Town Square

The Future Of The Workforce

Posted on · The pandemic created a sudden shift from in-office work requirements to scatter across millions of private homes. Now that vaccines are turning the tide, many are left wondering if they should return to a cubicle at all.

Houston Matters

The Fate of Oil and Natural Gas in Houston’s Energy Future

Posted on · We've been devoting time in recent weeks to talking about the various sources of energy in Greater Houston and across Texas. In previous weeks, we've talked about the future of energy from wind, solar, coal and nuclear. On today's show, we examine the state of oil and natural gas. We talk with Regina Mayor, KPMG […]

Houston Matters

Houston’s Economic Pendulum is About to Swing from East to West

Posted on · If you've lived in Greater Houston for any length of time, you're probably familiar with the idea that there's an east-west divide here. The east side of town is more blue collar. The west side of town is more white collar. Incomes on the east side are lower than on the west side, and so […]

Houston Matters

How Our Emotions Determine How Much We Spend for the Holidays

Posted on · During the holidays, do you ever feel pressure to buy things you really can't afford? According to research co-authored by a University of Houston professor, many of us actually feel guilt when buying a luxury product — whether during the holidays or the rest of the year. Dr. Vanessa Patrick at UH's Bauer College of […]

Full Show

The Year in Houston Politics and Two Views on Religion: Thursday’s Show (December 15, 2016)

Posted on · We continue our look back at the biggest stories of 2016 by examining the year in Houston politics. Of course, the biggest story of the year was the presidential election. But there were plenty of local stories too. We talk with Andrew Schneider, News 88.7’s political reporter, about all the Houston and Texas stories stemming […]

Houston Matters

Understanding New Overtime Rules — And Challenges to Them

Posted on · New rules regarding overtime pay were scheduled to take effect on Dec. 1. But a federal judge in Texas granted a preliminary injunction last month, delaying the implementation of a regulation that would extend overtime eligibility to more than four million workers. To learn more about the rules and what they might mean for employers […]

Houston Matters

How Do Construction Numbers Measure Up for 2016, So Far?

Posted on · In the first seven months of 2016, residential construction in Greater Houston was down nearly 16 percent compared to the same period last year, while non-residential construction was down 23 percent, according to figures from Dodge Data and Analytics, a New York-based construction data analysis firm. Building overall was down nearly 19 percent. Those numbers […]

Full Show

Segregation, Construction Numbers and Ben Kingsley: Thursday’s Show (September 15, 2016)

Posted on · Almost like a drumbeat, Houstonians know – and love to repeat – the notion that we are the "most diverse city in America." And Dr. Stephen Klineberg, co-founder of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, says that's correct. Houston exhibits something called "the entropy index," meaning our city comes closer than any […]