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On Monday's show: Houston and two dozen other Texas cities are suing Netflix, Hulu, and Disney. We learn why those cities think those streaming services owe them money. Also this hour: Local organizers want HISD to reform the district’s code of conduct, saying it relies too much on law enforcement -- and too often for Black students. Then, we learn why a state program giving out life-saving drugs to treat opioid overdoses has been out of money for months and what it means for emergency responders. And Justin Verlander has returned from injury to pitch very well this season. We talk about why some athletes are continuing to excel into their late 30s, even early 40s, and if that’s something we didn’t used to see in baseball with sportswriter and podcaster Jeff Balke.

  On Friday's show: A Russian court has found WNBA star Brittney Griner guilty on drug smuggling and possession charges. The judge sentenced Griner to nine years in prison. What are the chances of the United States government arranging for her release much sooner in some sort of prisoner exchange or other diplomatic effort? An international relations expert weighs in. Also this hour: We discuss the implications for us here in Houston and across Texas of a recent Supreme Court ruling signaling dwindling power for the EPA. Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week, including a man using 3D-printed guns to make a point at the city's recent gun buyback event, and an award-winning songwriter finding herself in over her head after a comment about Beyoncé on Twitter. And renowned Indian composer and violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam is in Houston this week preparing for a concert Saturday with the Houston Symphony in the world premiere of his Mahatma Symphony, written to celebrate 75 years of Indian independence.

  On Thursday's show: We discuss the implications of Harris County's potential lawsuit against the state over the latest audit of its elections. Also this hour: As more businesses seek to reimburse employees for travel undertaken to get access to an abortion in another state, we explore the potential for additional state laws designed to stop them. Then, we consider why the concept of air conditioning in Texas prisons remains controversial with Keri Blakinger of The Marshall Project. And we take a tour of downtown to learn the stories behind the city’s skyline.

On Wednesday's show: Harris County Commissioners Court approved a bond proposal that will go before voters in November for around $1 billion in infrastructure spending. Plus: Houston-area school districts will no longer provide free lunches to all students due to the expiration of a federal waiver. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Then, local food writers discuss what's on tap for Houston Restaurant Weeks in this month's installment of The Full Menu. And, long before the deadly Astroworld festival concert, New York had its own disaster of a concert event: Woodstock ’99. A new documentary about it debuts today on Netflix. Local film critic Joe Leydon was there and reflects on what he saw.

On Tuesday's show: Harris County could decide today whether to put a roughly $1 billion bond measure for infrastructure projects on the ballot in November. Also this hour: Houston City Council Member Letitia Plummer answers your questions about issues facing the city. Then, the city of Houston is often celebrated for the strides it’s made in reducing homelessness. But how effective have these efforts truly been? And we debut the first episode of Below the Waterlines, a new four-part podcast series from News 88.7 reflecting on lessons from Hurricane Harvey, five years later. In the first installment, reporter Matt Harab finds out what's keeping one Houston senior from getting back into her home.

On Monday's show: The U.S. Senate has approved a bill that contains the long-sought-after Ike Dike/coastal barrier project. The House has passed its own bill as well. We find out what happens next. Also this hour: We offer you your monthly chance to vent your pet peeves. And we analyze any moves the Astros make as the trade deadline approaches and discuss the high costs of attending their games (it’s not just about the tickets) with sportswriter and podcaster Jeff Balke.

  On Friday's show: TxDOT has announced plans to raise a portion of I-10 near White Oak Bayou, but local residents are skeptical of the project. Will TxDOT move forward with the project despite their concerns? We discuss. MORE: TxDOT is seeking public input on the proposed project. Click here to read more about the proposal and for instructions on how to comment. Also this hour: A recent study found Houstonians reported the highest stress levels of any community surveyed in the last year. We find out why. Then, we discuss three stories that are bad news for ice cream lovers in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And Megan Cavanagh, the actress who played Marla Hooch in the movie A League of Their Own -- who now lives in Houston -- reflects on the role and the film, which celebrated its 30th anniversary this month.

  On Thursday's show: Harris County, the City of Houston, and local environmental attorney Jim Blackburn are suing Union Pacific, citing toxic pollution and soil and groundwater contamination in Kashmere Gardens and the Fifth Ward. We discuss the lawsuit with Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee. Also this hour: In light of the Dobbs decision affecting abortion rights in Texas and across the nation, what other legal questions have arisen its wake? We talk it over with a legal expert. Then this month's installment of The Bigger Picture explores why we’re drawn to sprawling, connected cinematic universes. What is it about tying stories together that speaks to us? And longtime NFL coach Wade Phillips has been named the head coach for Houston's new XFL football team, which begins play next year. We revisit a 2017 conversation with him about his memoir, Son of Bum, which chronicles what it was like growing up the son of iconic Houston football coach Bum Phillips.

On Wednesday's show: We discuss the status of drought conditions across the state and the forecast for the rest of the summer. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. And we revisit our conversation with Jon Meacham about his biography of former Pres. George H.W. Bush, Destiny and Power.

  On Tuesday's show: We talk with Houston area Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia about her bill requiring employers to offer paid rest breaks for construction workers. And we welcome your questions and comments about other issues facing the area. Also this hour: We preview Frontline: Facing Eviction, which takes a closer look at evictions in Texas. The episode airs tonight at 9 on Houston Public Media, TV 8. And we reflect on the life and career of Jack Brooks, the late Texas lawmaker who some called “the meanest man in Congress.”

  On Monday's show: The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into Houston's response to illegal dumping and whether the city is guilty of racial discrimination. Also this hour: How do we define where “Houston” ends and “outside of Houston” begins? The loop? The beltway? The Grand Parkway? The city limits? The metro area? We talk it over and get your input. Then, Texas may have found a compromise on prayer in public schools years ago. Was that lightning in a bottle or is it possible to find compromise in other areas? And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.

On Friday's show: We talk with a local health expert about the spread of monkeypox and what it means for Houston. Also this hour: William Menjivar concludes a two-part exploration of the future of live music in the Houston area. Hear Part One Then, we break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week. And we hear an excerpt from this week's edition of I See U with Eddie Robinson, which tells the story of how a group of Vietnamese fishermen took on the KKK in a heated dispute over fishing Galveston Bay.

On Thursday's show: After another day of record-breaking demand on the Texas electric grid, we ask the Houston Chronicle’s Chris Tomlinson to weigh in on efforts in the political ranks (from both sides) to blame different sources of energy for not supplying enough juice. Also this hour: We discuss the concept of sportswashing -- how companies, governments, or other entities use sports or sponsorship of a sport to improve a troubled reputation. Then, we learn the role air conditioning played in making Houston the massive, sprawling city it is today — for better or worse. And a performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night utilizes Juilliard graduate students and Houston-area high schoolers.

On Wednesday's show: The EPA is formally objecting to the issuance of operating permits for a Pasadena facility run by Intercontinental Terminal Company, the company responsible for a fire at a separate Deer Park petrochemical facility back in 2019. Will those permits still be issued? And we learn about efforts to unionize some area Starbucks locations. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Then, we know well how disasters adversely affect poorer neighborhoods with fewer resources, but what about people who are neither wealthy nor poor? New research explores how disasters impact the middle class. And Houstonians share some of their memories from watching the moon landing 53 years ago.

Last week, HR 8297 passed the U.S. House of Representatives. The Ensuring Women’s Right to Reproductive Freedom Act would prohibit anyone from interfering with a person traveling across state lines to obtain abortion services.  The bill is sponsored by Houston Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher, who joins us to discuss that and other legislation introduced in response to the recent overturn of Roe v. Wade. And she answers listener questions about other issues before Congress affecting Greater Houston.  Also this hour: The Moth, the storytelling event and radio show, is celebrating 25 years. Its founder George Dawes Green tells us how it got started and how it helped launched more storytelling events like it all over the world, including here in Houston. And he discusses his new novel, The Kingdoms of Savannah. And our producer William Menjivar goes fishing on Buffalo Bayou with Alex Sosa of Buffalo Bayou Fishing Champs.

On Monday's show: We learn about a gun buyback program that will allow residents of Houston and Harris County to turn in their firearms for gift cards on July 30. Also this hour: We learn about plans to build a huge movie studio in Central Texas. One of the co-founders of Hill Country Studios is from the Houston area. We discuss what this studio might mean for the future of the Texas film industry. Plus: Over the weekend, the Harris Center became one of five Texas crisis centers answering calls to the new 988 hotline. It’s the new number for a nationwide suicide prevention line. It’s expected that this three-digit number will receive more calls than the previous 11-digit one. The change comes amid renewed focus on mental health in America. That topic was the reason actor Sean Astin came to Houston several years ago, and we revisit our 2018 conversation with the star of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Goonies, and Stranger Things. And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.

On Friday's show: Houston officials say dioxin has been found in a Kashmere Gardens soil sample. News 88.7's Lucio Vasquez has the latest. Also this hour: William Menjivar begins a two-part exploration into the future of live music in the Houston area with an examination of the challenges local venues face putting on concerts. Then: A new poll indicates the race for Harris County Judge is tight. Andrew Schneider catches up with Rice University’s Mark Jones for details. And, from a proposed floating abortion clinic in the Gulf of Mexico, to a Cypress couple being sued for big money by their homeowners association for feeding ducks, we contemplate The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week.

On Thursday's show: Prices for consumer goods have risen 9 percent over the last year -- the highest jump in 40 years. Is a recession on the horizon? And will prices continue to rise? Also this hour: What a chemical leak last year can teach us about what some Houston communities are up against in protecting their health and safety in the shadows of our city’s enormous petrochemical industry as revealed in a recent investigation from Public Health Watch. Then, last month, the Texas GOP Convention maintained a strict stance on homosexuality as part of its official platform. What does that mean for gay conservatives in the state? And we preview Comicpalooza this weekend.

On Wednesday's show: The recent intense heat has put the spotlight back on the Texas energy grid, with the state's power grid operator asking residents to conserve energy. We discuss whether the power grid can handle the load and whether we should be concerned about another massive power failure. Also this hour: We discuss the latest developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Then, it’s the dual-edged sword of community improvement projects – how do you revitalize a neighborhood without pricing longtime residents out of it? A years-long effort in southwest Houston is intended to strike that balance. And we remember The Laff Stop, the longtime comedy club that closed in 2009. Quite a few notable comedians performed and recorded albums there over the years. And a reunion of comedians and old friends of the venue takes place this week (July 14-16).

On Monday's show: The COVID positivity rate in Harris County is close to 30 percent. Should we be concerned about this sharp rise in cases? Also this hour: As NASA is releasing the first images from its new James Webb Space Telescope, we discuss what they show us and learn how the telescope works. Then, veterinarian Dr. Lori Teller answers your pet care questions. And Jeff Balke updates us on Houston sports.