The week in politics (Sept. 18, 2024)

09/18/24 • 49 min

On Wednesday's show: We discuss Mayor John Whitmire’s State of the City address. Then we learn about a lawsuit against a fertility clinic over in vitro fertilization.

Also this hour: From the mayor's State of the City address, to a growing field in the race for Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, we discuss developments in local, state, and national politics, in our weekly roundup.

We discuss the SCOPE Act, a new law that went into effect this month aimed at preventing Texas children from accessing certain content on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. With that Meta’s announcement that its establishing a more restricted version of Instagram for younger users, we discuss how to best protect kids on social media.

And, ahead of an event with Performing Arts Houston on Thursday, we revisit a 2019 conversation with Jenna Bush Hager and her sister Barbara Pierce Bush. They’re the daughters of former President George W. Bush and the granddaughters of Houston’s own late former President George H.W. Bush.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss Mayor John Whitmire’s State of the City address. Then we learn about a lawsuit against a fertility clinic over in vitro fertilization.

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Pipeline fire and air quality (Sept. 17, 2024)

On Tuesday's show: The Energy Transfer pipeline fire in La Porte near Deer Park has continued burning this morning, though it’s diminished. We get the very latest on the situation and discuss how it might be affecting air quality.

And Houston Chronicle reporters outline a stark decline in high-speed police chases over the last year since HPD changed its policy on them.

Also this hour: We learn about the University of Houston’s role in an effort to develop better, longer-lasting batteries, which is a crucial step towards a cleaner energy future.

Then, we visit Brays Bayou to discuss maintaining and restoring vulnerable native plants there.

And we learn about a new satire called The Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx/Latine Vote, from Houston native playwright Bernardo Cubría, which is making its world premiere at Stages through Oct. 6.

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Differing opinions on reparations (Sept. 19, 2024)

On Thursday's show: We get some updates on several stories happening in Fort Bend County, including Fort Bend ISD considering a formalized agreement with the nonprofit Friends of the Sugar Land 95 to access more funding for a memorial project, and a Sugar Land temple is increasing its security measures after backlash over a new religious statue.

Also this hour: Polls show Americans are still mostly opposed to the idea of financial reparations for the descendants of slaves. With that in mind, we hear two differing viewpoints on that subject. Former Houstonian Joel Edward Goza explains why he changed his thinking about reparations and now thinks they are necessary for the country to move forward. He outlines why in his new book, Rebirth of a Nation: Reparations and Remaking America. Then, Reginald Bell, a professor at Prairie View A&M University, explains why he thinks reparations are a bad idea, which he outlined in a 2020 academic paper.

Then, Texas Woman's University is the nation's largest university system focused primarily on women and touts an estimated 8,000 nursing alumni working in the Houston area today. We meet Dr. Monica Williams, the inaugural president of the TWU Houston campus, located in the Texas Medical Center.

And we remember Tito Jackson of the Jackson 5, who died Monday. We hear some of what he had to say during a 2022 interview on I See U. And then we talk with Houston Chronicle music writer Joey Guerra about the musician’s career and whether the Jackson 5’s place in music history has become muted in comparison to the solo careers of siblings Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.