The city of Houston's Planning and Development Department and the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission are reviewing the city's Historic Preservation Ordinance. Mayor Parker's office would like the language in the ordinance to be clearer, but also may want to expand what can be protected and the authority such protections provide.
On this edition of Houston Matters, we'll discuss what it means currently to have something in Houston designated as a historic site to be preserved, how the process currently works, what changes may be in store. We’ll also consider whether this, the debate over the Freedmen’s Town bricks, and the long saga involving the Astrodome are signals that this community with a reputation for knocking things down and starting fresh may be beginning to think differently about preserving our history.
Also this hour: Donna Valverde is a Texas attorney who's produced a film about a brutal procedure that some parts of the world still practice today: female genital mutilation. The World Health Organization says more than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the nearly 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East where female genital mutilation is concentrated. Valverde has started a non-profit to raise awareness of the practice. Houston Matters’ Maggie Martin will talk with her about her organization, and her film.
Then: We live in a world of gadgets and gizmos – from our smart phones and lap tops to e-readers, i-Pads, HDTVs, and beyond. It's not always clear which of the endless choices out there is best for your needs. And once you own one, it doesn't always work the way it's supposed to. So, we offer you this opportunity to speak with Michael Garfield, the “High Tech Texan.” He’s an expert on gadgetry and technology, and he’ll field your questions about the technological devices to which we all seem tethered.
And: We’ll discuss how the Texans fared in their NFL season opener with CultureMap Houston sports columnist MK Bower.
