City Cast Houston

The majority of American can register to vote online — just like filing taxes or ordering from Amazon. But not in Texas. With the deadline to register to vote for the general election fast approaching on Oct. 7th, host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to state Sen. Carol Alvarado, a Houston Democrat, about how Texas could make it easier to register to vote, and where the pushback’s coming from.  Check...

It could get more expensive to live in Houston, now that local leaders are considering tax increases! That’s just one of the biggest stories host Raheel Ramzanali is breaking down with Lucio Vasquez, reporter at Houston Public Media. They also discuss how a former Houston police officer is on trial for murder, and how the Houston Police Department is trying to regain trust from another scandal. An...

Houston is known for so many great sports teams, celebrities, symbols, and more. But what is the ultimate Houston icon that represents H-Town? We put together a tournament bracket so host Raheel Ramzanali and executive producer Laura Isensee can narrow down the choices with the help of Deborah Duncan, host of Great Day Houston on KHOU, to crown one icon as the ‘Most Houston’ thing ever! Think we g...

We’ve all heard it before, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” and host Raheel Ramzanali agrees! So, today he’s talking to Bao Ong, restaurant columnist at the Houston Chronicle, to dish out the best breakfast spots around H-Town for your morning fix. Whether you’re craving American classics like eggs and bacon or want to try something more adventurous like dim sun, Raheel and Bao h...

Hurricane season was quiet last month, but just when we thought we could exhale, Tropical Storm Francine is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. So host Raheel Ramzanali and Faith Bugenhagen with the Houston Press are breaking down what you need to know about the storm. Plus, Raheel and Faith are talking about what tough questions need to be answered for Houston and Texas in tonight’s presidential debat...

For the first time in five years, Houston is on pace to see the fewest number of homicides and the highest number of traffic fatalities, but why? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Jay R. Jordan, reporter at Axios Houston, about why traffic deaths are up, what city leaders are doing to lower the traffic deaths, and what the future of road safety could look like in Houston.  Stories we talked abou...

It is Friday, and the end of Mayor Whitmire’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week. There’s a lot to cover, so Host Raheel Ramzanali is bringing on dynamic media personality Antre’chelle Nova and Pulitzer Prize finalist Evan Mintz to dissect the Mayor’s claims that Pro-Palestine protestors in front of his house were being paid by Iran. Plus, Executive Director of Harris County Public Health...

The NFL season starts tonight and there’s a buzz around our Houston Texans as being one of the best teams in the NFL. Sure they’re favored to win the AFC South, but are they good enough to make a run to the Super Bowl? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Cody Stoots, creator of HouFootball.com, and Texans diehard fan Pammy Umatiya about why this team could be playing in the Super Bowl and what it...

It might not be crisp and cool outside yet, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some fall snacks and treats from H-E-B! Host Raheel Ramzanali is getting recommendations from our friend Emily of Texas Grocery Finds on the best football watch party snacks, tailgating must-have treats, back-to-school snacks for the kiddos, pumpkin spice inspired items, and more!  Snacks we talked about:  H-E-B pumpk...

If you're new here, welcome! We’ve put together a starter pack for you, with episodes and articles to welcome you to the City Cast Houston community.  Summer is gone and fall is almost here in Houston! Right now is the perfect time to head outside with great weather and get your first taste of fall. Plus, we have so many festivals, football games, and other huge gatherings that celebrate the diver...

Whew, we made it to Friday! And we have a lot to discuss with all of the big news from the week. Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by Monica Flores Richart, education advocate and attorney, and Rafael Lemaitre, political analyst and communications expert, to break down what the recent raids, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, on Latino Democrats mean for Houston voters. Plus, guess which scho...

Don't miss the last big weekend of the summer! There are so many great spots to enjoy the water near H-town, from Galveston to Kemah. Today, host Raheel Ramzanali revisits one of our favorite conversations about Galveston and other beaches, where he tries to convince former lead producer Dina Kesbeh, producer Carlignon Jones, and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis that Galveston is the bes...

Few streets in Houston capture the city’s diversity better than Hillcroft, located west of the Galleria and running through Gulfton and Bellaire. But with so many options and cuisines, it can be overwhelming to know where to start! So, host Raheel Ramzanali is getting tips from Sharan Gahunia of Raja’s Sweets, Houston’s first Indian restaurant ever on Hillcroft, and executive producer Laura Isense...

Host Raheel Ramzanali and Dusti Rhodes, comedian, educator, host of the Moth Story Slam in Houston, are getting you ready for the week as they discuss why HISD is making their audit committee meetings private and what it means for transparency, how a local university just set a new record, a bizarre theft which has Houstonians baffled, and more! Featured stories: Houston ISD’s audit committee has...

We all know the physical toll Houston’s hot summers can take on our bodies, but is the extreme heat also affecting our mood? Dr. Asim Shah, chief of psychiatry and director of mood disorder research at the Harris Health System and Ben Taub Hospital, joins host Raheel Ramzanali to share new research on how our increasingly hot summers are impacting our mental health.  Learn more about the sponsors...

Happy Friday! It’s almost the weekend, so host Raheel Ramzanali is bringing on Monique Welch, diverse communities reporter at the Houston Landing, to recap some of the week’s biggest stories. The duo kick it off with discussing how Houston is “demure” — the latest internet trend. Then they dive into the findings from an independent investigation into why the Houston Police Department marked thousa...

We all love our little slice of Houston, but today, we’re going to try to settle one of the ultimate questions about H-town. What’s better: the suburbs or the city? Or something in between? Host Raheel Ramzanali is repping his beloved ‘burbs while producer Carlignon Jones makes a case for hidden gems outside the Loop, but inside the Beltway. And Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis is standi...

Summer is heating up, and one way to enjoy the end of a hot summer day is with a delicious margarita. But, with so many great options, it can be hard to find the right marg for your taste around Houston. So, producer Carlignon Jones is getting recommendations from Sofia Gonzalez, food and travel editor at Houstonia Magazine. From frozen to on the rocks, this episode will have you ready to soak up...

Today on City Cast Houston, host Raheel Ramzanali is catching you up on the big stories you need to know this week in H-town. He’s joined by longtime Houston comedian Rob Mungle to discuss why Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a local immigrant rights group, why HISD’s budget could take a hit after the first week of school, why Houstonians will have to pay to drive through Lake Charles in...

Most of the debris has been picked up from Hurricane Beryl, but there are some lingering effects with home insurance claims, as if we needed more stress! So today on City Cast Houston, host Raheel Ramzanali is having a vent session with Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing about her insurance saga after Beryl and other storms, and what this means for the rest of Houstonians, if we’re about to fa...

It’s Friday so host Raheel Ramzanali is recapping the news from the week. Today, he’s joined by Houston Public Media reporter Lucio Vasquez to talk about the charges from the investigation into the 2022 election, and spoiler alert, it’s not the kind of fraud some people expected! Also why Mayor Whitmire is blaming Iran for local protests, the shocking investigation into where CenterPoint lobbies e...

A vast majority of Texans say that housing affordability is a problem, according to a new survey. But could empty office buildings around Houston help ease the housing crunch? Today we’re revisiting our conversation with Marissa Luck, senior real estate reporter at the Houston Chronicle. She joins host Raheel Ramzanali to explain why housing’s become so expensive, why so many office buildings are...

It’s Wednesday, so that means we’re talking about food. And today we’re going to try and pick the ultimate Houston food plate. This is the best of the best of Houston’s restaurants and eateries. Host Raheel Ramzanali, producer Carlignon Jones, Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis, and executive producer Laura Isensee are competing. Each one will draft an appetizer, two sides, an entree, and...

Host Raheel Ramzanali and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis are talking about the shocking story of a teacher who alleges she was fired for exposing another teacher’s involvement in a sex trafficking ring, where Houston saw an uptick in violent crimes so far this year, why NASA has four volunteers staying in a small living habitat for 45 days, and more! Stories we talked about today:  Vio...

State takeovers, high staff turnover, and even last-minute changes to familiar bus routes – it seems like this year our local Independent School Districts are facing more challenges than usual. Since it’s back-to-school week here in Houston, we wanted to talk with a local education reporters to find out what parents, students, and teachers can expect from recent changes. Asher Lehrer-Small, Housto...