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Doug Pike welcomes a hint of fall to Houston, then weighs in on Texas politics, international news and stories that caught his eye this week. He also shares a feel-good story about a generous landlord and finds time for park-crawl birthday parties, valuable Goldfish crackers and a raccoon boot camp.

Doug Pike talks Astros baseball, finally finding speckled trout at the Surfside Jetty, the impact of technology and social media, and some of the stranger stories making headlines. Plus, a look at wildlife crossings, migrating birds and a little good news from the outdoors.

Doug Pike talks with veteran Clint Jordan about the cost and training of service dogs, and how they can help fellow veterans reconnect with everyday life. Plus, Doug shares a few unusual stories, including a $30 estate-sale painting that could be worth a quarter of a million dollars.

Doug Pike visits with elementary school nurse Christine Gannon about what really sends kids to the nurse’s office, from headaches and stomachaches to cuts, scrapes and broken bones. She shares what parents and grandparents should keep in a basic first-aid kit, when a child should stay home or see a doctor, and why healthy habits like hydration and sleep can make a big difference. Doug also weighs in on the day’s headlines, cooler and wetter weather ahead, airport security, and some of the stranger stories making news.

Doug Pike discusses Harris County’s property tax increase, then shifts to a few stories that caught his eye: a Viking silver discovery in Finland, Christian Bale’s foster care village designed to keep siblings together, and a tiny fossil feather found in dinosaur dung. He also weighs in on the National Toy Hall of Fame finalists, shares how he introduced his son to fishing, and looks at a possible change to water bottle rules in TSA PreCheck lanes.

Doug talks with Pam West of Honestly Texas Rice about the history of rice farming on the Katy Prairie, the challenges facing local farmers and how buying Texas-grown rice helps preserve agriculture and protect our food supply.

Doug weighs in on hands-free towing, the end of the penny and whether caffeine can slow aging. Plus, thoughts on politics, the future of AI and the possibility of life beyond Earth.

Doug discusses the red tide affecting parts of the Texas coast, his latest round at Whispering Pines and the upcoming Spirit International. He also weighs in on political division, strange headlines, whether Texas really is America’s loudest state and Zachary Levi’s plans for a new film studio outside Austin.

Doug reflects on the 25th anniversary of 9/11 before speaking with Sean Tucker of Kelley Blue Book and AutoTrader about rising car prices, affordable new and used vehicles, electric cars and what buyers should know before making a purchase.

Doug covers a Virginia mother punished for allowing her five-year-old to walk through her gated community, the mistreatment of a 12-year-old autistic student, and the sharp contrast in Labor Day shootings between Chicago and Houston. He also weighs in on sanctuary-state immigration policies, the Carmelo Anthony case, Nike’s dramatic decline, Iran’s latest missile attack, the Lindsay Clancy trial, Texas politics and more stories from around the country.