Hello Houston
Hello Houston (August 19, 2026)
On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss why many of the biggest cities in Texas are currently facing mounting budget deficits with Joshua Fechter , an urban affairs reporter for The Texas Tribune, who’s recently reported on this matter. Then, Tracy Hester , co-director of the University of Houston Law Center’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Law Center, educates us on solar radiation management (SRM), a theoretical way to slow global warming by reflecting a small amount of sunlight back into space. In the second hour of the show, we discuss mail-in ballots and other current questions about voting access across Texas ahead of the midterm elections in November with Jen Rice , who reports on threats to democracy in states across the country for Democracy Docket. Plus, Chris Williams, the chef and owner of the Houston-area restaurant Lucille’s, talks to us about working with the non-profit Street Art for Mankind to complete a mural honoring the legacy of famed Houston artist John Biggers. And, as always, our hosts Ernie Manouse and Tessa Barrera talk about today's top stories at the top of each hour, including ABC suing the FCC for allegedly violating the network’s First Amendment rights, Gov. Abbott calling for a ban on school districts employing anyone with an H-1B visa, and the city of Houston asking a federal court to reconsider its ruling on the city's minority-owned business program.
