City Cast Houston
Food, culture, news and nature in the sweaty Bayou City. Join Host Raheel Ramzanali and the City Cast Houston team 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, Hey Houston, at houston.citycast.fm.
Episodes
July 28, 2025 • 33 mins
Governor Abbott’s special session is underway with a lot of items on the agenda. So, how will this special session impact Houston specifically? Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Faith Bugenhagen, trending news reporter for Chron.com, about four items on the agenda: redistricting, the THC ban, flooding, and the STAAR test.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 28th episode:
Holocaust Museum Houston
Visit Port Aransas
H...
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It’s Friday, so host Raheel Ramzanali is catching you up on on the week’s biggest news with conservative commentator Charles Blain. They dig into the redistricting efforts in the Texas Legislature’s special session and what it means for Houston. Plus, how voters feel about Harris County officials and why Mayor Whitmire is going after clubs instead of crime. And, of course, we can’t close the week without our moments of joy!
Stor...
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July 24, 2025 • 26 mins
Astroworld, Funplex, the neighborhood pool, and so many other places defined some of our favorite summer memories as kids in Houston. But, where do we go now to recreate them? Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by executive producer Laura Isensee and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis to talk about their favorite summer memories and where you can go now as adults to relive them.
Places we talked about on today's show:
...
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July 23, 2025 • 28 mins
Looking for a last-minute summer getaway? Or planning a fall trip? We’re helping you save money on flights on today's episode of City Cast Houston. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to travel expert and Going founder Scott Keyes to get his best tips for finding cheap flights out of Houston, whether it’s from Hobby Airport or Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 23rd episode:
Babbel - Get up ...
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July 22, 2025 • 34 mins
KB Brown LOVES Montrose. She’s the self-proclaimed Mayor of Montrose and owns several businesses there, but recently she’s feeling pretty frustrated about car break-ins in the neighborhood. Host Raheel Ramzanali talsk with KB about what’s causing the problem, what Houston police are doing about it, and what this means for Montrose.
Stories we talked about on today’s show:
‘We need help down here’: Montrose residents raise ...
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July 21, 2025 • 29 mins
Texas’ private school voucher program is here and while many lawmakers and education leaders criticized it during the legislature, the program has some people excited about the future of education in Texas. Host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Cassandra Bandy, former HISD board member and education consultant, about why she’s looking forward to the program launching this year and how it will benefit both students and schools.
St...
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July 18, 2025 • 30 mins
We made it to Friday! Host Raheel Ramzanali is breaking down the biggest stories of the week with ABC13 reporter Pooja Lodhia. From why a Palestinian man was detained without reason at Bush Airport to Mayor Whitmire’s new plan on solving homelessness, Raheel and Pooja are talking about it all. Plus, an update on the Tropic Storm Dexter and how TikTok created a rush of panic in our city.
Stories we talked about on today’s show: ...
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July 17, 2025 • 29 mins
If you don’t know by now, we REALLY love Houston. So, today host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by City Cast Houston executive producer Laura Isensee, producer Carlignon Jones, and Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis to write a love letter to the city to explain why H-Town will always hold a special place in their hearts.
Learn more about the sponsors of this July 17th episode:
Visit Port Aransas
Jones Dairy Farm
Looking fo...
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July 16, 2025 • 17 mins
Food trucks are a great way to get a taste of our diverse and innovative culinary scene, but with so many to pick from, it can be overwhelming! So, host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Sofia Gonzalez, food and travel editor at Houstonia Magazine, about which food trucks we need to check out! Places we mentioned on today's show:
403 Eats Food Truck Park
Boat Basin Food Truck Park
Gourmandize
Tacos Laguna
Our Favo...
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July 15, 2025 • 30 mins
Mayor Whitmire and his administration just scrapped a planned bike lane in Montrose. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is talking to Dominic Anthony Walsh, reporter at Houston Public Media, about why this administration is taking out another bike lane, what the public response has been to this move, and what this means for other parts of the city.
Stories we talked about on today’s show:
Montrose loses another planned bike lane as...
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July 14, 2025 • 25 mins
Houston is home to more than 1 million immigrants — and for many, the path to legal status is confusing, expensive, and painfully slow. Just ask our host Raheel Ramzanali — his family went through it. So on today’s show, he talks with immigration attorney Zulfiqar Prasla to break down why the process is so broken and how it’s impacting immigrants in our city.
Dive deeper into today’s topic:
What we know (and don’t know) abou...
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July 11, 2025 • 32 mins
It’s been an intense week of news here in Houston and Texas. Host Raheel Ramzanali and Evan Mintz, editor of opinion and community engagement for the Houston Chronicle, discuss how we can prevent future flooding tragedies in Texas. Plus, they talk about Governor Abbott’s special session agenda and his viral quote about the floods and football. Then, it’s a new meeting time for City Council, dress code reform and a crowded race for ...
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July 10, 2025 • 26 mins
713 Day is coming up this weekend — July 13 named after Houston’s OG area code. So, we’re getting you ready with the best deals and events from Houston influencer ShawnTheFoodSheep! From block parties to drink specials, these recommendations will have you set to celebrate H-Town.
Recommendations from Shawn:
Meow Wolf x Saint Arnold Block Party
Lil Flip and Friends at Karbach
713 Day Fest at Wonky Power
713 Day ...
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July 9, 2025 • 26 mins
Today on City Cast Houston, over 100 people have died from the Texas floods, raising questions if the scale of this tragedy could have been prevented. Host Raheel Ramzanali talks with columnist Chris Tomlinson about why he believes state leaders ignored warnings of worsening flood risks. Plus, former camper Rachel Kherkher shares what made Camp Mystic so magical — and how she’s trying to help uplift our community during this time ...
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July 8, 2025 • 38 mins
It’s been one year since Hurricane Beryl hit Houston and knocked out power for millions. In the aftermath, state leaders and local lawmakers blasted CenterPoint for multiple failures, from its outage tracker, to delayed power restoration, and generators that never turned on. But, did our leaders hold CenterPoint accountable? Host Raheel Ramzanali talks with Claire Hao, energy and power grid reporter at the Houston Chronicle, about ...
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July 7, 2025 • 18 mins
Historic rainfall in the Texas Hill Country over the July Fourth weekend killed at least 67 people statewide. Some of the missing are from the Greater Houston area, including some young girls from the sleep-away camp, Camp Mystic. With state leaders promising a “relentless” search and federal assistance on the way, host Raheel Ramzanali and executive producer Laura Isensee talked on Sunday to bring you the latest on what we know an...
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July 3, 2025 • 48 mins
Raheel Ramzanali and all 12 other City Cast podcast hosts (from Austin, Boise, Chicago, DC, Denver, Las Vegas, Madison, Nashville, Philly, Pittsburgh, Portland, and Salt Lake City) compete head-to-head in a high-stakes showdown to answer the question that’s been burning up our company-wide Slack for weeks: which city is the best for a summer weekend trip? From naked bike rides to ‘the country’s best farmers market,’ pickle festival...
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July 2, 2025 • 19 mins
Houston’s barbecue joints keep winning awards, but with so many places to visit, it can be overwhelming. So, host Raheel Ramzanali is calling on Patrick Feges, co-owner and pitmaster of Feges BBQ, for his top picks from Houston’s barbecue scene, from brisket to fusion.
Don’t miss our 713 Day Pre-Party at Saint Arnold Brewing on July 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This event is free, but please RSVP here.
Check out all of the recomme...
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July 1, 2025 • 30 mins
It may be hot and sticky outside, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make this month the best July ever in H-Town! Host Raheel Ramzanali is joined by Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis and producer Carlignon Jones to give you insider recommendations on the best ways to stay cool, where to take out-of-town guests, and of course, where to eat!
Want more great food recommendations? Check out our guide to the hottest restaurant...
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June 30, 2025 • 26 mins
A new investigation in the Houston Chronicle found that Houston police called ICE on woman after she called 911 for domestic abuse. So, is HPD working with ICE despite Mayor Whitmire saying they aren’t? Host Raheel Ramzanali talks with Sam González Kelly, one of the Houston Chronicle reporters on that investigation, and Maria Espinosa of FIEL, the largest immigrant-led civil rights organization in Texas, to answer that question, a...
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