomer.Watch

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: We visit Fresh Houwse Grocery in Sunnyside, a farmer-owned store in a neighborhood that previously had limited access to fresh food.And Houston author Saadia Faruqi explains why she wanted to use Hurricane Harvey as the backdrop for her latest young adult novel, Some of Us Are Brave, and how her own experiences during the 2017 storm continue to influence her writing. Faruqi will appear at a book launch on Feb. 14 at 2 p.m. in Katy.Watch

On Tuesday's show: We learn how the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies and changes to Medicare are leaving some Houston-area hospitals feeling squeezed. Also this hour: Ahead of a national energy expo next week in Houston, we learn how deals made there can affect energy policy, companies, and consumers.Then, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America is kicking off an educational tour of the country with a free conference on Wednesday in Houston to help caregivers. We talk with one of the event's speakers, a neuroscientist and caregiver herself, about how to handle difficult behaviors among loved ones who are experiencing cognitive decline.And many neighborhoods and areas around Houston have a certain reputation. But are those reputations correct and deserved?Watch

Meg Tapp, Garden Club of Houston rep who gives practical plant care tips. Ben Paris, Rice creative writing professor who favors low-tech classrooms and enforces an AI-free policy. Leslie Alvarez, San Antonio education law attorney who explains legal limits and responses to student walkouts. They discuss student protests and school legal responses, no-screen teaching methods and classroom AI rules, plus practical gardening advice.

On Friday's show: The Texas Education Agency has warned school districts that facilitating student political walkouts could lead to a state takeover. This comes as the agency unveils a newly created enforcement role focusing on overseeing investigations into alleged misconduct by Texas teachers. We get the latest on this developing story.Also this hour: We discuss how digital maps are increasingly being used to reveal patterns across Greater Houston, from the famed Houston arrow, to the Whataburger location map being used as a substitute for power outage tracking during major storms, to an ICE tracker map being developed by students at Rice University.Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.And we preview the latest in a series of concerts from The Apollo Chamber Players celebrating America’s 250th birthday and the centennial of what became Black History Month.Watch

On Thursday's show: City of Houston Controller Chris Hollins discusses the city’s deficit spending, due in part to the continuing need to pay overtime to staff police and fire departments.Also this hour: The delay in the Artemis II mission stirs memories of how the Apollo program played out decades ago. We look back on our last missions to the moon.Then, the nonprofit Trees for Houston celebrates the planting of its one millionth tree today. We visit the site of that celebration.And a recent report finds incomes are growing and poverty is shrinking, but living in Texas is still less affordable. We talk about why that's the case.Watch

On Wednesday's show: In a special election last weekend, a Fort Worth State Senate seat in a conservative district flipped to the Democrats. Is that a one-off, or a sign of things to come? We discuss that story and the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.Also this hour: Our foodies list their favorite award-winning and award-nominated restaurants around town on this month’s edition of The Full Menu.And we consider the legacy of slavery and racial discrimination in the history of our institutions and how those institutions reconcile that past. A new book explores that subject through the lens of Rice University, its history, and its "fundamental and ongoing process of transformation."Watch

On Tuesday's show: The window for families to apply for the state's new school voucher program, officially called Texas Education Freedom Accounts, opens on Wednesday for the 2026-27 school year. We discuss why the state is trying to limit which schools can participate and other questions as the new program begins.Also this hour: How much should you trust the quality of the water coming out the tap? Pedro Alvarez, director of Rice University’s WaTER Institute, explains what we should all know about the quality of water where we live and work.Then, representatives from The Houston Defender and the The Houston Sun reflect on the history of the Black press in Houston, how it has shaped the city through pivotal eras of history, and why its voice still matters.And standup comedian Mohanad Elshieky performs this week at Punch Line Houston. We talk with him about his comedy and his work as a writer for NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!Watch

On Monday's show: The 18th Congressional District has a new Congressman-elect. But how soon will Christian Menefee be sworn in?Also this hour: We offer listeners a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city.And Jonathan Alexander from the Houston Chronicle previews the Super Bowl.Watch