Tag: Texas Tribune

Houston Matters

Do Recent Voting and Immigration Laws Mean Texas is Racist?

Posted on · Since March, three different Texas voting laws have been struck down by the courts as intentionally discriminatory. And the Texas Legislature recently passed Senate Bill 4, the so-called "sanctuary cities ban," which many immigrants rights' groups are concerned will lead to racial profiling. That string of news got us wondering – is Texas racist? Does […]

Houston Matters

Documentary Shares Perspectives of Those Who’d Be Affected By a Border Wall

Posted on · Behind all the rhetoric and political discourse about President Trump's proposed wall along the US-Mexico Border are real people who would be affected by it – border patrol agents, ranchers and undocumented immigrants. A new documentary called Beyond the Wall aims to put viewers in the shoes of those people as it explores the complex […]

Houston Matters

State Funding for Higher Education Shrinks as Families Face Increases in College Tuition

Posted on · A new series from The Texas Tribune highlights the struggles Texans face in paying for college in the state – and also the struggle the state faces in funding its public colleges and universities. Reporter Matthew Watkins joins us to discuss what the Tribune has found out about both plights and how it all affects […]

Full Show

How Will Fewer Regulations Affect Houstonians? Thursday’s Show (February 9, 2017)

Posted on · On this edition of Houston Matters, we discuss how fewer business regulations might affect the environment, changes to the National Weather Service's National Water Model, and the struggle Texas and Texans face paying for college. Also, singer-songwriter Mike Doughty performs in studio.

Houston Matters

Vote Reignites Debate Over Teaching Evolution and Creationism in Texas Schools

Posted on · On Wednesday (Feb. 1, 2017), the Texas Board of Education held a preliminary vote on science standards, which some worry could make room for the teaching of creationism in science classrooms. We learn more from Texas Tribune reporter Aliyya Swaby, and then discuss famous court battles over evolution and creationism with Josh Blackman from South […]

Full Show

Science Standards in Texas Schools: Tuesday’s Show (February 7, 2017)

Posted on · On Wednesday (Feb. 1, 2017), the Texas Board of Education held a preliminary vote on science standards, which some worry could make room for the teaching of creationism in science classrooms. On this edition of Houston Matters, we learn more from Texas Tribune reporter Aliyya Swaby, and then discuss famous court battles over evolution and […]

Houston Matters

Texas Axing Planned Parenthood from Medicaid

Posted on · The Texas Health and Human Services Commission delivered a final legal notice to defund Planned Parenthood from the Medicaid program. In a provision under the state and federal law pertaining to Medicaid providers, the Office of the Inspector General wrote that the group is “not qualified to provide medical services in a professionally competent, safe, […]

Houston Matters

Why Are There Gaps in Information About Officer-Involved Shootings?

Posted on · The Texas Tribune just released results from a yearlong investigation into data about police shootings from departments in the state's 36 largest cities. That data indicates there were 656 incidents of officer-involved shootings in those cities between 2010 and 2015. But that may be an incomplete picture. We find out why the total number of […]

Election 2016

Trump Loses Houston-Based Texas Hispanic Backer

Posted on · Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has lost the support of a key Texas Hispanic backer, who is Houston-based. According to the Texas Tribune, Houston attorney Jacob Monty has resigned from Trump’s National Hispanic Advisory Council, following Trump’s speech on immigration in Phoenix, Arizona, Wednesday night. Monty says, according to the publication, that he will also […]

Houston Matters

A Growing Gap Between Mental Health Services and Needs on College Campuses

Posted on · A recent report in the Texas Tribune suggests access to mental health care for students on college campuses in Texas is at a breaking point. Counselors are burning out, pay is low and student mental health needs are surging. We learn more from Norma Ngo, the director of the University of Houston's counseling center, and […]

Houston Matters

Bordering on Insecurity: Texas Tribune Series Looks at Border Corruption Amongst US Law Enforcement

Posted on · When we think about protecting the Texas-Mexico border, we often think about stopping illegal activity happening on the other side of the Rio Grande. However, a series of reports from The Texas Tribune and Reveal highlights illegal activity happening not only here on the US side of the border but among those tasked with policing […]