On today’s Hello Houston, New York Times Texas bureau chief David Goodman breaks down the state’s governor's race, the U.S. Senate race, and the controversy over the thousands of voter registration applications that went unprocessed due to an error at the Texas DPS.

Then, in this week’s Producer Spotlight, Hello Houston producer Laura Walker talks with the founder and owner of Houston's Upstream Fitness and its coaches to find out how they’re using fitness to empower its participants.

In the second hour, Harel Shapira, a sociologist at the University of Texas, discusses his new book, Basic Pistol: Living and Dying by the Gun in America, which looks at how gun owners are taught to think about risk and safety and the role a “good guy with a gun” should play in our society.

And finally, Adam Fetterman, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Houston, talks about a new study that examines how the proximity of food can influence our everyday eating habits.

And, as always, our hosts Tessa Barrera and Ernie Manouse discuss today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including gas prices becoming a major talking point ahead of the midterms, Harris County election officials processing more than 75,000 additional voter registrations after a DPS error, the Paxton-Talarico contest possibly breaking a record for campaign spending in a U.S. Senate election, and more.

On today’s Hello Houston, we talk with Andrew Rothman, the Wildlife Campaigns Director for Environment America, who discusses the Trump administration’s major changes to the Endangered Species Act and how these changes could impact us in the state of Texas.

Then, we hear from the winner of the 2026 Houston Blues Challenge, Sara Van Buskirk, who sits down with Hello Houston executive producer Jim Kovacik for this week’s Five Simple Questions, where she shares the experiences and influences behind her music.

In the second hour, we learn about the University of Houston’s Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health, with its founding director Ben King, who explains how it brings together researchers, experts, and community groups to better understand the causes of homelessness and find solutions for long-term housing stability.

And finally, we close the show with a special performance by singer, songwriter, and Houston Blues Challenge winner Sara Van Buskirk, featuring music from her upcoming self-titled album and her debut album.

And, as always, our hosts Tessa Barrera and Ernie Manouse talk about today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including former Houston Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Persse's passing, which they discuss with Dr. Catherine Troisi, Harris County receiving a one-year extension to use federal funds for post-Hurricane Harvey flood bond projects, and New York prosecutors reopening an investigation into an alleged gang rape at Cornell University.

On today’s Hello Houston, we discuss Prairie View A&M’s 150th anniversary with the university’s president, Dr. Tomikia LeGrande, who also tells us about its remarkable journey becoming a nationally recognized HBCU, what its legacy means today, and what's ahead in its future.

Then, in this week’s On the Marquee, Ernie talks with Kevin Earley, who’s playing Captain Georg Von Trapp in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, which is running at the Hobby Center through Sunday, October 4.

In the second hour of the show, we turn to the economy and talk with University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs, who helps us understand what record-high diesel prices could mean for consumers, truckers, farmers, and supply chains.

Plus, we talk with six-time Grammy-winning musician, producer, and composer Don Was, who tells us about his new album, the Detroit sound that inspired it, and what audiences can expect when he hits the stage at his upcoming show in Houston tomorrow night.

And, as always, our hosts Tessa Barrera and Ernie Manouse talk about today’s top stories at the top of each hour, including the Austin man shot by ICE earlier this month getting charged with assaulting and resisting a federal officer, Sen. Ted Cruz’s college sports bill passing in the Senate, Ken Paxton saying President Trump's convention hurt his polling numbers, and more.