Last week, Memorial Park’s Kinder Land Bridge & Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Prairie were unveiled at "Texas’ Biggest Picnic." City Cast contributor Shiyam Gaylon sits down with Shellye Arnold, President and CEO of Memorial Park Conservancy , to discuss the monumental effort, and producers AK ALMoumen & Carlignon Jones visit the ribbon cutting ceremony, where they chat with the Mayor and some of the project partners. The first phase of the Memorial Tunnels is open now . Rich and Nancy Kinder h...
Feb 13, 2023•17 min
This week Producers Carlignon Jones and AK ALMoumen are joined by politics contributor Evan Mintz to round up the week’s biggest and most impactful stories. and developments in ongoing news that affect all Houstonians. More details on this week’s major stories: ABC 13’s reporting on Harris County Jail victims’ families in Austin. Houston Landing Reporting on the families of inmates killed in Harris County Jail. 55 Million Gallons of waste have been dumped into Houston waterways since 2019. A six...
Feb 10, 2023•31 min
It’s no secret Houston is extremely vast and really spread out. Living in the suburbs and possibly going on a date with someone in Galveston just makes it feel like a long distance relationship. Join the team this week as they talk about why dating in our city is so complicated and hear them share their tips on how to combat the single life. It is hard to date in Houston! But we got some date ideas for you: The Aurora Picture Show. Houston Botanic Garden. The Japanese Garden. Write About Now at ...
Feb 09, 2023•21 min
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we know people all over are getting ready for datenights. Which can be fun-filled, but what about those dates that leave a sour taste in your mouth? Torrina Harris is here to read Call it a Good Time, a poem dedicated to all the woes of dating in Houston. Want to know more about Torrina? Follow her on Twitter @votefortorrina or on Instagram @torrina_ or @torrinaforgalveston ! Interested in being the new host of City Cast Houston? Click here to apply ! Look...
Feb 08, 2023•16 min
The special day of love is approaching and the city of Houston has a lot of fun things to offer to help you get in the spirit! Whether you’re celebrating galantines, spending time with your lover, or trying to find something kid friendly to do for date night contributor Antre'chelle Dorsey and lead producer Dina Kesbeh have you covered! The Warwick Juliet a'Bouzy Post Houston Galentine's Market Interested in being the new host of City Cast Houston? Click here to apply ! We're doing a Valentine's...
Feb 07, 2023•20 min
Although Valentines day is suppose to be a day to celebrate love, for many people it just brings sadness. Most people feel like the holiday is only for couples but, truthfully its a great time to love on yourself! Therapist Maliha Khan, who runs the Instagram page Mental Health with Maliha, is here with lead producer Dina Kesbeh to tell us all about ways to practice self-love. Get more tips by following Maliha on instagram @ mentalhealthwithmaliha Or book a session ! Interested in being the new ...
Feb 06, 2023•18 min
It’s Friday, which means it’s that time of the week where we see what Houston’s talking about. Lead producer Dina Kesbeh, producer Carlignon Jones and political contributor Evan Mintz talk about a returning Texans player named coach, Harris County’s childcare expansion plan, Beyonce’s Houston tour dates and more. More on HEB policy story here More on Beyonce here More on Texan's Coach here More on childcare expansion here More on pensions here Interested in being the new host of City Cast Housto...
Feb 03, 2023•27 min
What’s your favorite style of pizza, New York, deep dish, pan style, Italian? How do you like your pizza, stone oven, baked, round or square? Do you know what Detroit style is? Well Houston has got you covered, there is a pizza style for any taste palate. Even for you pizza haters out there like our very own producer Carlignon Jones, we bet that after listening to lead producer Dina Kesbeh, producer AK Al-Moumen, and newsletter editor Brooke Lewis tell you about the best pizza in town and where ...
Feb 02, 2023•27 min
The Buffalo Bayou is a 52-mile river that flows through the heart of our city. It’s home to some of the most beautiful parks. It seems these days, we’re also learning more about the different species of fish that live between the murky waters of our Bayou. But one fish in particular seems to be in the headlines more often these days; the Alligator Gar. Today, contributor Scott Solomon and Kory Evans, assistant professor of BioSciences at Rice University, join lead producer Dina Kesbeh to talk ab...
Feb 01, 2023•21 min
The epidemic of people experiencing homelessness has been a problem all over America, but after being praised by The New York Times for housing over 25,000 people, Houston seems to be on track to possibly solving the problem. Producer Carlignon Jones talks with Anna Rauch of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston about how an annual survey is used to help us get closer to housing more of the unhoused. Want to learn more? Check out the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County 's web...
Jan 31, 2023•19 min
We all talk about how traffic has gotten so much worse in our city and most of the time people conclude its likely due to overcrowding, and people just keeping moving to our city. But, that’s not exactly the case. Contributor Evan Mintz joins lead producer Dina Kesbeh to talk about how our population is shrinking and what might be the cause. More details on what we talked about: Houston is Shrinking. This is happening all over the country. Census numbers could be inaccurate. Interested in being ...
Jan 30, 2023•16 min
What happened this week in Houston? Here to talk all about it are Producer Carlignon Jones, producer AK AL-Moumen and contributor Antrechelle Dorsey. They discuss the Tornado that ripped through areas near Houston, the passing of a beloved influencer in our city, how we've been name the dirtiest city in America, and so much more. More on the tornado aftermath here More on the Texans couch hunt here More on the developments coming to Houston here More on Randy Gonzalez here More on who is callin'...
Jan 27, 2023•36 min
Houston does food right, there’s no debate there. But did you know it’s also crowned for having one of the largest lists of diverse halal restaurants? From Tex-Mex, to BBQ to crepes, the list is long. Here to explore just what makes food halal and how the halal food scene exploded in our city is Faraz Ahmed. He’s one of the people behind the Instagram and TikTok pages, The Halal Palate. He joins lead producer Dina Kesbeh and producer AK AL-Moumen to also share his go-to spots. For More on The Ha...
Jan 26, 2023•31 min
Harwin Drive is the place many say you can find almost anything your heart desires. No matter if its clothing, party supplies, jewelry, or furniture this street has it all! This bargain shopping strip near Hillcroft Street in Southwest Houston has been called “Houston’s best-kept secret,” and today we’re unveiling it with Sam Kesbeh, who has owned a shop there since 1987 and who also happens to be City Cast Houston Lead-producer Dina Kesbeh’s dad. We're digging into Harwin’s past, present, and f...
Jan 25, 2023•18 min
City Cast contributor Jaime González explains the deep history and surprising substrates of our daily commutes. Interested in being the new host of City Cast Houston? Click here to apply ! Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Have feedback or a show idea ? Let us know! or leave us a voicemail/text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts, we love hearing from you!...
Jan 24, 2023•18 min
Houston is famous for its big-hearted philanthropists. But not all of them have big money: Today we’re talking with truck driver Ferrell Surette, the founder and el jefe of Recycled Cycles. Follow Recycled Cycles Of Texas on Instagram to keep up with their events. Interested in being the new host of City Cast Houston? Click here to apply ! Keep up with what's going on in Houston in 2023 by subscribing to our daily newsletter, Hey Houston ! Keep up with us by following us on Twitter , Instagram &...
Jan 23, 2023•17 min
What happened this week in Houston? Podcaster Mohammad Usman Aijaz and producer Carlignon Jones join host Lisa Gray for her final news roundup. More on the stories talked about today: Miss Universe pageant denies rigging allegations after Houston native and Filipina-American R'Bonney Gabriel was crowned the 71st Miss Universe winner. March Madness Final Four will be played in Houston. The University of Houston Cougars basketball team is no. 1 in the country. Representative Troy Nehls claims his ...
Jan 20, 2023•21 min
It’s Lisa Gray’s last week at City Cast Houston, so she and the City Cast crew revisit some of the episodes she loved most. Interested in being the new host of City Cast Houston? Click here to apply! Want to hear some of Lisa's favorites? Reader call-in: Tales from the 610 Loop Jaime González: Google Earth images tell the tale of Houston Keri Blakinger: What went wrong in Texas’ deadliest prison escape Adán Medrano: The ancient joy of Texas tamales Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for...
Jan 19, 2023•21 min
Legendary producer Sean 'Solo' Jemison was instrumental in defining Houston’s Hip-Hop sound in the '90s with countless hits under his belt and work with major acts such as ESG, Lil Keke, Big Pokie, and Z-Ro! You cannot discuss Houston rap without the influence of Solo! Now he is using that sound to educate children by mixing his passion for hip-hop into his new upcoming animated series. Get to know the city by subscribing to our daily newsletter, Hey Houston ! Follow us on Twitter to read what w...
Jan 18, 2023•16 min
The Texas Legislature is awash in lobbyists pushing for Texas to expand legal gambling. So is this finally the year that the state says yes to casinos and online sports betting? City Cast political contributor Scott Braddock explains why the odds are against that — and also why legislators keep noodling with those bills anyway. Want to know more? Check out these articles: Houston lawmaker says there's bipartisan support for legalized gambling heading into 2023 session Patrick: No ‘Movement’ On T...
Jan 17, 2023•18 min
Jen Rice, who covers Harris County for the Houston Chronicle, helps host Lisa Gray get her head around a wild week in Houston news. The Texas Legislature is in session! Here is what you need to know. Nine Republicans are challenging the November election results. Alexandra del Moral Mealer is leading the charge on contesting the election. Does Mealer's challenge hold any validity? Lina Hidalgo is currently on personal leave. The first Muslim representatives to be sworn to the Texas Legislature. ...
Jan 13, 2023•19 min
Yes, Houston has two MLK parades at the same time. The City Cast crew elaborates — and offers other ways to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and enjoy a three-day weekend. 45th Annual Original MLK Jr. Parade in Downtown Houston. MLK Festival at Houston City Hall. 29th Annual MLK Grande Parade in Midtown. Rothko Chapel. The Houston Museum of African American Culture. Dreams, Art & Freedom: Martin Luther King Celebration at La Centerra. Black Heritage Society Gala at Embassy Suites by H...
Jan 12, 2023•24 min
Once upon a time, the nightclub District 1960 featured performers like Megan Thee Stallion and Slim Thug. Then the pandemic forced owner Robert Thomas to shut down. So he took a chainsaw to the place — and transformed it into a sleek health-food store. Now District Market Green Grocer specializes in produce, fresh juices, and locally made products from Black vendors. Want to know more about Houston's first black-owned grocery store? Check out their website here ! OR take a peak at these feature ...
Jan 11, 2023•18 min
Every two years the Texas State Legislature convenes for a few frantic months of lawmaking. The last session brought extraordinary new restrictions on abortion. City Cast contributor Evan Mintz says that this session promises to be just as sweeping. Where to find the names of your elected officials and how to contact them: www.texastribune.org/directory . Where to find and track bills as they move through the Legislature: capitol.texas.gov . Get deeper into the city by subscribing to our daily n...
Jan 10, 2023•19 min
Think ballet is boring? You haven’t seen Harper Watters strut his glam stuff on Instagram. For more check out Harper's website or the Houston Ballet. Also follow Harper on Instagram and TikTok Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts!...
Jan 09, 2023•25 min
It’s time to hash out the week’s news. Contributor Shiyam Galyon, producer AK Al-Moumen and host Lisa Gray discuss the biggest stories — and the ones that should have gotten more attention. This week's biggest stories: Texas and Florida are the future of the U.S. Harris County election post-mortem. Southwest Airlines has a meltdown over the holidays. This week's most underrated stories: 2 Texas Business men with ties to former TX Governor Rick Perry pitched overturning the election to Trump. The...
Jan 06, 2023•31 min
Usually the City Cast crew talks about Houston’s greatest stuff, the places and experiences you want to share with people you love. But life isn’t all Discovery Green and crawfish. Today the crew dishes about the experiences you’d wish on your archnemesis — the worst miseries that our city has to offer. Our morning newsletter Hey Houston brings updates on local news to you daily. Sign up here . Make sure you stay connected to us by following us on Twitter and Instagram @CityCastHouston Or leave ...
Jan 05, 2023•17 min
The Karankawa tribe was long thought to be extinct but Absolem Yetzirah, a Karankawa native and Council-member of the Five Rivers Council, proves the tribe is alive in the heart of the Houston metro area. It's a history that goes back to the first settlers of the gulf coast and the human cost of the founding of the State of Texas. Learn more about Karankawa History. Sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston ! It has all the local news you need! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram We want to ...
Jan 04, 2023•23 min
What do we want out of Houston this year? City Cast guests and contributors offer suggestions — and a few predictions. Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston Follow us on Twitter and Instagram Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts!...
Jan 03, 2023•13 min
Houston rained victorious this year as the Astros took home the trophy for the World Series! With over 1 million fans lining the streets and hanging off the sides of the buildings just to get a view of the team - I think it's safe to say this was one of the biggest celebrations of 2022 - and our producers Carlignon Jones and AK AL-Moumen were there to capture it all. Sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston here to stay in the know about local news! Stay connected with us by following us o...
Dec 30, 2022•10 min
