The Lead Live Podcast: Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

The Feb. 9 episode of The Lead Live, hosted by Louis Amestoy and Leslie Jones, focused heavily on ongoing community flood recovery efforts and a volatile market update, following a brief recap of Super Bowl 60.

Flood Recovery: Aid and Logistics

Two key guests involved in the local flood relief provided updates on assistance for victims of the July 4th flood.

• Financial Aid: Adrian Gonzalez of The Lift Fund detailed the $10 million allocation from the Community Foundation. Half of the funds are designated for grants up to $50,000, and the other half is used to facilitate 0% interest loans for businesses impacted by the disaster. Gonzalez noted the program is about 30 days in and has distributed nearly half of the available grant funds. He and Amestoy cited 101 Bistro as a permanent, “heartbreaking loss” for the community’s economy.
• Item Reunification: Dondi Persyn from Found on the Guadalupe shared that the volunteer effort has returned nearly 60,000 items to flood victims. She described the labor-intensive cleaning process, including power washing mud from clothing at a car wash. Persyn announced that “open bin searches” for the public will conclude later this month as the operation transitions from a warehouse to storage.

Financial Market Volatility

Financial advisors Andrew Gay and Zach Greener of Texas Hill Country Advisors offered a market update after what Gay described as a “wild week,” which included a significant Thursday drop and a massive Friday rally where small cap stocks were up more than 4%.

Gay used the data to reinforce the firm’s core investment philosophy, cautioning that investors who attempt to time the market often miss the “best days,” which can substantially reduce long-term returns. The advisors also discussed the rise of unregulated betting markets, such as PolyMarkets, and cautioned listeners against accepting financial advice from unlicensed “fin-influencers.”

Local Politics and News

Other segments included a discussion of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance, which Amestoy praised as a “technical achievement” and a “love letter” to Latin American culture, defending it against language-based criticisms.

Amestoy also reported on local news items, including:

• A political controversy where a local GOP group retracted its endorsement for a Justice of the Peace candidate after she stated she had performed same-sex marriages and would follow the law regarding them.
• Mention of a 2008 wire transfer to “Bank of the Hills” for a steel framing project found within the recently released Jeffrey Epstein files, though he noted a lack of context.
• Mentions of community events, including a Couples Cornhole tournament and a “Someone Special Dance.”