Advertise on podcast: Hello Houston: The Commuter Cut

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," the Houston Chronicle’s Opinion and Community Engagement Editor, Evan Mintz, explains their endorsement process and which candidates they determined were the worst on the 2026 Texas election ballot. Next, former MTV VJs Alan Hunter and Mark Goodman share stories and memories from this era of television and tell us all about what Houstonians can expect from tonight’s free Neon Nostalgic performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Also, we hear from Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who gives us the latest information from his office’s independent investigation into the ICE operation where an agent struck a Houston man with a federal vehicle and what comes next.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” filmmaker and Texas Southern University professor Vincent Powell shares his thoughts on Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and what it could mean for the future of the entertainment industry. Next, we hear from Houston Public Media City Hall reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh, who talks to us about the sharp decline in the Houston Police Department’s cite-and-release program for this week’s HPM in Focus. Also, we talk with New York Times FDA reporter Christina Jewett, who gives us the latest on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s investigation into state pediatricians and drugmakers over how they handle childhood vaccines.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Houston area real estate agent and host of HGTV’s Extreme Buyers Club, Noel Collier, explains what rising mortgage rates mean for homebuyers and sellers in the Houston market and the city’s housing market. Next, we’re joined by the New York Times best-selling author of the Divergent series, Veronica Roth, who tells us all about her newest book, The Sixth Faction, which serves as an alternate-universe reimagining of Divergent. And finally, Houston-based mixed-media artist Romeo Robinson talks to us about his artistic process, how the city of Houston has influenced his work, and what we can expect from the collection he'll be showcasing at the Affordable Art Fair this weekend.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we hear from Seth Chandler, a professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center, who breaks down some of the latest U.S. Supreme Court cases and what wide-ranging effects we can expect from them. Then, in this week’s Five Simple Questions, Hello Houston Executive Producer Jim Kovacik sits down with Houston singer, producer, and songwriter Brandon J. Marks for a conversation about his music career and R&B influences. Also, author Dr. Arelia R. Johnson, who was the first Chief Equity Officer and Chief Officer of Human and Civil Rights for Harris County, tells us all about her book Hijacking Equity and the Fight for Justice, what the word “equity” really means, and how leaders can turn words into meaningful action.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear highlights from our LIVE show at the 2026 Greater Houston Arts Forum at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. First, we hear from Bao Long Chu, Program Director of Arts & Culture for the Houston Endowment, and Jen Benoit-Bryan, director of SMU DataArts, who both tell us about the impact of arts and culture on the city of Houston. Next, Chris Heinbaugh, Chief Advocacy Officer of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, and Taylor Jackson, CEO of Houston Arts Alliance, both discuss how the next Texas legislative session could impact funding for the arts. And finally, we find out what makes Houston’s arts community so vibrant with Claudia de Vasco, the Effective Storytelling Working Group Lead for HouArts in Action, and Joel Luks, the Marketing and Communications Director for the Hobby Center.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin discusses a new program designed to help survivors of domestic violence receive protective orders and other legal protections, the latest court battles surrounding local election rules and mail-in voting, and more. Then, Hello Houston producer Laura Walker spotlights the immersive exhibition, the Call Me Mother Experience, with its founder, curator and lead artist Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton, who explains how it uses art, poetry and personal stories to confront disparities in Black maternal health. The exhibition will be on view at The Health Museum through February 28, 2027. Plus, we close the week with our regular Friday feature, Last Minute Plans, in which our hosts share a rundown of Houston area events that will help you make the most of your weekend, while they, and Hello Houston listeners, share their own plans for the upcoming weekend.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we discuss an effort to restore the Bastrop Promenade in Houston's East Downtown with former Houston City Council member Robert Gallegos, Save Bastrop Promenade resident advocate Nguyen Le, and Friends of Columbia Tap’s Ed Pettitt. Next, we talk about Farmer’s Markets in the Houston area with AJ Beard, Executive Director of the Texas Center for Local Food, who also tells us more about food systems and the critical role they play in the lives of Houstonians. Plus, we hear from long-time Houston-based comedian Andy Huggins, who talks to us about his 45-year career in stand-up comedy, his experience as a contestant on America's Got Talent, and his perspective on the current state of comedy.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Amite Dominick, the founder and president of Texas Prisons Community Advocates, talks about Texas being ordered to air-condition all its prisons by the end of 2029 as one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that led to this ruling. Then, we hear this week’s edition of Ernie’s weekly feature, On the Marquee, in which he chats with musician and composer Nathan Felix, who discusses his new immersive opera La Gran Esperanza, which will be at the Blaffer Art Museum on Saturday, October 10. And finally, Louise Barnett, author of Tainted Love: A Bipolar Memoir, shares her experience navigating the challenges of Bipolar One disorder and her personal journey toward understanding what recovery really looks like.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Joshua McGinty, a professor and agronomist at Texas A&M University, talks about this year’s widespread drought and what this means for Texas farmers, food production, and the growing season ahead.   Next, we hear from Dr. Gary Seale, Regional Director of the Centre for Neuro Skills, who discusses concussions, the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries, and what we’re learning about recovery from these types of injuries. Plus, Houston’s own Angle Bush, the founder and CEO of Black Women in Artificial Intelligence, shares why diversity in artificial intelligence matters, how she’s helping shape the next generation of AI innovators, and how it feels to have earned a spot on the TIME100 AI list.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Houston Public Media reporter Bianca Seward discusses her story on Barbers Hill ISD and the controversy surrounding their superintendent’s unconventional strategy to grow the district’s finances. Next, we hear this week’s Producer Spotlight in which Hello Houston producer Laura Walker talks with Asia Society Texas curator Owen Duffy about the exhibition, Yoshitaka Amano: Big Bang, which showcases the celebrated animator’s techniques and large-scale pieces. Also, Houston City Councilmember Tiffany Thomas talks about the upcoming annual Faith and Affordable Housing Summit that she’s hosting, and how it brings together churches, developers, and financial partners to reimagine how underutilized land can serve as a foundation for housing and hope.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear this week’s Tessa Takes On, in which Tessa Barrera chats with author and podcaster Princella Clark about relationships, feminism, and personal growth that has sparked a devoted following and plenty of debate. Next, we hear highlights from our LIVE show at the 60th Original Greek Festival, including Ernie and Tessa's conversation with Fr. Efstratios Magoulias, Dean of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, who explains how the remarkable iconography inside the Cathedral tells the Christian story through images rather than words. To learn more about its iconography, click here. And finally, we wrap up with our regular Friday feature, Last Minute Plans, in which our hosts share a comprehensive rundown of events going down in the Houston area this weekend, while they share their own plans for the weekend.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," writer-director Bassam Tariq, who grew up in the Houston area, discusses his new film, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, what inspired it, and its connection to Houston, with the film being set in the Bayou City. Next, we talk with Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison for this week’s HPM in Focus, who gives us the latest on a very busy week in space exploration, from Starship's latest step forward to NASA's plans for Boeing's Starliner. Then, we hear from Kay Matthews, founder of The Shades of Blue Project, and Houstonian Morgan McCord, who both talk to us about facing infant loss, the grief that follows, and how families can find the support they need to move forward.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Dr. Tomikia LeGrande, president of Prairie View A&M University, tells us about the university’s journey of becoming a nationally recognized HBCU and what its legacy means today as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Next, we hear Ernie talk with Kevin Earley, who’s playing Captain Georg Von Trapp in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, for this week’s edition of our regular arts segment, On the Marquee. Also, with Governor Abbott announcing a statewide disaster proclamation over record-high diesel prices, University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs gives us his thoughts on what these rising prices could mean for consumers and supply chains.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we hear from Andrew Rothman, the Wildlife Campaigns Director for Environment America, who discusses the Trump administration’s major changes to the Endangered Species Act and what impact these changes could have in the state of Texas. Also, Ben King, the founding director of the University of Houston’s new Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health, talks about how the institute is bringing together researchers, experts, and community groups to address homelessness and find solutions for long-term housing stability.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” New York Times Texas bureau chief David Goodman breaks down the latest in Texas politics ahead of the midterm elections, including the state’s governor's race, the U.S. Senate race, and more.   Next, we hear from Harel Shapira, a sociologist at the University of Texas, who talks about his new book, Basic Pistol: Living and Dying by the Gun in America, which examines gun culture and how gun owners are taught to think about risk and safety. Also, we discuss a new study that looks at how the proximity of food can influence our everyday eating habits with Adam Fetterman, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Houston, who tells us about its findings and what they reveal about mindless eating.