Houston Matters – Details, episodes & analysis

On Friday's show: A new survey from Texas Southern University examines which racial and socio-economic groups are most aware of the state's new school voucher program and which are most in support of it, with some surprising results.

Also this hour: Filmmaker Ken Burns talks about his latest effort, The American Revolution, which debuts Nov. 16 on Houston Public Media, TV 8.

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

And we learn about The Good Medicine Indigenous Music Festival this weekend and hear a musical performance from its organizer.

On Thursday's show: We hear what some local businesses connected to the hemp industry have to say about the component of the proposed government spending bill that could ban almost all THC-containing hemp products nationwide. 

Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in the back-and-forth prioritization of cars and light rail trains in downtown.

Then, we talk with popular social media science communicator Hank Green, who was in Houston recently to launch the Thought Leader Series at Space Center Houston.

And an aspiring filmmaker shares his harrowing experience with a disease that affected his ability to think and why he wanted to document it as a film, My Missing Mind.

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On Friday's show: Houston has seen explosive growth over the past decade, primarily in flood plains. Houston Chronicle reporter Yilun Cheng explains some potential connections between development in the flood plain and donations to political campaigns.

Also this hour: We meet Marine Corps veteran Steve Jimenez, who found relief from depression, anxiety, and a general lack of purpose after leaving the military in beekeeping. He founded Hives for Heroes, an organization to help his fellow veterans get into beekeeping. Jimenez is among several veterans involved in agriculture featured in an upcoming episode of the PBS series After Action.

Then, from a mixed bag for Houston in Wallet Hub’s rankings of the country's best Halloween experiences, to fluctuating candy costs this Halloween, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

And we learn how Sugar Land is celebrating Día de los Muertos.

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On Thursday's show: We learn about a controversy brewing in Fort Bend County as some county leaders circumnavigate the authority of the country attorney.

Also this hour: A recent policy brief from the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute for American Democracy suggests teachers across the country are largely uncomfortable teaching civics in their classes, citing challenges like insufficient training, concerns about stirring controversy, and a lack of instructional guidance from school districts and states. Is civics actually that much harder to teach these days because of things like polarized politics?

Then, he was one of the greatest rebounders in NBA history. Yet somehow, the name of former Houston Rocket Moses Malone doesn’t come up as often as Bird, Magic, or Jordan. We talk with author Paul Knepper about his new book, Moses Malone: The Life of a Basketball Prophet.

And we talk about what we remember and what we miss about the AstroWorld theme park, which shut down on this day 20 years ago today.

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On Thursday's show: We get insight on the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: Andrea Ball of the Houston Chronicle catches us up on a saga surrounding control over Second Baptist Church.

And we check out a retrospective exhibit of art made by Mary Magsamen and Stephan Hillerbrand, a Houston husband-and-wife team who make visual art about their family's life, often made with everyday objects from that life, including their children's toys, their living room furniture, or even their home itself. The exhibit is on display through Nov. 22 at Silver Street Studios.

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On Tuesday's show: Think your electricity bill has been high lately? You might be surprised by how much some of your fellow Texans say they’re being charged for power, month to month. We examine the findings from a new survey on the financial strain energy bills are putting on Texans.

Also this hour: Texas Monthly writer Skip Hollandsworth discusses some noteworthy crimes committed in Texas by women. It’s the subject of his latest book, She Kills.

Then, Houston native Diane Ravitch was once a firm proponent of standardized testing and school choice, and she was a key figure in President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind policies -- until she changed her mind. We find out why, which she addresses in her book, An Education.

And we meet the team behind lo-fi puppets + stuff, who make puppets and practice the art of puppetry in various forms.

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On Monday's show: The Trump administration recently announced it would quadruple Argentine beef imports to lower grocery prices, drawing sharp criticism from U.S. cattle producers and Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller. But he is pushing an alternative proposal. We learn the details.

And we how Texas flagged more than 2,000 "potential noncitizens" on its voter rolls.

Also this hour: We discuss some opportunities and challenges facing Houston's rapidly changing East End neighborhood.

Then, we discuss the latest developments in consumer technology with columnist Dwight Silverman.

And we talk over a former UH basketball player’s role in a growing sports betting scandal and what it says about mordern sports and sports betting with Jeff Balke, co-host of the Bleav in Astros podcast.

On Friday's show: We get an update on controversial plans to close a two-block section of Polk Street as a part of the $2 billion expansion of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Also this hour: Children's author Kate DiCamillo talks about how teachers reading to her in school helped shape her into a two-time Newbery Medal winner. DiCamillo, the author of titles like Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux, will be in Houston for an event with Inprint on Sunday to discuss her latest book, Lost Evangeline.

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

And it's been 50 years since Houston Grand Opera first presented the American opera Porgy and Bess, which won the organization a Tony and a Grammy Award. As the Gershwins' folk opera returns to the stage, we reflect on its legacy.

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On Thursday's show: As the federal government shutdown hits its third week, one looming effect is the possibility that SNAP benefits could stop in November. With millions of Americans at risk of going hungry, we talk with Brian Greene, CEO of Houston Food Bank about how his organization is bracing for a surge in need.

Also this hour: We learn how some unlikely partnerships are helping conserve fisheries along the Gulf Coast. That story is the subject of a new book, called Sea Change, co-authored by Amanda Leland, executive director of the Environmental Defense Fund. She discusses the book at Brazos Bookstore on Thursday evening.

Then, we get an update on the health of another body of water: Buffalo Bayou.

Plus, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein presents a scientist whose ambitions get beyond his control. Does Houston have its own Frankenstein's monster of sorts? Joshua Zinn ponders that question on this month’s edition of The Bigger Picture.

And, with Halloween season in full swing, we visit an area haunted house.

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On Wednesday's show: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup.

Also this hour: We learn about fentanyl and other substance use trends in the county from Harris County Public Health.

And a new play at The Ensemble Theatre called Of a Darker Hue presents ghost stories of a different sort, transforming the stage into a ritual space of memory, mystery, and survival.

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