Hello Houston is your connection to the heart of the Bayou City. Every weekday, we dive deep into the stories that matter to Houstonians — from breaking local news to cultural happenings, community voices, and the everyday joys and challenges of life in our vibrant city.
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On today’s Hello Houston, Dr. Peter Bahr, Vice President for the Institute for the Future of Work at the Strada Education Foundation, discusses a new report that looks at where college-educated workers are staying, where they’re moving, and how retaining native workers impacts a state’s workforce and economy. Then, we’re joined by comedian, actor, and former Saturday Night Live cast member Jay Pharoah, who talks to us about his comedy career, his impressions, and his upcoming shows at Houston Improv this entire weekend. In the second hour of the show, Dr. Sarah Nadeem, an endocrinologist and a
On today’s Hello Houston, we talk again with Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who joins us to give us an update on the investigation into last month’s fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by federal immigration agents. Then, we’re joined by Jay Hickman, John Swasey, and Kyle Jones, hosts of the Houston-based comedy podcast, Bottom of the Barrel, who tell us about their upcoming third season which will launch with an episode dedicated to the history of Houston. In the second hour, in recognition of Houston’s 190th birthday this Sunday, August 30, we hear the newest installment of
On today’s Hello Houston, with major tech companies like Apple and Tesla investing heavily in new manufacturing facilities across the Houston area, we discuss what this could mean for jobs, tech investment, and the region’s economy with Houston Business Journal reporter Jishnu Nair. Then, we learn all about Reel Girls HTX, an all-women fishing group focused on building sisterhood, sharing skills, and making the water more welcoming for anglers of all experience levels, with its founder Keyahra Hayes, and members Nahzarah and Sedaja. In the second hour, Houston area attorney Charles D. Adams, w
On today’s Hello Houston, Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles joins us to discuss the school district’s new school year, the major changes that are already underway, and the current concerns and criticisms surrounding the district. Next, Chef Paul Friedman, owner and executive chef of The Chef’s Table, and his son Kyle Friedman, the contractor and designer who helped bring the River Oaks location to life, discuss their restaurant’s involvement in Houston Restaurant Weeks. In the second hour of the show, our hosts Tessa Barrera and Ernie Manouse discuss some of today’s top stories, including
On today’s Hello Houston, Elissa Freiha, founder of Womena, a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of women across the Arab world, joins us to share her thoughts on the potential impact of conflict across the Middle East on women and families. Next, we turn to sports and talk with Prairie View A&M’s head football coach Tremaine Jackson, who tells us about the inaugural Chancellor’s Cup, which brings together two Texas A&M University System schools for the first time in football, and the season ahead. In the second hour, University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs joins us to help us sep
On today’s Hello Houston, we talk with U.S. Representative Al Green, currently serving Texas’s 9th congressional district, who discusses his goals and priorities before he leaves the Capitol in January and the annual Slavery Remembrance Legislative Update Breakfast that he’s hosting tomorrow, August 22. Then, Dr. Shonnie Murrell, Governor of the Recording Academy’s Texas and Oklahoma Chapters and leader of the band Funk Potion #9, tells us about her work advocating for artists, mentoring young people through Grammy U, and her upcoming new R&B album. In the second hour, former superintendent of
On today’s Hello Houston, we’re joined by Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin, who discusses the county’s legal battles over mail-in voting and federal funding, what they could mean for both the county and voters, and what happens next. Next, we turn to education and talk with Reid Turner, the lead agriculture teacher at Worthing High School in Sunnyside, who tells us about how their agriculture program is teaching students how to grow food, raise animals, and tackle the challenges of living in a food desert. In the second hour, journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter T
On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss why many of the biggest cities in Texas are currently facing mounting budget deficits with Joshua Fechter, an urban affairs reporter for The Texas Tribune, who’s recently reported on this matter. Then, Tracy Hester, co-director of the University of Houston Law Center’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Law Center, educates us on solar radiation management (SRM), a theoretical way to slow global warming by reflecting a small amount of sunlight back into space. In the second hour of the show, we discuss mail-in ballots and other current questions abou
On today’s Hello Houston, Dr. Zuri Dale, Assistant Vice President of Research and Innovation Initiatives at Texas Southern University, explains how the drug-resistant fungus Candida auris spreads, why there are so many cases in Texas, and how we can prevent it. Then, we discuss indoor plant care with Jemine Oakes, owner of the local plant shop, The Flora Culture, who shares tips and discusses the growing trend of biophilic design. In the show’s second hour, we turn to healthcare and receive an update on the latest advances in melanoma research and therapies with Dr. Michael Davies, chair of th
On today’s Hello Houston, we talk with Dr. Stacy Norton, an obstetrician and gynecologist with Houston Methodist Willowbrook, who discusses colon cancer risks, the warning signs to watch out for, and the importance of early detection, especially for women. Next, Dr. Sally-Ann Ashton, the inaugural director of the University of Houston-Downtown's Center for Crime, Urban Research and Education, tells us how the center is bringing researchers, students, and law enforcement together to better understand what drives crime and how to prevent it. In the second hour of the show, John McClain, a member
On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss how widespread Flock cameras are becoming in the state of Texas and the debate surrounding their use with Sam Shaw, a government and growth reporter at The Waco Bridge, who's been reporting on their expansion. Then, Briana Byrd, a Houston entrepreneur and owner of Taaffe Vintage Furniture, joins us to share DIY restoration tips, how we can avoid common mistakes, and how we can give old furniture a beautiful second life. In the second hour of the show, we’re joined by River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo, who talks to us about his new graphic nov
On today’s Hello Houston, University of Houston law professor Seth Chandler discusses a federal judge ruling a decades-old Houston program that gives some city contracts to minority-owned businesses unconstitutional and what this could mean for the city’s contracting programs. Then, Hello Houston host Ernie Manouse and today’s guest host, former America’s Got Talent semifinalist and Houston native Christina Wells, talk about upcoming productions she’ll be starring in and life changes. In the second hour, we talk with Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Ho
On today’s Hello Houston, we’re joined by Houston Chronicle reporters Sam González Kelly and Matt deGrood, who both tell us about a recent analysis that’s raising questions about HPD’s cooperation with federal immigration agents. Next, Houston native and comedian Cris Sosa talks to us about his journey taking his comedy to the national stage as a contestant on America’s Got Talent. In the show’s second hour, we talk again with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who discusses Harris County Commissioners rejecting her proposed tax-rate increase to fund early childcare programs for a second time.
On today’s Hello Houston, Houston City Council Member Edward Pollard joins us to discuss his proposal to pause the approval of new gas stations near residential neighborhoods and what it could mean for the future of development, public health, and quality of life in Houston. Then, we turn to books and talk with New York Times best-selling author Amanda Eyre Ward, who tells us about the two years she spent researching the world of romance scammers for her new novel, Arrivals and Departures. In the second hour, Dr. Ruth Simmons, a Distinguished Fellow at Rice University and Advisor to the Presid
On today’s Hello Houston, Yvonne Romero, Vice President for Enrollment at Rice University, tells us about the school's expanded financial aid program and what it could mean for students who thought an education at Rice was financially out of reach. Then, Galveston-based extreme weather and disaster scientist, Dr. Hal Needham, better known as “Hurricane Hal,” discusses what we can expect from this year's hurricane season and how we can manage storm and disaster anxiety while also being prepared. In the second hour of the show, with today being the first day of the 2026 – 27 school year for Hous
On today’s Hello Houston, we talk with Dr. Peter Stout, President and CEO of the Houston Forensic Science Center, who discusses their work providing forensic services to help support criminal investigations and why scientific integrity is important for the investigative process. Then, Timothy Hudson, founder and CEO of Houston Reggae Summer Fest, and the festival's entertainment director, Tafari Toney, talk to us about the event taking place at Hermann Square tomorrow, August 8, and what sights and sounds Houstonians can expect. In the second hour of the show, we do our regular Friday feature
On today’s Hello Houston, Dr. Katherine Hempstead of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation discusses new research that found nearly half of working-age adults struggled to afford healthcare last year and what this says about healthcare affordability in the U.S. Next, our hosts and listeners share the latest things that have been taking over all their free time as part of our regular Thursday feature, Current Obsessions. Share your Current Obsessions with us anytime by emailing us at talk@hellohouston.org. In the show’s second hour, we hear Ernie Manouse’s conversation with Academy Award-winning a
On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss a new investigation into one of the country’s largest hospital chains, American Healthcare Systems, and its owner, with Mother Jones special projects editor Hannah Levintova and Ashley Cleek, a reporter and producer at Reveal. Next, we hear from Brooke Yahney, the Wildlife Director of the Houston SPCA Wildlife Center, who breaks down their work providing emergency care for native wildlife, and what Houstonians should do if they encounter an animal in need of medical attention. In the show's second hour, we turn to education and talk with Betsy Mayotte, Pres
On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Temporary Protected Status and what it could mean for Houston's Haitian and Black immigrant communities with Zenobia Lai, Executive Director of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, and James Pierre, Vice Chairman of Houston Haitians United. Then, University of Houston professor Dr. Lu Gao joins us to explain how artificial intelligence is helping researchers identify dangerous roadways and improve traffic safety across Texas. In the second hour of the show, we break down what we can expect from this year’s
On today’s Hello Houston, Ernie Manouse and guest host Deborah Hope begin the show by talking about some of today’s top stories, including a Houston man facing federal charges for flying a drone at the World Cup, and Texas being home to twenty-one of the world's biggest companies by revenue. Next, we talk with University of Minnesota researchers Kate Adamala and Aaron Engelhart, who tell us about the synthetic cell they created that can feed, grow, reproduce, and even compete for resources. Then, Houston Public Media reporter Sarah Grunau joins us to explain what listeners can expect from the
On today’s Hello Houston, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Chairman Wesley Sinor discusses the rodeo's record investment in Texas students through millions of dollars in scholarships, his vision for leading the rodeo, and what's already in the works for next year's event. Then, Houston artist Tay Butler tells us about his journey from the military to becoming an artist, why he views art as a form of resistance, and how today's social and political climate continues to shape his work. In the second hour, we talk with freelance journalist Jennifer Swann, who explains how Houston-native sin
On today’s Hello Houston, Ernie Manouse and guest host Doug Miller begin the show by discussing today’s top stories, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asking state lawmakers to find ways to further instill religion into public life and singer Ella Langley's song "Choosin' Texas" making chart history. Then, Dr. Jonathan McCullers, Dean of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine at the University of Houston, talks to us about UH Health, a new cross-disciplinary academic health enterprise to help advance the school’s medical program and Houston’s medical industry. In the second hour of the
On today’s Hello Houston, newly elected Houston City Council Member Joe Panzarella shares his vision for the future of Freedmen’s Town, which focuses on balancing growth and preserving its history while simultaneously giving its residents a stronger voice. Next, we talk with Ignacio “Nacho” Torras, co-founder of the Genuine Cup, who tells us all about this international soccer tournament and how it empowers athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism from all over the world. In the second hour of the show, we learn about Combined Arms, a Houston-based referral network for veterans, serv
On today’s Hello Houston, David A. Gantz, the Will Clayton Fellow in Trade and International Economics at Rice University's Baker Institute, discusses recent talks to revise the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and what this could mean for businesses and consumers. Next, Gabriela Torres of the Sickle Cell Association of Texas MTF joins us to tell us about Camp Cell-A-Bration, a week-long camp event that allows children living with sickle cell disease to have their own camp experience. In the show's second hour, we’re joined by J’Maine Chubb, the new Chief Financial Officer of Texas Southern Universi
On today’s Hello Houston, Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas joins us to discuss the "Right to Air Conditioning" ordinance she introduced that would require rental properties to provide and maintain air conditioning in all rental units. Then, Judge David Fleischer of the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5 joins us to talk about why he continues to livestream his courtroom proceedings and his tough but fair approach to interacting with defendants. In the second hour of the show, we talk with Bill King, a Fellow in Public Finance at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public
