817 Podcast - Fort Worth's Monday Morning Show

Ann and EJ sit down with Jason Ballmann , who is running for city council District 3. Jason was a former council member in Marfa, Texas, and is currently a brand strategist at Texas Instruments. Fort Worth is growing fast, and we need leadership that puts people first, not just developers and big real estate interests. Jason shares how he has seen firsthand what happens when communities get priced...

Today, the 817 Pod community hears from Lara and Zephyr, two students at Keller High School who are part of the Keller Student Activism Organization . This grassroots movement was initiated by a small but determined group of students who have made their voices heard at recent board meetings and organized a school walkout to protest the board's proposal to split the school district into two pa...

Ann and EJ sit down with a friend of the podcast, Katrina Carpenter, with Carpenter's Cafe . EJ and Ann riff on short stories, giving you all updates on election filers, federal executive orders, and the shenanigans in District 6. ENJOY! SHORT STORY #1: Who has filed to run and events you should know about - Who's running for Fort Worth City Council in 2025? Here are the candidates for t...

This week, the big story is a sit down with Chris and Mendi Tackett from See It. Name It. Fight It . Chris was a former school board trustee and an influential voice on CNN's Deep in the Pockets of Texas . He shares his expansive research and foresight since the show and his upcoming workshop for those interested in running for their community's school board . Mendi's experience is...

Today, we have a conversation with Laney Hawes , a mother of four children who attends schools at Keller ISD.  She is also the co-founder of the TX Freedom to Read Project , which seeks to connect, support & mobilize parent-led groups fighting to protect students' right to read throughout the state. Her conversation is timely as Keller ISD's next school board meeting is on Thursday ....

Ann and EJ sit down with Josh Lucas, an emerging star in Fort Worth who is running for Mayor in this election cycle . In this episode, we discuss the deaths occurring in the Tarrant County jail and the spread of Christian White Nationalism in Texas churches. Enjoy the discussion, and be sure to support Josh! SHORT STORY #1: How what is going on in Keller ISD can impact Texas schools across the sta...

This week, filing starts to put your name on the ballot in a local Texas election. We sit down with Tara Maldonado, a progressive candidate who ran three times for city council in Fort Worth . Ann and Tara share stories and perspectives that give average listeners a genuine look inside what it takes. SHORT STORY #1: Censoring Art: Modern Exhibit Receives Backlash - The Modern Releases Statement Re...

Ann and EJ come back from the holidays, bursting into the new year with many new takes and concerns! Recent census data show Fort Worth is now the 4th largest city in Texas, surpassing Austin. The duo proceeds the show discussing ageism in politics after reports of Kay Granger's health get exposed by right-wing media. The big story is that Tim O'Hare finally speaks to the media. SHORT ST...

Ann and EJ finish out the year talking about an important topic that brings together all the recent local news into one big question -- Who controls the connectedness of Fort Worth? The show includes updates on Mercy Culture and recent updates on crucial development projects. Oh! How could we forget transit news from Ann! SHORT STORY #1: How Did Mercy Culture Get Its Way? - How Mercy Culture beat...

We've created a unique bonus pod to help you cope with yesterday's shenanigans. So many people inspired us yesterday, and we hope you hear allyship and frustration from your favorite Fort Worth podcast. For context, the city council approved Jay Chapa as city manager and granted Mercy Culture their exploitation center. Join the 817 Gather  Join the 817 Gather Discord , donate to the 817...

Did you miss us?!? We are back with a full episode, including a conversation with councilmember Chris Nettles, who shares his authentic concerns about how the Mayor and council have hired the city's next CEO. December 10th is going to be a historic council meeting. The council will vote on whether Jay Chapa will be our next city manager and whether Mercy Culture will get its exploitation cent...

Ann and EJ record the last episode of the month as we enter into Thanksgiving break. Before the recording, they had an in-person experience with listeners and friends called 817 Gather. In this episode, they talk about Elon Musk, Dr. Phil, and Mercy Culture. SHORT STORY #1: Commute Times Increase in FW: The Solution? NOT ROADS - Theft ring suspects accused of stealing nearly $300K in fuel at North...

Ann and EJ share their thoughts about the election results. They discuss what stood out, where they are concerned, and what we can do from here. ELECTION REFERENCES 1. An Election Wrap-Up (Texas Focused) - Chris Tackett 2. County Results 3. The educated professional class is out of touch with America 4. Wisconsin young voters with to Trump by double digits 5. State of Apathy WIN AND LOSSES Ann 👎...

The election is tomorrow. Ann and EJ analyze early voting data while also discussing important topics such as transportation and housing. SHORT STORY #1: Election Day in Tarrant County: What to know, what to watch for and when we’ll get results - Early voting up, mail ballots down compared to 2020 in Tarrant County voting SHORT STORY #2:  The State of Fort Worth's Public Transit -  Lack of ac...

Ann and EJ introduce 817 Gather, a new opportunity for listeners to come together to create capacity and community so that we can create a more inclusive city. If you want to attend the pilot meeting, RSVP here . The show has a full docket as Tim O'Hare gets highlighted by the national news site Pro Publica, and the county jail cannot stop exposing its lack of accountability and egregious cul...

Ann and EJ record early in the week due to some travel. They share updates about Mercy Culture, FWISD's Supt Payments, and Anthony Johnson's Lawsuit. The big story is Colin Allred's and Ted Cruz's visits to Tarrant County, and national progressives are campaigning in Texas. SHORT STORY #1: Mercy Culture Mobilizes Congregation: Will It Matter? - Mercy Culture accuses Fort Worth...

This week we hit an array of topics. Do not forget today is the last day to register to vote! Enjoy! SHORTY STORY #1: AI Data Centers Expand in DFW SHORT STORY #2: Mercy Culture Attacks the Mayor SHORT STORY #3: You likely won’t find love in Fort Worth. A new study on dating explains why BIG STORY: JPS Loses Tax Revenue: What is at Risk? - Will tax cut affect JPS construction plans? Leaders at odd...

Short Story #1: Fort Worth ISD school board accepts voluntary resignation of Superintendent Angélica Ramsey - Read the complete statement of Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Angélica Ramsey after her resignation. Short Story #2 : Fort Worth’s new LGBTQ advisory committee sparks backlash, support from City Council Short Story #3: Should we be worried about Gentrification in Northside and Evans/Rosedal...

This is our second conversation with Alexander Montalvo, the CEO of the Catalyst Project and co-founder of Tarrant 4 Change . Alex is a community organizer who works with grassroots organizations to make change and give power back to the most marginalized people in our county. His work gives him a great perspective and how we can influence the political landscape. In our first conversation with Al...

The second conversation of this series is with Ale Checka, a former district teacher of the year and FWISD student herself. She has taught in the district for seventeen years and loves students and books. You truly get to hear from one of the city's best teachers, who we have the fortune to sit down with for an intimate conversation. We appreciate Ms. Checka's forwardness and articulatio...

We break this week's episode into two crucial conversations. The first one is with Janell and Chanell Johnson to hear their experience as they mourn the loss of their brother and fight for justice . We do zero short stories and wins and losses in this episode out of respect for the conversation that holds so much weight by itself. Join the 817 Gather Discord , donate to the 817 Gather , and f...

Ann and EJ record early because they are out of town this week. They discuss the lack of early voting locations on college campuses. Short Story #1: Ann meeting at Texas A&M - With national brand growing, TCU draws majority of students from outside Texas Short Story #2: Amtrak gets $64M in federal funds for high speed rail between Dallas and Houston Short Story #3: Tarrant County hires 3 more...

Ann and EJ give the people of Fort Worth extended episodes, including spicy takes and intellectual dialogue about the city. The dynamic duo starts with David Cooke retiring and then navigates into transportation, where much progress was made. The big story is about taxes and how lowering them defunds our schools and keeps our potential gridlock by lack of capital. SHORT STORY #1: Does FW City Mana...

Ann and EJ meet with Donna and Donya from The Dock Bookshop, an Eastside bookstore that has become a cultural powerhouse in the city. They are one of the few African American brick-and-mortar bookstores in America. The episode will share their 30-year journey as Fort Worth residents, from competing against Amazon to navigating a pandemic, and their impact on Fort Worth's history. The episode...

We are living in Fort Worth at a time when the Tarrant GOP is pushing for power while our city leaders seem unsure if they want the mantle. During an event that Ann Zadeh attended, Mattie Parker and others were asked if they plan to run again. The big story is what we should do if Mattie Parker does or doesn't run and what could be the worst outcome. Enjoy the show! SHORT STORY #1: Tarrant GO...