We are celebrating a Y’all-itics first this week!  This episode if the first Y’all-itics recorded before a live audience, both in-person and virtual.  It was all part of the Texas Conference of Urban Counties, with  County Judges and County Commissioners meeting in College Station for three days to discuss policy and politics.  If you want to get a pulse on Texas politics, this would be a great place to start.  So, that’s exactly what the Jasons did.  While they discussed everything from property taxes to the power grid, just about everyone at the conference, including and especially Republicans, wondered out loud what ever happened to local control?  What ever happened to the idea that no one size fits all in Texas and local communities should be allowed to make the best decisions for them at the local level?  These local leaders made it very clear to the Jasons they want it back because they think it’s hurting Texans.

Guests:

County Judge Glen Whitley, (R) Tarrant County

County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr.,  (D) Cameron County

From ambulances to airlines, school buses to paramedics, and garbage pickup to water main breaks.  The latest wave of COVID in Texas is, fortunately, not killing as many people as other variants.  But Omicron is certainly disrupting many aspects of our daily lives. Despite your job title, many Texans are picking up new responsibilities at work as businesses and governments try to remain open.  In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons call up Hallie Stewart, the North Texas Operations Manager for Acadian Ambulance. She not only manages that operation from the office, but she is now forced to actually hop on ambulances and respond to dispatches since the sick call list at her company has tripled with Omicron. But it’s not just ambulances. Fort Worth, like many cities across the state, is moving employees around to different departments to have enough staff to keep the city open.  The Jasons also called in to that city’s noticeably empty command center to talk with the person in charge, Brandon Bennett. He and Hallie share new insight, and both answer the question of when this surge will peak.

2021 was quite a ride… even after many of us thought things might quiet down after 2020.  Now that 2022 is upon us, will the political news calm down at all?  Not.  A.  Chance.  In our first episode of the new year, the Jasons speak with a couple of experts who know Texas politics.  They’re breaking out their crystal balls to give us an idea of what to expect in the year ahead.  And things will escalate quickly with the looming GOP primary battles.  Forget the Farmer’s Almanac.  This is your Y’all-itics Almanac for Texas politics in 2022.

Guests:

Cassandra Pollock, The Texas Tribune State Politics Reporter

Kimi Lynn King, Professor/Interim Chair UNT Department of Political Science

The holiday season is upon us and the Y’all-itics team is taking a break to spend time with family.  But for a couple of weeks, the Jasons wanted to share their favorite episodes of 2021 with you.  It’s now Jason Whitely’s  choice and his rewind episode focuses on legendary WFAA sportscaster Dale Hansen, who retired earlier this year after a distinguished career.  “Dale Hansen Unplugging” originally released on May 19, 2021 and was our fourth most listened to episode in 2021.  We checked… and Dale is still retired.  But this remains one of our most favorite conversations, including how wrestling a bear basically launched his career.

Original Summary:

By now you’ve likely heard the news, legendary WFAA sportscaster Dale Hansen is retiring.  But we’re pretty sure you haven’t heard the stories that Dale shares on this special episode of Y’all-itics.  Exactly 24-hours after the announcement, Dale cracked open a beer with the Jasons for a look back at his 50-years in broadcasting, the well-known statewide politician he was recruited to run against a few years ago, the unbelievable way he got a job in Dallas, and how he handles haters who really get under his skin.  The Jasons raise a toast to Dale and share a lot of laughs.  This episode really is Dale unplugged. (original release date May 19, 2021)

Guest:

Dale Hansen, Retired WFAA Sports Anchor

The holiday season is upon us and the Y’all-itics team is taking a break to spend time with family.  But for the next couple of weeks, the Jasons wanted to share their favorite episodes of 2021 with you.  We start with Jason Wheeler.  And naturally, being the “Right On The Money” guy, his rewind episode has to do with… money, and how much it takes to move into even a small home in Texas.  “We’re Out of Houses in Texas” originally released on March 30, 2021 and was our second most listened to podcast all year.  The Jasons add some new context nine months later.  But rest assured, the housing crunch in Texas is still a big problem and the affordability issue is growing in communities all over the state.

Original summary:

It is a seller’s market on steroids right now in Texas.  Healthy housing inventory is typically six months.  But some cities in Texas are down to days.  If you’re a seller, you’re likely receiving multiple offers, some significantly above asking.  If you’re a buyer, good luck.  It could take you a while.  Some buyers are even resorting to entering contracts without a guaranteed final sales price.  And at the end of the day, all homeowners in Texas will pay for the housing frenzy through higher property taxes.  In this episode of Y’all-itics, experts tell the Jasons to buckle up, because we’re not living in a bubble.  They say there is no end in sight.  And if that wasn’t enough, learn how that “big, stuck boat” in Egypt’s Suez Canal could impact Texas real estate.  (original release date: March 30, 2021)

Guests:

Todd Tramonte, Real Estate Marketer and Broker

Anne Lakusta, Real Estate Broker

This is the farthest away from home Y’all-itics has ever been!  Legendary and award winning former WFAA journalist Byron Harris joins the Jasons from the Drake Passage, one of the stormiest bodies of water on Earth.  Byron had just left Antarctica after participating in a climate change research mission.  If you watched any of Good Morning America’s recent extensive coverage from Antarctica, those crews were on the same ship.  And did the Jasons ever learn a lot.  While Byron figured he’d see a lot of penguins, nothing prepared him to see hundreds of thousands of them.  And if you want to track climate change, track the penguins. 

Guests:

Byron Harris, Former WFAA Investigative Reporter

Sven-Olof Lindblad, Lindblad Expeditions CEO

In less than 60-days, one of the titans of Texas business is retiring. Gary Kelly will depart as CEO of Southwest Airlines on February 1, after 17-years leading the company. He helped transform it to the largest domestic carrier in the country, opened Hawaii and international destinations and got rid of the Wright Amendment, among other things. Now, as Southwest celebrates the 50th anniversary since its first flight, Kelly joins the Jasons for this episode of Y’all-itics – meeting them at the San Antonio bar where the airline was born on the back of a cocktail napkin in the 1960s.

GUEST:

Gary Kelly, CEO Southwest Airlines

Known as the Texas Triangle, the area from Dallas to Houston and over to San Antonio/Austin would be the 15th largest economy in the world, producing $1.2 Billion in economic output.  That’s equivalent to Mexico or Spain.  And seven in 10 Texans live there.  So, if it is the economic engine driving our state, why isn’t it also driving our politics?  And because the politics outside of this Triangle have come to dominate the state, some experts fear it could kill the Texas growth model.  At least one major company has already said it would help pay for any employee who wishes to relocate.  In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by Steven Pedigo, the Director of the LBJ Urban Lab in Austin and a professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs.  Pedigo says if you want to understand the country, then understand our state, because Texas is the future of America… unless the direction of our politics pulls the rug out from under all of us.

Guest:

Steven Pedigo, LBJ Urban Lab Director

If you’re waiting for the supply chain to return to normal, stop immediately.  This is the new abnormal.  And our experts say it’s going to stay this way for a while.  The problem is worldwide and can be found in factories, on cargo ships and inside ports and trucks.  And often, it’s not that the goods aren’t available.  In fact, warehouses all across the country are full.  There just aren’t enough workers to move those goods.  And as if that’s not bad enough, everything is now wrapped in a shroud of inflation.  And through it all, consumers have still been spending like crazy, so ultimately the problem could be… us.  In this episode of Y’all-itics, the Jasons are joined by supply chain and logistics experts who discuss how long this will last, how much worse it might get and the government policies that could fix it.  As it turns out, Texas could actually benefit in the long run.

Guests

Professor Margaret Kidd, University of Houston/Supply Chain & Logistics Technology

Aaron Armistead, Regional Vice President/NFI Industries

Y’all-itics is celebrating a birthday!  The unofficial podcast of Texas is now a two-year-old.  And in this special release, we celebrate with you… and our boss.  We asked for comments from our listeners and you delivered.  And the Jasons are also joined by the unofficial Y’all-itics CEO.  Thanks for your support!  We couldn’t do this without you. And the entire Y’all-itics team is looking forward to year three. Cheers!

Guest

Carolyn Mungo, WFAA Station Manager/Y’all-itics CEO