On today’s Hello Houston, we’re joined by Gina Plata-Nino, the SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center, who discusses a new analysis that examines how changes to SNAP policies are being implemented and how they’re affecting recipients.

Then, Daniel Kurt Ackermann, Director of Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, joins us to tell us about their exhibition “George Washington: America’s Enduring Icon,” which examines how Americans memorialize and remember the nation’s first president.

In the second hour, Evelyn Garcia and Henry Lu, the chefs behind Houston's JŪN, share their story of how they went from being ambitious newcomers to the top of Texas' culinary world, having recently earned one of the restaurant industry's highest honors, the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Texas.

Plus, we chat with YouTuber Coffee Mike from the channel “I Travel4Coffee,” who gives us the scoop on Houston’s hidden coffee gems as someone who explores coffee shops, roasters, and coffee culture from all over the world.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Katharine Shilcutt discuss today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including the Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocking Harris County’s immigrant legal aid program, TIME Magazine naming the Astrodome as one of the 25 buildings and monuments that best tell the story of America, Governor Greg Abbott criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to preserve birthright citizenship, and more.

On today’s Hello Houston, we talk with Timothy Malcolm, Deputy Managing Editor of Texas Lifestyle at Chron, who joins us to discuss their new list ranking the 250 most influential Texans since 1776, which Texans are included on the list, and how it all came together.

Then, Houston Public Media reporters Dominic Anthony Walsh and Sarah Grunau join us again to unpack the latest episode of the new podcast series After the Flood, which examines last year’s Texas Hill Country floods and the region’s history with flooding.

In the second hour, director Katie Camosy joins us to discuss her new documentary Gaslit, which follows actress and activist Jane Fonda as she talks with people living on the frontlines of America's oil and gas production boom. The documentary will be screening at River Oaks Theatre starting this weekend.

Plus, our hosts and listeners share the latest things that are taking over all their free time as part of our regular Thursday feature, Current Obsessions. You can send us your Current Obsessions anytime by emailing us at talk@hellohouston.org.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Katharine Shilcutt talk about today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including UTMB at Galveston facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly paying a female worker less than her male counterpart, President Trump saying he will launch the largest fireworks display in history on Independence Day, a Tesla driver charged with manslaughter after crashing into a Houston-area home, and more.

On today's Hello Houston, we discuss Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s recent voter fraud allegations despite his push to crack down on illegal voting in the state with Texas Tribune reporter Zach Despart, who’s been covering this story.

Then, actor Robert Petkoff, who’s playing the character Harold Zidler in the national tour of Moulin Rouge The Musical, gives us an inside look at the production, which is currently playing at the Hobby Center through Sunday, July 19.

In the second hour, Perla Trevizo, a reporter with the ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigative unit, tells us about the investigation of an immigration detention center in El Paso that allegedly failed to address the mental health crisis of a detainee despite multiple warning signs.

Plus, we learn all about the UniverSoul Circus with its founder, Cedric Walker, who also tells us about the circus’s history, the community outreach it does, and how the audience participates in the show.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Roseann Rogers discuss today's top stories at the top of each hour, including President Trump saying ICE should continue vehicle stops despite recent fatal shootings, Willowbrook Mall implementing a temporary youth curfew, and Mexico filing complaints over the ICE-related deaths of 17 Mexican nationals.

On today’s Hello Houston, Dr. Venkat Selvamanickam, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Houston, joins us to tell us about a possible breakthrough in fusion energy, which could one day provide abundant electricity with minimal emissions.

Then, we hear from Benjamin Hayden, an adjunct professor of electrical and computer engineering and linguistics at Rice University, who tells us about a new study that looks at how bilingual brains navigate between languages.

In the second hour, Liz Hoefer, the managing attorney and co-founder of the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project, discusses the Texas Supreme Court ordering Harris County to halt payments to its Immigrant Legal Services Fund, and what this means for people facing deportation who can't afford an attorney.

Plus, public radio host David Greene and director Doug Pray tell us about their music documentary Louder Than Guns, which examines the country’s gun violence issue through conversations with individuals from all ends of the debate in the pursuit of common ground.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Robert Arnold talk about today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including the Supreme Court allowing a Texas law that restricts minors from downloading apps without their parent's consent to take effect, Daniel Wong suing Fort Bend County attorney Bridgette Lawson-Smith over authority to remain as interim county judge, and more.

On today’s Hello Houston, with the Houston FIFA matches now over, we’re joined again by Chris Canetti, President of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Houston Host Committee, who discusses how Houston fared as a host city for this massive global event.

Next, best-selling author Christina Diaz Gonzalez joins us to spotlight her new graphic novel, Offside, which follows five very different middle school students on a soccer team that becomes co-ed.

In the second hour of the show, the Galveston County reporter for Houston Public Media, Julianna Washburn, joins us to give us the latest on Galveston County’s new approved precinct map, which some residents are saying doesn't fairly represent minority communities.

Plus, Marci Kurtz Hoffman, the Assistant Curator of the Rainforest Pyramid and Animal Wellbeing Manager at Moody Gardens, tells us all about their new resident, a female Komodo Dragon named Diah, and the conservation efforts supporting her species’ future.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Houston Public Media reporter Michael Adkison discuss today's top stories at the top of each hour, including the City of Houston's Office of Inspector General declining to investigate Mayor Whitmire's $60,000 payment to a podcast producer, the Texas Stock Exchange now trading as of today, and the launch of tax-advantaged investment accounts called Trump Accounts.

On today’s Hello Houston, Houston City Councilmember at Large Position 4 Alejandra Salinas talks with Ernie Manouse and guest host Robert Arnold at the top of the show to discuss the fatal shooting by an ICE agent in Houston's East End yesterday.

Next, Nicholas Sawicki, Executive Director of the Houston Public Library Foundation, joins us to tell us all about the library’s Summer Reading Program and how it encourages readers of all ages to read for fun throughout the summer.

In the second hour of the show, we’re joined by Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia and recently appointed Harris County Attorney Abbie Kamin, who both share their perspectives on yesterday's fatal ICE shooting in Houston's East End and what happens next.

Plus, Kelly Johnson, the Chief Engagement Officer at The Rothko Chapel, a famous Houston cultural landmark, joins us to discuss the importance of contemplative or reflective spaces in our community and how they can help support our mental health.

On today’s Hello Houston, we hear from Sandy West, a contributing writer for Public Health Watch, who tells us about the growing number of maternal healthcare deserts across the state of Texas and the impact they're having on pregnant women and their families.

Then, Houston-based photographer Violeta Alvarez joins us to tell us about her new residency with Fresh Arts called Casa de Cultura: The Living Archive, and how it turns family stories of immigration into a living community archive.

In the second hour, we talk with Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who joins us to share his perspective on Tuesday’s fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Houston's East End, what information is known about this fatal shooting, and whether his office will be investigating what happened.

And, as always, Ernie Manouse and guest host Straight No Chaser singer Charlie Mechling discuss today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including State Rep. Gina Hinojosa promising to give each Texas household a $1,500 check if she wins the race for Texas Governor, Texas doctors wanting more regulations on prediction market platforms, and hundreds gathering for a vigil honoring the man fatally shot by an ICE agent in Houston.

On today’s Hello Houston, Houston Public Media reporter Dominic Anthony Walsh joins us to discuss his story on what legal experts think about Mayor John Whitmire saying that HPD can’t independently investigate the fatal ICE shooting.

Next, Walsh and Houston Public Reporter Sarah Grunau discuss the newest episode of the podcast series, After the Flood, which follows the families of Camp Mystic victims as they fight for stronger regulations around summer camps following the deadly floods that devastated the Texas Hill Country last year.

In the show’s second hour, with cryptocurrency ATMs popping up across Texas, we talk with The Texas Tribune's Ayden Runnels, who explains how they are being used to scam Texans and what lawmakers are proposing to help protect consumers.

Plus, our hosts share a rundown of events happening this weekend in Houston, as part of our regular Friday feature “Last Minute Plans,” while Hello Houston listeners share their own plans for the weekend.

Also, Ernie Manouse and guest host Doris Childress discuss the latest updates on the fatal shooting involving an ICE agent in Houston at the top of each hour, which includes Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia saying the Houston man killed by ICE wasn’t the intended target of the agents, who also weren't wearing body cams.