Lone Star Deep Dive

In Episode 40, Tonya offers a webinar produced by the League of Women Voters of Texas earlier this year. Teri Marsh, Water Advocacy Chair for LWV Texas, hosts "From Aquifers to Policy." More information about our presenters, Natalie Ballew (Groundwater Division Director at the Texas Water Development Board) and Adam Foster [Executive Director of Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts, can be foun...

On Episode 39 , Tonya is sharing the Dallas League of Women Voters discussion with Adrian Shelly, Director of Public Citizen’s office in Texas. Adrian will lead us through important questions concerning AI Projects Proposed throughout Texas, such as: —What are the Financial, Water and Energy Impacts? —Why are some communities fighting hard against them? —How much nuclear energy is proposed to supp...

In Episode 38, John Umphress is back to talk with Tonya about his personal beekeeping and honey production and pollinators in food production. What does this have to do with public policy? Well, Tonya is forever curious about the interests of our guests and the life behind each politically aware and involved person we talk to! John Umphress is a life-long resident of Texas with more than 4 decades...

In Episode 37, Tonya talks with Michael Ford about project Matador and Fermi in the Texas Panhandle, AI Data Centers in general and his organization, Panhandle Taxpayers for Transparency (also known as PT4T). He'll explain their work contesting the case over the proposed 93 gas turbines planned for the project, and why they are following up with a lawsuit against the Texas Commission for Environme...

In Episode 36, Tonya talks with Floyd Hartman about his life in the Texas Panhandle, including his service to the City of Amarillo and his recent post at The RANGE . He serves as the Principal Investigator for Water Stewardship with The RANGE , "an industry-led innovation in research and development, forging strategic industry and education partnerships, prioritizing workforce development, and ens...

In Episode 35, Tonya invited L aurie Higgins-Kerley onto the podcast to explore how her nonprofits, Dove Creek Equine Rescue and Led by Horses, have become a place where horses and humans heal together — and how anyone experiencing difficulty can find comfort and resilience in equine therapy. Laurie Higgins-Kerley is the Founder and Executive Director of Dove Creek Equine Rescue (DCER), a 501(c)(3...

In Episode 34, Tonya joins the League of Women Voters of Dallas for their webinar, " Is Nuclear Right for Texas?," which took place in March 2026. This online event featured two professionals from the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS): Diane D’Arrigo and Tim Judson. They share their research and concerns about leaning on nuclear power as an environmental choice for Texas’ growing pow...

In Episode 33, Tonya talks with Claudia Stravato about the Amarillo League of Women Voters study of Maternal Mortality & Morbidity and recent actions that have addressed concerns related to this issue. On February 2nd, The Amarillo Tribune reported on the 2024 Texas Health and Human Services report, quoting Dr. Teresa Baker, Regional Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at TTUHSC: "...in the loc...

In Episode 32 we offer a replay of League 101, the monthly public presentation, given by the Amarillo League of Women Voters, February 28, 2026. Kimberly Anderson, current president moderates this informative discussion among 4 Amarillo LWV past presidents. The Co-Presidents before Kimberly are Jenny Inzerillo and Michelle Hoggatt. Preceding Jenny and Michelle is Sonya Letson and preceding Sonya i...

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In Episode 30, Tonya talks with Julie Grimes , General Manager of Panhandle PBS . Julie tells us about the changes to PBS as a result of the federal funding recission that took place in 2025. They also discuss Panhandle leadership among Texas PBS affiliates and how public television stations are working to protect the unique, quality programing that viewers have enjoyed for more than five decades....

In episode 29 Tonya talks with Sheri Friemel about grief and resources. Tonya and Sheri go deep sharing about their loss of adult children and how they are personally changed from that moment forward, and Sheri shares about her position as Program Manager for the Amarillo LOSS team . Adopted to the Texas Panhandle, a Small Town Farm Girl and mother of three sons, Sheri Friemel graduated from West...

Are you ready in the face of a disaster? What should you have on hand? In episode 28 Tonya talks with Max Dunlap , Amarillo’s Deputy Director for Emergency Management . He's the Yellow City' go-to professional for information regarding personal preparedness (i.e., what we should do, have and know), as well as management and response in the face of an emergency. Max hails from the small mountain to...

In Episode 27, Tonya talks with Amarillo's own Timothy Ingalls about land regeneration, holistic range management, his deep family history in the Texas Panhandle, his work with the Tecovas Foundation , and so much more. Tim is fourth-generation owner and manager of the Frying Pan Ranch (Bush-Emeny Properties) in the Texas Panhandle, as well as a philanthropist. He is proud to have been born and ra...

In Episode 26, Tonya Kleuskens talks with John Umphress about the 89th Texas Legislature passing HB14 , which allows for $350 million to be used to increase nuclear power in Texas. About $120 million of this funding is earmarked for both Texas Tech University and Abilene Christian University (for research on a molten salt reactor). The bill also establishes the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office...

In Episode 25, we continue our updates with Dr. Evgenia Spears, by exploring the changes enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature. Dr. Spears will explain to us about the shift in oversight for produced water and desalination discharge. Evgenia Spears is the Water Program Coordinator at the Sierra Club's Lone Star Chapter, where she leads advocacy efforts to protect access to clean water resources in...

Transcript Here In Episode 24 of the Lone Star Deep Dive Podcast , Dr. Ken Kramer explains the water infrastructure funding bill passed by the Texas Legislature, and the November Constitutional Amendment to allow for funding, which will be on our November 2025 ballot. Dr. Kramer is a writer and Texas water policy specialist who currently serves as the “public” representative on the Region H Water...

In Episode 23, we continue our updates with Lauren Bick by exploring the changes enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature. Lauren will explain the changes to Child Welfare intervention and support of older children in Foster Care. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX with undergraduate degrees in Public Health and Psychology, Lauren returned to her hometown of San Antonio...

On this episode of the Lone Star Deep Dive , your regular host is traveling, so Jenny Inzerillo is filling in for Tonya with an interview about Texas Senate Bill 37 (SB 37), which was passed by the 89th Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025. The bill, effective September 1, 2025, with most provisions applicable from January 1, 2026, concerns the governance...

In Episode 21, we are hearing from Teri Marsh of the League of Women Voters of Texas. We are exploring the changes enacted by the 89th Texas Legislature. Teri will explain the new support for water infrastructure and conservation. A native Texan, Teri Marsh exchanged the big city lights of Houston for tiny Brackettville, Texas in 2020 upon retiring after 23 years of teaching in the Houston ISD. A...

In Episode 20, we talk with Lauren Bick from the League of Women Voters of Texas. Lauren is the state League's Issue Chair on Child Welfare for the 89th legislative session. We discuss how our state’s legislative proposals will affect foster youth and families, as well as other vulnerable youth in Texas. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX with undergraduate degrees i...

In Episode 19, we are taking with Teri Marsh from the League of Women Voters of Texas and Evgenia Spears of the Lone Star Sierra Club. We discuss our state’s plans to supply water for a growing population in an unpredictable future. A native Texan, Teri Marsh exchanged the big city lights of Houston for tiny Brackettville, Texas in 2020 upon retiring after 23 years of teaching in the Houston ISD....

In Episode 18, we are taking a deep dive into what Charter Schools have to teach us about publicly funding private schools in Texas. Thanks to a webinar sponsored by the Leagues of Women Voters of Dalla& Tarrant County, we're able to listen in on a discussion by leading experts on the topic. The event, titled "Facing Facts: Charter Schools in Texas," was held on April 7th, 2025. It featured Pa...

On Episode 17, the Lone Star Deep Dive Podcast talks with Rachel Hanes , Policy Director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance . She holds a Bachelor of Arts in both Political Science and Spanish from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, as well as a Master of Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Rachel has multiple years of experience in environmenta...

On Episode 16, the Lone Star Deep Dive chats with Dr. Tim Bowman , Professor of History and department head at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas. He is the author of two books: Blood Oranges: Agriculture and Colonialism in the South Texas Borderlands (2016) and You Will Never be One of Us: A Teacher, a Court Case, and the Rural Roots of Radical Conservatism (2022). He is currently wor...