Hello Houston: The Commuter Cut

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we talk with Miriam Feldblum, co-founder and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, who shares her thoughts on Governor Greg Abbott ordering new H-1B visa applications to be paused.Then, local attorney Ebony Williams discusses her run for the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2 judge seat, currently held by Judge Jim Kovach, as well as why she decided to run, and why she believes she’s right for this position.Also, award-winning media executive Amy DuBois Barnett talks about her debut novel, If I Ruled the World, her time serving as the editor-in-chief of three major magazines, and the influence her mother, former University of Houston president Dr. Marguerite Barnett, had on her.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we hear from Pastor D.Z. Cofield who shares his thoughts on the meaning of Black History Month, and discusses his charity, “Hope for Families,” which is focused on rebuilding urban communities.Then, Maureen Patton, executive director of The Grand 1894 Opera House in Galveston, joins us to share stories from her more than 40 years of running the historic theater, which is recognized as the official opera house of Texas.Also, we’re joined by Houston Public Media’s Galveston County reporter, Julianna Washburn, who tells us about the more than 100 sea turtles released back in the Gulf after being rescued from the conditions of last week’s winter storm, and more of the latest stories happening in Galveston.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” Ernie, Frank, and Celeste discuss the federal government’s plan to reduce the number of federal immigration agents in Minnesota and respond to comments from Hello Houston listeners about this news.Then, Dr. David Schrank, a Senior Research Scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, joins us to discuss the 2025 Texas Top 100 Congested Road Segments list and why several of Texas’s most congested roads are in Houston.Plus, we’re also joined by Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, who tells us everything Houstonians need to know about the 18th Congressional District special election runoff, ahead of Election Day tomorrow, as well as information about upcoming primaries.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison tells us more about the Artemis II mission and the crew entering quarantine in preparation for a possible February launch to the moon.Then, we hear from Khori Dastoor, the General Director and CEO of Houston Grand Opera, who discusses the much-anticipated HGO production of Hansel and Gretel, and what audiences can expect.Plus, we also hear Ernie, Frank, and Celeste talk with Texas State Representative James Talarico, who discusses his run for Senate, as well as the issues he faces, his relationship with his challenger, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett, and the future of Texas.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we discuss a new study from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research about Houston’s Asian American population, with the institute’s Dan Potter and Katherine Yang Bao, who break down the study’s findings.Then, we hear from actor Zachary Keller, who talks about playing the character Jacob Jankowski in the hit Broadway musical Water for Elephants, currently running at the Hobby Center through Sunday.Also, we’re joined by Cindy Peña, assistant curator of Latin American and Latino Art at MFAH and Arden Decker, associate director of the International Center for Art of the Americas, who discuss the museum's new exhibition, Frida: The Making of an Icon, which explores how Frida Kahlo became one of the world’s most influential artists.

In today's edition of "The Commuter Cut," we discuss the latest issues impacting the Federal Reserve with John Diamond, senior fellow in public finance at Rice University's Baker Institute, who also helps us understand what's at stake for the Fed and the markets.Then, we hear from Jim Kovach, who’s running for re-election as judge for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2. He tells Ernie, Frank, and Celeste about his platform, what makes him qualified to continue serving as judge, his endorsements, and more.Plus, we also talk with Karen Kennard, assistant executive director of The Children’s Assessment Center, about how we can protect children from falling victim to human trafficking, as well as the signs to be aware of to prevent this crime.

In today’s edition of “The Commuter Cut,” we discuss how you can protect your pipes from the freezing weather with Joe Bany, director of operations at John Moore Services, who also takes questions from Hello Houston listeners.Then, Andrea Leinfelder, the space reporter for the Houston Chronicle, joins us to tell us about Congress approving a $24.4 billion budget for NASA, what impact this could have on the agency's future, and what we know about the upcoming Artemis II mission.Plus, we also learn about the closure of an oyster harvesting area in Matagorda Bay, from Kelley Kowal, the regional director of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries Division, who also explains what factors hinder oyster habitats.