On Tuesday's show: We learn about the progress of some bills regarding bail reform being considered in the waning days of the Texas Legislature. Also this hour: We discuss the complicated, cloudy future of the Texas Lottery, which has been under fire over a scheme that essentially allowed gamblers to purchase every single lottery combination possible and guarantee a jackpot win. Then, ahead of an event at Brazos Bookstore on May 27, author and poet Ocean Vuong shares lessons from working in fast...
May 20, 2025•50 min
On Monday's show: What do Houstonians think about life here -- the economy, their life experiences, beliefs, and attitudes? We discuss the findings of the annual Houston Area Survey with Rice University sociologists. Also this hour: Veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller talks about issues affecting pet health. And Jeff Balke updates us on the latest developments in sports...
May 19, 2025•51 min
On Friday's show: A year ago today, the Houston derecho moved through southeast Texas, spawning four tornadoes and creating intense winds that caused widespread damage in Houston, especially downtown where windows were blown out of many high-rise buildings. Ultimately, seven people in Greater Houston lost their lives. We reflect on what happened, why it affected downtown so greatly, and what scientists have learned from studying the event. Also this hour: The nonprofit news organization Houston ...
May 16, 2025•50 min
On Thursday's show: We learn about a $150 million donation that will create the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, a new initiative to fight childhood cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children's Hospital. The gift is one of the largest such donations in the history of the Texas Medical Center and one of the largest ever given to a pediatric hospital in the country. Also this hour: Comedian Ramy Youssef performs Friday night at House of Blues, and he has a new animated series on Amazon...
May 15, 2025•50 min
On Wednesday’s show: Houston City Council members have begun budget hearings this week as the city faces economic uncertainty amid a budget shortfall. But some of that shortfall could be remedied if some proceeds from toll roads are shifted from Harris County to the city, as a bill in the legislature would do. But the county has its own budget concerns. We get some insight on crafting a budget for both the city and the county in uncertain financial times -- all while navigating the intertwining ...
May 14, 2025•51 min
On Tuesday's show: We learn about a pair of bills some say might kill the renewable energy boom in the state and about this week’s heat, which may be the year’s first real test of the Texas electric grid. Also this hour: We learn about the fate of the Texas Renaissance Festival after a judge ordered the event's owners to sell their property and assets after siding with a prospective buyer who sued after a $60 million deal fell through in 2023. Then, on the anniversary of the famed Battle of the ...
May 13, 2025•50 min
On Monday's show: Three Houston-area members of Congress are asking why the National Weather Service's office in the region has nearly a dozen vacancies ahead of hurricane season. Also this hour: On this date in 1941, the Z3 , the world’s first programmable and fully automatic computer, was first presented. With that anniversary in mind, we revisit the ethics of artificial intelligence at the same time Texas lawmakers are considering a bill to address AI-altered audio and video in political ads....
May 12, 2025•50 min
On Friday's show: Pope Leo XIV celebrated the first mass of his papacy this morning. And while his election is being celebrated by Catholics worldwide, he also faces some criticism from earlier in his ministry. We learn what survivors of clergy sexual abuse here in Houston want to see and hear from the new pope. Also this hour: So far, space tourism appears to be only for celebrities and the uber-rich. While its purported long-term goal is to make spaceflight more accessible, is it also making s...
May 09, 2025•50 min
On Thursday's show: We talk about Houston's growing problems with trash , including how the city is quickly running out of landfill space, with Elena Bruess of Houston Landing . Also this hour: We learn about a new law creating a Texas version of DOGE . Then, we welcome your questions about our varied and fascinating insect world for entomologist Erin Mills of the Houston Botanic Garden . And issues of loneliness, hidden trauma, and breaking free of comfort zones all come to bear in Primary Trus...
May 08, 2025•50 min
On Wednesday's show: We discuss Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s proposed city budget , the latest developments from the Texas Legislature, and President Donald Trump’s meeting with Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney, along with other developments in our political roundup. Also this hour: In this month’s installment of The Full Menu , food writers discuss some of their favorite restaurants to get vegetarian and vegan food around the city. And we learn about Bajo Terapia (In Therapy) , a new pl...
May 07, 2025•50 min
On Tuesday's show: Wet weather continues across Greater Houston the next couple of days. We find out what may be in store from Eric Berger of Space Center Weather walks us through the forecast. And is the tide turning in local school board battles over library books and gender identity policies? We get an update on some changes to the makeup of the school boards at Katy ISD and Fort Bend ISD and what that might mean for those districts. Also this hour: The Trump administration wants to incentivi...
May 06, 2025•50 min
On Monday's show: Houston Mayor John Whitmire says he’ll unveil his proposed budget, and even as it includes a new deal with the police union giving officers more money, it’ll be a balanced budget. We get reaction to that police officers union agreement. Also this hour: We offer Houstonians a chance to vent about their pet peeves about life in our city. And Jeff Balke recaps the Rockets' Game 7 loss to Golden State in the NBA Playoffs and reflects on the accomplishments of the season....
May 05, 2025•50 min
On Friday's show: Two bills related to abortion passed the Texas Senate this week. One seeks to clarify when doctors can perform abortions if medically necessary under the state’s near-total ban. The other would allow anyone who mails or delivers abortion pills to someone in Texas to be sued for $100,000. Both bills must now clear the Texas House. Eleanor Klibanoff of The Texas Tribune provides details on both measures. Also this hour: A recent report ranked Houston as one of the unhappiest citi...
May 02, 2025•50 min
On Thursday's show: Despite federal and state regulations, hospitals in Texas are failing to provide real transparency in pricing for medical services they provide. We discuss a new report from health economist Vivian Ho. And we remember our colleague, longtime Texas radio newsman Matt Thomas , who died on Wednesday after a brief illness. Also this hour: We talk about efforts to deal with what’s known as the “ corridor of cruelty ,” an area in Houston that has become a dumping ground for abandon...
May 01, 2025•50 min
On Wednesday's show: This week marks President Donald Trump's 100th day in office . We reflect on everything that's happened so far and discuss the latest developments in local, state, and national politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Corinna Lain , a legal scholar and former prosecutor, has done extensive research on how the use of lethal injection became widespread in this country. We examine what studies on the bodies of the executed can tell us about capital punishment and other r...
Apr 30, 2025•50 min
On Tuesday's show: Last week, two economists spoke out about the impact of Trump economic policy on Houston. One said to expect a recession by the summer. But the other offered a much sunnier forecast. Could they both be right? Or both be wrong? Do economists really know what they're talking about? We talk it over. Also this hour: Many industries face an uncertain future with the back-and-forth on tariffs. What about the energy industry in Houston? And how is the Texas Legislature playing a role...
Apr 29, 2025•51 min
On Monday's show: Depending on where you live in Greater Houston, you may be closing in on an election day. We provide a rundown on some of the municipal election decisions being made today in Fort Bend County. And we get an update on Texas public school funding from the Texas Legislature. Also this hour: We discuss “tough on crime” policies that are so tough they’ve caught just about everyone off guard. Then, do we really need all this smart technology? Just how connected should your fridge rea...
Apr 28, 2025•50 min
On Friday's show: We dig deeper on the Texas Education Agency's grades for Texas schools for the 2022-2023 school year, which were just released after a 19-month legal battle between the TEA and districts that sought to prevent their release. The agency gave HISD a C grade for that period. Also this hour: A local union wants to see an increase in the minimum wage for Houston hotel and airport workers, arguing they’re not seeing the benefits of the area’s growing number of visitors. We learn more...
Apr 25, 2025•50 min
On Thursday's show: A group of Harris County Democratic Party officials are criticizing Houston Mayor John Whitmire over his participation in a fundraiser for U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Republican. In a recent City Council meeting, the mayor also inflated the number of accused murderers on Houston streets as lawmakers consider bond reform. And Houston Public Works expects to raise water bills to fund a $4.2 billion overhaul of the East Water Purification Plant. Reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh upda...
Apr 24, 2025•50 min
On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. This week, Brandon Rottinghaus and Jeronimo Cortina of Party Politics offer their insights on stories from the local, state, and national level. Also this hour: Today is the 40th anniversary of New Coke , the change in flavor of Coca-Cola, which was one of the most infamous corporate marketing blunders of the 20th century. But hey, we all make mistakes. We revisit a 2024 conversation about some of Greater ...
Apr 23, 2025•50 min
