Houston Matters

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With So Many Recent Disasters, Is Houston Still Worth It? (March 2, 2021) Mar 02, 2021

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On Tuesday's Houston Matters: We get an update on COVID-19 in Greater Houston from Houston Health Authority Dr. David Persse. Also this hour: Houston City Councilmember Sallie Alcorn answers your questions about issues affecting the city. Plus: Floods, hurricanes, chemical fires, last month’s freeze and power failures – what will it take for you to exclaim, “enough already” to living in Houston? A campaign several years back declared Houston. It's Worth It. Is that... Read More

CERAWeek Conference Kicks Off Amid An Uncertain Energy Future (March 1, 2021) Mar 01, 2021

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On Monday's Houston Matters: The annual energy conference CERAWeek kicks off today. And, for the second year in a row, it's virtual. Daniel Yergin, the event's chairman and an energy industry analyst, talks about the future of the energy industry and this year's conference. Also this hour: We offer you your monthly chance to complain -- err share -- your pet peeves about life in Greater Houston. And we get an update on the Rockets,... Read More

The Value Of Presidential Visits After A Disaster (Feb. 26, 2021) Feb 26, 2021

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On Friday's Houston Matters: Pres. Joe Biden is visiting Houston today in the wake of last week’s massive power and water outages. It’s his first visit to the Bayou City since taking office. Are presidential visits like this useful? We discuss. Also this hour: A new pilot program called Girls Moving Forward looks to provide trauma counseling for young women in the juvenile justice system who are sex trafficking victims. Then, we break down The... Read More

Electric Customers Go To Court Over Last Week’s Power Outage (Feb. 25, 2021) Feb 25, 2021

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On Thursday's Houston Matters: Sky-high electrical bills are leading some Texans to court. We take a closer look at the expensive and litigious fallout from last week's freezing weather and statewide power outages. And we learn about the civil investigation Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is launching into the circumstances leading up to the disaster. Also this hour: The history of Houston's Freedmen’s Town and new efforts to revitalize its legacy. Plus: How last week's... Read More

New Vaccine Mega Site Opens At NRG Stadium (Feb. 24, 2021) Feb 24, 2021

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On Wednesday's Houston Matters: The new FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination center at NRG Stadium officially opened this morning. It’s one of the three vaccine mega-centers federally backed in Texas. The Houston mega-center is a drive-through facility and will start vaccinating people already on the Harris County and City of Houston vaccine wait lists. Also this hour: We discuss the response by state leaders to last week's massive power failure and the latest news in our weekly... Read More

Will Lawsuits Against ERCOT Succeed? (Feb. 23, 2021) Feb 23, 2021

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On Tuesday's Houston Matters: As state lawmakers take up Gov. Greg Abbott’s emergency item on ERCOT reform in hearings this week, lawyers across the state try to sue the nonprofit corporation that manages the state’s electric grid for deaths and damages caused by last week’s power outages. But can they? Also this hour: Houston City Councilman Edward Pollard, who represents District J, answers listener questions. Then, with the recent news that the historic Cohn House would... Read More

How The Power Outage Affected Hospitals Amid A Pandemic, And Grocery Stores Work To Meet Demand (Feb. 22, 2021) Feb 22, 2021

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On Monday’s show: We learn how hospitals dealt with last week’s power and water outages amid a global pandemic. Also this hour: We discuss how grocery stores are dealing with the demand for food and water and learn what they’d like to see change to help them better meet customer needs in a future emergency. Then, as we review what went wrong during last week’s devastating power failures, we have to remember that this was,... Read More

Plumbers Answer Your Questions About Frozen, Broken Pipes (Feb. 19, 2021) Feb 19, 2021

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On Friday’s Houston Matters: We get the latest on efforts to restore water service and to address water pressure issues around Greater Houston along with an update on electricity outages. And you might have power, but what about issues with your pipes — and possibly even damage from broken ones? A pair of plumbing experts answer your questions, which you can submit now to talk@houstonmatters.org. Also this hour: We check in next with News 88.7’s... Read More

Answers To Your Questions About The Freeze Emergency, And Fighting Price Gouging (Feb. 18, 2021) Feb 18, 2021

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On Thursday's Houston Matters: We're taking the hour to answer your questions about the freeze, the power outages, the water pressure problems, the price gouging concerns, you name it. We'll be joined throughout the hour by the chief executive of Fort Bend County, Judge K.P. George. He also leads the county's emergency management office. We'll hear from Eric Berger, meteorologist and editor of Space City Weather, on how much long this freeze will linger in... Read More

Emergency Response Updates, And The Politics Behind Our Energy Grid Issues (Feb. 17, 2021) Feb 17, 2021

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On Wednesday’s Houston Matters: A TxDOT representative updates us on road conditions around the region. Also this hour: Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Meghan Arthur from Montgomery County Homeland Security and Emergency Management update us on the situations in their respective jurisdictions. Then: Why has Texas largely gone it alone when it comes to electricity generation? Politics, of course. We talk it over in our weekly political roundup. Plus we hear what the president of... Read More

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