Anna and EJ sit down with Commissioner Alisa Simmons to discuss county politics and why residents should spend more time voting and cross checking county government. The agenda is below:Short Story #1: Should West 7th property owners pay a tax

Interview with County Commissioner Candidate Roderick Miles

10 days ago 1h 20m

EJ and Ann sit down with Roderick Miles, who is running for County Commissioner Precinct 1. The election is May 28th. He is going head to head with Kathleen Hicks for the coveted seat Democrats have held for decades.We start the show with the s

Bud Kennedy: The Past, Present, and Future of Fort Worth Politics

17 days ago 1h 33m

Ann and EJ are joined by a legend of Fort Worth media, Bud Kennedy. Bud is a Fort Worth Star-Telegram opinion columnist. In a 52-year Texas newspaper career, he has covered two Super Bowls, a presidential inauguration, seven Republican and Demo

The State of Fort Worth Journalism with Kaley Johnson

24 days ago 1h 12m

Ann and EJ had the privilege of sitting down with former Star-Telegram reporter Kaley Johnson to discuss what it takes to report the news in a city the size of Fort Worth. We addressed the lifestyle of journalists, the business, and where we ca

This FW Native is Running for TAD Board Seat and Why You Should Care

1 month ago 1h 8m

Ann and EJ sit down with Lee Henderson, a Fort Worth native and political analyst running for the Tarrant Appraisal District Board of Directors Place 3. We know that is a mouthful, but in this episode, we explain why you should care. Henderson'

Interview with County Commissioner Candidate Kathleen Hicks

Mar 18th, 2024 1h 8m

This week, we have Kathleen Hicks, former city councilwoman and now County Commissioner Precinct 1 candidate. She is going head to head with Roderick Miles for the coveted seat Democrats have held for decades.We start the show with the same for

Primary Election Results and Trends: Where are the Texas Democrats?

Mar 11th, 2024 1h 3m

Ann and EJ are back after a one-week hiatus from the show. The big story is the primary election results. Should we be concerned about Texas Democrats' poor turnout? INTRO BANTER: Eclipseboro?SHORT STORY #1: Fort Worth to address income discri

When Planning Goes Wrong: Schools near Motels, MedStar Dysfunction, and Release of ETJ Land

Feb 26th, 2024 1h 6m

Ann and EJ curate a robust show starting with three short stories and one big story. Below is the agenda:Short Story #1 Why you should consider voting in the GOP primaryShort Story #2 The highs and lows of Tarrant County leadership- Tarrant Cou

Texas Politics in 2024: Antisemitism Funding, Border Bill, and Much More

Feb 12th, 2024 1h 4m

We have a lot to cover and unpack. Be prepared for a lot of rants from EJ! We start local, but the big story is about what is happening at the state level that keeps Texas in the news. We honestly assess political decision-making and why Abbott

The State of the Tarrant County Democratic Party with Chrystal Gayden

Feb 5th, 2024 1h 8m

Ann and EJ are joined by Tarrant County Democratic Chair Chrystal Gayden. She gives updates on the future of the party and how we can come together to support talented options in our local elections. As usual, we start with three short stories

Interview with Robert Sturns: How Fort Worth Grows and Where We Are Headed

Jan 29th, 2024 1h 19m

We have our first interview of the new year! Robert Sturns from the city's economic development team joins us for the third time. We also share some concerning updates from the Sandman Hotel investigation and FWISD's new grading system. Enjoy!S

2024 Starts with a Bang: Hotel Explosion, FIFA World Cup, and Much More!

Jan 22nd, 2024 1h 3m

Welcome back to your favorite Fort Worth podcast. We are ready to make 2024 a special year of content and connection, and we appreciate all of you who join us weekly. Below is the order of the show: 👇🏿SHORT STORY #1: Explosion at Fort Worth S

2024 Tarrant County Election: Who Will Be On Your Ballot?

Dec 18th, 2023 1h 9m

What is going on beautiful people this is the LAST EPISODE for the year! Go checkout some old interviews as you can even here Ann’s episode when she was running for mayor :) This episode is for the nerdy OG’s of the pod where we go line by line

Interview with Tarrant 4 Change: Why our county is the epicenter of extremism

Dec 4th, 2023 1h 20m

EJ sits down with Alex and Lydia, the two founding leaders of Tarrant 4 Change (https://linktr.ee/tarrant4change). You may be familiar with their work due to their social media presence or involvement across multiple initiatives around the comm

The Consequences of Fort Worth's Suburban Sprawl

Nov 27th, 2023 1h 23m

Short Story #1: TCU increases tuition past $60K - College Tuition Is Falling For The First Time In Decades Short Story #2: The largest city in the US without mass public transit? - High-speed rail: Should Dallas to Fort Worth be Texas’ first ro

Texas is Changing: Can Vouchers and Environmental Racism Stop It?

Nov 20th, 2023 54m 49s

Ann and EJ cover various topics that interweave into a comprehensive episode about vouchers, systemic racism, and demography. Enjoy the episode!Short Story #1: House strikes vouchers from Texas education bill. How Tarrant County lawmakers voted

Living in Fort Worth: Is the Big Texas House Dream Over?

Nov 13th, 2023 50m 51s

Welcome back to the 817 podcast, where Ann and EJ dissect the current renting and housing data in the city. The big story is the future of urban core living and how cities like Fort Worth have to compete the with the Friscos of the world. Enjoy

Kay Granger will not seek reelection. Who is next?

Nov 6th, 2023 55m 1s

Ann and EJ record on Friday, and lucky for all of us, the news on Kay Granger not seeking reelection creates some interesting contenders who will compete for this influential seat. We will follow this conversation throughout the year and we wil

Understanding Local School Systems and the Impact You Have with Twyla Masterson

Oct 30th, 2023 1h 27m

Today, EJ and Ann are joined by Twyla Masterson, who is the Director of Programs at Leadership ISD. The organization equips community leaders and school board trustees with the skills and resources to advocate for equitable education. Education

What impact does Art have on our local economy? with Wesley Gentle the Director of Arts Fort Worth

Oct 23rd, 2023 1h 17m

Ann and EJ sits down with Wesley Gentle the Executive Director of Arts Fort Worth, a non-profit administers a competitive grants program, manages the Fort Worth Public Art program, and operates the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. Wesley share

Nazis in Fort Worth and What to Know about the Upcoming Election

Oct 16th, 2023 53m 37s

Ann is back! EJ and her go through an array of topics, as this was a busy week for Fort Worth!Short Story #1: Nazis at Torchy’s showed a bigger problem. Now’s the time to speak up- Influential Texas activist Jonathan Stickland hosted white supr

Analyzing Mayor Mattie Parker's 2023 State of the City Address

Oct 9th, 2023 1h

Short Story #1: O'Hare we go again- Tarrant Commissioners Reject Girls Inc. Funding Over Social Issues- Tarrant Explore More Affordable Solutions- We need more funds for our juvenile court systemShort Story #2: Is environmental racism in Fort W

Fort Worth Wins Big with Biotech: Who will benefit?

Oct 2nd, 2023 1h 18m

Short Story #1: County Shenanigans- Tim O'hare Left Democratic Judges Out of Policy Meeting (https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/article279918504.html)- Tarrant County leaders more inmates to a private jail in Garza County (h

Paxton Acquitted, CCPD Budget, New Housing Proposal, and Investing in Sprawl

Sep 18th, 2023 58m 49s

Ann and EJ are back in the studio, going through an array of topics. Enjoy!Short Story #1: Ken Paxton Acquitted (Star-Telegram) https://www.star-telegram.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article279366129.html- Tim O'Hare blames the m

WE ARE BACK! Funding Cops with ARPA Dollars, New TX Bills, and Much More

Sep 11th, 2023 52m 23s

Not having a podcast for two weeks leads to a lot of catching up. We hit an array of topics that are important for us 817ers to keep tabs on. Buckle in because we hit it all in under an hour.STORY 1: Commissioners Fund Cops with ARPA Dollars (F