Parking Ticket Scam, New Light Rail, & Oil Prices Plummeting

It’s Friday so we’re breaking down the biggest stories in Houston. Host Raheel Ramzanali and Pulitzer Prize finalist Evan Mintz talk about how a big drop in oil prices could threaten our economy, the latest fight between the city of Houston and Harris County, and the latest scam you need to watch out for! Dive deeper into the stories we talked about on today’s show:  Officials urge Houston drivers to watch out for scam parking tickets Baylor College of Medicine lays off 122 employees as Trump funding cuts loom MD Anderson cuts spending, pauses some hiring after multi-million dollar budget shortfall A third of eligible Houston employees accept buyout package, saving city $11M this fiscal year Texas Senate passes bill to limit Harris County’s authority over millions of surplus toll road funds Houston-Galveston Area Council studying light rail, bus route feasibility in Fort Bend County Third-Party Permitting Bill & Bill for Stairway Requirements  How Houston became one of America's biggest Vietnamese hubs, 50 years after the fall of Saigon If you enjoyed today's interview with Stages Houston, Denise Fennell, learn more here. Learn more about the sponsors of this May 2nd episode: Aura Frames - Get $35-off plus free shipping on the Carver Mat frame with Promo Code CITYCAST Visit Port Aransas Downtown Houston+ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don’t have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at [phone] with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let’s Talk! Photo: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices