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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Houston Matters
Non-experts weigh in on stories from the week’s news and decide if they’re good, bad, or ugly.
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Party Politics
A political podcast from two smart guys providing you with up-to-date policy and politics for your next cocktail party.
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Houston Matters
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Houston Public Media Local Newscasts
Local newscasts from Houston Public Media, updated during drive times.
Weather
2024 hurricane season could be an active one for Houston region, forecasters say
Posted on · AccuWeather forecasters, who predict an "explosive" hurricane season in 2024, analyze analog years, or past years with similar weather patterns, when they create long-range forecasts. But Space City Weather meteorologists say analogs can produce mixed results.
Politics
Houston-area Congressman Troy Nehls under investigation by House Ethics Committee
Posted on · The focus of the investigation remains unclear, but Nehls himself suggested it relates to campaign finance matters.
Energy & Environment
Texas Game Wardens looking into report that bald eagle was shot to death on Houston-area lake
Posted on · The report that a bald eagle was killed on Lake Conroe had not been confirmed as of Thursday, according to a game warden in Montgomery County. Shooting, killing, harming, capturing or otherwise disturbing the national bird of the United States is a violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and punishable by a fine up $100,000, one year in prison or both for first-time offenders.
Fort Bend
Fort Bend ISD administrators say they’ve decreased 2023 bond costs by $29 million
Posted on · The projects associated with the $1.26 billion bond package were previously expected to exceed their budget by about $133 million, but school district officials say the overrun is now closer to $103.5 million.
Houston Matters
3 wild stories from Houston’s Minor League baseball past
Posted on · From a triple play where no players ever touched the ball, to a team essentially adopting an orphaned child, baseball broadcaster Tim Hagerty shares some of the wildest stories from Minor League Baseball in Greater Houston and Texas found in his book, "Tales from the Dugout."
Houston Matters
Astros Opening Day: New season, new manager — same high expectations
Posted on · The Houston Astros open their 2024 season at home against the Yankees, seeking to extend nearly a decade of success.
Education
As Texas students clash over Israel-Hamas war, Gov. Greg Abbott orders colleges to revise free speech
Posted on · The governor singled out pro-Palestine groups and said they should be subject to discipline.
Events
How to celebrate Beyoncé’s country-inspired album release with upcoming Houston events
Posted on · More than five years in the making, Beyoncé said Cowboy Carter was born out of an experience that left her feeling unwelcomed in the country genre.
Houston Matters
Opening Day for the Astros (March 28, 2024)
Posted on · On Thursday's show: It’s Opening Day. We preview the Astros' 2024 regular season. Then, we hear some odd stories from the Minor League baseball in Houston and Texas over the years. And we examine how two recent films tackle tropes about Black characters and culture.
City of Houston
Houston will likely need tax and fee hikes to pay for firefighters’ contract, city’s financial leaders say
Posted on · Houston’s firefighters and paramedics have gone eight years without a new contract, leading hundreds to transfer out or quit. A $650-million proposed settlement could reverse the exodus, but it comes as Houston faces a brewing financial crisis that’s been years in the making.
City of Houston
Residents in Downtown Houston call for more scooter regulation, enforcement
Posted on · Current city law prohibits e-scooters from being ridden or rented on sidewalks in business districts.
Criminal Justice
Hundreds of convicted prisoners are waiting longer in the Harris County Jail as transfers to state prisons lag behind
Posted on · County officials say the growing number of convicted prisoners in the Harris County Jail waiting to be transferred to a state prison is worsening overcrowding within the facility.
Sports
Excitement as Houston Open returns to springtime spot on PGA Tour calendar
Posted on · Organizers are hoping for 100,000 tickets to be sold over the four days of the tournament, which is settling into its home at Memorial Park.
Court
Arcola councilwoman can’t be removed while lawsuit pending, judge rules
Posted on · Ebony Sanco and two councilwomen are suing the mayor over his attempts to vacate her position.
Business
Houston’s Turkey Leg Hut files for bankruptcy
Posted on · The popular restaurant at 4830 Almeda Rd. owes more than $4.7 million to a total of 19 different creditors, including nearly $782,000 to owner Nakia Price, according to a document filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The company reported having less than $50,000 in estimated assets.
Houston
Over 51 million people traveled to Houston last year, up 5% since 2022, early projections show
Posted on · Looking ahead, the city is poised for another record breaking year, according to the corporation. Gastech, an international energy conference planned to be hosted in Houston in September could alone draw a crowd of more than 14,000 energy professionals.
City of Houston
Hollins, Alcorn: Tax hikes and a trash fee will likely be needed to stave off a fiscal crisis
Posted on · City Controller Chris Hollins and City Council Member Sallie Alcorn, who chairs the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee, said trying to fix Houston’s budget with cuts alone would require steep layoffs and crippling cuts to city services. Any decision would have to come through Houston's City Council -- the controller doesn't have policy making authority.
Education News
Spring Branch ISD to keep former superintendent’s name on headquarters after public outcry
Posted on · A group of community members and former trustees for the Houston school district criticized a proposal to remove Duncan Klussmann's name from an administration building after he questioned some of the current board members' recent decisions. The idea was described by many as petty and ultimately rejected.
Immigration
Texas’ immigration-enforcement law again kept on hold by federal appeals court
Posted on · The 2-1 decision came late Tuesday from a three-judge panel at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. It keeps the state of Texas from enforcing the law, known as SB 4, as the legal challenge against it continues in federal court.
Houston Matters
Could better, more consistent measurements of emissions cut down on incidents of ‘greenwashing?’
Posted on · Houston Matters talks with representatives of a climate tech company and a nonprofit who are each seeking to improve those measurements.
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