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Houston's beloved community radio station KPFT finds new home in historic neighborhood

KPFT's new home is in the heart of Third Ward.

Photo via KPFT

In July 2021, Houston’s beloved listener-supported station, KPFT, announced that it was moving out of its familiar home in Montrose (419 Lovett Blvd.) after ownership company Pacifica forced a sale of the eroding building.

Now, the cherished community station and hub will toast its 52nd year in a new facility. KPFT’s new HQ is located in Third Ward at 4504 Caroline St., a short jaunt to the Houston Community College Central Campus and The Ion, Rice’s innovation district.

“There’s no place like home,” said KPFT general manager Robert Franklin in a statement. “KPFT is moving to our new home in the heart of Houston. We are very excited and look forward to moving into our new building and welcoming all of our programmers and community supporters back to their favorite new community station home.”

Nestled in the Museum Park neighborhood, the station’s new location offers an opportunity to collaborate with neighboring cultural centers, including the Buffalo Soldiers Museum, The Mexican Institute, the Houston Museum of African American Culture, Asia Society, Holocaust Museum Houston, and the Clayton Genealogical Archive, according to a press release.

Launched in 1970, KPFT is one of Pacifica Foundation’s five original radio stations; others are located in New York, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and Washington, D.C.

The station has been a hallmark of specialty shows highlighting local and regional musical artists and genres. Programming has traditionally run with a decidedly left-leaning bent, focusing on local, national, and international public affairs, quality of life issues, and social justice platforms.

More than a mere radio station; KPFT quickly became a Montrose hangout and gathering center. The imminent sale, forced by building disrepair, sparked considerable concern among fans and supporters. For the past two years, the station has been mostly run remotely by volunteers during the search for a new home.

“This has been a team effort with the Pacifica national technical professional staff playing an important role in assuring that this location meets the many technical specifications that a radio station requires,” Pacifica National Board member Susan Young noted in a statement. “And we at KPFT are grateful for the unanimous support of the Pacifica National Board to go forward buying the new home for KPFT.”

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

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