Hello Houston: The Commuter Cut

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Michael Adkison talk with newly elected Houston City Council Member Joe Panzarella, who shares his vision for the future of Freedmen’s Town and what’s next for the historic Houston neighborhood.Then, we hear from Ignacio “Nacho” Torras, co-founder of the international soccer tournament, the Genuine Cup, who explains how this tournament helps empower athletes with intellectual disabilities and autism from countries all over the world.Plus, we also learn about Combined Arms, a Houston-based referral network for veterans, service members, and military families, with Mia Garcia, Executive Director of the organization’s Texas Veterans Network.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Deborah Hope discuss where the U.S. currently stands on the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement with David A. Gantz of Rice University's Baker Institute, who also explains how this could affect businesses and consumers.Then, we hear from Gabriela Torres of the Sickle Cell Association of Texas MTF, who tells us about Camp Cell-A-Bration, a week-long camp that allows children living with sickle cell disease to have their own camp experience.And finally, J’Maine Chubb, Texas Southern University’s new Chief Financial Officer, discusses his vision for the university while serving in this role, the challenges ahead, and how he plans to restore confidence in the university’s financial operations.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Bob Ford talk with Houston City Council Member Alejandra Salinas, who tells us all about the "Right to Air Conditioning" ordinance she introduced that would require rental properties to provide and maintain air conditioning in all rental units.  Next, we hear from Judge David Fleischer of the Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 5, who discusses why he continues to livestream his courtroom proceedings and his tough but fair approach to interacting with defendants.Also, Bill King, a Fellow in Public Finance at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, shares his thoughts on the financial challenges ahead for Harris County as it prepares to adopt its next budget.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Donna Reed talk with Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter McCoy, who shares his perspective on the ongoing leadership fight over Daniel Wong's appointment as the county's interim judge.Then, we hear from Nicole Buergers, owner of the local business Bee2Bee Honey Collective, who tells us about their work promoting urban beekeeping and how Houstonians can help preserve local bee populations.And finally, Houston-based food and travel content creator Shawn Singh, also known as “shawnthefoodsheep,” discusses how he navigates Houston’s diverse food scene, trends he's noticed about the city's food scene, and which Houston-area restaurants he recommends.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison talk with Greg Evans, the Senior Director of Operations at the Houston Humane Society, who discusses how they’re addressing the city’s stray animal crisis.Then, we discuss human trafficking with Eileen Dong, a former UN Global Goals Ambassador and Executive Director of Hope Pyx Global, and Houston City Council Member Julian Ramirez, who both explain how this issue affects us in the Houston area and practical ways we can address this issue.And finally, we hear from Corey Ross, a Houston native who will be appearing as a contestant in tonight's episode of NBC’s Password. He tells us all about his experience testing his wits on the game show and how he was selected as a contestant.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Michael Adkison talk with State Senator Carol Alvarado, who joins us to discuss the fallout from the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and why she’s pushing for the Texas Rangers to do their own investigation into his death.Next, Dr. Catherine Troisi, an epidemiologist with the UTHealth School of Public Health, joins us to help us better understand the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis, how we can prevent getting it, and what we’re currently seeing with cases across the Houston area.Also, we hear from Sam Lopez, the co-founder of Conscious Consumer Collective, a Houston-area non-profit that’s dedicated to promoting clothing sustainability, who tells us all about their work and the local clothing swap events they host throughout the year.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Haley Hernandez talk with board-certified divorce coach Christy Mendelow, who tells us about her work guiding individuals through the uncertainty of a divorce.Next, Houston Public Media reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh and KUT reporter Kailey Hunt discuss the fourth episode of the podcast series, After the Flood, which delves into the massive flood that hit the community of Sandy Creek a day after the deadly floods in Kerr County.Plus, our hosts share a comprehensive rundown of events happening in the Houston area this weekend, as part of our regular Friday feature “Last Minute Plans,” while they, and Hello Houston listeners, share their own plans for the weekend.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Deborah Hope talk with James Beard Award-winning Houston chef Adrian Torres, who talks to us about receiving this honor, his culinary journey, and his immigration story.Then, Maureen McNamara, the co-founder of Arthouse Houston, rejoins us on the show to give us an update on the effort to save the historic Garden Oaks Theater and tell us about a special event featuring acclaimed Houston-born filmmaker Wes Anderson.And finally, our hosts and listeners share the latest things that are taking over all their free time as part of our regular Thursday feature, Current Obsessions. You can send us your Current Obsessions anytime by emailing us at [email protected].

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Roseann Rogers talk with Texas Tribune reporter Zach Despart, who discusses Texas AG Ken Paxton's recent voter fraud allegations despite his calls to crack down on illegal voting in Texas.Next, we hear from actor Robert Petkoff, who tells us all about the national tour of Moulin Rouge The Musical, which is currently playing at the Hobby Center through Sunday, July 19, and playing the role of Harold Zidler.Also, Cedric Walker, the founder of UniverSoul Circus, a circus experience that celebrates Black culture, talks to us about the history of the circus, the work it does in the community, and how its performers engage with the audience during the show.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie Manouse and guest host Roseann Rogers discuss The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston's production of The Gondoliers, with Joe Carl White, president of the opera company's board of directors, and Houston native stage director Alyssa Weathersby.Then, we hear from Christina Tringides, an assistant professor of materials science and nanoengineering at Rice University, who tells us about receiving the prestigious Pew Biomedical Scholar award as well as her four-year project, which explores one of the most common and aggressive forms of brain cancer.And finally, we’re joined by Corey Wilson, the president and CEO of the Emancipation Park Conservancy, who tells us about the non-profit's mission to enhance the historically significant Houston park and its new performance stage.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie Manouse and guest host Michael Adkison talk with immigration attorney Gordon Quan, who explains what people should do if they’re approached by ICE, and what rights people have when they're stopped by federal agents.Next, author R. Lee Ingalls, who’s also a member of the Ingalls family that was the subject of the Little House on the Prairie books and TV series, joins us to discuss his family's history and the new Netflix reboot of the classic series.Plus, Rich Levy, the now-former Executive Director of Inprint Houston, joins us to talk to us about his retirement from this role, the impact he's had on Houston's literary scene while serving in this role, and what's next for him.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Doris Childress talk with Houston Public Media reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh, who discusses his story on what legal experts think about Mayor Whitmire saying HPD can’t investigate Tuesday's fatal ICE shooting. Then, Houston Public Reporter Sarah Grunau joins Walsh as they discuss the newest episode of the podcast series, After the Flood, which follows the families of Camp Mystic victims as they fight for stronger regulations around summer camps following the deadly floods that devastated the Texas Hill Country last year.Plus, we also hear from Ayden Runnels, a reporter with The Texas Tribune, who explains to us how cryptocurrency ATMs are being used to scam Texans and what state lawmakers are proposing to help protect consumers from these scams.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Charlie Mechling talk with Houston-based photographer Violeta Alvarez about her new Fresh Arts residency, Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive, and how it explores cultural identity and collective memory.Then, we hear from Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who shares his perspective on Tuesday's fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Houston, whether his office is planning on investigating this fatal shooting, and what information is already known about the incident.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Robert Arnold learn about the Houston Public Library's Summer Reading Program with Nicholas Sawicki, Executive Director of the Houston Public Library Foundation.Then, recently appointed Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin joins us to share her perspective on the fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Houston’s East End yesterday and how involved the county can be in the investigation into what happened.Also, we discuss the importance of contemplative or reflective spaces in communities and how they can help support our mental health with Kelly Johnson, the Chief Engagement Officer at the Rothko Chapel.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Robert Arnold talk with Dr. Venkat Selvamanickam, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Houston, who tells us about a possible breakthrough in fusion energy.Then, Benjamin Hayden, an adjunct professor of electrical and computer engineering and linguistics at Rice University, discusses a new study that looks at how the brain supports bilingualism and translates thoughts between different languages.Plus, public radio host David Greene and director Doug Pray tell us about Louder Than Guns, a music documentary about the gun violence issue in the United States and finding common ground through conversations with individuals from all ends of the debate.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host HPM reporter Michael Adkison talk again with Chris Canetti, President of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Houston Host Committee, who discusses how Houston fared as a host city for this massive event.  Then, we hear from best-selling author Christina Diaz Gonzalez, who talks about her new middle-grade graphic novel, Offside, which follows five very different students on a middle school soccer team that becomes co-ed.Also, Julianna Washburn, the Galveston County reporter at Houston Public Media, discusses Galveston County’s new approved precinct map, which some residents have criticized for not fairly representing minority communities, what comes next, and other recent Galveston stories she’s been covering.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with Timothy Malcolm, the Deputy Managing Editor of Texas Lifestyle at Chron, who tells us about their new list ranking the 250 most influential Texans since 1776 and how this list was put together.Next, Houston Public Media reporters Dominic Anthony Walsh and Sarah Grunau unpack the latest episode of the new podcast series After the Flood, which examines the Texas Hill Country’s history with flooding and why it’s so susceptible to massive floods.And finally, we hear from director Katie Camosy, who discusses her new documentary Gaslit, which follows actress and activist Jane Fonda as she travels through Texas and Louisiana to talk with people impacted by the country’s fossil fuel expansion.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with Gina Plata-Nino, the SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center, who discusses a new report that examines how changes to SNAP policies are impacting recipients.Next, we learn about the Bayou Bend exhibition “George Washington: America’s Enduring Icon,” with Daniel Kurt Ackermann, the Director of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, who also discusses how Americans view the nation’s first president today.Also, we hear from Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, the chefs behind the Houston-area restaurant JŪN, who both share the story of how they went from being ambitious newcomers to the top of Texas' culinary world, having also recently earned one of the restaurant industry's highest honors, the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Chau Nguyen talk with Dr. Stephen Sherman, a research scientist with the Kinder Institute for Urban Research, who explains the findings of their 2026 State of Housing in Harris County and Houston report.Then, Claudia de Vasco, the Managing Director of Miller Outdoor Theatre, tells us about all the upcoming performances that will be available at the outdoor theater this summer.Also, we hear from Sandra Guerra Thompson, a professor of law and former director of the Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Houston Law Center, who discusses the history of the insanity defense, how psychological defenses are used in criminal cases, and how public perception of this defense has changed over the years.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Raheel Ramzanali talk with Kavita Self, Executive Director of the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land, who tells us all about the museum’s Science of Soccer event.Next, we hear from Betsy Mayotte, President of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, who helps us break down the upcoming changes affecting student loans beginning on July 1, and what borrowers and families need to know before these changes take effect.Plus, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston curator of modern and contemporary art, Brittany Webb, talks to us about Hew Locke: Passages, a new exhibition featuring more than three decades of the Guyanese-British artist’s sculptures, collages, and assemblages.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Doris Childress talk with Gary Joiner, the Communications Director of the Texas Farm Bureau, who gives us the latest information on the spread of the New World screwworm.Next, we hear from Vanessa Gilmore, a former U.S. district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, who breaks down the Supreme Court’s most recent decisions, what we can expect from these rulings, and which decisions have yet to be made. 

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Doris Childress talk with Dr. Hilary Fairbrother, a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Medical School, who shares tips on how people can stay safe during the summer.Then, director Noely Mendoza talks with us, along with Houston filmmaker Greg Carter, to tell us all about her award-winning coming-of-age film Sugar Beach, and how it explores an unconventional romantic relationship.Plus, we hear from Houston area relationship and intimacy expert Dr. Viviana Coles, who joins us again on the show to give us advice on what leads to the loss of a romantic spark in relationships, and what couples can do to recapture it.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Maria Todd talk with University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs, who shares his thoughts on how data centers will impact Texas’s power grid and how they’ve already affected consumers.Then, Houston-born filmmaker Karla Murthy and HTX MADE creator Li Lu join us to tell us about a screening of Murthy’s award-winning documentary, The Gas Station Attendant, which will take place tomorrow night, June 25, at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.Plus, Houston Business Journal reporter Janet Miranda joins us to break down the reasons why Houston is trailing behind other major Texas cities like Austin and Dallas when it comes to attracting and retaining college graduates and young professionals, despite its job opportunities and relatively affordable cost of living.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Maria Todd explore what’s behind rising political extremism and threats of political violence in the U.S. with Michael Soules, a political scientist with the University of Houston.Then, we shift the conversation to estate planning and hear from University of Houston Law Center professor Hilary Reed, who shares her expertise on what the best practices are for writing a will or trust, and the importance of thoughtful planning.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Michael Adkison talk with Chris Canetti, President of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee, who gives us an update on how the city is handling the crowds and festivities of the World Cup.Then, Jessi Bowman, the founder and owner of FLATS, a Houston-based photo lab, community darkroom, and exhibition space, joins us to tell us about the many services they offer as well as share her thoughts on the current state of the medium of film photography.Also, Houston City Councilmember Joe Panzarella, who represents District C, joins us to discuss the approved plans for a new pedestrian and bicycle connection between Memorial Park and Uptown, which supporters are saying will help improve mobility in this busy part of the city.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” historian and author Blair LM Kelley and Prairie View A&M’s Dr. Melanye Price join us to discuss what Juneteenth means to us in the modern day and how the holiday continues to shape conversations about social justice in the U.S.Then, we hear from the Texas State Director for Save the Children, Militza Mezquita, who shares advice on how parents can keep their children learning during summer vacation.Plus, Ernie and guest host Chau Nguyen share the latest things that have been taking over all their free time as part of our regular Thursday feature, Current Obsessions, while also sharing obsessions from Hello Houston listeners. You can send your Current Obsessions to us anytime by emailing us at [email protected].

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Chau Nguyen talk with University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs, who shares his thoughts on the memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran, and what we can expect to see with oil prices.Next, we learn about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donations, with Kevin Myer, CEO and President of LifeGift, the organ procurement organization for North, Southeast and West Texas, who also explains how Texans can register to become donors.And finally, we hear from Sally Bradford, Executive Director of the North Houston Development Corporation, who joins us to tell us all about the area skate park, North Houston Skate Park, and the inclusive public park, Dylan Park, which has features that benefit children of all abilities, including the sight and hearing impaired, as well as wheelchair-bound children.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Chau Nguyen receive an update on the effort to relocate the Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston from Kelly Crow, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, who’s been covering this story.Then, Ryan Hyatt, host of the Texas Tech-focused radio show and podcast “Raiderland” in Lubbock, joins us to help us unpack the legal fight over former Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and the future of NCAA authority and college sports governance.Plus, The Catastrophic Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director, Tamarie Cooper, and her onstage "partner in crime," Kyle Sturdivant, join us to tell us all about Tamarie’s Greatest Hits Volume 3, which features the best moments of her shows from the past decade.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Michael Adkison talk with Houston Chronicle reporter John Lomax V, who helps us understand the resignation of the Harris County Flood Control District’s director and what's happening with their flood control projects.Then, we receive a recap of last week’s 2026 Texas Republican Convention from University of Houston political science professor and Party Politics co-host Brandon Rottinghaus, who also discusses what these events could mean for November's election.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Tessa Barerra talk with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa, who explains why she decided to run for Texas governor, her priorities, and what she would do differently if elected.Then, we hear from Logan Vaden, the founding artistic director of the Garden Theatre and Houston-based vocalist Wendy Taylor, who both tell us all about the "Musical Theatre Extravaganza,” which is running tonight through Sunday at the MATCH.Plus, former professional soccer player with the Houston Dynamo, Mike Chabala, joins us to give us a primer on the FIFA World Cup, the significance of this massive event, and which matchups he thinks soccer fans are most looking forward to seeing.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Nicole Ellis talk with Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, who discusses the future of the Texas Dream Act.Then, we hear from Christine Ruiz Hopkins and Heidi Lutz, authors of Secret Galveston: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, who both educate us on Galveston's lesser-known facts and folklore, and its Juneteenth history, with the island being its birthplace.Plus, Alfredo Rodriguez, the internationally acclaimed pianist and leader of the Alfredo Rodriguez trio, joins us to tell us about Havana Grooves, a Live at the Founders Club concert that he’ll be performing in for the next two nights at the Hobby Center.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Nicole Ellis talk with actor Adam Brett, who discusses playing the character Wadsworth in the national tour of CLUE, which is running at the Hobby Center now through Sunday, June 14th.Next, Nikolas Guggenberger, Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Houston Law Center, joins us to discuss Florida’s lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, for allegedly concealing risks about ChatGPT from its users, and what this could mean for the future of AI regulation.Plus, we learn about the upcoming special film screening Juneteenth on Screen, with award-winning documentarian Gordon S. Williams and Dr. Michelle Tovar, Director of Education and Outreach at the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Donna Reed talk with the University of Houston's Gail Buttorff and Maria Perez Arguelles, who break down a new study that explores how Houston neighborhoods help shape mobility and community health.Then, we hear from Deandre Prescott, the Research Director for Colliers in Houston, who explains what’s happening with Houston’s growing apartment market, why we’re seeing new apartments being constructed in the suburbs, and what changing development patterns could mean for renters.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison talk with the Houston People’s Budget Campaign’s Alice Liu and Felix Kapoor, who discuss the organization’s amendment proposals for Mayor Whitmire’s city budget plan.  Then, we hear from former U.S. ambassador Chase Untermeyer, who, along with Nicholas Sawicki, executive director of the Houston Public Library Foundation, joins us to discuss his new role as Diplomat-in-Residence at Houston Public Library, the first role of its kind at any public library in the entire country.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Tessa Barerra talk with Heidi Russell, Director of the Center for Health Policy at Rice University's Baker Institute, who discusses how healthcare policy has changed during President Trump’s second term in office. Also, we hear from legendary Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett, who joins us to talk about his concert tonight in which he’ll be performing with the Houston Symphony, as well as his family life, and some of the many musicians he’s worked with throughout his career.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Tessa Barerra talk with the Baker Institute for Public Policy's John Diamond, who breaks down how the conflict with Iran is affecting the U.S. economy.Next, we learn about the New World Screwworm and the threat they pose to the U.S. cattle industry with Bain Wilson, the Rancher Education and Outreach Manager at Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions.Plus, Angie Orth, host of the Traveling with AAA podcast, joins us to give us some tips for the summer travel season and how we can avoid making common travel mistakes.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with Dr. Libby Cohen, Executive Director of the non-profit Raise Your Hand Texas, who discusses the state of public-school funding in Texas and the state's school voucher program.Then, we hear from Bradley Michalakis, the Head of Dramaturgy at Alley Theatre, who breaks down all the shows that will be in the arts organization’s upcoming 2026 – 27 season, which is also their 80th season.Also, Tammi Wallace, President and CEO of the Greater Houston LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce and Avery Belyeu, CEO of The Montrose Center, join us to both give us their thoughts on the meaning of Pride Month and how much progress has been achieved by the LGBTQIA+ community.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with State Rep. Dr. Suleman Lalani, who discusses why he believes there’s a rise in Islamophobia among Texas politicians and what impact this has on communities across the state.Then, we hear from Rebuilding Together Houston CEO Christine Holland, who tells us all about the area non-profit and its mission of providing free home repair to homeowners in need across Houston.Plus, we learn about Boomtown Brass Band, Houston’s only traditional jazz group, with its bassist and tubist Thomas Helton, who explains how they're keeping the rich traditions of jazz alive through their music.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie and Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison talk with ABC13’s Chief Meteorologist Travis Herzog, who gives us a preview of what we can expect from this year’s hurricane season, which officially begins today.Next, we hear from Nathan Brownell, the Vice President of Resilience and Capital Delivery at CenterPoint, who explains how the energy company is preparing for this year’s hurricane season and what Houstonians can do to prepare.Plus, Emily Woodell, the Chief External Affairs Officer for the Harris County Flood Control District, joins us to discuss their flood mitigation plans for hurricane season, new floodplain maps for the county, and what they mean for our understanding of flooding in our area.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear from Houston Airport System’s Director of Aviation, Jim Szczesniak, who gives us the latest on airport redevelopment projects and what travelers can expect from the summer travel season this year.Next, Sean Tajipour, the founder and editor of Nerdtropolis, joins us again on the show to break down this summer's biggest movie releases and which films he thinks should be on everyone’s radar.Plus, Ernie and guest host Brenda Valdivia share a rundown of events happening this weekend in Houston for our regular Friday feature, Last Minute Plans, while also sharing their own weekend plans and responding to plans from Hello Houston listeners.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear Ernie’s conversation with Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, who gives his reaction to facing off against Republican nominee Ken Paxton in November’s general election following Tuesday’s GOP primary runoff.Next, Houston-based author Kalyani Adusumilli talks to us about her newly released debut novel, The Invisible Canvas, and how it explores mental health, trauma, and personal identity.And finally, Ernie and guest host Courtney Zubowski share the things they’ve been obsessed with lately as part of our regular Thursday feature, Current Obsessions. You can send Hello Houston your Current Obsessions anytime by emailing us at [email protected].

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we hear from Houston Business Journal reporter Chandler France, who discusses the Astrodome possibly facing either demolition or redevelopment as part of a master plan for the future of NRG Park.Then, Paul Cobler, the economy and industry reporter for The Texas Tribune, explains why several major companies are moving their legal homes to Texas, despite questions being raised about how much these moves benefit the state’s economy.Plus, Stages Houston artistic director Derek Charles Livingston joins us to break down their upcoming 2026 – 27 season as well as tell us all about their production of the musical parody Spamilton, which will begin its run next week.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Brandon Rottinghaus talk with Houston Public Media politics and government reporter Andrew Schneider, who breaks down the key races in the Texas primary runoff election.Then, we hear from University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs, who gives his analysis on the latest developments in the Iran War, as well as his perspective on the effects this conflict is having on oil markets and energy infrastructure.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," it’s Ernie Manouse’s 30th anniversary at Houston Public Media. We hear from actress Amy Sedaris and Representative Sylvia Garcia, who both chat with Ernie and guest host Matt Harab and share their congratulations.Plus, Representative Garcia presents Ernie with a congressional record from the U.S. House of Representatives honoring his 30-year milestone.Then, we hear Ernie’s conversation with Congressman Al Green, who discusses his campaign for the upcoming runoff election for Texas's 18th Congressional District, the issues he’s passionate about, and what makes him the best person for this seat.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear highlights from our LIVE show at The Bryan Museum in Galveston.First, we hear Ernie and Houston Public Media Galveston Bureau reporter Julianna Washburn talk with former City of Galveston Mayor Dr. Craig Brown, who discusses his last six years as mayor and what lies ahead for the island.  Then, Eric Broussard, curator of The Bryan Museum, tells us more about its collections of Western artifacts, documents, and fine art, and how they bring the history and culture of Texas's past to life. And finally, we learn about some of the research and educational opportunities available at UTMB Galveston with their Senior Vice President and Provost, Dr. Susan Chubinskaya.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie Manouse and guest host Maria Todd talk with UTHealth Houston associate professor and psychiatrist Dr. Lokesh Shahani, who discusses men’s mental health, the warning signs to look out for, and the stigma behind reaching out for help.Then, we hear Ernie’s conversation with actor Esai Morales, known for La Bamba, Ozark, and more recently the final two Mission Impossible films, as they discuss his more than forty year-long career, his work playing villain roles, and what it’s like for him to attend fan conventions ahead of his appearance at this weekend's Comicpalooza.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie and guest host Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison talk with Chris Canetti, President of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee, who discusses the preparation process for this massive sporting event.Next, we learn about the new documentary Steal This Story, Please!, with Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman and co-director Tia Lessin, who explain how it examines decades of Goodman’s reporting on stories that tend to be overlooked by mainstream outlets.Also, with Wednesday, May 20, being World Bee Day, a global celebration that raises awareness about the importance of bees, we talk with the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s Melissa Hudnall, who shares some fun facts about bees.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Ernie Manouse and guest host Doris Childress talk with Dr. Theresa Tran, Director of the Houston Health Department, who explains the inner workings of food inspections at local restaurants.Also, we hear from Constable Alan Rosen, who talks to us about Harris County Precinct One’s Animal Cruelty Division, and last week's rescue of 17 dogs from an alleged breeding operation, with the help of deputies from his office and Houston SPCA investigators.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie Manouse and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with Houston Mayor John Whitmire, who explains why he believes his proposed budget for the next fiscal year will help alleviate the city's financial pressures, while he also discusses other current city issues.Plus, we hear Hello Houston producer Garrett Bohlmann’s conversation with award-winning comic book writer Jason Aaron, ahead of his upcoming appearance at this year's Comicpalooza, who discusses his work writing for iconic comic book characters, including Thor, X-Men, and many more.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie Manouse and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk with Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, who explains what voters need to know about upcoming runoff elections and what she thinks about voter fatigue.Also, we break down the latest report on Houston’s housing market with Kat Robinson, Vice Chair of the Houston Association of Realtors, who discusses the report’s findings and what they mean for buyers, sellers, and the overall real estate market.