Health & Science
COVID-19 Vaccinations Climb Across Texas, As Delta Variant Boosts New Infections
Florian Martin
It’s the first vaccination increase since early April.
Immigration
DOJ Sues Over Greg Abbott’s Latest Immigration Order
Andrew Schneider / Paul DeBenedetto
Gov. Greg Abbott this week issued an order restricting ground transportation of migrants who could have COVID-19, a move Attorney General Merrick Garland said violates federal law.
Politics
Houston Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Talks About Her D.C. Arrest, The Push For Federal Voting Laws
Paul DeBenedetto
U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Houston, was arrested for civil disobedience outside the Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., where she was raising awareness for legislation
Energy & Environment
LyondellBasell Faces At Least 2 Lawsuits Over Deadly La Porte Plant Leak
Paul DeBenedetto / Katie Watkins / Marc Ray, HPM Intern
According to one lawsuit, the company knew about the leak but did nothing to fix it.
News 88.7 In-Depth
Texas GOP Bill Could Make It Harder For Nonprofits To Bail People Out Of Jail
A new law could keep people in custody much longer — people like Hervis Rogers, the Houston man recently arrested for alleged illegal voting and held on $100,000 bond.
Jen RicePosted on
Most Viewed
The Lambda Variant: What You Should Know And Why Experts Say Not To Panic
2 Dead, 30 Hospitalized After ‘Mass Casualty’ Incident At LyondellBasell Chemical Plant Near La Porte
Boris Yeltsin’s 1989 Visit To A Houston Grocery Store Is Now An Opera
Memorial Hermann To Become 3rd Houston Hospital System To Set Vaccine Mandate
Biden Administration Sues Texas Over Gov. Greg Abbott’s Latest Immigration Order
Sports
Knicks Get Houston's Grimes After Trading First 2 Picks
BRIAN MAHONEY, ASSOCIATED PRESS
The swap of No. 21 for No. 25 left them with Grimes, a third-team All-American from Houston who came with a pick that belonged to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Sports
Houston Rockets Take Jalen Green With No. 2 Pick In NBA Draft
Kristie Rieken, Associated Press
Green joins a team that is rebuilding after sinking to an NBA-worst 17-55 last season after James Harden forced a trade to Brooklyn to end a streak of eight consecutive playoff trips.
Politics
Democrats Defend Walkout, Call For National Voter Protections At Congressional Hearing On Texas GOP Voting Bill
Andrew Schneider
Texas Republicans pushed back forcefully, denying Democratic claims that the state election bill would suppress voting and discriminate against minority voters.
Houston
Appellate Court Reverses Prop B Ruling That Blocked Pay Parity For Houston Firefighters
Paul DeBenedetto
The decision comes as the fire union fights to have signatures verified in time for a crucial August deadline to have a new charter amendment placed on the November ballot — a process Mayor Sylvester Turner said this week could instead take months.
I SEE U
I SEE U, Episode 11: An Olympic Legend Among Us
Eddie Robinson
Gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee serves as our Track And Field guide as competitive events ramp up this weekend in Tokyo
Town Square
Michelle Phillips On Her Legacy In Music, Acting, And NFTs
Brenda Valdivia
Her career spans from the 1960s with The Mamas & The Papas, to her Golden Globe nominated performance in the film Dillinger, and on the long-running, primetime soap, Knots Landing.
Houston Matters
Houston Is A Hotbed For Many Of The Summer Olympic Sports
Michael Hagerty
In a five-part series, Houston Matters takes a closer look at how some of the sports at the Tokyo Olympics are enjoyed in Greater Houston.
Houston Matters
Guilt As A Positive Motivator To Change The World (July 30, 2021)
Michael Hagerty
On Friday's show: A court ruling the long-running firefighter pay saga, and channeling a sense of guilt over having "made it" -- when others did not -- in order to make a difference.
News from NPR
Russia's 'Foreign Agent' Law Targets Journalists, Activists, Even Ordinary Citizens
The recently expanded law says that freelance journalists, YouTube bloggers and practically anyone else who receives money from abroad and voices a political opinion can be considered a foreign agent.
Opinion: New Jersey Renames Its Rest Stops As A Nation Rethinks Monuments
New Jersey will honor nine of its most illustrious citizens by slapping their names on rest stops along the Garden State Parkway. Scott Simon muses over what becomes a legend most.
There's Vaccine Drama In Arkansas, Where Rates Are Low And Everyone Has An Opinion
The state has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S. And this weekend, 80,000 doses will expire because of lack of demand. The campaign is on to get people to sign up.
At The 'Quarantine Hotel,' Olympians Deal With Isolation And Shattered Dreams
Some of the athletes who tested positive for the coronavirus were first-time Olympians. They all must wait in a "quarantine hotel" for up to 10 days and watch their teammates compete without them.
Houston Matters
Some Unusual Moments In Olympic Coverage: The Good, Bad, And Ugly Of The Week
Michael Hagerty
The Houston Matters panel of non-experts weighs in on stories from the week’s news and decides if they’re good, bad, or ugly.
Politics
Texas Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Arrested For Civil Disobedience Over Voting Rights Bill
Abby Livingston, The Texas Tribune
It was unclear what the Houston Democrat did to spur the arrest, though she said, “I engaged in civil disobedience.”
Town Square
'COVID 2021 Is Not COVID 2019. It's Far More Transmissible,' Says President Of ACCESS Health International
Brenda Valdivia
The Delta variant makes up an estimated 83 percent of U.S. cases, C.D.C. director says as they update mask guidelines for those fully vaccinated.
Sports
SEC Votes To Invite Texas, Oklahoma
HEIDI PÉREZ-MORENO, THE TEXAS TRIBUNE
The decision comes just a week after news surfaced that the two schools planned to leave the Big 12, sending shockwaves through college sports and many Texas lawmakers who feel the expansion will have drastic consequences on the remaining Texas schools in the Big 12.
Immigration
'Unconstitutional And Fascist' — Advocates Respond To Gov. Abbott's Order Restricting Migrant Transport
Carolina Cuellar, Texas Public Radio / Dan Katz, Texas Public Radio
The order allows law enforcement to stop, reroute, or impound any vehicle that they reasonably suspect may be violating the order. The governor’s order did not detail what constitutes reasonable suspicion.
Business
The Economy Is Healthier. These 4 Things Will Determine What Happens Next
David Gura, NPR
The U.S. economy is expected to have grown at a blistering pace in the April-June quarter. A slowdown is inevitable; the question is how much it will slow.
Houston Matters
Why Houstonians And Texans Are Struggling More During The Pandemic (July 29, 2021)
Michael Hagerty
On Thursday's show: An analysis of Census Bureau data shows 54 percent of Houstonians saw a drop in employment since the beginning of the pandemic. That's higher than the rest of the state -- and the rest of the country.
Classical Classroom
Classical Classroom Episode 220: Cello, Is It Me You’re Looking For? with Joel Dallow
Todd Hulslander
How to become a symphony orchestra cellist in 5,000 super difficult steps.
Town Square
Republican Senator Paul Bettencourt Discusses Texas Voting Bill And The State Of Politics
Brenda Valdivia
The director for the non-partisan Texas Politics Project also examines the nuances of the voting bills' potential to help or hurt registered voters at the polls.
Energy & Environment
‘Something Needs To Be Fixed Here’ — 3 Houston-Area Chemical Leaks In 1 Month Raise Calls For Faster Federal Action
Dominic Anthony Walsh, TPR
A slate of proposed revisions to federal chemical safety rules could have prevented the leaks, but the changes have been stalled for years.
Obituary
ZZ Top Bassist Dusty Hill Dies At 72
Paul DeBenedetto
The legendary bearded bassist played on 15 albums over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band's nearly 50-year history.
Immigration
After Judge's Ruling on DACA, Many Urge Congress To Act On A Permanent Solution
Stella M. Chávez, KERA
Immigrant advocates say DACA was only a Band-Aid. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen's recent order to halt new DACA applications puts the pressure on Congress to act.
Health & Science
Memorial Hermann To Become 3rd Houston Hospital System To Set Vaccine Mandate
Lucio Vasquez
Houston Methodist and Baylor College of medicine previously announced mandates.
Sports
Texans In Tokyo: Biles Out Of All-Around, 3X3 Women's Basketball Wins Gold, Archer Back On Target
Hady Mawajdeh, KERA
The U.S. continues to lead all countries with 30 medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. But the country's most decorated gymnast has exited competition due to stress and concerns over her own well-being.
Criminal Justice
Texas GOP Bill Could Make It Harder For Nonprofits To Bail People Out Of Jail
Jen Rice
A new law could keep people in custody much longer -- people like Hervis Rogers, the Houston man recently arrested for alleged illegal voting and held on $100,000 bond.
Health & Science
The Lambda Variant: What You Should Know And Why Experts Say Not To Panic
Laurel Wamsley, NPR
Cases of the variant have popped up in several states. But neither the WHO nor the CDC considers it a variant of concern, and the fast-spreading delta variant continues to dominate U.S. cases.
Health & Science
CDC Urges Vaccinated People To Mask Up Indoors In Places With High Virus Transmission
ALLISON AUBREY, NPR
Reversing earlier guidance, the agency is encouraging indoor masking for fully vaccinated people under certain circumstances.
Houston Matters
When Should Vaccinated People Wear A Mask? (July 28, 2021)
Michael Hagerty
On Wednesday's show: The latest on a fatal chemical incident in La Porte, the CDC says vaccinated people should wear masks in certain situations, the week in politics, and country musician Rodney Crowell.
Energy & Environment
2 Dead, 30 Hospitalized After ‘Mass Casualty’ Incident At LyondellBasell Chemical Plant Near La Porte
Paul DeBenedetto / Katie Watkins
The incident comes just days after a leak at a Dow Chemical plant in La Porte, and another LyondellBasell leak in Galena Park.
Town Square
Reactions To U.S. House Committee Investigating Capitol Hill Riot
Brenda Valdivia
Political experts unpack today’s hearing, our understanding of what happened on January 6th, and the role of the hearing in history.