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PODCAST

City Cast Houston

The daily podcast for food, culture, news, and nature in the sweaty Bayou City. Join host Raheel Ramzanali and the City Cast Houston team every weekday morning as we celebrate and interrogate this sprawling place with our favorite journalists, thinkers, leaders, neighbors, and gadflies. Learn more and subscribe to our daily morning newsletter at houston.citycast.fm.

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All Episodes

34:53

Houston’s High-Paying Jobs That Don’t Need Degrees

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/25

All week long on Education Week, we’ve been focusing on traditional career paths and education pathways, but there’s a labor trend that could provide Houstonians with another route to career success. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Hany Khalil, executive director of the Texas Gulf Coast Labor Federation, about why more and more Houstonians are turning to union apprenticeships, how these roles are benefiting the city, and why attitudes are changing toward a “college or bust” mentality. Stories

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27:28

An Inside Look at School Closures, Teaching Methods,...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/24

It’s year three of the state’s takeover of HISD, so today’s episode of Education Week is all about the issues parents and community leaders are facing this school year. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Dani Hernandez, elected chair of the Houston ISD Board of Education, and HISD parent Liz Silva about state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ lofty goals, in-class learning, school closures, and more. Stories we talked about on today’s show: Houston ISD spends $350K on billboards

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25:45

The Hidden Crisis Costing Houston Billions

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/23

Education week continues here on City Cast Houston and today we’re learning about why our youngest Houstonians need better childcare. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Dr. Melanie Johnson, CEO for the Collaborative for Children, about why we’re in a childcare crisis, what’s being done to create more quality early learning centers in Houston, and why it should matter to all Houstonians. Stories we talked about on today’s show : Explained: The Harris County early childcare program backed by

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32:57

School Cellphone Ban, Freedom of Speech Policies, and...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/22

It’s Education Week on City Cast Houston! All week long we’ll be focusing on how the future of our city is being shaped through education-related developments like early child care, the rise of workforce training, and more. But today, we’re looking at how new state education laws are changing Houston’s public schools and colleges. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Samantha Ketterer, higher education reporter at the Houston Chronicle, and Jaden Edison, K-12 reporter for the Texas Tribune, about

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25:50

Judge Hidalgo’s Legacy, Man Dies Outside Restaurant,...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/19

Harris County saw major political moves this week when Judge Lina Hidalgo announced she would not seek reelection for a third term. Host Raheel Ramzanali breaks down that story, from Hidalgo’s legacy to what this means for the Texas Democrats, to who’ll take her seat. Plus, a local suburb is getting some national attention and the heartbreaking story behind why a man died outside a restaurant. And, a special goodbye to a member of the City Cast Houston team.Stories we talked about on today’s

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29:00

Our Ultimate Houston Bucket List

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/18

Houston’s packed with so many things to see and do, sometimes you’ve got to play tourist in your own town. And now that the weather’s cooling down (just a little), it’s the perfect time to start crossing that off your Houston bucket list. Host Raheel Ramzanali, producer Carlignon Jones, and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis share the must-do experiences they’re adding to theirs — and we want to know, what’s on yours? This conversation originally aired May 15, 2025. If you enjoyed

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21:10

Best Budget Bites, Bluebell’s Flavor Fail, and James...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/17

We’re all feeling the financial pressures of today’s economy. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is getting some great budget bites around the city from Culture Map Houston’s editor Eric Sandler. Plus, Raheel has a hot take on a new viral ice cream that might get Bluebell lovers in an uproar. And, what is going on with James Harden’s restaurant?! Places we talked about on today’s show: Loro’s Happy Hour Bludorn’s extended Houston Restaurant Weeks Menu Cali Sandwiches The 5 Best Tacos You

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33:17

Houston’s Poverty Tops Nation, Galleria Bans Famous...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/16

Houston’s annual count of our homeless population shows a troubling trend. And now, our city just ranked first in the country for the highest poverty rate. What’s going on?! Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking with Rebecca Schuetz, housing reporter for the Houston Chronicle, about what’s being done by the city to reduce homelessness. Plus, what happens when the fire truck’s too big for the station, and why one of the world’s most famous influencers got banned from the Galleria. Stories we talked

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30:24

Why Elon Musk Wants $760 Million To Dig Tunnels Under...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/15

Last month, local journalists with the Houston Chronicle and The Texas Newsroom revealed that Elon Musk and a Texas Congressman are quietly pitching a plan to build tunnels under Houston, apparently to ease flooding. It would cost $760 million. It’s part of a playbook from so-called “Tesla” tunnels in other cities like Las Vegas and Nashville. So Raheel Ramzanali is bringing on Dayvid Figler, host of our sister show City Cast Las Vegas, to talk about how these tunnels have played out for residents

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28:46

Judge Hidalgo Walks Out, Building in Flood Plains,...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/12

Meltdowns at commissioners court, a hotel workers’ strike, and a new investigation into building in the floodplain— it’s another busy week in Houston! Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by Chron.com’s trending news reporter Faith Bugenhagen and conservative commentator Charles Blain to unpack why Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo abruptly walked out of budget talks, what the Hilton Americas strike means for other workers, and why Houston is STILL building in flood zones.Dive deeper into stories we

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21:21

How to Actually Meet Other Single People in Houston

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/11

Houston isn’t the easiest place to find love — a recent study ranked us 33rd for dating, factoring in cost, activities, and more. But a new trend could change the dating scene in H-Town. Host Raheel Ramzanali chats about it with two of our fave singles — Houston influencer Shawn the Food Sheep and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis.Places and people we talked about in our show: Houston Hot Spots Keenya Kelly Shawn’s recap of a run club Still filling these out - waitin gfor

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22:45

What Your Favorite Montrose Hotspot Says About You

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/10

Your go-to bar or restaurant says a lot about you, especially in Montrose! Host Raheel Ramzanali and executive producer Laura Isensee are welcoming back the creator of the popular Montrose meme account @⁠montrosecellectuals⁠ to get his take on some of the newest hotspots, plus some beloved classics. Spoiler alert: He listens … and judges!Places we talked about on today’s show: ⁠Phoenix on Westheimer ⁠ ⁠ChopnBlok⁠ ⁠West Alabama Ice House⁠ ⁠Light Years ⁠ ⁠Montrose Cheese and

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22:24

Naked Bike Ride Protest, Lina Hidalgo’s Political...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/09

Houston’s great bike lane drama rolls on. Newly released texts show Mayor John Whitmire was paying more attention to his inside circle — not public safety data — when he began to remove the Austin Street bike lanes in Midtown. Host Raheel Ramzanali breaks that down with ABC-13 reporter Shannon Ryan and looks at how the biking community plans to protest by “going commando.” Plus, is Judge Lina Hidalgo going to run for reelection or not? And why one cosmetics company is facing a felony. Stories we

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24:23

How Hard Is It To Get a Job in Houston Right Now?

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/08

Houston lost 30,000 jobs over the summer and now Conoco Phillips announcing major layoffs, making the local job market tough. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Juliet Stipeche, executive director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, about how hard it is get a job right now in Houston, how to make your application stand out, and other advice to land your next gig. Resources to help you in the job market: ⁠Workforce Solutions’ Career Exploration Guide ⁠ ⁠2025 Targeted Industries

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29:29

Ding Dong Ditch Tragedy, NASA Funding, & Lizzo’s...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/05

It’s been a hard week in Houston since 11-year-old Julian Guzman was shot while playing an age-old prank called ding-dong ditch in east Houston. Host Raheel Ramzanali brings on Evan Mintz, editor of opinion at the Houston Chronicle, and Maggie Gordon, senior storytelling editor at Straight Arrow News, to talk about what this crime means for kids’ safety in Houston. Plus, they breakdown the latest push to get more funding for NASA, an update on the THC ban (good news for those who partake!), and

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28:00

How to Feel More Connected in Houston

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/04

Houston has a lot of great things about it, but finding places to hang out is not one of them. Why is that? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Regina Lankenau, a columnist for the Houston Chronicle's opinion desk, and executive producer Laura Isensee about why it’s a struggle to find informal community spaces in Houston, and how we can fix that. Plus, some of our own favorite hangout spots! Stories and places we talked about on today’s show: Houston makes hanging out hard. We need more

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22:32

The 5 Best Tacos You Need To Try Right Now

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/03

From food trucks to fancy restaurants and everything in between, Houston has tacos for all occasions, at every hour, day or night. So it’s a tough task to pick the absolute best, but luckily, we’re friends with Chron.com’s taco columnist Marco Torres. He’s giving host Raheel Ramzanali the insider’s guide to the top five tacos right now in Houston. Check out the places we talked about on today’s show: Duck carnitas huarache @ ⁠Maximo⁠ Taco árabe @ ⁠Tio Trompo Taqueria ⁠ Bacon & egg

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26:05

Your Guide to September 2025 in Houston

City Cast Houston ·

2025/09/02

Do you feel that? It’s the weather slowly, but surely, getting a bit cooler. That means we can head outside more and do more fun things in H-Town. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is getting you ready with a curated guide featuring insider tips for the month with producer Carlignon Jones and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis on what to do, what stories to know, and where to eat in September! Want even more great places to eat this month? Check out our guide for the best Caribbean food in

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31:05

Elon Musk’s Flood Tunnels, Teachers vs. HISD, &...

City Cast Houston ·

2025/08/29

We’re heading into the long weekend, but not before breaking down the biggest stories from the week. Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by political insider Rafael Lemaitre to break down what exactly is happening with Harris County’s budget deficit. Plus, how one politician is pushing for Elon Musk’s Boring Co. flood tunnel project. And, why teachers are taking HISD to court. Stories we talked about on today’s show: A Texas Congressman Is Quietly Helping Elon Musk Pitch a $760M Plan to Build

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30:25

Our Pettiest Houston Gripes

City Cast Houston ·

2025/08/28

Look, we LOVE Houston, but we also have some complaints about our city. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is bringing on local business owner and the voice of the streets KB Brown to air out our pettiest Houston gripes. Plus, we dig into a few of the 500+ grievances Houstonians left on reddit. Want to see all 500+ petty gripes from the Houston subreddit? Check it out here. Learn more about the sponsors of this August 28th episode: British International School of Houston The Holdsworth

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